Auto insurance » Insurance Coverage

Self Employed Insurance – Health and Dental Coverage Plans

admin — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 07:34:32 +0000

Self employed insurance – whether medical or dental – is rarely cheap, at least when compared to employer-provided insurance plans. When starting a new small business or going out on your own, arranging for proper dental care and health care is a very important part of the process. Since solo professionals already have so much to think about and so many different hats to wear, this is often an overlooked area. Unfortunately, not making proper plans in the early stages can be very detrimental.

Why do so many small businesses fail every year? There are a lot of reasons, but perhaps the most important and most common is related to cash flow problems. And one of the major reasons behind cash flow failure or slow down is an inability to increase income over time. To take this one step further, I am sure you can imagine a number of reasons it could become difficult to increase income in a small business or a self employed operation.

Imagine that you are a self employed professional who is solely responsible for your ability to earn a living for you and to bring home the bacon to your family. Maybe you are a dentist. Well, what happens if you suddenly become very sick or temporarily disabled? Without you out on the front lines of your business, the income flow is going to slow down or come to a complete stop. Your ability to recover from an illness quickly is paramount to your success in a self employed venture.

Health insurance should not be your only area of concern. Dental care is very important as well as you will want to plan accordingly to care for your teeth – a very important component in any insurance coverage plan for the self-employed. Although there are a number of important factors to consider which may or may not make you a good candidate, most small business owners should secure quality health insurance, dental insurance, and even vision coverage if possible.

When you start looking at your options, use the World Wide Web first to make your research process easy and focused. Steer clear of websites that ask you for lots of personal information upfront and stick to focused articles that help you make sense of the rather confusing insurance terrain. With so many concepts to think about (HSA, Liability, Disability, Term Life, etc.) you will want to consult with experts before visiting a provider and researching prices and getting quotes.

By: Jason Clegg

Inexpensive Auto Insurance May Yield Awful Insurance

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:27:08 +0000

If you are searching for inexpensive auto insurance, certain guidelines should be kept in mind and with whom you are dealing with. Many insurance companies have belligerent marketing campaigns to instigate the customer to buy their products. Insurance brokers or agents will persuade the customer so that they are able to sell various inexpensive insurance policies. The agent may tell that you can save 20% in car insurance, but they might not convey the hidden aspects of the policy when one make a claim.

Insurance policies are very restraining contracts. The customer has to be aware of the various coverage’s, deductibles and limits. The most awful thing that might happen is when the policy holder meets with an accident and has insufficient insurance coverage. The customer has to know the general policy requirements, definitions and most importantly one must have a xerox copy of the policy for future use. The customer should thoroughly read all the necessary information before signing the auto insurance.

Most auto insurance companies and their agents have never settled or adjusted an accident claim. They will be aware of all the procedures but they might not be familiar with what your policy covers and does cover in detail, and even if they convey the message that everything is covered but in reality it might not be true. Many accident claims are declined or not dealt accordingly because the insurance company does not consider their agent told something to bind coverage, it is the policy holder who has to confirm what exactly the agent said. The insurance company will try to prove their view point.

The customer has to be very cautious of who the insurer is. Many independent brokers work for various car insurance companies and can give the inexpensive quote. However you need to find out that which insurance company you are dealing with. There are several companies who should not be in this business. Do not completely believe on what the broker conveys to you. Always try to discuss each and every minute detail with your friends and acquaintances.

Everybody wants inexpensive insurance but the only way to secure it is by comparing every quote. Always try to ascertain yourself with every minute detail and term. The customer has to be fully aware of its needs and desires before opting to buy it. The buyer has to know that if he or she carries Personal Accident Protection (PAP) coverage. In this coverage all the medicals bills will be covered in an accident.

These are some of the guidelines that should be kept in mind before opting to buy inexpensive auto insurance.

By: Caroline Barnes

Getting Auto Insurance In NY – Where To Get It

admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:58:36 +0000

Getting no fault insurance can vary a lot in price. I would recommend researching as much as you can about car insurance. For example, you can often opt for simply storage insurance coverage and pay as little as $20 per month.

You should be made aware of New York’s requirements for auto insurance. First, insurance coverage must be at least $25,000/50,000 for injury, $50,000/100,000 for death and $10,000 for property damage. New York is considered a no fault state. Remember, even if your car is not being used your insurance must remain in effect as long as it’s registration is valid. Motorcycles don’t have this requirement, as different insurance laws apply here. I would recommend looking into storage insurance if your car is only being used during the summer months.

