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Posts Tagged ‘m’

Basic Limits of Liability and its Importance

Monday, July 20th, 2009

In most states you are required to have at least the most basic type of car insurance to be able to legally operate a vehicle on the road. Liability insurance is the most basic type of car insurance and it does not cover your vehicle in a car accident only the others. Included in liability insurance is not only damage to property but coverage for injuries or deaths.

The minimal amount of insurance that is offered by a company is usually referred to as the basic limits of liability. While the minimal amount varies from company to company it usually is $25,000/$50,000. This means that the damage done to the third party?s property and bodily harm will be covered up to these limits. In some cases there is a company that offers only property damage. If you happen to choose this coverage then you will be responsible for any bodily harm.

There is another type of car insurance that you can have that will cover your car and the other vehicles as well. While these plans are more expensive they are preferable if you have an expensive car or if you want to have limits that will protect you in case a car accident causes serious bodily harm to the other person.

By having full coverage and higher coverage limits, you will have less to worry about in the event of a serious accident. In most small accidents basic liability will cover the property damage. However if you get into a serious accident with only the basic limits of liability then you will be liable to pay the difference. Thus it pays to have higher insurance coverage so that you don?t end up owing tens of thousands of dollars in damage and hospital bills.

As you may expect the price for your premium will go up with the higher coverage plans. However there are some other factors that can increase the price of your plans as well. If you?re a young driver, have a bad driving record, or a sports car you are likely to pay higher premiums. Likewise if you?re the parent of someone who has one of these three items and he or she is on your plan you can expect to pay higher rates as well. You should also remember that the medical coverage is always the larger number and is usually double the amount of the property damage coverage due to medical bills being so expensive.

In many states driving without insurance is illegal. You?re required to have state minimum liability coverage. Even in the states where you?re not required to have insurance you should as driving without it is very risky. Even a small accident can cost you thousands of dollars that will take years to pay off. Usually it?s better to have upgraded insurance that will cover damages that are done to your vehicle as well. Comprehensive coverage is also good for those who live in the city or in areas of extreme weather. This is because comprehensive is designed to cover damages to your vehicle not caused by accident such as theft and weather damage.

Whether you have an older car or a car that?s 2 days old, it?s important that you choose the right type of insurance for your vehicle. If you don?t know what type of coverage you should get for your vehicle then you should consult an insurance agent.

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Affordable Auto Insurance, Not A Mirage, Yet Far From Reality

Sunday, July 19th, 2009

This best summarizes the facts about affordable auto insurance. A lot of people think that they can get affordable auto insurance policy easily, and while this may be true, some underlying factors influence the final outcome. The key for you is to understand each of these factors to see if you qualify for a discount auto insurance plan. Remember, before you get quotes for these plans, you need to supply some information.

Needless to say, the fact that an affordable auto insurance plan could be offered to you would be sensitive to the inputs you provide. Now, that does not mean you should tamper with the inputs just for you to get discount auto insurance. Insurance companies have a stringent check mechanism, and your application for a discount auto insurance might as well get rejected, if it is found you have tampered with the information you have provided.

Worse still, some insurance companies may even offer you discount auto insurance plans. Everything may seem to go smooth for people, and when something unforeseen happens, you would rush to the company to file your claims. This is when things turn sour on the affordable auto insurance policy. You might see that the company either delays the settling of claims inordinately, or worse still, even reject the claim outright.

About 40% of people who apply for affordable auto insurance coverage do not know that their claims can get rejected if the inputs provided by them are misrepresented. Unknowing of this fact, people apply for discount auto insurance, only to find that their request has been denied.

Once you provide inputs to the best of your knowledge, it is on the discretion of the insurance company to give you a affordable auto insurance plan. Remember, insurance companies play it safe by automating the entire exercise online, so you can be sure there would be no bias at all. Importantly, what you need to judge for yourself is if the affordable auto insurance policy is really affordable for you or not. Understanding whether the discount auto insurance policy still meets your financial standings is important for you to decide!

Simply put, a combination of having a good driving history and the place where you stay in are considered the best bets for you to get an affordable auto insurance plan. Though, you cannot do much to influence the place you stay in to get a discount auto insurance, but you can definitely keep a watch on your driving record. If it is good enough, you will surely get a affordable auto insurance policy.

