Tag Archives: 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.
Important Considerations Regarding Auto Insurance
Important Considerations Regarding Auto Insurance
You need to have some knowledge of what to look for and expect from an auto insurance policy. You need to know what resources are available to you and who can provide you answers as to what you need for your future. The tips below can help you with how to start.
Remember that bad credit can hurt your auto insurance rates even if you are a good driver. If you have high auto insurance rates as a result of bad credit then feel free to get those rates reassessed quarterly as your credit improves. It is just one easy way to save money on auto insurance.
Avoid auto insurance extremes. You can definitely be hurt by a lack of adequate insurance. Even more costly is being over-insured. Many people pay for coverage they can not ever possibly need. The result can be a huge drain on your budget. Evaluate your car insurance coverage and rates annually.
Make sure to get a quote before you buy a new car. Insurance rates can vary greatly from model to model and you might be caught surprised with a very different quote after you buy the car. Treat car insurance like any other major purchase, like you would a house, for instance.
There are several types of coverage for auto insurance which can be confusing. Bodily injury, property damage, uninsured motorist to name just a few. If these components are over-whelming to you, find someone you can talk to that will help you understand these terms, as well as others, so you will have a clear understanding of what you are purchasing.
Never drive your car without liability insurance. This insurance type can save you a lot of money as the insurance company pays the damages you caused to someone. Without this insurance type, you would be liable for all the costs. Choose the coverage that is right for you and your unique situation.
Carefully examine any extra options included in your auto insurance premium, because you may not need all of them. One of the most common additional options you might be paying for is roadside assistance. If are already a member of an automobile club that offers roadside assistance, you can drop this option from your insurance plan and save some money every month.
If you live in an urban area or an area where there are many wild animals, you may want to consider animal collision on your insurance. Repairing a car after you have hit an animal, especially a large one, can cost you thousands of dollars. Animal collision covers all of these costs.
To get a good deal on your auto insurance pay for your coverage in full up front. By paying in full you won’t have to pay interest charges that you would normally pay for on a month to month basis.
As you have seen in the above tips, there is a lot of knowledge that you can acquire before choosing and purchasing an auto insurance policy and it’s this knowledge that can help you with your car’s future. Do everything you must, to find out what policy is best for your needs.
Term Life Insurance With No Exam
Term Life Insurance With No Exam
Everyone wants a painless and easy approach when it comes to purchasing life insurance. That can actually be a reality if you know what to look for when shopping for life insurance. The painless part has every thing to do with the cost. Term life insurance is by far the least expensive of all forms of life insurance. Easy has everything to do with making a life insurance purchase that is simple and time saving. That points to purchasing insurance that requires no medical exam. These are called the non-medical limits by most insurance companies. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the non-medical limits get very restrictive as you get older. Life insurance companies need examinations to underwrite policies as we get older.
If painless and easy is your goal then it behooves you to shop for the largest face amount of life insurance that you can purchase without a physical exam. The medical insurance bureau is used by almost all life insurance companies to investigate the medical background of all of its applicants. The MIB may have medical information on an applicant that may eventually require a medical examination or a rejection of the application. Do not seek a non-medical insurance policy to hide a pre-existing condition. A future claim may be denied because of misrepresentation on the application.
Try the marketplace and research the non-medical limits. If you are in good health and have no pre-existing condition then a life insurance purchase without an exam is a definite time saver and will make life easy for you and the insurance company. Make sure that you divulge all of your medical history on the application as well as your primary care physician. Annual physical exams and regular medical check ups are viewed as a positive by life insurance underwriters. There you have it. You have enough information to implement a painless and easy strategy for your next term life insurance purchase.
Home Owner’s Insurance – Some Essential Tips 5
Home Owner’s Insurance – Some Essential Tips
When a person first moves into a home, there are many things that are far from their mind. One of these things may be homeowners insurance. Getting a policy is crucial, as you want to make sure your home is insured. The following article is going to give you valuable tips to picking out the best homeowner insurance policy.
Having homeowners insurance can save you a great deal of money should your house ever experience some unexpected damage due to a natural disaster or other random cause. If you have your home insured, it will provide money for the repair costs from unexpected damage that can come with owning a home.
You should inventory your home at least once a year to ensure your records are up-to-date, and that your coverage is sufficient for the items you own. You’re likely to add, remove, and replace items as the year goes on, so you can’t forget about your home owner’s insurance and it’s coverage.
You might be able to get a discount on your homeowners insurance if you have a security system or alarm. It’s not enough to have local alarm — to qualify for the discount, you usually have to have a monitored service, and the insurance company will ask for proof of this, so make a copy of your monitoring service contract to give them.
Save money on your home owner’s insurance policy by choosing a higher deductible. The more of your losses that are covered with your own cash, the cheaper your rates will be for the insurance policy. Ask your agent for property credits or any other discounts that might apply to your home owner’s policy.
Update your homeowner’s policy with your insurance company if you make any changes to your home with the electrical wiring or plumbing. Making updates to your systems can save you money on your policy because it is considered safer to have newer systems rather than having older ones.
Make sure your high value possessions are covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy. A standard policy covers the structure and some of your personal belongings, but it may not provide enough coverage for things such your jewelry and an extensive coin collection. You can generally add on floater insurance for these things for as little as per year.