You insurance carrier must be a New York insurance company. Using a an out-state company is not valid and your insurance will not be accepted is you are involved in accident. Upon receiving your insurance coverage your carrier is required to provide 2 insurance cards to you that will have a bar code strip on the back of it. You will need this when going to the DMV. The DMV will not accept any out of state insurance documents.

Finding an insurance company. This isn’t always an easy task to undertake. I would go with the one that you feel the most comfortable with. Response time to replace your vehicle should be important to you, if you happen to ever have to deal with that.

By: Frank Merrill

Personal Auto Insurance In Mexico

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 15:52:02 +0000

When the traveler drives into Mexico, he or she must ride over strange roads. Such a driver views new, distracting sites and seeks guidance from street signs that bear words in Spanish. The traveler driving into Mexico enters a country where he or she is at increased risk for involvement in a car accident. That traveler needs personal auto insurance.

In Mexico an insurance policy that offers only collision coverage does not satisfy the requirements of Mexican law. Mexican law stipulates that anyone found at fault at the scene of an accident must show the financial means to cover the costs of that accident. A traveler in Mexico thus needs an insurance policy that provides liability coverage.

What should a driver expect when an insurance provider promises personal insurance in Mexico? A driver with such insurance should have no liability for damages or injury to persons other than those in the insured vehicle. The insurance policy normally refers to such persons as “a third party.”

A few tricks can facilitate completion of the process that guarantees delivery of insurance coverage. One trick involves the taking of photos at the scene of an accident. A second trick calls requesting a copy of the police report. Use of tricks can help a driver to benefit fully from personal auto insurance purchased in Mexico.

When the traveler secures personal auto insurance in Mexico, he or she has taken an important step toward aversion of possible problems. Still the possession of such insurance does not guarantee avoidance of troubles in the event of a car accident. An insurance provider can not cover a claim, unless the driver contacts the insurance provider before returning to the United States.

A driver with a cell phone might think that he or she should have little trouble calling-in information about a potential car accident. Travelers in Mexico must realize that a cell phone frequently fails to work properly in Mexico. Calls from Mexico to an insurance provider should be made from a land phone.

Personal insurance in Mexico can not always cover a lost or stolen vehicle. Such a policy can only cover the specified problem if the driver obtains the proper Mexican documents. What are those documents?

A driver who hopes to be reimbursed for a lost or stolen vehicle must obtain both a local and federal police report before leaving Mexico. Then after returning to the United States, the same driver must get something called a “Courtesy Report.” That Report must come from a State Highway Patrol Agency. All of the indicated documents should be sent to the insurance provider.

By: Robert Mall

What Are The Auto Liability Insurance State Minimums For My State?

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:28:12 +0000

As you shop online for the best auto insurance deals you may begin to ask yourself what exactly is required by law when it comes to auto insurance. Fortunately this article outlines the auto liability insurance state minimums that you are required to have in order to legally drive in the United States. No matter what state you drive in all of them have financial responsibility laws and require motorists to purchase minimum amounts of auto liability insurance except for Tennessee, Wisconsin and New Hampshire.

Many websites and advocates of insurance (to include myself) recommend having a minimum of $100,000 for bodily injury protection per person and at least $300,000 for property damage costs and physical injury costs. The main reason for this is due to the increased amount of money needed to rectify an accident is usually more then what the states declare as the minimum amount of insurance coverage needed.

I have compiled the following information from the American Insurance Association, the Property Casualty Insurers Association, and the Insurance Information Institute. It shows the auto liability insurance state minimums as required by each state. In order to understand the numbers you must know what the mean. The first two numbers are for bodily injury liability and the third number represents the minimum amount of property damage liability.

As an example my home state of Missouri shows the following – Missouri 25/50/10. This means Missouri requires as a minimum coverage up to $50,000 for all persons injured in an accident, subject to a limit of $25,000 for one individual, and $10,000 coverage for property damage.

