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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 25,000 in New York and much less in many other states. Unfortunately, many of my clients were sold insurance policies with liability limits of 100,000 or 300,000, 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 25,000 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 300,000, 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 300,000 which would have allowed her to recover 300,000 for her injuries instead of 25,000. Ironically, she did not need the 300,000 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 300,000 liability coverage for the sole purpose of being able to purchase 300,000 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 2.01 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.

But you’ll want be surprised at how varied the rates for pickup insurance can be in your area. Totally shop around for your automobile insurance. Dont just go with the first agency you speak with.

Now, thanks to the net, you can shop around suitable from the comfort of habitat. Go ahead and get at least three price quotes from distinctive kinds of insurance corporations.

If youre in the audience for a novel car, call to see how much it will cost to ensure in the first place. Having a car alarm and other anti-theft devices can chip in reduce your costs.

Always apply about discounts. Dont be shy. Corporations anticipate this!

Whats my cost if I have a 500 deductible? (Enhancing your deductible from 200 to 500 could lower your collision and in-depth coverage cost by as much as 30 percent.)

How about a 1,000 deductible? Running to a 1,000 deductible can save you 40 percent or more. (Now if you dont keep at least this much in the bank, dont alternative out this option!)

If your car is worth less than 10 times the annual insurance premium, purchasing extra coverage may not be affordable. Whichs one distinguished gizmo about owning an aged car!

My credit rating is astounding. I always pay my bills on time.

What if we insure more than 1 car with your corporation?

I havent had an accident in more than three yearsK

I havent had a traffic ticket in three yearsK

Ive taken a drivers training course.

My car has an anti-theft mechanism.

I dont put a mass of mileage on my car in a years time.

I carpool.

My car has air bags.

My car is quipped with anti-lock brakes.

I have daytime going lights.

Im a student driver with top-grade grades.

Since I have both car and home coverage with you, do I qualify for a discount?

Im a schoolhouse student away from homeK

Ive been a long time regular purchaserK

My mom and dad use your companyK

Do you present any other discounts? Some companies offer reduced rates to drivers who get insurance through a group plan from their employers and other expert groups. It cant hurt to ask.

What You Need To Know About A Car Insurance Adjuster?

If youre in need of a car insurance adjuster then there are a few facts you should know before you meet with himher. The first rule of thumb is that if your car insurance adjuster is over friendly remember, he is there to save money for the company he works with, not especially for you.

Dont ever sign anything without reading every detail and never underestimate the good will of the car insurance adjuster. If the adjuster wants to discuss anything on the phone, request that you would rather meet with himher in person until after your insurance claim is settled.

You can be pleasant with the insurance adjuster but stay firm. No matter what happened at the scene of the accident, it is not the car insurance adjusters fault if the person that hit you was an idiot. Dont underestimate the importance of an adjusters impressions because they all go into your file. The way you act toward himher could have an influence on your insurance claim later.

Even if, for example, your car hit a deer, insurance adjusters will even be called for this too, to estimate the amount of damage to the car. Again let the adjuster do hisher job and be friendly. When you hit a deer it can cause the same amount of damage in some cases as hitting a car, or even worse. Let the car insurance adjuster look at the damage and make up hisher own mind regarding the extent of damage. Again dont sign any thing until your car insurance claim is settled.

An independent car insurance adjuster is also expected to settle insurance claims quickly. This person may not owe a particular allegiance to a specific insurance company, but they want to collect the fee from the company. An insurance adjusters authority to settle a claim is restricted, but the adjuster will do everything possible to make sure you get treated fairly

The bottom line is dont let a car insurance adjuster suck you into thinking hes your best friend in the world, only to be let down later. This is the nature of job and no matter how friendly the adjuster is, heshe is there to do a job. You have little to do with that except provide them with information needed to assess the damages to your car.

Just be a little careful when dealing with a car insurance adjuster.

What Should I Do If Im In A Car Accident?

