Archive for September, 2009
Choice of automobile repairs shops.
If an automobile is damaged as a result of collision, theft, fire, or vandalism, the owner will have to make a decision of where to take the automobile for repairs. Some California auto insurance companies keeps a list of recommended or preferred automobile repairs shops, among which the California auto insurance companies will recommend for the customer’s use. The California auto insurance companies do not enforce, which means that the customer has the right to reject if it pleases him.
California auto insurance terms and conditions has particular requirements that California auto insurance companies must abide by in the directon of a customer to a recommended automobile repairs shop. These requirements are found in section 2695.8(e) of the Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations.
There are cases where the insured particularly requests for a recommended repair shop from the insurance company.
Before this the insured will have informed mostly in writing about his rights to choose a repair shop of his choice.
When the insured decides to ise the company’s repair shop, the auto insurance company must restore the damaged automobile to its original state before the accident, without extra expenses beyond what is stated in the insurance policy.
If the recommendation was given orally by the company, and accepted by him, the company has to follow it up with a written recommendation within the next five days as the law requires.
If the repair is carried out in a shop that the insured chose, then the auto insurance company will pay all the expenses incurred to the repairer of the automobile. The auto insurance company is prevented from discounting the expenses incurred.
The auto insurance company must also make sure that the automobile is properly repaired by whoever is repairing the automobile.
Where to File Complaints
Filing a complaint has to directed to the right place. Complaints that involves auto insurance companies must be forwarded to the California Department of Insurance. But complaints that involves automobile repairs does not under the regulation of the California Department of Insurance but should rather be forwarded to the Bureau of automotive repair.
By: Eden Ali
Watch your insurance rates increase perhaps as much as a 96% when your teen graduates the driver training program and gets behind the wheel of your automobile. Yikes! Why?
A spokesman for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, Joe Annotti says about teen drivers “The first month, they’re fine, then they think they know everything about driving and safety . . . (and) pretty soon they’re flying 60 mph down a back street to get to school.”
The statistics are not good for crashes and it’s still the #1 killer of kids 15 to 20, and teens under 25 are three times more apt to die in a car crash.
No wonder the car insurance rates jump 50% to 200% the very minute you add your teen driver to your insurance policy. The auto insurance companies are just not willing to handle that risk with out your financial help.
There are a couple things you may want to consider to perhaps reduce the amount your rates will climb before your teen driver takes the wheel.
1. Find out how your insurer assigns drivers to cars. This differs from insurer to insurer and can make a huge difference in the premium you pay. You may want to consider picking up a cheaper car for your teen to drive, such as an old beater that sits in the driveway most of the time. At times this can be less costly than the double or triple insurance premiums on your luxury or new car your teen will drive. Or if you have an older car as well as the new car in the family, see if your auto insurance provider will allow you to assign the teen to the older car, thus reducing your costs. If not, you may want to switch insurance companies.
2. A straight-A student in many instances may not drive better than the C student, but there are many insurers that offer a 10% to 25% discount to teens who maintain a B average or better. Why? These kids are looked at as better future risks. “Long-term, they want the A student as a customer,” Joe Annotti said. Better students are seen as “more responsible.”
3. Have your teen take Drivers Education vs the short-term courses. Short-term courses are not effective in reducing future accidents, according to studies published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, but the auto insurance companies will reduce your costs 5% to 15%. Go figure.
4. Raising your deductible should reduce your premium by about 35%. Ron Lovatt of the Automobile Club of Southern California boosted his deductibles from $500 to $2,000 when his daughters began driving. It just makes good financial sense to raise the deductible to lower the on-going premiums. It may be the wise idea regardless of teen drivers.
5. If your teen enters college and will not have a car available to them, take them off your policy. However, know your teen will not drive during this time, ever, regardless of who’s car. If they drive uninsured and cause an accident you can be sued.
6. Do not report the fender-benders to your insurance company. If you do report it they will certainly raise your premium. More than likely it will be cheaper to pay for the minor repairs yourself or maybe think about having your teen pay. Ouch!
It should come as no surprise that finding low rates & superior auto insurance coverage comes with knowing something about what the other companies are offering and at what cost. The savvy shopper will find the best rates to meet their needs.