Alabama 20/40/10 Alaska 50/100/25 Arizona 15/30/10 Arkansas 25/50/25
California 15/30/5 Colorado 25/50/15 Connecticut 20/40/10 Delaware 15/30/5
D.C. 25/50/10 Florida 10/20/10 Georgia 25/50/25 Hawaii 20/40/10
Idaho 25/50/15 Illinois 20/40/15 Indiana 25/50/10 Iowa 20/40/15
Kansas 25/50/10 Kentucky 25/50/10 Louisiana 10/20/10 Maine 50/100/25
Maryland 20/40/15 Massachusetts 20/40/5 Michigan 20/40/10 Minnesota 30/60/10
Mississippi 10/20/05 Missouri 25/50/10 Montana 25/50/10 Nebraska 25/50/25
Nevada 15/30/10 New Hampshire 25/50/25 New Jersey 15/30/5 New Mexico 25/50/10 New York 25/50/10 North Carolina 30/60/25 North Dakota 25/50/25 Ohio 12.5/25/7.5
Oklahoma 10/20/10 Oregon 25/50/10 Pennsylvania 15/30/5 Rhode Island 25/50/25
South Carolina 15/30/10 South Dakota 25/50/25 Tennessee 25/50/10 Texas 20/40/15
Utah 25/50/15 Vermont 25/50/10 Virginia 25/50/20 Washington 25/50/10
West Virginia 20/40/10 Wisconsin 25/50/10 Wyoming 25/50/20

Remember these figures only represent auto insurance liability state minimums. Many experts agree that more insurance is needed in order to fully protect yourself in the event you’re involved in an automobile accident.

By: Tim Gorman

How To Get Low Cost Auto Insurance In Tampa Florida

admin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:02:21 +0000

Looking for low cost auto insurance in Tampa Florida? Want to know how to get the cheapest rate with a top company? Read on …

Minimum Auto Insurance in Tampa Florida

The least amount of auto insurance you’re required to carry in Tampa Florida is:

$10,000 bodily injury liability coverage for one person – This is the maximum amount your insurance will pay when you injure or kill someone in an auto accident. It also covers people driving your car with your permission.

$20,000 bodily injury liability coverage for everyone – This is the maximum amount your insurance will pay for everyone you injure or kill in an auto accident.

$10,000 property damage liability coverage – This is the maximum amount your insurance will pay when you damage someone else’s vehicle in an auto accident. .

Personal Injury Protection – This coverage pays your medical expenses and your passengers medical expenses when you’re involved in an accident. It also pays you and your family’s medical expenses when you’re injured in someone else’s car or while walking.

These are the minimum amounts of insurance you need to carry in Tampa Florida, so if you want the cheapest insurance this is all you need to buy. However, you may also want to carry the following coverages:

Collision coverage – Pays for repairs to your car when it’s involved in an accident with another vehicle no matter who was at fault.

Comprehensive coverage – Pays for repairs to your car caused by fire, theft, vandalism, and acts of nature.

To save money on collision and comprehensive coverage, increase your deductible to an amount you can afford to pay if you were to file a claim

Low Cost Auto Insurance in Tampa Florida

Premiums for the same insurance coverage can vary significantly from one company to the next, so in order to get the best rate on your auto insurance you need to compare rates from different companies. The easiest way to do this is to go to an online comparison website. There you can get rate quotes from A-rated companies and even get answers to your insurance questions from insurance experts.

By: Brian Stevens

Alabama Auto Insurance Minimum Coverage Requirements

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:17:03 +0000

Are you new to the State of Alabama? If so one of the most important aspects of moving to any new state is to determine what their car insurance regulations and requirements are. Are you maybe just looking for some Alabama car insurance basics in hopes of finding a low cost policy? The following information will provide you with basic information regarding what is expected of you as a licensed driver in the State of Alabama. Car insurance is required in AL so read on to find out what the State minimums are and then see if maybe you can put these basics to work in saving you some money.

Minimum Insurance Requirements

All drivers within the state of Alabama must have liability coverage when operating a vehicle within the state. The minimum amount of acceptable coverage is $20,000 for individual liability, $40,000 per accident, and $10,000 for property damage per accident.

Proof of Insurance

If you are driving within the state of Alabama you must have proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times. Types of proof that are acceptable are as follows: a permanent or temporary card from your insurance carrier; a premium receipt or binder; the declarations page of your current policy or the actual policy itself; or a recent proof of purchase of the vehicle, within the past 60 days, along with an up to date insurance card from your prior vehicle. Acceptable proofs of purchase are bills of sale if the vehicle was made before 1975; and if made after 1975 then your copy of the application for title. If you are driving a rental car then you must have a copy of the rental agreement showing the insurance coverage.