Its a beautiful day and youre driving down the road taking in the scenery. The wind blows through your hair and the breeze feels good beading down your face. You see there is a red mustang convertible traveling directly ahead of you. The license plate on the mustang reads you think FIN..??LY. You have difficulty reading the plate so you speed up to get closer to the rear of the vehicle. As you press down on the gas of your vehicle it accelerates from fifty to sixty-five in a flash, and before you know it you have rear ended that little red mustang. At this point your heart races and you feel angry, scared and frustrated at what just happened.

You say to yourself what am I going to do and how did I manage to cause this accident. I could kick myself for what just happened.

You now think about the consequences and try to determine what you should do next. You then decide to exit your vehicle to see how the driver of the mustang was doing. The mustang driver whose name was Manny, appeared to be doing physically fine, however he was upset that I had hit his classic red prized possession with license plates which you discovered read FINALLY.

If youre in a car accident, first and foremost, try to obtain as much information from the other party involved in the accident which would include the following: drivers license information(name, date of birth, license number, address), telephone number, license plate number, vehicle type(year, make, model & color), insurance information(policy number, insurance company name, & address if possible). If the other party has no insurance, be sure to obtain the license plate number and all other information previously mentioned. In addition, if there is a witness or witnesses at the scene, obtain their name, address and telephone number if at all possible. This will be very helpful in determining who is responsible for causing the accident in reference to liability.

If the police department is called to the scene of the accident, a report may be taken. If this is the case, the police officer taking the report may separate the parties involved and the identification information previously listed may be difficult to obtain. If this is the case, then make sure you obtain the police report number so that you can provide this information to your insurance company. Your insurance company will obtain a copy of the report, wherein the identification and accident information will be listed for all parties involved.

Contact your insurance company to report the accident as soon as possible. Regardless if you plan on going through the other persons insurance company for the repair of your vehicle. Most insurance companies require their policy holders to report accidents.

If you fail to report the accident to your insurance company, you may find out at a later date when you try to apply for another insurance policy that you are listed on what is called a KLUE report for not reporting a particular accident to your carrier. This may have a negative impact on you obtaining a new policy. You may be listed on the KLUE report even if the accident is not your fault.

The KLUE report is a specialized report which is used by most insurance companies concerning licensed drivers who are trying to obtain a new policy. It also provides information on your driving history.

Anyone who owns a vintage vehicle or a collection of enduringly stylish classic cars knows that a standard automobile insurance policy cant adequately cover the specific needs of someone who drives a classic vehicle. A classic car owner is more likely than a standard driver to make a claim for repainting after a tiny scratch, for example; whereas a typical driver will be much more likely to get into a highway pile-up than a classic car owner. The habits and requirements of the drivers who spends time behind the wheel of a classic 1950s Ford are obviously quite different from those of a driver who gets around in a used 1997 Taurus; so it makes plenty of sense that insurance companies would create policies specifically for drivers who own vintage cars.

One of the most useful facets of many classic car insurance policies has to do with the idea of flexible usage. This unique idea allows drivers to attain full coverage at a variable rate depending on how often they drive their car and in what situations. Most drivers with antique automobiles drive their vehicles over less than one thousand miles each year, but some collectors drive up to five thousand miles a year in their prized cars. Some drivers are extremely careful about distance because of its potential wear and tear on the vehicle, but just as many classic car enthusiasts are more concerned about what kind of situation they are driving in than how far they are driving.

Many vintage car owners only take their precious vehicles out for special events like auto shows or parades, but there are some drivers who enjoy taking the occasional drive outside of the umbrella that these events provide. With an insurance policy that supports flexible usage, a driver can pay only for the coverage that he or she needs to cover his or her classic car driving habits. This means that a driver who enjoys a leisurely weekend afternoon of driving through town in his or her car will be able to do so without risking the investment that the car represents, but also that a driver who only starts the engine during a special event will not have to pay extra money for open road privileges that he or she wont use.