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How a Waiver of Excess Works

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Most car insurance policies have certain aspects of it that you will have to pay for if you have an accident or if your car gets vandalized. This part of the policy is commonly referred to a waiver of excess in many countries such as the UK. In the United States the waiver of excess is more commonly referred to as a deductible. If you?re in the UK and decide to rent a car then you?ll encounter a waiver of excess.

It?s important to remember that a waiver of excess is only paid if the damages exceed the deductable amount. So if your deductable is $1,000 and the accident is $2,000 then you will pay the $1,000 and the insurance company will take care of the rest. Waivers of excess, like deductibles, are not included in the premium that you have to pay for your car insurance. This means that you?ll have to pay it after an accident or other event has occurred. You only have to pay it if you want the damages to be covered by your policy.

In the example above you?d be better off paying the $2,000 rather than having the insurance company pay the difference and then raise the premium of your car insurance because you made a claim. If you?re a young driver you should be cautious before reporting an insurance claim as most insurance companies will increase the premium by a good amount.

The amount of your waiver of excess will depend on the type of coverage that you have and what amount you choose. The deductibles can range from as little as $250 to $1500. It?s important to remember that the higher that you have the deductible the lower your monthly insurance payments will be. The problem with having a higher deductible comes if and when you need to make a claim as you would need to come up with that amount before your insurance policy will cover the difference.

On some insurance policies you will see a percent for the waiver of excess rather than an actual amount. The percent can work for you or against you depending on your situation. If you have a low cost accident then the percent will be in your favor. However if the accident is an expensive one then you will be in a situation where you?ll have to pay a lot more.

A waiver of excess is usually used to pay off damage that has occurred to your car due to an accident, theft, or harsh weather. Liability only will never have a waiver of excess since it only covers damages done to other vehicles. It?s possible to have better coverage for your waiver of access as well as a lower amount that you have to pay. However this will also increase the cost of your monthly payments.

A waiver of excess is not singled out to auto insurance policies. A waiver of excess is often found on health, travel, and home insurance. You should remember that if there?s damage to a rental car you may have to pay it out of your pocket and then be reimbursed by your insurance.

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Insurer Investments for Car Insurance Companies

Monday, July 13th, 2009

Before you decide to get car insurance, it?s important to know a little bit about insurer investments. Every car insurance company looks at their customers as either bad investments, or good investments. If you are a good investment you will end up getting much lower rates. This is because you are a lower risk for your insurance company.

There are several different factors that your car insurance company takes into consideration when determining how much of a risk you are. Younger drivers, for example, have higher insurance costs than older drivers. Younger drivers have less experience driving and get into more accidents, so it only makes sense that their insurance will cost more. Studies have shown that young men get into more accidents than young women, so their costs are often even more expensive. After a few years of driving experience without any accidents the rates for these individuals should subside.

The biggest factor that agents look for when determining their investment in you is your driving record. If you have several claims on your record your rates will skyrocket. The insurance company will see you as a higher risk compared to someone who has no claims at all. Some drivers will not report small accidents since they know their insurance costs will cost more than the repairs.

When you apply for car insurance the agent will ask what type of car you drive. Even this determines the type of rates you can expect. Sports cars will have much higher insurance costs than regular cars because they get into accidents more frequently than other cars and they cost more to repair. Always remember that any add-ons you put on your vehicle won?t be compensated for if they are ruined in an accident. If you are looking for lower rates drive a standard car or truck.

As it turns out, your address also determines your risk for the company. Every zip code is given a specific risk assessment to help them determine factors like theft and vandalism. If you live in the inner city your rates will be higher because you are more likely to be subject to these damages. Many times college students will register their insurance at their parent?s home instead of their city address to save money.

Good drivers and people who have been with an insurance company for many years can often get good rates. These low risk drives have proven that they drive safely and stay out of accidents, so they are more likely to make money for the insurance company rather than take it away. You can also try taking out several different types of insurance with one company. They will give you lower rates since your overall risk factor is staying the same and they are making more money from you. Companies are always looking for good investments, so make sure you are doing everything you can to be low risk.