By: Liz Hansen
Auto Insurance Terms
A Layman’s Guide
Auto insurance score: Like a credit score, this score is based on information found in a consumer’s credit file. Insurance companies consider auto insurance scores when pricing policies. Having black marks on your credit report could really bump up your auto insurance costs.
Binder: A temporary insurance contract that provides proof of coverage until a permanent policy can be issued.
Bodily injury liability: The part of an auto insurance policy that pays for injuries you may cause another driver or pedestrian. It includes medical expenses and loss of wages.
Collision: The part of an auto insurance policy that pays to get your car repaired after a collision with another vehicle or an object, such as a fire hydrant or utility pole. It is collision insurance that will get your insurance company to seek out another driver’s insurance company to pay for repairs if they were at fault. A deductible amount will apply.
Comprehensive: This part of an auto insurance policy covers damages to your car caused by something other than a crash: a vandal breaks in, a tree falls on it or floodwaters engulf it. A deductible amount will apply.
Declarations page: The front page of an auto insurance policy listing the name of your insurance company, your policy number, your coverage, the cost of the coverage and your deductibles. This page also lists the vehicles insured on the policy as well as vehicle identification numbers (VIN).
Factors that affect your auto insurance include:
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Age
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The type of car you drive
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Marital status
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Where you live: an urban or rural area
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Driving record
Deductible amount: The amount of money a policyholder must pay before an insurance company steps in and pays the rest. Deductible amounts range from $100 to $1,000. The higher your deductible, the lower your insurance premium or cost. A higher deductible also means you’ll have to pay more money out of your own pocket if an accident, theft or another covered incident should occur.
Discount: A reduction in the cost of your auto insurance premium. Insurance companies offer discounts for everything from a teenage driver’s good grades to a car’s safety equipment, including airbags, anti-lock brake system and a security alarm.
Emergency road service: This part of an auto insurance policy pays for the cost of having your car towed after it breaks down.
Exclusion: A provision in an insurance policy that denies coverage for certain losses, locations, people and properties.
Gap insurance: A type of insurance offered to auto lease and loan customers that owe more on a car than it’s worth. Gap insurance pays the difference between what you owe and the actual cash value of a vehicle in the event the car is stolen or destroyed.
High-risk driver: If you have accidents or tickets on your driving record, many insurance companies will classify you as a high-risk driver and charge you more for insurance.
Liability insurance: This part of an auto insurance policy covers the injuries and damage you cause to other drivers and their vehicles when you are at fault in an accident. If you are taken to court, liability coverage will apply to your legal costs. Most states require drivers to carry liability coverage. The amount of coverage varies by state.
Limits: The maximum amount of benefits your insurer will pay for a loss as designated in your insurance policy.
Medical payments coverage: This part of an auto insurance policy pays for medical expenses and lost wages to you and any passengers in your vehicle after an accident. It is also known as personal injury protection (PIP).
No-fault insurance: If you live in a state with no-fault insurance regulations, your auto insurance policy pays for your injuries no matter who caused an accident. No-fault insurance states include Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Utah and Washington, DC..
Personal property liability: The part of an auto insurance policy that pays for damages you may cause to another’s car or property.
Personal injury protection (PIP): This part of an auto insurance policy pays for medical expenses and lost wages to you and any passengers in your vehicle after an accident. PIP is also known as medical payments coverage.
Premium: The amount charged for an insurance policy. A premium is based on the type and amount of coverage you choose. Other factors affecting your insurance premium include your age, marital status, your driving and credit records, the type of car you drive and whether you live in an urban or rural area. Premiums vary by insurance company.
Rental reimbursement: This part of a policy pays for the cost of a similar-sized rental car when your car is in a repair shop for covered damage.
Surcharge: A charge added to your auto policy premium after a traffic violation or an accident in which you were at fault.
Underinsured driver: This part of an auto insurance policy covers injuries to you caused by a driver without enough insurance to pay for your medical expenses. Some states include damages to your car in this coverage.
Uninsured driver or motorist: This part of an auto insurance policy covers injuries to you caused by a driver without insurance. Most states require drivers to carry uninsured motorist coverage. Some states include damages to your car in this coverage.
Please visit my website for further comment and updates re. Auto Insurance Terms
By: Archwoodinsurance