In addition to what is and is not covered, there are many conveniences that a classic car owner can enjoy by having classic car insurance instead of a standard auto policy. For one thing, having the agent who is responsible for the policy be knowledgeable about and sensitive to the needs of classic car owners can save quite a bit of hassle and phone time. Vintage car collectors are understandably very selective about where they get their cars repaired, and often will be unwilling to let anyone but their personally trusted mechanic look at their car. The reasons for this fact will be obvious to an agent who understands the needs and desires of people who own classic cars, but for an agent who is not experienced with these kinds of customers it can be a difficult fact to swallow.

For most people car insurance is a the single largest insurance expense after health insurance. Rates are high and are forever climbing, at least it seems that way. You can save money on your car insurance premiums by following these easy to implement steps.

1.Shop Around. Yes, it pays to shop and compare. Regulatory changes at the state level may have encouraged new companies to jump into the market, thereby increasing competition and reducing rates for consumers.

2.Raise Your Deductible. A 200 deductible sounds wise until you learn that the cost for having a deductible at this threshold can drive your rates through the roof. Consider a deductible as high as 1000 to save on premiums. You can always fix minor mishaps on your own.

3.Drop Collision. If your automobile is worth less than two or three thousand pounds, consider dropping collision altogether. Sure, you will get nothing from your insurer if your car is totaled, but the savings you realize by dropping collision can be used as a down payment for your next car.

4.Look For Discounts. If your car has certain safety features, make sure that your insurer is aware of this. Older cars, for the most part, do not have air bags but if you have a model that has airbags, you will save money on your insurance.

5.Business Deduction. If you drive your car for business, a portion of your insurance costs may be deductible. Conversely, your rates may be increased if your insurer knows that you use your car more for business than pleasure.

6.Combine Policies. Purchase your homeowners, auto, and life insurance policies from the same broker and you may save on your premiums. Some insurance companies reward policyholders if they one-stop purchase all of their insurance needs through one company.

7. Consider Before You Buy. The Porsche Boxster may be your ideal car, but it could also sharply raise your insurance rates. Maybe a less sporty model would be ideal.

8.Drivers Ed Course. You may have taken a drivers education course and your insurance company has not factored that in when determining your premium. Let them know that you are a safe driver!

9.Deleted Points. If you had moving violations that were reported to your insurance company, make sure that your insurer adjusts your premium downward if several years have gone by since the occurrence. You could be paying a premium higher than you deserve.

10.Check Your Policy. If the insurer has the wrong address, town or zip code on your policy you could find yourself paying more than you should.

Reducing your car insurance costs should not be an impossible feat. By following these steps you should realize some savings the next time your policy comes up for review.

Buying California car insurance is expensive. But with a little trick and dedication, you can find the right car insurance California that is both cheap and provides good coverage.

Here are the ways to save for your can insurance California:

Research
Check several sites that offer can insurance California. This is probably the best way to get the cheapest car insurance rate since each company follows its own rate. Make sure you know what type of coverage you are looking for so as not to dive on the first and cheapest car insurance you have laid your eyes on. Remember that cheapest might not be the best so make sure you weigh the claims and the price you have to pay.

Safe driving
It always pays to be a good driver. And what a better way to reap from this is to get a lower California car insurance rates. California can insurance companies reward safe drivers with special car insurance rates. To become eligible on this, you have to get a clean record both on traffic violation and insurance claim. If in case you only have one or two traffic violation, you can take the defensive driving course. This is to remove and clean your traffic record.

The only drawback is you have to wait for several years to enjoy the lower California car insurance rate. That means you have to stay away from traffic violations for a very long time! But if safety is already in your system, this would be easy for you to do. After all, it is you who will reap if you drive safely even without receiving any California car insurance discount.

Update on time
Many auto insurance companies in California and even in other states in the United States base their insurance rates on your history. Failure to update your policy even for one day could cost you additional pounds. Make sure you update on time so that you can avoid higher California car insurance rate.