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Using a Car Insurance Broker

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

A person you hire that helps people find good car insurance quotes is known as a car insurance broker. A car insurance broker can save you a lot of time and still help you find a good deal on car insurance. Hiring a good broker will allow you to receive good advice on your insurance plans as well as save money on your payments.

Agents are usually independent and therefore work on their own to find you the rates you want. This means you don’t have to worry about them trying to force you into a policy with a specific company. Most brokers have a great deal of knowledge on car insurance and have numerous resources to help find you the lowest rate.

Many companies offer free insurance quotes via the internet. However some company sites don’t allow you to see your quote. In some cases where you’re unable to see your quote they will have a representative call you in hopes of selling you an insurance policy. It may be cheaper to find an insurance policy by getting quotes online however you will most likely spend time that you’d rather do something else with.

In some cases you will be better off hiring an insurance broker than searching for quotes yourself. If you don’t have the time to get quotes then you’ll want to rely on an insurance broker. Also if you need a specific type of car insurance you may be better off getting a broker as they have several resources they use to help you get the type of insurance you need at a low cost.

If you have a situation where you’re at risk for higher insurance rates then you may want to hire a broker. This situation usually occurs with those who have never had car insurance before and are young, if they’ve had a bad driving record, or if they have a car that will have higher than normal insurance such as a sports car. By using a broker you may be able to avoid some of these higher priced insurances.

When you hire a broker you should make sure that you feel comfortable with whom you hire. The person will be handling all your personal information and you should not have to feel nervous about this. Ensure that the broker is a trustworthy broker as most of the brokers work privately. You should run a history check on your broker and ensure that there are no major complaints about him.

Your broker might offer insurance companies many different policies in order to negotiate a lower rate for you. They do this so that they can still receive commission off of the policy and save you money on your premium. In some cases it may be best for you to find car insurance yourself. However if you need a special insurance or are classified as a high risk driver then an insurance broker will most likely be able to find a better deal.

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Truck Driver Liability Insurance Explained

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

The truck driver liability insurance plan is similar a regular liability plan, except for the fact that they cover only your truck. This sort of insurance plan is most suited for the businessmen who wish to guard their trucks that make delivery. If you are a business owner and have a truck then you must get this insurance or you may be punishable by the law.

This insurance plans covers the truck in case of any damage inflicted upon by a road accident. What if your delivery truck got involved in a road accident and you have no other means of transporting the delivery materials. If you do not have enough funds to substitute your truck then you may have to postpone the delivery, make extra payments for the materials damaged, and probably even face loss in business by loosing good customers. If you are new into business, then this blow would be enough to scatter your dreams.

Find out what type of coverage is offered by your insurance plan. The plan may well cover your delivery truck, truck driver, and also other vehicles damaged in the accident. You may also wish to find out whether your truck has coverage only when you are the driver or also when you are not present at the time of accident. It is possible that a car hits your truck when you had parked it on the roadside. Your insurance plan should cover this too. A good aspect of the truck insurance is that, as it travels from one state to another, you and your truck is insured no matter which state of US you are in.

Keep in mind that if you are making cross-state trips you will have to have a DOT number. All commercial vehicles crossing state lines, even from other countries, must have this number. Passenger, private, and exempt commercial vehicles are all included.

It may also be a good idea for you to get insurance on your cargo loads. A large truck can car tens of thousands of dollars worth of product, and much of it will be destroyed if that truck gets in accident. Insurance usually only covers certain types of loads, so be sure to check with your insurance company before loading anything on the truck.

Sometimes business owners only need a truck for a few days, or else just need to drive their company vehicle home from the dealer. If this is the case you can buy short term insurance. Most companies offer you coverage for up to four days, with you being charged per day. This will give you plenty of time to make a quick delivery if you need to.

Most often, you will have to replace your drivers who are covered under your truck driver insurance plan. You must ensure that each driver has a valid license and has undergone the training required to drive a commercial truck. Before getting a driver covered under the insurance plan, you will have to get them approved by the insurers. You must take care to not employ any driver with an unclean driving history else they may not be approved and your premiums may shoot up.

