Auto

Insurance forms the “safety net” of each of our personal financial plans. We buy life insurance in order to financially provide for our families when we die, we buy health insurance so that we don’t have to pay the full cost of health care if we’re sick or injured, we insure our homes against, and we buy car insurance coverage above the legally required minimum in order to protect the value of our automobiles in case of an accident. All of this insurance coverage can be quite expensive. While it’s almost always a bad idea to simply forego coverage in...

Read More »

Regardless of the type of car you drive, whether it’s old or new, or expensive or affordable, there’s one constant – you’ll need car insurance. Even if your car spends most of the time in your garage, you are legally required to have auto insurance before you can drive it on the road. Because auto insurance is one of those expenses that’s impossible to escape (at least while you own a car), it’s important to make sure that you purchase an appropriate amount of coverage and pay insurance premiums that fit within your budget. Here is some information and advice...

Read More »

Getting a driver’s license is an important milestone for any teenager. But it can be rather sad for the parents. It’s yet another sign that your little boy or girl is growing up, and it’s usually associated with a big increase in your auto insurance bill. Statistics show that teenage drivers are much more likely to have accidents than drivers with more experience behind the wheel. That’s why insurance companies charge higher premiums for young drivers. While there’s no way to avoid your insurance going up when you add a teen driver, there are ways to minimize the damage. Here’s some...

Read More »

The thought of reading through your insurance policy might seem like the ultimate cure for insomnia. The legalese and insurance industry terms simply might be too opaque for most people to easily make their way through. Sometimes, though, it’s worth the effort of reading all the “fine print.” In many cases, some of the most important elements of your insurance coverage are located in the riders and other less conspicuous areas of your written policy. Here is some advice on many of the confusing insurance policy terms, and how and what to look for in your insurance policies. Uninsured motorist coverage

One...

Read More »

You've just bought a new car and now the dealer is offering you a whole bunch of additional options, one of them being buying an extended warranty for that brand new car. Know all the facts before you sign on the dotted line. Here is some advice about buying that new car extended warranty insurance. There is one thing that you need to know about car dealers – they are out to make the sale. Yes, they want you to find the car that you want with them so that they can make money. This includes trying to offer you...

Read More »

We love our children and want to give them the best. When they turn sixteen, the “best” to them is a driver’s license and a car they can cruise around in. If you are in the market for car insurance for your teen, here is some advice on finding the most affordable auto insurance for them. Just the thought of your teen behind the wheel of a car can send you scurrying for the bottle of antacid tablets. You dared drive with them and they have now earned their driver’s license. So, it is time to find car insurance for...

Read More »

To file or not to file; that is the question. There are certain situations where you should file a claim if your car was damaged due to an accident. However, there are other instances where filing a claim for losses less than $1,000 may not be necessary or advisable. Here is some advice on whether or not to make an auto insurance claim. Depending upon the terms of your auto insurance policy, a claim needs to be filed in cases where the amount of damage to the car exceeds the deductible. In addition, the law requires...

Read More »

Luckily there are other ways than getting married (if you are single) or relocating to get your insurance costs down. One is comparison shopping. Like prices in a drug store, the cost of insurance can vary widely. The difference can be as much as hundreds of dollars for virtually the same policy. Here is some advice about how to reduce your auto insurance premiums. If you have two or more cars, putting them all under the same policy may cost less per car. Same goes for having home and auto policies from the same company. Insurers also like to see...

Read More »

To file or not to file; that is the question. There are certain instances where you should file a claim if your car was damaged due to an accident. However, there are other instances where filing a claim for losses less than $1,000 may not be necessary. But there’s a catch. Depending upon the terms of your insurance policy, a claim needs to be filed in cases where the amount of damage to the car exceeds the deductible. In addition, the law requires damage above a specific amount to be reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles....

Read More »

For every accident, the first step is to figure out if anyone is hurt and get help if needed. In most states, you are required to call the police. Drivers should then exchange names, addresses, telephone numbers, and the names of each one's insurance company or broker. You probably don't want to make any statements about your guilt or responsibility for the accident. The next call is to your insurer. Make sure you follow your policy's requirements regarding proof of an accident and assessed damage. Some companies will require names and addresses of witnesses and injured persons. You may have...

Read More »