Auto insurance » Automobile Insurance

Liability Insurance and Asset Protection

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:41:22 +0000

When it comes to protecting personal wealth and business assets, the first thing that comes to many people’s minds is insurance. There is no question that insurance can play an important role in asset protection. Not only is it often required by law, by your lender or by your landlord, insurance can be an effective first line of defense against liability lawsuits. However, to fully protect your assets, it is critical to understand what insurance is and what it does and does not do for asset protection.

Included within most typical insurance policies such as automobile, homeowner, landlord and business insurance are three main general categories of coverage:

Liability coverage – this is the coverage to compensate the other party for bodily injury or property damage caused by you. For example, if you cause an automobile accident and the other car is damaged and the driver is injured, your liability coverage will pay for the injury of the other driver and the repair of the other car. Property protection coverage – this is the coverage to replace or repair your property for any sudden and accidental loss or damage caused by a covered peril. For example, if your car is also damaged in the above accident, your property protection coverage will pay to repair or replace your car after you pay your deductible. Other additional protection – this is a broad category of coverages designed to help you get by during the period when your property is being repaired like a rental car when your car is in the shop as well as other miscellaneous coverages like towing and medical expenses for you and your passengers.

Liability insurance gives you a layer of protection against lawsuit and lost of assets. However, it has a number of limitations:
There are always limits on how much the insurance policy will pay for losses for which you are liable. If the court awards the person you’ve injured a judgment of $350,000 but your liability limit is just $100,000, the most the insurance policy will pay is $100,000. Guess who will have to come up with the remaining $250,000? That’s right: you! You will have to come up with the cash or face the real possibility of losing your home and/or other assets. There are many exclusions in your insurance policies. For example, any liability from an intentional or criminal act is excluded. Sexual harassment, employment discrimination or wrongful termination is typically excluded as well. Discharge of waste and other toxic materials is generally excluded. Liabilities arising from breach of contracts or agreements are typically not covered. Professional liabilities such as malpractice, errors and omissions are usually excluded unless a separate professional liability policy is in force. In other words, for a LARGE liability claim, the insurance company will try to find ways to avoid paying. So unless it is specifically and explicitly covered by the insurance policy, you are most likely on your own. In addition, any failure to disclose material facts in your application or failure to report any material changes after the policy is in force gives the insurance company a way out of paying a claim even if it is covered. Most insurance policies do not cover many more ways you can be sued. For example, you might be sued for misappropriation of other’s funds, fraud or allegation of fraud, breach of contract, slander, libel, copyright, trademark or patent infringement, divorce, accidents from a motorized speed race, a hostile working environment, a liability arising from a willful violation of an ordinance or a statute, suits from local, state or federal government agencies, just to name a few. You can’t even buy liability insurance for these risks in most cases. And if you can find insurance for these risks, they will likely cost a great deal.

There is no question that we should all carry the insurance required by law, the lender or landlord as the first line of defense against lawsuits and loss of assets. However, since there are limits on what insurance will pay and there are too many situations where insurance will not provide the coverage, you cannot rely solely on insurance to protect your assets.

Oftentimes, just having all your assets visible to an aggressive injury attorney invites lawsuits that might otherwise not be filed. There is no better way to stop a potential lawsuit from starting than to lead the injury attorney to think that there won’t be any money or assets for him to collect after spending all the time and money to go to trial even if he wins.

By: Carlos Lee

Low Cost Insurance – Basics 101

admin — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 11:30:33 +0000

Regardless of the services or items you are searching for, if you are like most people in this country, you are probably looking for a good deal. This is the case for insurance as well. The question that should come to mind is, how to find low cost insurance. It is actually easier to find than you might think. Most people, whether they are searching for automobile insurance, life insurance, dental insurance, motorcycle insurance, or what have you, believe the insurance they currently have is the best coverage for the money they are paying.

However, that is the furthest from the truth. You might be faithful to your well-trusted insurance broker, and you might think you are doing that agent a favor, but you also may not be benefiting from the cheapest insurance available.

Therefore, it is up to you as a consumer to get motivated, and search for it on your own. On-line searching will save you incredible amounts of money.

This may be difficult for some people to believe, but it is true. Finding low cost insurance can be found in multiple ways. You could take the call approach and ask to speak to an insurance representative. This way will take about 20 to 30 minutes of your time to receive a quote in this manner.

Doing a search on-line is by far the best way. All that you need to do is, in the search bar of your search engine, type in your key phrase, and a list of insurance providers in your town will be consolidated. Then click on the individual insurance corporations one at a time. You could also try doing a search by simply searching for websites that are completely committed to comparing various insurance companies.

The ball is in your court. The choice is yours, regardless of the way you to decide to search for low cost insurance. There is not a wrong way to find lower cost insurance. Searching on-line will save you more time, than if you made a time-consuming phone call.

Saving lots of money is a huge payoff, when you search for an on-line insurance company to insure your goods. Were you aware you can keep the same insurance coverage you have, for less money? Rather than giving your money away to insurance companies, you can surely find other places to wisely spend your money.

