Car Accident Insurance

1. Cheap Car Insurance Is Good, Right? - I know. I’ve seen all the same commercials on T.V. that you have. Everyone tries to Out-Shout each other claiming they can save you hundreds on your car insurance. Price is important, but it’s not everything.

2. What Is the Single, Most Important Coverage I Need? - Most States have mandatory, required liability limits for a reason: Promoting Public Goodwill! Liability is the part of your policy that pays for medical bills and property damage that you are legally responsible for if you are determined to be at-fault in an accident.

3. What is Full Coverage? – There is no such thing as “Full Coverage”. If an insurance company sold you every coverage they had in their arsenal, there would still be things that wouldn’t be covered. An example of this is using the vehicle for illegal activity. Running from the police, smuggling drugs or other illegal substances or people, and intentional criminal acts are good examples of things that would never be covered if your vehicle was damaged or destroyed.

4. If I Am Covered Under My Major Medical Provider, Like Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Do I Really Need Uninsured Motorist Coverage? – If you are paying someone else for health care coverage, why do you want to give another insurance company more money for the same thing? In most cases where vehicles are covered with Collision and Comprehensive, AND where you have health care coverage for you and your family with a Major Medical provider it doesn’t matter if an uninsured person hits you and hurts you.

5. I Have Expensive After-Market Rims and Tires or Stereo Equipment Installed in My Vehicle. Are Those Items Covered By My Policy? – The basic rule of thumb to determine if these valuables are covered under your policy is simple. If they are installed in the same spot as the factory-installed stuff, you are covered. Rims and Tires are obviously going to be installed in the same location as the rims and tires that came with the vehicle from the factory.

6. Is My Tom-Tom GPS, Cell Phone, or Radar Detector Covered If My Car Is Broken Into and They Are Stolen? – Your policy only covers the vehicle. Personal property stolen from inside a vehicle is never covered under the vehicle policy. Only a Personal Property policy, like Homeowners, Renters, or Manufactured Home insurance will cover your personal property inside the vehicle.

7. What Will Cause My Auto Claim To Be Immediately Denied? – Auto insurance companies all have the same basic set of rules for this they outline in the policy document. The main reasons your claim could be denied are 1) driving without a license or on a suspended license, 2) coverage was lapsed at the time of the accident, or 3) a newly-acquired vehicle was not added to the policy within the 30-day window after the vehicle was purchased.

8. If My Car Is Totaled, How Much Will My Insurance Company Pay To Cover The Loss? - Generally, most major insurance companies cover your vehicle for its “Actual Cash Value”. Actual Cash Value is the depreciated value of your vehicle at the time of the accident where it was totaled. Every insurance company has their own system for valuing vehicles. The closest you will be able to get to this rate is by averaging your Kelly Blue Book values for Trade-in and Private Party.

9. If I Need New Parts For My Car, Will My Insurance Company Pay For Original Manufacturer (OEM) Parts? – In the recent past, many insurance companies guaranteed OEM parts. When the major car companies foundered in the recession, many of them got stuck assuming those parts would be readily available.

10. If I Am Killed In an Auto Accident, What Does My Family Get? – Most people assume if they are killed in a car wreck that their family will receive some sort of death benefit from the auto insurance company. That is simply not true. Some States offer a small death benefit in their medical payment/ personal injury protection coverages, but most do not. Medical Payments coverage will pay up to the policy limits for medical bills only.