Category Archives: Car Insurance
Why This Lawyer Says You Should Buy Car Insurance From An Independent Broker
Why This Lawyer Says You Should Buy Car Insurance From An Independent Broker
I don’t sell car insurance, but as a lawyer practicing in the field of personal injury I frequently see people suffer because they have the wrong insurance coverage. Often, this happens because they purchased directly from an insurance company instead of an independent broker.
Many of my clients who have been seriously hurt in a car accident were struck by someone who had no insurance or only the minimum liability insurance coverage, which is ,000 in New York and much less in many other states. Unfortunately, many of my clients were sold insurance policies with liability limits of 0,000 or 0,000, but were not sold matching uninsured and underinsured coverage.
Just this week, yet another new client had this problem. My client was a pedestrian crossing the street when she was struck by a car which fled the scene. The driver was caught shortly after leaving the accident, but the owner of the car only has the New York State minimum liability insurance of ,000 and my client has serious injuries consisting of many broken bones including a fractured arm, leg and skull.
My client owns a car with liability insurance limits of 0,000, but she purchased the insurance from GEICO whose salesperson didn’t sell her underinsured coverage. GEICO does not use independent insurance brokers, but sells insurance directly to consumers through in-house sales agents.
For a small fee, my client could have purchased underinsured coverage of 0,000 which would have allowed her to recover 0,000 for her injuries instead of ,000. Ironically, she did not need the 0,000 liability coverage to protect her assets. However, since you cannot buy underinsured coverage higher than your liability coverage, I would have advised her to purchase 0,000 liability coverage for the sole purpose of being able to purchase 0,000 underinsured coverage.
I have had many clients in this situation who lost their jobs because of serious injuries and incurred substantial debt. If they had matching underinsured coverage, the additional money available to pay their claim would would be a big help to pay their bills and get their life back together.
Underinsured motorist coverage will pay you money from your own automobile insurance policy if you have been hurt in a car accident by someone who was negligent for causing your injury and who had less liability insurance coverage than you did. Uninsured motorist coverage will pay you when the other car did not have any insurance coverage or the identity of the other car is unknown.
Underinsured and uninsured coverage is inexpensive and usually available in limits that match your liability insurance coverage. It is not available in amounts greater than your liability insurance coverage.
Underinsured and uninsured coverage is so important that a couple of states now require coverage limits matching your liability insurance limits, unless you decline the coverage in writing. Several years ago, I suggested to several New York State senators that they enact a similar law in New York.
I have also seen many clients who were not sold the maximum medical payments insurance, which costs me only .01 per month on my car insurance policy. This is particularly important for people who do not have a good health insurance policy. It is also beneficial for passengers who do not have health insurance.
Why should you buy car insurance through an independent insurance broker? The courts have defined the reason. There have been several “malpractice” lawsuits against insurance companies for failure to offer underinsured and uninsured motorists coverage limits matching the liability limits. However, when the insurance company sells directly to consumers, these cases have gone in favor of the insurance companies. The courts found that when a consumer buys insurance directly from an insurance company, rather than an insurance broker, the consumer is only buying insurance and is not paying for advice.
When you buy auto insurance from an independent insurance broker who represents several different insurance companies, you get the advantage of an insurance professional who can evaluate your needs and advise you accordingly. Additionally, only an independent insurance broker can provide you with a choice of insurance companies and premiums, so you get the best coverage at the lowest price.
Whether you buy your car insurance directly from an insurance company or through an independent insurance broker, always make sure that you purchase matching uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and the maximum medical payment benefits.
Insuring Your Cadillac For Less Money
Insuring Your Cadillac For Less Money
Just because you own one of America’s premier luxury makes doesn’t mean you must pay a mint for car insurance. True, Cadillacs are not cheap cars but you shouldn’t have to pay a premium for your Cadillac car insurance. Are you in the market for better insurance coverage for your Cadillac? Do you want information that could save you hundreds of dollars per year on your Cadillac car insurance? If you answered yes to either question then please read on as I have important information that can result in big savings for you.
Over the past decade, the Cadillac line up has been overhauled to compete much more effectively against foreign luxury brands. No longer simply Lincoln’s chief competitor, Cadillacs are routinely mentioned in the same breath as Mercedes, Lexus, and BMW when comparing global luxury brands. Like the foreign brands, insuring a Cadillac can be an expensive proposition. However, just because you can afford a Cadillac doesn’t mean you want or should have to pay the highest Cadillac car insurance rates going. With a little research, you can come across sizable Cadillac car insurance savings.
Depending on the age of your Cadillac and the coverage that you seek as well as the coverage required by your state, your insurance rates can vary drastically. In addition, there are some other things which can determine what you will ultimately pay:
Your age
Your personal health
Your driving record
Your address
Your deductibles
Your Cadillac’s age
Your annual miles driven
…and more!
When purchasing Cadillac car insurance there are various insurance elements that comprise the entire insurance policy including:
Liability insurance – This element protects you in the event that you have an accident, specifically if you damage property or hurt someone else in the accident. The more coverage you have, the better you are protected against legal claims that could arise against you.