In addition, you will also learn more about the industry, which will assist you in making more wise decisions for your coverage. These are the missing links that are often overlooked by consumers, which can cost thousands of dollars in unwanted fees for years to come. For example, did you know there are professionals that receive discounts because they are a professional?

As a driver, there are different savings that you may benefit from. For instance, besides being a professional, you may also be protecting your car or home with sophisticated alarms, have an excellent driving record, have a car that you only drive on the weekends, just to name a few. In addition to that, if you increase your deductible, you will be benefit from reduced insurance costs.

You can save on all types of insurance in many ways. The best way is to read as much as you can on the topic and industry you are researching. With that said, be sure you read all the fine print before deciding to sign a contract. This will prevent penalties if you decide to cancel your existing policy.

By: Kimberly Kochera

Auto Insurance Company – What to Look For

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:10:54 +0000

There are literally hundreds of car insurance companies out there, so how do you find the one that is right for you? Following the tips below should help you in your quest.

Compare rates from at least five companies.
With most of us the prime consideration is price, so start off by comparing the rates from at least five different automobile insurance companies. Rates do widely vary within companies even for the same coverage. Thanks to the internet, this has never been easier, with many websites offering instant quotes with comparisons. By completing one simple form, you can compare the rates of multiple auto insurance companies effortlessly instead of the tedious business of contacting them individually. But don’t just rely on price comparisons alone.

Check out the strength and reliability of each company
Ok, you’ve found a great quote, but is it as good as it appears? Don’t forget, price is not everything. There is no point in going for the cheapest quote if the quoting auto insurance company has a bad record when it comes to paying claims. How can you find out whether or not an auto insurance is stable? Once again the Internet makes researching into the reliability of a company fairly easy. There are many sites that offer ratings for auto insurance companies. The ratings given range from the length of time it takes to settle claims to general customer satisfaction.

Customer Service and Claims Assistance
Customer service is another important factor to take into account when deciding upon which auto insurance quote to accept. Give the company a ring or send them an email asking a simple question such as “Will I get a discount if I insure more than one vehicle with your company?” The promptness and tone of their response will give you some idea on their level of customer service. Claims assistance is equally important. Check with your state’s Department of Insurance to get a claims complaint history. If the company you are researching has a long list of claims complaints then avoid it like the plague.

Make sure the company offers the cover and options that you need
Before you start searching for auto insurance quotes, you should have made a list of the coverage and options you need. Compare this list with the quotes that you receive. Does the company offer collision coverage and is it included or optional? Does the quote cover the minimum auto insurance requirements for your state? As obtaining quotes via the Internet is quick and obligation free you can easily try many variations of cover and options until you find the quote you feel is right for you.

By: Colin R Cherry

Auto Insurance Advice For Drivers in Missouri

admin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:38:45 +0000

If you currently live in Missouri or you’re planning to move there, auto insurance is something you’ll definitely consider if you plan on owning an automobile. Auto insurance covers you in case you cause damage to any person’s property or body, and it is absolutely required in order to register and drive any vehicle.

Each state has its own laws and regulations when it comes to auto insurance, so it might be a good idea to visit Missouri’s Department of Motor Vehicles website to get full details of exactly what you need. In general though, there is a minimum liability insurance that you need to be covered for. In the State of Missouri, this is as follows: $25,000 minimum coverage for bodily injury per person, $50,000 minimum coverage for each accident, and $10,000 minimum property coverage f or each accident. It’s good to know this information when shopping around for car insurance so you’re better informed and can get the policy that’s best for you.

Liability insurance, which is manditory in Missouri, does not cover the policy holder in the event of an accident. This type of insurance only covers third party drivers and property. To insure yourself and your own car, you should consider collision and comprehensive coverage. If you want even more peace of mind, you can opt for uninsured or underinsured driver insurance, which protects you in case someone hits your car and is uninsured or underinsured.

When searching for the best car insurance rates in Missouri, the best advice is to shop around and compare at least 5 different insurance companies. You might be surprised to see how much policy rates differ between different companies, even for same or similar coverage options. That’s why it’s important to shop around and compare multiple car insurance rates.

Even if you’re currently insured, you might be able to save hundreds of dollars a year by switching auto insurance providers. You can compare multiple quotes online in a matter of minutes, so you’ve got nothing to lose, however you could end up saving a lot.

The Missouri Insurance Information Service says more than 20,000 vehicles were reported stolen in 2008, nearly half of them in St. Louis and Kansas City. This would make sense considering these are two of the largest cities in the state, however this is bad news for residents of St. Louis and Kansas City as this means that they will probably be paying higher insurance rates due to the high auto crime rate. The five most commonly stolen vehicles in Missouri are the Dodge Intrepid, Ford Taurus, Pontiac Grand Prix, Dodge Stratus and Oldsmobile Cutlass, so you might want to avoid these cars to keep your car insurance rates as low as possible.