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Car Insurance Tips for Young Drivers

Monday, June 29th, 2009

One of the big days in a teenager’s life is the day they get their driver’s license. But with that passport to adulthood comes tremendous responsibilities. Every newly licensed driver?in fact, anyone seeking to become a licensed driver?must arrange for adequate auto insurance coverage.

But car insurance for teen drivers can be very expensive. Teen drivers are considered high risk drivers due to their inexperience, which means they can expect to pay high rates for their insurance premiums. Don?t let that stop you from earning your driver?s license, though. With careful planning, teen drivers can find ways to save money on car insurance.

The first step in getting the lowest rates is to get several quotes. These quotes should be obtained from authorized insurance agents or company websites. The various insurance companies define teen risk in very different ways. This means one company may charge just a little more than they charge an older driver, while another company may charge you a whole lot more. There is tremendous competition among insurance companies, so companies that know you are doing comparison shopping tend to offer you the lowest rates. They just might offer you a lower premium. But to get it, you have to ask, and you may have to willing to negotiate. Fortunately, it’s easy to do research on the net and shopping for low premiums is a lot easier than it used to be.

Also, if you have not already done so, look into taking basic driver ed or defensive driving. Passing these courses shows insurance companies that you are serious about safe driving, and allows them to lower you risk level when assessing your driving record for computing your insurance premium. Talk to a licensed agent about what courses are available that qualify you for an insurance discount.

Ask your agent if the insurance company offers discounts to student belonging to certain clubs, or if they offer good student discounts. Ask whether they will give you a discount based on your parents’ policies or organizational memberships. This is where a little research on the Internet is very helpful before you see your agent.

If your parents have additional insurance policies, such as home or life, see if they will ask the insurance provider to bundle the policies. Many providers often give big discounts to customers who purchase more than one insurance policy from them. Check to see if the insurance provider offers discounts for multiple drivers from the same household. This is another way to obtain great savings on your car insurance premiums.

If you are a newly licensed teen driver or will earn your driver?s license soon, contact a qualified insurance provider. They can answer whatever questions you may have about car insurance, examine your specific situation closely and make insurance recommendations so that you are properly insured and protected behind the wheel. It will take some time, effort and research, but you could end up saving a lot of money on your insurance premiums, which makes the investment worth it.

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Methods which you can Use to Decrease your Insurance Excess

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

Insurance excess is the term which applies to the money that you will have to provide out of your own pocket in the event that you ever need to file a claim before the insurance company will ever provide money. This term applies most regularly to car insurance companies largely due to the number of claims that are filed each year. Many people look for methods to reduce their insurance excess and there are methods which do exist and do work.

The surest method available to reduce your insurance excess is to increase your premium. Insurance companies will often offer lower excess to people if they are willing to pay a higher premium. This method is often not as good as it may seem at first. In most cases the extra money you will pay out in your premium will more than make up for any savings you will get on your excess in only a matter of a few months. In fact, in nearly all cases, unless you will be filing a claim every two to three months it would be better to lower premium and accept a higher excess.

For parents who have student drivers or for students themselves, one great method to reduce your excess and your monthly premiums is to get good grades in school. By receiving consistent good grades in school you are effectively demonstrating to the insurance companies that you are responsible and that you have goals. Insurance companies have found that responsible people in life are far more likely to be responsible while driving. For this reason most insurance companies offer a good grade deduction.

Maintaining a status as a good driver is another great way to reduce your excess and your premium. While most people believe that an accident will not be their fault the truth is that most accidents are caused by both people involved. By practicing constant safe driving habits you can reduce the risk of being involved in an accident by a considerable margin. Over time this will lead to both reduce premiums and a lower excess.

Another thing that you can do to reduce your excess is to ensure that you are giving the insurance company any information which may lead to a reduced premium and excess. Having children, being married, having a long term job and having a good credit history can all prove to the insurance company that you are responsible. This also leads them to view you as a lower risk which can lead to reduced premiums and excess.

The final method which you can use to help reduce your excess is to look around. Every insurance company is different in the rates they charge and the features they offer at those rates. Some offer bigger benefits to people who fall into specific categories while others may not. By taking the time to investigate several carriers you improve your odds of finding a better excess without having a very high premium.

