5 Ways To Save On Auto Insurance

Are you tired of paying too much for auto insurance?  No one wants to pay more than they have to!  That’s why it’s important to know what savings and discounts are available.  Here are a few things to discuss with your agent at your next review.

Is Your Driving Record Accurate? 

Tickets, accidents, and claims will raise your rates!  That’s why it’s important to make sure your motor vehicle report is accurate.  Ask your agent if anything showed on your record and make sure that the information is correct.  

Take A Defensive Driving Class

 Have you taken a defensive driving course in the past?  Let us know.  You may qualify for a discount!  

Don’t forget about driver’s ed classes for your teenagers too.  Just get a copy of the completion certificate for your records.  Many of these discounts apply for several years and give substantial savings.  

Increase Your Deductibles

 The deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket after an accident (or for hail damage, etc.)

The higher that out-of-pocket amount, the lower your monthly premium!  

So if you are currently carrying $100 or $250 deductibles, consider raising them to $500 and keeping a little extra in your savings account.  You could save a lot each month while still being protected from any major damage.  We can give you prices for a range of deductibles to help you decide.

Find The Best Payment Options

 Depending on your individual policy, we may be able to offer various discounts for paying your policy premium in full or putting it on a monthly bank draft.

While $3-4 a month might not seem like much, over time it really adds up!  Ask us about payment options for your policy and see where you can save.

Keep Your Insurance In One Place

 And one of the largest, and most overlooked, savings opportunities is to have multiple polices with one company!  

If you carry homeowners or renters insurance with a different company, let us quote it!  Many times our clients will save several hundred dollars per year just by having their policies in one place.  It’s a no-brainer!  

And remember, getting these savings isn’t difficult.  In fact, with one short phone call we can review your policy, look for discount opportunities, and discover your coverage.  Give us a call today to get started!

P.S. Our open house is coming up on May 8th at 4:00 p.m. There will be BT's smokehouse, Rapscallion beer, Rob Adams, raffles, and other surprises! I hope to see you all there! 

Aggressive Drivers

We’ve all seen them.  They cut people off, run red lights, tailgate, weave through traffic, make rude gestures, and are dangerous to everyone around them.

What can you do when confronted by an Aggressive Driver?

• Attempt to get out of his/her way.
• Do not challenge that person.
• Avoid eye contact.
• Ignore rude gestures.
• Wear your safety belt. It will  protect you in a crash.
• If you simply cannot get away from the aggressor, attempt to drive to the closest police station

Even if someone else is being aggressive towards you, do not react to them so that you can get home safely in the end.

What If You Disagree With a Claims Adjustor?

If you’ve had a claim and disagree with the claims adjustor, you have the right to discuss your concerns with the adjustor.  You need to be prepared to show the adjustor why you disagree with them; you can’t just say that you think you should get paid more for your claim. If you have an auto accident, for example, and think that the adjustor’s figure is not enough to replace your vehicle, research the book value on Kelly Blue Book at kbb.com.  Make sure that you input all of the correct information on your vehicle. If the book value is different from what the adjustor is offering, provide that documentation to them. Sometimes you may have better information than the adjustor.

If you have a homeowners claim, get estimates from 2 or 3 licensed contractors for comparison. When you’re in the middle of a claim, you may be upset and may not realize the true value of your home or vehicle.  Taking these steps can reassure you that what you’re being offered is fair and correct but if not, make sure you have the necessary documentation to back up your position.

Have You Paid Off Your Home or Auto?

If you’ve paid off your mortgage or car loan, did you know that you should inform your insurance agent? Most people don’t know to do that until they have a claim and have to deal with the insurance company and bank to rectify the situation. If you have a loss and the bank is still listed on your home or auto policy, the claim check has to be written out to you AND the bank which leads to more work for you at a time that you don’t need the extra hassle. Once you receive the documentation that you have paid off the bank loan, get a copy to your Insurance Agent so that they can have the bank or lender removed from your policy to avoid having to deal with this at the time of a claim.

Should I purchase an umbrella liability policy?

If you are ever sued, your standard homeowners or auto policy will provide you with some liability coverage, paying for judgments against you and your attorney's fees, up to a limit set in the policy. However, in our litigious society, you may want to have extra liability protection. That's what a personal umbrella policy provides.

An umbrella policy kicks in when you reach the limit of liability coverage on your homeowners or auto policy. It will also cover you for such things as libel and slander.

For about $150 to $300 a year, you can but a $1 million personal umbrella policy.

Because the personal umbrella policy comes into play after the underlying limits have been exhausted, there are certain limits that insurers will require on your auto and home policies. Most companies will require avout $250,000 auto liability limits and $300,000 homeowners liability limits to purchase an umbrella policy

Let Pictures Tell the Story

If you're involved in an auto accident, take pictures of the crash site and the damage to all vehicles with your cell phone or digital camera. Or if your have a loss in your home or apartment be sure to take pictures before you take some steps to minimize additional damage (boarding up a window, putting a tarp on a damaged roof, for example).

When it comes to recreating the circumstances of the accident, pictures will make it easy.