By: Samantha S

Cheap California Auto Insurance

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:06:34 +0000

Californians are currently able to procure low cost, reduced limit automobile liability coverage. The California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program (CLCAIP) is a new program that meets the financial responsibility laws of the State of California. These policies are accessible to competent citizens living in the counties of Los Angeles and San Francisco. To qualify, you need have a certain household income, driving record (the number of accidents and violations), and vehicle purchased value.

The voters of California enacted Proposition 103 (Prop.103) into law in November of 1988. Prop. 103 gives numerous consumer protections associated to buying and maintaining automobile insurance. Given below are some of the major provisions of Prop. 103 that protect your rights as an insurance consumer.

Prop.103 recognized a legal description of a “”Good Driver”" in this state. A Good Driver is someone who has been licensed for at least three consecutive years and has no more than one point on their driving record. Certain major violations may be considered for periods of seven years, such as a DUI (Driving under the Influence) conviction.

All automobile insurance companies licensed in California are required to tender coverage for Good Drivers. If you are a Good Driver and you are denied the opportunity to buy insurance from the company of your choice, then you can contact the California Department of Insurance for further action. Also, it is significant to note that your rates as a Good Driver should be lower by at least 20% to regular rates.

It also established new criteria that determine an insurer’s ability to cancel or non-renew your policy. There are only three bases on which an automobile policy can be canceled/non-renewed once it is issued: fraud/material misrepresentation, non-payment of the premium, or substantial increase in the hazard insured against.

By: Eric Morris

Auto Insurance Student Driver

admin — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 04:43:31 +0000

There are many issues, concerns, and considerations when thinking about automobile insurance for a student. Many of them have to do with discounts and savings, some have to do with options on coverages. Let’s dive in.

If the student is just getting their driver’s license, the parents can expect to see a hike in their insurance premiums. These hikes historically have been greater for boys than girls (though statistically girls are proving to have more accidents, so this trend is reversing). It is not unheard of for premium rates to increase as much as 50 to 100 percent. Yes, you read that correctly.

That leads to one of the primary courses of action one should take (whether you’re adding a student driver to your policy or not), and that is to do some comparison shopping. Not all insurance providers are created equal and one of the greatest differences may not become apparent until you see how they handle drivers in the 16 to 25 age range. It could pay you greatly to take the time and comparison shop.

The insurance industry is all a numbers game. That is they have researched which types of people tend to be better drivers (have less accidents and claims) than others. They have found a correlation between good grades in school and fewer accidents. Therefore, if a student maintains a B average they can qualify for a “good student discount” which may be as much as 5 to 10%.

Driver’s education program have become pretty much standard fare. Discounts do apply. Some states require such courses for a teen to get their license at age 16, otherwise, it will be at age 18. Driver’s education can provide a discount of up to15%.

Related to a driver’s education program is the safe driving programs that are specifically tied to some insurance providers. Some insurance companies offer their own driver’s safety program. Teens who apply for a complete these programs can qualify for another discount of up to 15%. Check with your insurance provider, or, this may be a consideration when doing your comparison shopping.

Another consideration that can greatly affect automobile insurance premium rates has to the with the car itself. Younger drivers (and many older ones) are greatly enamored with a certain kind of car – their dream car. Many times that translates into much higher premium rates. Cars with more safety features and less horsepower can be much less expensive to insure.

One final insurance matter that often applies to students has to do with short term auto insurance. Of course, the cheapest option is for a student not to be a full-time insured driver. That’s not always possible, but many university students can get by without having or using a car regularly. But the time does come when that person is going to have to drive. Temporary insurance can be secured for as short a time as one (1) day and up to twenty-eight (28) days. That may just fit the bill for a university student needing to drive home for a break or the end of a semester.

By: David Deffenbaugh

Auto Insurance Calculator – The Best Tool

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:34:21 +0000

It is true that if you want to save money on auto insurance, the internet is the fastest and easiest way to go about it. Learn how to effectively shop for the right car insurance deal and get the most affordable rates in seconds. It is very true that a lot of people do not know how much insurance protection they have on their automobiles.

A lot of people also have doubts concerning the outcome from their auto insurance companies if there is an accident and the cars involved are damaged and people in the cars are injured. These issues can be very disturbing and costly with high chances of going to the law courts to settle problems. The lack of complete information on the quality of coverage is due to the fact that many car insurance customers simply buy the policies that were first suggested to them by their insurance agent.

It is true that a lot of people now use the auto insurance online calculator when shopping for the best coverage for the automobiles. This tool makes it so easy for vehicle insurance shoppers to get the right coverage that they need at the right price.

Note that an online car insurance calculator is simply a web tool or portal that asks some few and very important questions about the car owner. These questions highlight your automobile insurance needs and when you are done answering them; you will be given a well calculated amount of protection to buy at the right price.

This tool or web portal is very good at giving you the basic idea of your insurance need but it is important that you know that the figures you get are estimates. If your protection need is very unique, the estimate may not completely fit in. At this point, you need to use the free consultation services of auto insurance agents by simply speaking with one. Get more using an automobile insurance calculator and using free professional consultation services online.

Where To Start?

By: Iyke Phelim