Monitor your odometer
Dont get it wrong. You dont have to limit your driving. Well, if getting car insurance discounts means more to you, you can drive occasionally. But what we are trying to say here is that several car insurance companies in California base their rates on the annual mileage reading. If you love to drive for miles, you should not be surprised if you get high car insurance rate than those who drive less.

Capitalize on discounted auto insurance
Discounts on car insurance would be able you to save money. And there are several ways to get it. Here are the different ways to get discounted auto insurance:

1.Discounts on good driver. Yeah it is already mentioned but you have to know that everybody, regardless of the age could receive a good driver discount provided heshe maintains a clean driving record.

2.Discounts of multi-car owner or multi-driver. If you have two drivers with the same car insurance policy, you can get this discount. Much more if both of these drivers have clean records.

3.Discount on having safety and anti-theft devices. If you care enough for your vehicle, your can get a reward. Most car insurance companies in California give discounts on drivers who have installed safety and anti-theft devices.

Auto insurance can be confusing and mind boggling sometimes and its hard to determine exactly why some individuals are receiving rates which are lower than others. There are many factors which contribute to the rate of auto insurance, some you have control over and others you dont.

Below you will find valuable information regarding the factors which are compiled in order to determine the rate of your car insurance. These will help you understand important aspects of auto insurance and why some individuals receive higher rates than others. Here are the top five factors which auto insurance companies will consider when determining your rate of insurance:

1.Age Your age will greatly affect the rate of your car insurance. Teenagers and individuals who are just beginning to drive will have higher rates for no reason other than their age. There is nothing you can do about this, as you get older and become a more experienced driver your rates will go down. Although they will go down, they will not stay down. When you reach a certain age your car insurance rates will go back up because you are an elderly driver and your eyes and coordination may not be as effective anymore.

2.Auto Insurance Companies This is a factor which you have control over. Some car insurance companies offer lower rates than others for many reasons. It is up to you to choose which one will benefit you the most both now and in the long run.

3.Gender Whether you are male or female will also affect the rate of your car insurance. This is yet another factor which you have no control over. Females generally have lower car insurance rates because according to insurance companies men are seen as potential dangerous and careless drivers who are more likely to be involved in car accidents.

4.Type of Vehicle As much as we would all love to be driving a shiny silver Porsche Boxter all around town, the insurance rates for these types of vehicles are unreal. If you want your auto insurance rates to be low, I would suggest driving a car with a lower price tag. The more money your car is worth, the higher your car insurance rate will be.

5.Driving Violations This is another factor which you have control over. I know how tempting it is to race your friends the moment you get your license for the first time, but the amount of money you will pay in the long run hardly seems worth it. Any form of ticket you receive can potentially raise the rate of your car insurance. If you want to pay less for car insurance I would suggest abiding by the rules of the road.

Although these are the most important factors in determining your rate of car insurance, there are many other factors which also play a part in how much you will pay. Auto insurance is something we all have to pay for, but by researching and understanding the aspects of this form of insurance you are learning how to reduce your rate to your best ability.

Top 10 tips to save money on your car insurance

If youre fed up paying too much for your car insurance duck2water (www.duck2watercarinsurance.co.uk) have put together the top ten ways you can reduce your premium without reducing the level of cover:

1.Buy online
Buying online can save you time and money. Companies who spend millions of pounds on advertising or run large call centres have to cover these costs somewhere, and they do so by adding these costs onto the price of your insurance premium. Although online insurers do have overheads, they are much less than high street and telephone insurers, which means they can offer car insurance at up to 60% cheaper than other companies.

2.Drive a cheap and less powerful car
Car insurance companies calculate their premiums on the basis of the car engine size, the probability that it will get stolen and the cost of repairing it. Although smaller cars such as Ford Fiestas and Renault 5s are more prone to being stolen than larger saloon cars, they are cheaper to repair or replace and are therefore cheaper to insure.

3.Build up a no claims history
Car insurance companies give discounts for safe drivers with a good no claims record. By building up your no claims history you can benefit from a reduction (up to 60%) off your premium, and this discount can be transferred from company to company.

