Posts Tagged: insurance agent


16
Feb 10

Auto Insurance: 8 Savings Secrets

Sometimes when you’re purchasing insurance for your car, you might not be getting all the pertinent information due to many factors. Sometimes, your own auto insurance agent may leave something out, maybe something they just forgot. Or, it could be something that they’ll receive a bonus for. Hopefully, the following information will give you all the information you need.

Is you car more than seven or eight years old and worth less that a couple of thousand dollars? If so, it might be in your best interests to drop the collision and comprehensive premiums from our auto insurance policy. It just isn’t cost-effective anymore. We’ve always been told that auto insurance companies give you big discounts if you insurance your home along with your auto with the same company but is that really true? You should do some research on this one because things have changed and that isn’t the case anymore. Now you can actually get better rates by using different companies for your different insurance needs.

Another thing your insurance agent might not tell you and that is the fact that most states minimum liability insurance is so low that you could wind up in financial trouble if you were in an accident and all you had was the bare minimum coverage. It is best to ask about this and purchase more if necessary so that you are fully protected.  If you want to make sure that you are paying the lowest premiums possible it is your responsibility to shop around, the internet is your best bet. This is because your insurance agent is not going to tell you that you could get cheaper rates somewhere else. It’s up to you to do your homework.

It may seem odd to you but your insurance company will likely offer you a discount if you go green. This means that you might want to check out a hybrid auto, or even something that seems small like choosing a paperless stqatement or an electronic payment plan. An insurance company will reward you by passing their savings on to you.

Something that never usually crosses the mind of someone that just had an accident and that is to pay the claim themselves. This will keep your insurance rates from going up and also will keep your record clean. You might want to consider doing this if the claim is within your budget. It will save you money in the long run.

A main factor in the cost of your insurance premium is the type of auto you drive. A fast, flashy sports car will cost more to insure that a family-type vehicle for obvious reasons, such as the speed factor. Another sure way for your insurance premium to increase is adding a teenager to your policy. This is due to the fact that they lack experience on the road and usually at that age haven’t developed a sense of responsibility.


7
Feb 10

No-Fault Auto Insurance Information

Some states still have what is called “no-fault” insurance. This means that even if you aren’t at fault in an accident, if you get in an accident and you don’t have cheap inexpensive auto insurance, the guilty party’s insurance will not pay for your medical injuries. This type of insurance is said to speed up claims because your own insurance company pays for your claims, thereby decreasing the chance of someone overstating their injuries and trying to get more money than they should.

The no-fault insurance is referred to as Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and there are twelve states that still have this type of insurance. The amount of this type of coverage is determined by the state insurance departments. In these states the insured cannot sue the other party, even if they were at fault, for anything except when the expenses go over a certain amount, a monetary threshold, or when the accident causes death or disability to the person not at fault, a verbal threshold. Some of these states also let an injured persons sue for pain and suffering under certain circumstances.

No-fault cheap full coverage auto insurance can be very complicated as each state has different options such as the right to “buy back” the right to sue another driver. To do this the insured has to purchase more bodily injury coverage. There is a great need for PIP because it provides protection from all the uninsured drivers there are today. It gives the insured peace of mind that they will have their own medical expenses covered if in an accident with one of those drivers.

There is another negative factor regarding no-fault insurance, there is no coverage at all for any property damaged in an accident. The only thing to protect your property is to purchase Comprehensive and Collision coverage. Also, if you are at fault in an accident you may be held responsible for the other driver’s property damage so you need to also purchase liability coverage that will pay for that if necessary.

If you live in one of the twelve states with no-fault auto insurance, you should discuss your options with your insurance agent to make sure that you are covered for all circumstances.