Archive for 'Auto Insurance'
Save Money on Your Auto Insurance
August 23rd, 2010. Published under Auto Insurance, Liability. No Comments.
Now that I have your attention! Have you seen those ads with the lizard or any of the other insurance carriers that proclaim:
Save $390 a year when you switch from:xyz
Save $410 a year when you switch from abc
I just saved a client $1200 dollars a year when I switched him from the lizard.
That’s serious money!!
Black Boxes, Car Insurance and Privacy
July 2nd, 2010. Published under Auto Insurance, Liability, Vehicle Safety. No Comments.
Did you know that about 60% of todays automobiles have an “event data recorder” ?
This little box records information such as how fast the vehicle was going and how well the brakes and airbags worked — or didn’t.
Chips and sensors within the vehicle feed information to the recorder which must record 15 types of information by 2013.
This could give third parties information on: the speed the car was traveling, if the brakes were applied, if the vehicle had just changed lanes, etc, if the data is made available to them. This leads to privacy concerns.
The information collected is objective as we all know drivers who are confused or injured after the crash and can’t recall what happened right before the crash.
Who owns the data?
What are the most stolen vehicles in Salt Lake City?
May 20th, 2010. Published under Auto Insurance, Insurance Claims. No Comments.
A recent article in the Deseret News discussed a way to track stolen vehicles with the LoJack system. Many vehicles are stolen and within a short time period are sold to “chop shops” where the parts are removed and resold.
Honda Civics and Accords are still the most often stolen vehicles. They are used for street racing and racers need to replace parts that burned up in an earlier race.
Insurance companies use statistics to set rates. Hondas could cost more to insure (for comprehensive coverage) due to the higher risk of being stolen.
Remember, if you choose to only purchase liability insurance, you will not be able to file a claim if your vehicle is stolen.
Are All Insurance Agents the Same?
March 9th, 2010. Published under Auto Insurance, Homeowners Insurance, Insurance Agents, Insurance Claims. No Comments.
How do you select an insurance agent?
Do you really need the services of an agent?
What does an agent really do for the customer?
Ther are two types of insurance agents: captive and independent.
A captive agent works primarily for one company, Allstate, State Farm, etc. An independent agent writes insurance for a variety of companies.
Captive agents have authority to bind coverage and to make changes quickly.
If a client walked into my office to buy auto insurance and I bind coverage, the client is covered as soon as they leave my office.
An independent agent may have some binding authority but may have to send all new business, and policy changes in to a service center to be completed. The policy would not begin until it has been processed.
An agent should be helping the client pick the right coverage. An agent should be there to assist when there is a claim. An agent should be able to help with billing problems. An agent should be able to add a new policy quickly. An agent should be able to answer coverage questions.
When choosing an agent ask about their availability.
Do they answer the phone Saturday afternoon when you were rear ended?
Do they answer the phone at 7 pm when your pipes broke?
Interview a few agents before deciding which office you place your policies with. Do not choose an agent just because they quoted a low price.
Shopping for Insurance
February 23rd, 2010. Published under Auto Insurance, Homeowners Insurance, Insurance Claims, Renters Insurance. No Comments.
You may already have heard the news. Allstate Insurance is terminating about 20% of their agency force.
News such as this causes consumers to shop their insurance. (When AIG took bailout $$, many consumers made a change) There is a fear of the unknown. Who should they call? Will their new agent be responsive? What if they need to make changes before they have been transferred?
When shopping for insurance, price should not be the main consideration. Yes, I know you’re shaking your head. Many consumers look at the bottom line, and want a low price on their auto, home, renters, condo, boat, etc policy. But, what is your cost when you have a claim?
If you choose higher deductibles to save $50 and then have a claim a week later with a deductible $500 higher, did you save any money? Of course not. If you decline physical damage coverage on your truck and an uninsured motorist hits you, you pay for the cost of repairs.
When shopping for insurance, be prepared to give information about your home/auto/motorcycle, etc. to the agent and or call center. They will ask about your driving record, coverages needed, mortgage and lienholder info, etc.
Why does auto insurance cost so much?
January 11th, 2010. Published under Auto Insurance. No Comments.
What to do when you are rear-ended in an auto accident!
December 15th, 2009. Published under Auto Insurance, blogs, uninsured motorist. No Comments.
This morning I had two phone calls between 8:00 and 8:30 AM from clients who were rear ended.
If you want your car repaired by the negligent party, here are some tips for you:
Carry a camera or have a cell phone with a camera option, then get out of the car if you are able to and start snapping photos of the vehicles involved, the driver, the location, damage to the vehicle, witnesses, etc. You can’t have too many photos!!!
Make sure you call the police so they will write an accident report. If you are rear ended, this is proof of the other party’s negligence.
Get the drivers information: name, several phone #’s, address, their insurance carrier and policy #, description of the vehicle.f
If you call me or another agent and only have someone’s name and phone number and they don’t answer the phone when you call, how can we file a claim with their insurance carrier? Most of the time you will fix the car yourself or file with your carrier and pay your collision deductible.
Please call your agent if you are unsure of what to do when you are rear ended in an auto accident!
Safe driving!!
Commercial Auto Insurance
December 8th, 2009. Published under Auto Insurance, Business, Commercial Auto Insurance, blogs. No Comments.
I had a call today for an auto insurance quote. I learned that one of the vehicles was being used for deliveries.
This vehicle would have to be written as a commercial auto insurance policy.
If they were insured under a personal auto insurance policy, the claim could be denied for misrepresentation.
Make sure the agent knows how the vehicle is being used. Many people don’t understand that a vehicle used for business purposes must be insured for that usage.
RENEE DARATA-your personal insurance agent
What if I Don't Pay my Auto Insurance Bill?
December 8th, 2009. Published under Auto Insurance, Insurance Claims, blogs, uninsured motorist. No Comments.
It snowed today. A lot. There were probably a number of automobile accidents. Probably some of those drivers didn’t have an active auto insurance policy.
Why does this matter?
It matters because you may be driving around with just liability insurance. This means you have coverage for property damage and bodily injury you cause to others, but you have no coverage for damage to your car.
With the current economy, people have cut back on many of their expenses, and auto insurance is one of them.
Can you afford to pay out of pocket for body shop repairs?
That is what will happen if you are in an accident with an uninsured motorist.
RENEE DARATA
How to save your life!!
November 11th, 2009. Published under Auto Insurance, Insurance Claims, Vehicle Safety, blogs. No Comments.
If you are involved in an auto accident, you will want your vehicle to have the latest safety features:
- Anti-Lock Brakes w/ Brake assist
- Electronic Brake Force Distribution
- Electronic Stability Control
- Traction Control System
- Dual Front Advanced Airbags
- Front Seat Mounted Side Air Bags
- Full Length Curtain Air Bags Front
- Active Headrests
- Tire Pressure Monitoring System
I was t-boned in an accident recently, driving 40 miles an hour, and these features saved my life.
These features also give you a discount on your auto insurance as they reduce bodily injury.
RENEE DARATA- your personal insurance agent