The penalty for failure to have your proof of insurance is suspension of your vehicle tag registration and a reinstatement fee of $100. Your tag registration will remain suspended until you present proof of insurance to the proper authority. After the initial suspension, if you are caught again driving without proper proof of insurance you will then face a mandatory four month suspension of your vehicle tag registration and have to pay a reinstatement fine of $200 upon providing proof of up to date insurance.

Alternate Forms of Coverage

Instead of carrying liability insurance you can get a motor vehicle liability bond or deposit of cash. In either case the minimum amount is $50,000. The bond is issued on the condition that it will be payment for any judgment against the holder with or without his consent as a result of any injury or damage committed by him. The bond must be executed by a surety company that is licensed to issue bonds and you as the driver must keep your Motor Vehicle Liability Bond Certificate on you as you would proof of insurance.

A cash deposit certificate is issued when you deposit the required $50,000 with the State Treasurer. You would also carry this certificate as you would any proof of insurance. If at any time this money is used to satisfy a judgment you would have 30 calendar days to reinstate your $50,000 balance with the State Treasurer.

Alabama Car Insurance Quotes

Be certain to compare Alabama car insurance quotes from at least 5 different companies before you purchase.

By: James J. Robinson

Auto Insurance Policy Coverage Basics

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 05:05:28 +0000

While most people think of insurance as either being “full coverage” or “liability only” I thought it would be a good idea to lay out a basic outline of what options are available with an Arizona Auto Insurance Policy. Insurance is regulated by each state so if you’re outside of Arizona these may be different.

Liability Coverage – You have two types of liability coverage: Bodily Injury Liability and Property Damage Liability. Bodily Injury Liability pays for damages to other people you injure when you’re at-fault for an accident. It will not pay for your damages. Property Damage Liability will pay to repair the things you hit like cars, lightpoles and other people’s personal property. This is the only coverage required by the state of Arizona and the minimum required limits are $15,000 per person/$30,000 per accident of Bodily Injury Liability coverage and $10,000 for Property Damage Liability coverage.

Uninsured and Under-insured Motorist Liability Coverage – Unlike many other states, Arizona breaks these coverage options into two separate options Uninsured and Under-insured. One of the coverages would pay damages to you or your passengers if you’re hit by someone that didn’t have any Bodily Injury Liability coverage (uninsured motorist) or if they didn’t have enough Bodily Injury Liability coverage (under-insured motorist) to pay for your injuries. This coverage does NOT pay for any damages to your vehicles and is not required by Arizona law.

Medical Payments – This coverage option will pay for medical bills only regardless of fault or reason as long as it’s an auto related claim. If someone is injured getting in or out of your vehicle this could pay for medical bills they incur. In Arizona, it can also pay a death benefit if you or a passenger is killed in a covered claim.

Collision Coverage – This coverage basically pays for damage to your vehicle for any collision claim if it’s your fault or not. If you hit another car, another car hits you, or you drive into a toolbox in the middle of the road, it would be covered under your Collision coverage option and would be paid minus your deductible.

Comprehensive Coverage – This basically pays for damage to your vehicle for anything other than a collision. So, if a tree falls on your car, or it gets vandalized or stolen, it would be covered under your Comprehensive coverage option. Claims would be paid by the insurance company minus your deductible. You also have the option to purchase a waiver your deductible for glass only losses.

These are the key components that make up the basic coverage options available to you on an Arizona Auto Insurance Policy. If you’re coming from another state, remember Arizona breaks out Uninsured and Under-insured Motorist Coverage into two separate coverages and does not offer Personal Injury Protection coverage. Keep that in mind when getting quotes.

Last, this is a very simple, plain English explanation of the policy and you should always contact your agent for all coverage details and make sure you’re covered correctly.

By: Matthew Fox

Commercial Auto Insurance – How’s It Different From Common Insurance Coverage

admin — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:17:46 +0000

Commercial auto insurance may not be as commonly availed as other types of insurance. But it’s sort of essential for the class it’s meant for – the small and medium sized business enterprises. Incidentally, that’s the chief difference between commercial insurance for automobiles and other common types of auto cover. This coverage specifically caters the companies having several vehicles.

In order to get more business, various companies engaged in selling commercial policies generally offer various kinds of discounts and reasonable premiums. This type of coverage generally comprises six different types of policies. Only some of the types, like third party insurance are mandatory as per law. Due care should be taken to include only those options on your policy that are relevant to your needs. Otherwise, you will end of up paying too much as premium, because all options have their separate premiums. Having understood the basic difference between auto insurance and other types of policies, it is not out of place to look at some other aspects of commercial policy.