Collision insurance – If your Cadillac gets damaged, do you have insurance to cover repairs? Any vehicle with a value of 00 or more should have collision insurance. You are required to have this type of coverage if your car is being financed through a financing company.
Comprehensive insurance – This insurance element protects you in the event of some other loss including theft, wind damage, vandalism, etc.
Other parts of the insurance puzzle include insurance against an underinsured or uninsured motorist as well as medical insurance in the event you lose work, etc. Of course, you must determine what insurance works best for you. The key to all insurance is for you to reduce your risk, so don’t skimp on coverage.
Finding cost effective Cadillac car insurance can be done by calling various agencies for a price quote or, if you are pressed for time and want to see multiple quotes at once, by visiting an online car insurance quote company such as Insure.com which can turn up the information that you need. Should you go with the company that has the lowest rates? That is usually advisable, but only if they can also provide the agent assistance you need when you need it. You can obtain that information by visiting a consumer satisfaction site discussing insurance companies, contacting your state’s consumers’ affairs department, or by asking friends who are satisfied customers of the car insurance company that interests you.
Yes, affordable Cadillac car insurance is a possibility. Do a little online research and you could turn up some big savings.
Back in the day, it may have been cumbersome getting your car insurance because of the trouble you had to go through getting to the insurer’s but not anymore
Back in the day, it may have been cumbersome getting your car insurance because of the trouble you had to go through getting to the insurer’s but not anymore
Getting online car insurance is simple. If you are looking for a new auto insurance company, you can search arbitrarily and pray that the results you get are what you are looking for. If you happen to already have insurance with a firm you trust, just go to their website.|When you need insurance for your cars these days, you are so much smarter if you will just do it over the internet. You may not think of it in these terms, but you are actually saving yourself a lot of money in the process because you don’t even have to waste time or gas in the process. And the fact that it is makes online car insurance that much better.
There is no reason why you cannot get your car insurance online. After all, every other kind of business is being transacted over the internet these days. You must agree with me also that they are often cheaper and faster to transact, which of course is a major plus for you. Now you have nothing to worry about. No?|You may worry about the verification of your personal data when you are shopping online for your car insurance, but the insurance firm is definitely not worrying so much. They have contact lines listed on their website that you can call if you must speak with someone. You can have your details faxed over for verification.|When you can have the papers carrying your car and bio information scanned and sent in over the internet, and you can have a chat with representatives of the insurance firm you are dealing with, online car insurance suddenly does not look so strange or difficult to do anymore. The question only rests now on how long you are going to spend thinking about it,
The good thing about the internet and internet transactions is that you never have to look into the face of the person you are dealing with. As such if you have to disappoint them by walking away, you may not feel as guilty. That is how come online car insurance is so much more attractive.|Before signing up for online car insurance online, you may want to take a look at the rates that are offered by various car insurance outfits. That mean you will need to take a look at the various websites out there. But since this can be done within minutes, you can be through with your decision in no time at all.
You may worry about your online car insurance because you find it hard to trust someone, or some insurance company that you cannot see and have not met, but you needn’t have. You can try calling up a couple of the phone numbers on the website. You may even request a meet if you want. What counts is that you get the car insurance deal that you need.|If you don’t like the terms offered you by a car insurance outfit online, you can opt instead for another insurer. Over the internet, this is done as easily as moving to another website; if you needed to do that on land, you would have had to drive!|The rates offered by online car insurance are easy to peruse and decide if you like them or not. The best part is that you don’t have some insurance agent breathing down your neck while you are it to make a decision already. As such, your decisions are more your choice than choices made under duress.
Does Your Car Insurance Cover Everything Important?
Does Your Car Insurance Cover Everything Important?
It is important that you do take good care of your car. After all, possibly like most people, it would be one of the most expensive investments you might ever have spent on. To protect you and your car as well for any other excess expenses due to accidents or other untoward incidents, vehicle insurance could do just the trick. However, keep in mind that to actually purchase insurance for your car would also mean that you would have to spend a considerable amount.
Vehicle insurance, or car insurance or auto insurance or whatever term you may want to call it, is mainly used to provide protection against losses that could be incurred as a result of being part of traffic accidents. You see, accidents could lead to huge damages which equate to huge expenses as well. Vehicle insurance covers that so that you would not have to shell out any more money. In fact, there are even some insurance companies whose coverage includes you, your car, and even other parties included in the accident.
Of course, you should try choosing the right kind of auto insurance for your car. Remember that the wider and the greater the range of coverage also means that you would have to spend more. If you have a limited amount of finances, you can try to simply ask around and inquire about auto insurance quotes. Also inquire about the areas covered. Try to find out also if you have the option to include or not to include certain areas.
Bodily injury liability insurance covers the other party’s medical bills if you actually hurt someone in an accident that was purely your fault. If you have property damage liability as part of your auto insurance, you would not have to worry much if you drive your car into another car or into a streetlight or bus stop.
