Posts Tagged ‘f’
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
by Amy Nutt
A car accident can be a harrowing and traumatic event. One will be shaken and often not thinking clearly. If you are involved in a car accident, you have to think about your condition as well as the events that took place because you will most likely have to file a auto insurance claim.
In order to prepare for the results of a car accident, the following steps should be followed in order to make a proper claim:
1. After an accident, your heart will be racing and you may be disorientated. You need to gather your thoughts and think about how to proceed. If you are hurt, and the car is not a danger such as on fire, retrieve your cell phone and call 911. If there is no emergency such as a serious injury, call the police. Check to see if anyone else is hurt. Ask for people who witnessed the accident to stay and talk to the police.
2. Swap contact information, including phone numbers, license plate numbers, and car insurance details with the other drivers involved in the accident. When the police arrive share all the details you remember about the accident so that they can write an official report that can be given to the insurance companies. Make sure you tell the police officers that you want a report. If the officers won’t do it because the accident took place on the property of an establishment like a store parking lot, then ask the store owner or a security guard to write something up. If you have a camera, take pictures of the accident scene that includes any vehicle damage.
3. Contact your insurance company, even if you are not at-fault. Also, compensation is based on the extent of fault so you need evidence to support your claim. Most insurance providers have a toll free claim number. Make sure you have your policy number available. If the other person is at-fault, you must make a claim. You are entitled to have the insurance company process your claim and resolve any disputes. Your insurance company will advise the other driver’s insurance provider that you are making a claim and seeking compensation. You will have to make a list of all items damaged. If the other driver does not have car insurance, you will have to negotiate directly or go to court. Some experts suggest that if the other party is at fault, you should file claims with both insurance providers.
4. Once you have submitted all of the paper work to the insurance companies, they will sort out the claim. You may have to speak to the other driver’s provider about your recollection of the accident. Your insurance provider will tell you what statement is required. Before you give your statement, write down what you remember about the accident.
5. A claims adjuster will inspect your damaged car in order to assess the costs of the loss. They will also assess if the damage can be repaired or if you require financial compensation. If you are financially compensated, the insurance company will write you a check minus the deductible. A car accident can be a very emotional time in one’s life. It is important to remember that you need to keep yourself together so that you can make the right decisions regarding your physical well-being as well as filing a car insurance claim.
Tags: a, auto, auto insurance, automobile;truck, business, c, car, car insurance, e, f, family, finance, h, home, i, insurance, l, legal, life, n, o, p, params, personal, r, roadside assistance, s, society, v, variables
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Monday, August 17th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
Normally when purchasing auto insurance you probably will only be asked for basic information about your vehicle. You are typically asked to provide the year, make, model and to provide the accurate mileage from the odometer. You will also need to provide some idea as to the condition of your vehicle and project your driving needs. Car owners who travel long distances for work are charged higher premiums than those who drive less frequently. Armed with this basic data and your car or truck Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), the insurance company is able to generate a quote after a quick check of collision history of your vehicle.
Using the VIN number the agent would get all the information required about the vehicle, and may even like to arrange an inspection of that particular vehicle so that your actual rates is reduced to a much lower price. Car accessories such a custom made rims, wheels or expensive stereos which you would like to claim along with the vehicle, needs to be inspected before the insurance company provides you with the coverage. This is because there is a possibility of people having an ordinary cassette player, giving false information about it and claiming it to be an expensive one in order to get it covered, which might actually reduce the asset of the Insurance company.
Since the insurance company is interested in protecting its interests, they may require you to have your car inspected just to get an overall assessment of the total value of your car. If your car is in excellent condition, they then can match it up with the appropriate blue book value and write you the appropriate policy. However, if you have a leaking radiator, a slipping transmission, or leather seats that have rips and tears in them, the insurance company will most likely downgrade the value of your car and find the appropriate blue book value.
Typically vehicle inspections are very rare. The situation that most often tends to draw the extra attention of insurance companies are customers who insure older cars for full-coverage. Such inspections make sense for both insurance companies and car owners. It is in the insurance company?s best interest to verify that vehicles they insure are valued properly and, additionally, it may lead to lower premiums should car owners over-estimate their vehicles? worth.