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What To Do If Your Car Breaks Down

Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

When your car breaks down, it is never a fun experience. It has happened to just about everyone at one time or another. No one wants to be in that situation but there are steps you can take to help you get through it, particularly if you are not a member of an auto club. If you have a membership to an auto club then you simply need to call them for roadside assistance. It is said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Therefore, especially if you have to handle a breakdown yourself, it is best to be prepared. Have everything in your car that you may need if you get stranded somewhere. If possible, the first thing you should do is pull safely over to the side of the road.

- Cell phone: You are never going to appreciate having a cell phone more than you will if your car breaks down. If you have a cell phone you can call a service station and at least get a tow, if possible. If that is not possible, you can at least call someone to pick you up.

- Flashlight: The possibility always exists that your car can break down while you are driving at night. If it does, you will want to have a flashlight handy. - Reflective warning triangles: These will help protect you and your vehicle in case of a breakdown. Once you are over to the side of the road, turn on your hazard lights to alert traffic that may be headed your way.

Once you do this, follow these tips

- Enter and exit your car using the door that is furthest away from traffic.

- Place at least 2 reflective triangles behind your car and one in front of your car. Place the farthest one approximately 50 feet behind your car.

- If possible, move away from the car to make your phone calls and also have your passengers move away from the car.

- Call a tow truck, a ride, or the police. It is only natural to worry about your car but the first priority is your safety and your passengers safety.

Most importantly, don’t panic. If you are not in a familiar area or you are traveling and do not know who to call, contact the police. These are very stressful situations and there is no need to try to handle them alone under these conditions. Keep the priorities straight. Ensure the safety of yourself and your passengers first and then the protection of your car. The car can be replaced, a human life cannot.

If you have ever had a car break down, you are well aware of the benefits of having an auto club membership. More than anything else (and there is a lot) they provide you with peace of mind. Breakdowns happen, just make sure you know how to stay safe when they happen.

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Using Your Car For Business or Personal

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

There are not many people that would argue that business use is different than personal use. The thing that most people struggle with is the difference between the two. Being that car insurance is a very important aspect in our lives; we need to know what constitutes business use and what determines personal use.

When a business chooses to get a car insurance policy, they need to look at a few things. First, they need to address who will be on the policy. For example, in a personal policy, you have the responsibility of your family. Your family is a lot less liable than your business, even if you have a teenager. The best thing a business can do is retrieve the applicants driving record before they hire them on as an employee. By doing this, you are ensuring your insurance premiums to not skyrocket as well as the fact that you would even be able to add them on.

The way the business policy works is to allow the business owner to decide what is most plausible for their business practices. For instance, you would want to carry additional coverage if you were transporting expensive materials or delivering important items. In a personal policy, you will not have to worry about that. This is one distinction between personal vs. business car insurance.

Lines can often times become blurred when deciding whether or not you have used your car more for business or for personal use when the same car is being used. To avoid this confusion, it is advised that you use a logger for miles and gas. This will help differentiate which miles were used where.

Keeping business use and personal use separate is always the recommended path. Most people find that their business use is very limited and do not see the reason why they should take out a separate business insurance policy. Although this may be logical, you need to make sure your bases are covered. This means that if you choose to use your personal car insurance policy for business use that is limited, you will need to inform your car insurance agent of this change so they can adjust your policy to cover it. They can find cause to deny your claim if you are found to be using your vehicle for business purposes that were not defined in your policy.

As stated above, you rate will increase because your usage has increased. Understand the usage for business is anything that is defined out of your daily use. In other words, driving to a conference is business use. This even applies if they reimburse you for miles and gas. If you transport goods or deliver items, you are using your personal vehicle for business use and it has to be documented. Sometimes we do not view things as business use because we consistently do them without even thinking. . Always keep everything in check because there are certain ramifications for not complying.

Everyone always looks to get the bare minimum; however, imagine yourself cashing in on that later if something were to happen. Do you really want to be stuck with a large bill because you made the wrong choice prior? The best thing to do is talk to a car insurance agent and find out what is best for your particular situation.

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