How To Get The Best Rates On Car Insurance In New Jersey
How To Get The Best Rates On Car Insurance In New Jersey
If you want to drive a car on any public roadway in New Jersey you’d better have car insurance. If you’re caught driving without insurance the fines are horrendous and the hassles you are put through later on will having you pulling your hair out. In other words, it’s simply not worth it to drive without insurance in New Jersey.
And you shouldn’t have to. If money is the problem there are several simple things you can do to reduce the cost of your automobile insurance.
Let’s start with your car itself. Not all cars are created equal in the eyes of your insurance company. Some are more likely to be stolen than others and some are more expensive to repair than others. If you really want to get the best rates on car insurance in New Jersey it will pay you to ask your insurance agent for a list of the least expensive cars to insure before you ever purchase a vehicle.
Probably the most important thing you can do to keep you car insurance rates as low as possible to simply to always drive safely and within the law. Don’t speed, and don’t drive when drinking or impaired in any way. Even one speeding ticket or other moving violation and your car insurance rates will begin to soar.
If you are convicted of a DUI or a DWI your rates will skyrocket and if you receive a second conviction for either offense you’ll be stuck treading water in the high-risk insurance pool with little hope of finding insurance at all.
If you can possibly reduce the amount you drive to less than 500 miles per month you can greatly reduce your car insurance costs. Many people achieve this by using public transportation whenever possible and only use their cars for emergencies and special occasions.
Do you have access to a garage where your car can be parked at night? If so let your insurance agent know and you could save on your monthly bill.
Can you add any safety features to your car? Ask your agent if there is any reduction in your rates if you purchase a simple steering wheel locking device. Installing an electronic anti-theft device that shuts off your fuel pump unless a special code is entered is relatively simple and inexpensive and can save you money month after month.
If you’re under 25 stay in school and keep your grades up. If you maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average you should qualify for a Good Student Discount, saving you at least 5% on your monthly insurance premium.
If you consolidate all of your insurance policies (homeowner’s, life, health etc.) under one insurance company you should receive a hefty Multi-Policy Discount on your car insurance. Also, if you have had your policy with the same company for 5 years or more you should be receiving a special Long Term Discount. Make certain you are receiving it.
One of the most common ways that people reduce the cost of their car insurance is to increase the size of their deductible. You need to be honest with yourself when setting your deductible and seriously consider how much you can actually afford to pay out of your own pocket anytime you have a claim – but the more you can afford to pay yourself, the lower your monthly premium will be.
So now you have enough information to create a car insurance policy on paper which is designed to save you money from the start. To save even more money I want you to go online and find at least 3 different websites that allow you to compare prices among the different insurance companies.
Take the time to compare the cost of your paper policy on at least 3 different websites – and then pick the best price you find. Once you’ve done that you will know for sure that you have gotten the best rates on car insurance in New Jersey and that you can look forward to saving money on your car insurance month after month.
It Is Possible To Get Discounts On Your Car Insurance Policy (2)
It Is Possible To Get Discounts On Your Car Insurance Policy
There are many different tips available with regard to saving money on your car insurance. Before you sign up with an insurance company, you should make sure they offer any discounts you are interested in so you can be sure to get the best deal possible on your car insurance. Other tips like this are written in this article. If you are interested in saving money on your car insurance, then please read on.
Though it may seem obvious, it bears explicit statement: You should make sure all the cars in your household are on the same insurance policy. If you have recently combined households with someone, compare your insurance and see which policy will offer better consolidated coverage. In virtually every case, a blanket policy is significantly cheaper than individual policies.
Pay a yearly sum for your automobile insurance. Some companies charge a little more to put their customers on a monthly billing plan. If you are able to pay off the bill in one lump sum for the year, you could save some money and you will have one less bill to worry about.
There are a lot of factors that determine the cost of your automobile insurance. Your age, sex, marital status and location all play a factor. While you can’t change most of those, and few people would move or get married to save money on car insurance, you can control the type of car you drive, which also plays a role. Choose cars with lots of safety options and anti theft systems in place.
If you want to get cheap auto insurance rates as a brand new driver, one of the things that you can do is to take a pass plus. Some insurance companies can give up to 25% on discount if they know that you passed your test without any claims. This could greatly lower your insurance coverage.
Although it may seem strange, try to purchase an older vehicle when looking for a new car. This is because the insurance rates on older vehicles are not nearly as high as on newer ones. If you already have insurance and you switch to an older vehicle, make sure to let the insurance company know.
To get the best prices on insurance factor the price of your vehicle into the equation. If your car is only worth a couple of thousand dollars, then you may be able to lower or drop collision and comprehensive coverage. Talk to your agent about extras that the insurance company adds into your insurance, like road side assistance. If you don’t need it, than dropping it will save you money.
A big part of setting the cost for your auto insurance premiums has to do with the type of car that you drive. Remember that when you are in the market for a new car – cars that are more expensive to repair, for example, will often result in higher insurance rates.
There are many ways to save money on your car insurance. Be sure to check the insurance company out that you are interested in before buying a policy with them so you can be sure they honor the discounts you are interested in. This way you will get the most discounts available.