It is in your best interest to be truthful with your insurance company when searching for a quote. If your passenger door is about to fall off and you are just waiting to lie to the insurance company and tell them you were a victim of a hit and run and that your car door is now totaled, the insurance company can throw you in jail for insurance fraud. They may even already have pictures of your car before you created the accident.
This is why inspections can happen at any time. The insurance company needs to know if you are honest. So it is best to be truthful when looking for a quote because the day after you get your policy, the insurance company might be at your place taking pictures of your car.
About the Author:
Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator for
Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading
Car Insurance portal, which helps people save on their Car Insurance.
Tags: a, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance
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Monday, August 17th, 2009
by Susan Reynolds
Different vehicles require different types of insurance. Each type of insurance is specifically geared toward the vehicle it is insuring, whether a motorcycle, truck, or regular car. 4×4 insurance must be tailored to fit the needs of the vehicle and the driver. This insurance is often more expensive than regular car insurance because of the specific risks involved with owning this type of vehicle. Before you purchase a policy you should do as much research as possible to find the best one for you.
4×4 vehicles are specifically singled out because they can handle off road driving. Insurance companies have much more to worry about with off road driving, especially in vehicle damages. If you choose to use your 4×4 on the street only you can lower your insurance premiums. Off road coverage is extra and will cover damaged incurred from popped tires, broken windshields, or dents. If you choose to drive off road without purchasing the extra insurance your policy will cancel out until you return to the road. You may choose to be covered for only a few days if you are going out for a short excursion.
Other than off road driving, 4×4 insurance is nearly the same as regular car insurance. You can choose between liability, comprehensive, or collision coverage or a combination of the three. The coverage you receive can vary greatly, but it will depend on how much you are able to afford on insurance. Some policies will cover the damages of accidents while others will focus on vehicle damage from fire, vandalism, and theft. Make sure you thoroughly read over what your company covers in the policy, since the details vary.
4×4 insurance is more expensive than regular insurance largely because of the fact that the parts cost more to fix and replace. Small, mass produced cars have more parts available, and they are often less expensive. 4x4s may require you to get extra insurance to cover parts that are not considered stock. If you get into an accident and receive damage to these additions, the insurance company will not pay to replace them unless you have specific insurance for it. This can be particularly frustrating for people with wide screens, a common 4×4 addition.
If you like to work on your 4×4 you may want to add salvage retention rights to your policy. If you are involved in an accident this gives you the right to keep the parts for other vehicles while still being covered for the damages. This only applies if your vehicle was totaled and you have to get a new one. Salvage retention also lets you put on your own additions and updates without worrying about affecting your insurance coverage. Often times these alterations can cause your insurance to become invalid without specific coverage. Your original 4×4 insurance policy will most likely not include salvage retention rights, so be sure to add it on if you require it.
Tags: a, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automobiles, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, n, p, personal finance, u, v, vehicle insurance
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Friday, August 14th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
Whether it is an accident, vandalism or burglary, the best thing about owning a car Insurance is, you can make the Insurance Company handle the replacement of the missing expensive accessories / damaged parts or repairs in many cases by just filing a claim and paying a minimum amount of deductible.
Basically the required information for a claim filed is gathered by the Insurance Company after analysing the coverage rules and your actual policy information. The agent, while filing a claim, will prepare a checklist for the initial examination which will be done in order to validate a claim and to calculate the percentage of amount that the Insurance Company has to pay legally.
Your policy needs to be active. The insurance agent will verify that the police is before anything else transpires. The agent will also ensure that your payments have been paid and that you are not behind. If it is determined you lapsed in payment, you will not be eligible for coverage.
The Claims are usually Validated after reviewing the policy rules and if there are items damaged or stolen which are not covered by the policy contract, the coverage amount cannot be claimed. You will also not be able to claim if you just have a liability insurance or a third party cover in instances of car burglary.
You cannot claim the coverage amount if the exclusion criteria of the policy such as fire or flood is a part of the claim but you can claim coverage during a break in burglary or vandalism, in case if your expensive car accessories such as stereo or golf clubs are stolen, if it is covered or listed in the actual policy contract.