Commercial Insurance – Understanding The Significance

Commercial insurance for vehicles is actually a measure to safeguard your company against possible losses owing to accidents involving vehicles belonging to your company. It is not too hard to imagine the catastrophic effect that accidents involving vehicles of your fleet might have on the financial affairs of your company.

Is It Available Online?

Like other types of indemnity, commercial auto insurance is also readily available online. In fact, you will find much better offers for insuring your fleet online than you would in case of companies having physical locations. Online companies offer handsome discounts as well as comparatively low premium amounts.

However, getting policy entails payment of more money compared to common types. Therefore, you must be doubly cautious to steer clear of fake companies operating through Internet. Even when you procure coverage from companies whose reputation is established, don’t ignore to read the terms & conditions in totality.

What Is It Composed Of?

There is no difference in the composition of a commercial policy and other types. In fact, all indemnity policies are divided into three parts: declaration, insuring agreement and terms & conditions. While it’s important to go through the complete document, specific emphasis must be laid on perusing the terms & conditions part. Careful scrutiny is especially important in case of commercial insurance, because it’s actually a combination of different policies. You should get exactly what you require and what you pay for.

By: Andrina James

Common Auto Insurance Terms – Car Insurance Terms That You Need to Know

admin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:32:03 +0000

Before you start shopping around for auto insurance, you should get a handle on some of the common car insurance terms. In all reality, the more you know about car insurance, the better chance you’ll have at finding the perfect coverage for your vehicle. Sure, you’d love to think that all companies would be upfront and honest with you about what you need and what you don’t need. But come on, what company doesn’t want to make some profit? This is why having the basic knowledge when it comes to car insurance can make all the difference when it comes to your auto coverage. Read on to learn some common auto insurance terms and then see how much money you can save!

Absolute Liability

This is liability without fault, also known as liability without regard to fault or strict liability. You may see this pop up when something considered contrary to public policy happens, even though the event wasn’t intentional.

Liability Insurance

In a nutshell, liability insurance is risk transference. Not only does give you protection against loss that arise from third parties, it covers your legal liability from injures to other people or their property.

Collision Insurance

This type of insurance is optional. Collision insurance provides coverage for the insured’s vehicle, subject to a deductible, that is involved in an accident. Basically, this covers you whether the accident was your fault or not.

Deductible

Also known as excess, this is the amount you agree to pay toward the total amount of an insured loss, whether it is per claim or per accident. Usually a fixed rate, the deductible must be paid before the policy benefits can be applied to a claim.

Uninsured and/or Underinsured Coverage

This type of insurance is great protection for you and your family if you happen to be hit by someone without insurance coverage. Having uninsured or underinsured coverage allows you and your family’s bodily injury to be paid for.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive insurance covers your vehicle in case of non-collision related incidents such as fire, theft, weather, impact with animals and vandalism.

Gap Insurance

This insurance is good for people who have just purchased a new vehicle. In a nutshell, new cars depreciate right after leaving the dealership lot. Gap insurance covers the difference between what an insurance company says your car’s worth and what you would actually owe on the vehicle.

Gap insurance usually only covers theft and accidents, but that can vary depending on the insurance policy. You can also purchase gap insurance from the dealership. However, you can expect to pay even higher premiums.

Property Damage Coverage

This covers any damage you may cause to another’s vehicle. Basically, if you cause it, you’re covered.

Claim

This is your request for reimbursement concerning a loss covered by your auto insurance policy.

Full Coverage

Actually, full coverage isn’t really what it sounds like. Technically, full coverage is a combination of collision and comprehensive coverage, meaning that your car’s physical damage is covered.

Secondary Driver

Also known as an occasional driver, this person is covered for driving the insured vehicle. However, this coverage does not mean that they’re the primary driver.

Shop Around To Find Cheap Auto Insurance

Familiarizing yourself with the above common car insurance terms will result in you making a wise decision when it comes to your auto coverage. Take your time and shop around before committing to a provider and you will be find the cheapest auto insurance company that will still meet your coverage needs.

The above terms are just the ones most frequently talked about or that affect the majority of drivers on the road. There are more common car insurance terms, but they are mainly state specific. The best way to find out what’s required in your state is by visiting your local DMV’s website.

By: James J. Robinson