Contact your insurance agent if you build a new external structure on your property like a storage building or detached garage. Most home owner’s insurance policies cover a certain amount of external structures, but when you add additional ones, it is a good idea to make sure you have adequate coverage in case of damage.
Don’t purchase home insurance if you don’t need it. If you own your house outright and you have enough money in your savings account to completely rebuild your home if it was to get destroyed, then buying home insurance could be an unnecessary expense. You need to calculate the chances of your home being damaged and compare them to the emotions you would feel if you had to empty your savings account to pay for the damage.
In conclusion, homeowners insurance is important to have when you purchase a home. It is important that you do not forget about getting it. The information given to you in the above article is made to help educate you about homeowners insurance so you are able to pick the best policy.
What You Need To Know About Health Insurance (4)
What You Need To Know About Health Insurance
We all know how important it is to have good health insurance coverage, but it can be harder than ever these days to know what sort of policy is best. If you aren’t sure what sort of coverage you really need, this article can help answer your questions so you can find the right policy for you.
When shopping for health insurance, try one of the many websites that offer rates from several providers at the same time. Enter your information for the type of policy you want and find the rates for different companies offering the coverage you want. This can save not only time, but money too.
If you receive a medical bill that seems way to expensive you may be able to negotiate a portion of it away! An office manager is often very reasonable, and if you are able to explain the excessive nature of a bill, he or she may be willing to reduce the price. Mistakes are made, and chances are your bill received an extra charge somewhere that was not warranted so ask and you may receive!
Researching health insurance prices by getting quotes from multiple insurance companies helps you find a good health insurance policy at an affordable rate. You can use forms online to submit a quote request from multiple companies at once and it is also advisable to check with local health insurance companies for quotes as well.
Keep in mind that having health insurance costs more than just the amount of premiums that you pay every month. You may also be responsible for deductibles, co-insurance, co-payments. There are also procedures that may not covered by your insurance company and you will have to pay for those out of pocket.
Make a point to factor in your favorite doctors before you commit to a health insurance policy. Many people have a regular doctor that they prefer. When choosing a health insurance plan, do not forget to check and make sure that they are covered by it. A quick check could save you a lot of hassle later on.
When purchasing a health insurance policy, you may want to consider using an insurance broker. An insurance broker will do all of the leg work for you and ensure that you get the best possible health insurance. A reputable insurance broker will also shop around for you and find the best priced health insurance that suits your needs.
Before signing documents committing yourself to a certain insurance policy, make sure to read the fine print. There may be details to the policy that the insurance provider did not tell you about. These details could cost you a significant amount of money, and prevent you from getting the proper care.
The health insurance market can be confusing, but if you educate yourself about a few simple principles, it can be much easier to navigate. Health insurance is too important to let yourself be intimidated by an insurance company. Just remember what you’ve learned from this article, and you’ll be able to find the coverage you need.
Avoid Future Problems By Following These Essential Insurance Tips
Avoid Future Problems By Following These Essential Insurance Tips
You just can’t avoid insurance. Everyone needs to insure something. Isn’t it better, then, to learn how to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to insurance? Not learning about insurance could cost you thousands of dollars or leave you exposed to nasty loopholes. Here are a few things every insurance holder needs to consider:
If you are a small business owner, you must make sure that you have all of your insurance needs covered, to protect you and your business. One thing that you should have is E&O insurance, which is better known as Errors and Omissions business coverage. This insurance protects your business from customer lawsuits.
Insurance is like any profession: it uses a lot of specialized words (indemnification, liability, etc.) So if you don’t understand something about a policy you’re about to buy, STOP. Ask the insurance professional you’re talking with to back up and explain in terms that you can understand. If you still don’t get it, make them explain it again. Nothing is worse than signing on for a policy that either costs too much or doesn’t cover enough, because you didn’t feel comfortable asking questions about it beforehand.
Go through any photographs you have. If you are filing an insurance claim, it could be time to break out your old snapshots. Look for any pictures that feature the thing that was damaged. Put these aside and be sure to keep them handy. Supply them to your insurance provider, if necessary.
Buy traveler’s insurance. The last thing you want to do is get to your destination and find out things have gone horribly awry. However, with traveler’s insurance, you can have something to fall back on and cushion the financial difficulties. Let’s face it, traveling doesn’t always go as we expect. It’s best to be prepared.
Shopping online for insurance is not a bad idea, but be aware that you are only being given a quote and that could change, once you actually purchase the insurance. Make sure you speak to an agent and find out your personalized quote, because a lot of online quoting is based on an average and does not factor in all the personalized things about you. Don’t automatically assume that the lower online quoted company, is going to be the one able to provide you with the best price.
Ask your doctor to allow you to review your medical records the next time that you are in the office for a routing checkup, to make sure everything is correct. If the doctor has recorded information incorrectly or ascribed a family history to you that you don’t have, your health insurance premiums may be unnecessarily high.
Insurance is a necessity of modern life. Whether or not you are happy with that fact, one way you can feel good about it is to save yourself a little money or improve your coverage without spending more. Tips like the ones in this article can put a smile on your face by making you a smarter insurance customer.