While the insurance company is liable for valid claims, it is dependent upon the policy holder to uphold the policy requirements. If the holder failed to take the proper actions on their end, the insurance company will deny the claim. This will leave the victim of the crime responsible for the damages that occurred.
The checklist allows for an easy overview to determine the validity of the claim as a whole. If an insurance agent suspects the claim may be fraudulent, they are required to report their suspicion to the assessor. Claims that may set trigger a closer inspection include a vehicle worth very little being vandalized with items that are of extremely high worth. The insurance company makes notes of all the information received and is given to the assessor. The checklist gives the assessor a great background for he or she to review any possible misleading or false claims.
About the Author:
Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator for
Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading
car and vechile portal, which helps people save on their car and vechile.
Tags: a, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance
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Friday, August 14th, 2009
by Mike Smith
If you are searching for cheap car insurance for young drivers, you’re quite simply not going to find it because it doesn’t exist. No matter what, from the start, premiums for a teenager will be in the $1,000-$2,000 range. Because teenagers are more likely to die from a car accident than from anything else, insurers give them high premiums to make up for this high risk. Although auto insurance for teenagers is expensive, you have many ways to make it more affordable.
The most oft mentioned way to save money on car insurance for young drivers is by making sure that the parent writes them down under their policy. The auto insurance cost will be lower because the teenager is affiliated with someone that has prior history in terms of finances, driving history, and credit score.
Increasing the deductible is commonly recommended if you want to lower your premiums on all types of insurance. The deductible is how much money is paid in out of pocket expenses on damages to your car before the insurance company pays for everything else. The higher your deductible, the less insurance you have. But because the rates for young adults are far from cheap, increasing the size of your deductible will greatly alleviate the pain. However, when making your deductible bigger, you don’t want to increase it by too much so as to overexpose yourself in terms of risk.
teens may get a discount on their car insurance if they enroll in drivers ed or some other class or program for young drivers.
If there is more than one car in the household, you want the insurer to assign the teenager to the cheapest car. Some insurance companies assign the teenager to the most expensive car. If they do this, consider switching to another insurance company.
Whatever you do, do not report minor accidents to the auto insurer as rates can skyrocket. You can easily repair damage done to the car yourself by going to the junkyard and getting a replacement part.
The more inexpensive the auto, the better for the wallet. Many parents get safe and expensive cars for their kids. However, it’s not like you can’t have a car that is both cheap and safe.
The teen can apply for a good student discount if he or she has grades that are at least above a B average. Statistically, students with good grades are more responsible and less likely to get into car accidents.
Tags: a, auto insurance, automobile;truck, car insurance, cheap car insurance, f, finance, i, insurance, o, u, y, young adult car insurance, young driver car insurance
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Thursday, August 13th, 2009
by Philip Youngwood
With more and more UK travelers opting to drive on their holidays to save money, it is increasingly important that awareness regarding road safety is raised.
Results from the online quiz**, available at www.harryschallenge.com, highlighted that there are a number of basic road laws that UK drivers are unaware of, leaving them open to potential prosecution and high car insurance losses. More than a third (40%) of those polled were unaware that the alcohol limit for driving in France is just 50mg – compared to 80mg in the UK, over 60 per cent of those questioned didn’t realise that German motorways have speed limits , a staggering one in five (20%) think that you can drive on the left-hand side in Spain
With more and more people opting to drive to foreign holiday destinations to save money, it is more important than ever to raise awareness around the importance of driving prepared.
The Hastings Direct Trading director commented that the finding were worrying, saying “the fact that people are taking their cars abroad without even knowing basics such as the correct side of the road to drive on is shocking. It is horrifying that almost one in 10 people take such a laissez-faire attitude to driving abroad and don’t research international driving laws before their trip. A little information on foreign driving laws could go a long way, enabling you and your family to be safe and legal when on abroad.”