4.Increase your car security
More security means lower risk for your insurance company and you can benefit from cheaper rates by locking your car in a garage a night, or installing an insurance company approved immobiliser or tracker.

5.Increase your voluntary excess
By deciding to pay a higher excess it also means youre less likely to make a small claim on your insurance and are therefore considered a lower risk.

6.Obtain more driving qualifications
The Pass Plus qualification costs between 100-150 and involves taking lessons in different driving conditions such as at night and on the motorway. By becoming a more skilled and experienced driver most insurance companies reward their customers by reducing their premium. As a result, the qualification usually pays for itself within the first year of qualifying. Another option is the advanced driving test, but this can take much more time to pass than the Pass Plus.

7.Use your car less
Clearly, the more you use your car the higher the probability is that youll be involved in an accident. As a result people who travel hundreds of miles every week are likely to have a higher car insurance premium.

8.Dont get on the wrong side of the law
Insurance companies dont like motoring convictions as they mean a driver is seen as a higher risk. Certain motoring convictions are considered worse than others, for example drink driving offences mean that your premium will be double the usual rate.

9.Reduce the number of people under your policy
The more people on your insurance the more youll have to pay. So, if possible try to have as few drivers on your policy as feasible.

10.Live in the countryside
As a general rule, the further you live away from a city the cheaper your car insurance is likely to be. By living in the city your car is more likely to be stolen or be involved in car accident. You can save up to 50% on your car insurance by moving from the city to a rural location.

We all wish to make savings in our life. Cars included. Myriad insurance companies offer varying premium rates depending on their policy coverage. So it is important that you get the best Insurance package for your car.

These tips will help you how to manage your Car Insurance budget within limits.

Making Comparisons: The costs of at least three to six insurance companies will give you a fair idea of the costs involved with different policies. Seek the advise of colleagues, friends, relatives. Besides from costs involved, the track record of the companies matter a lot.

The standing, strength and financial position of the company need to be looked into. Request for higher deductibles – It’s the amount one pays prior to making any claim for the accident. The complete coverage and collision is sold along with the deductibles. The more the deductibles the less the premium rate. By increasing the deductible say from 300 to 600 will invariable reduce the cost to 20 to 35 percent.

Old Cars – Drop Collision and Comprehensive Coverage – It is better to drop the collision and comprehensive coverage if the car is worth less than 10 times your premium in the current market. One way to reduce the cost is buying the auto coverage from the existing insurance and insurance coverage from existing carrier.

No to Double Health Coverage – Avoid health coverage with auto policy provided you have enough health insurance. This is one way of reducing costs.

A Good Credit Card Record – This has multiple benefits – helps to file claims if the credit score is less. A good credit score will also help in settling the accident with the help of the company.

Low Profile Car Discount – Fancy and trendy cars with high maintenance costs higher rate and attract thieves as well. A low budget, low profile car will help a lot with insurer discounts to boost.

Mileage Counts – More discounts can be obtained by driving less than the national average mileage recorded per year.

Avoid double health coverage- If you think that you have enough health insurance, and then avoid health coverage with your auto policy. This will help you to reduce the cost.

Maintain a good credit record- Insurers are using the credit history while determining the price of insurance. Statistically, the lower your credit score, the more you are likely to file claims. A person with a good credit score is more likely to settle the accident without the support of the company. Try to maintain a good credit record.

Discounts with low profile car- Cars that are expensive to repair or attractive to thieves will have a higher rate. Consider buying a low profile or average car as it your insurer might come up with discounts for such a car.

Low Mileage Pays – Obtain some discount on premiums by driving less than the national average mileage recorded per year.

All about Group Discount – It’s all about a group taking insurance plan collectively. Be it an employer, business group or associations. Check for such plans.

Safety Discount – Discounts are also offered if the car is fitted with safety items like air bag, automatic seat belts, anti lock brakes. So make safety pay for you.