Hastings Direct also carried out a survey recently of over 2000 people from the UK, highlighted the risks involved in travelling abroad unprepared. According to the results, around one in 10 (nine per cent) don’t think it’s worth reading up on the driving laws of the countries they are visiting before they travel and nearly a quarter (22%) of people thinking of driving their car abroad don’t think to tell their insurance company which risks invalidating their insurance policy. This means that rather than saving money, the cost of their holiday could skyrocket if they are involved in an accident.
About the Author:
Philip Youngwood writes for a number of online blogs and sources, specialising in
car insurance and financial news, topics and industry innovation.
Tags: affordable car insurance, b, business;finance, car insurance, f, finance, i, insurance, n, personal finance
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
An insurance aggregator, also known as an insurance broker, can assist you in locating a vehicle insurance quote that is best for your individual situation. Typically, an insurance aggregator can access quotes from many different insurance companies to offer you choices and to help find the best deal. By doing this finding a policy to fit your needs and budget is easier and will save you many hours of time.
Since car insurance is a legal requirement there is no way to avoid obtaining an insurance policy. Many people strain their budgets to afford car insurance because the cost is so high. You can, however, ease the cost of holding an insurance policy by finding ways to save money.
Conducting a small survey is an excellent option to look for the cheapest policy with maximum coverage, however, it will consume a lot of your time. Or, you may go online and get the best quotes through search engine, or else you may also contact an insurance agent. You may have to go on and on asking for the same information from every company you call. The moment you have collected the quotes, you may have to scrutinize carefully and shortlist them on the basis of coverage required by you and your affordability.
An insurance policy is replete with information like, under-insured driver or uninsured driver protection, road side help, car hire choices and apparently various deductible amounts. This is where an insurance comparison aggregator will not only save your precious time but also look for the appropriate quotes befitting your budget and requirements.
The insurance aggregator will be able to explain the different options and types of insurance you are able to use. Additionally, they will explain the different terms to you and help decide the proper amount of coverage you will need in the event of a vehicle accident or injury.
The insurance aggregator will need to know all information regarding your driving record so they can find you the best rates. If vital information, such as an accident or other transgression, is left out it can affect your rates after the policy is started. The aggregator will know what companies and policies will work best for your individual driving record by either forgiving previous violations or by dropping them off the quickest to keep your rates low.
Anyone can do the job of an insurance comparison aggregator if they have the time to deal with as many insurance companies as possible. It is also requires knowledge of all policy details and options. Your insurance aggregator will be able to access more insurance companies than you and therefore will be able to offer you more quotes. Employing an insurance aggregator is worth the time and effort saved and will likely save you more money in the long run.
Tags: a, affordable car insurance, b, business;finance, c, car insurance, d, Disability Insurance, f, finance, h, Household Insurance, i, insurance, l, Life Insurance, money, n, o, personal finance
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
by Susan Reynolds
4×4 insurance rates are often higher than the rates for other vehicles and take extra effort to find good rates for. Your 4×4 will be seen by insurers as extra risky and more hazardous, making your insurance rates much higher. You can avoid these prices by taking the right actions. The most important factor to getting low rates is to search online for multiple different quotes.
If you have a garage or underground parking then you will be able to help lower your premium. This is because a vehicle that?s parked indoors is less likely to get singled out for theft or vandalism. The insurance company will be able to reduce your rates if you?re able to reduce the risk of something happening to your vehicle.
Extra driving experience on 4×4 vehicles is also a plus for insurance agents. You might have to borrow a vehicle from a friend or family member to gain this experience, but it can shave a few dollars from your monthly payments. With a little experience under your belt you will be more comfortable with the handling a 4×4 before you sit behind the wheel of your own. Obviously, a few years of experience driving one is better than a few weeks.
Keeping your driving record clean is always an important part to getting low insurance rates. The fewer claims you have on your record, the better. If an insurance agent sees you already have several different claims they will charge you even more for insurance just because you are at a higher risk. If you manage to go for a period of time without any claims you may subject for a claims bonus, a discount given to drivers after about a year of claims-free driving. Mention that you this and your insurance agent will work to get you the best rates possible. Sometimes you may want to pay for an accident yourself just to save money that may add up to more if spend on increased rates from claims. This only works if the accident was very small and with little damage.
The security of your 4×4 will always be looked at before you get a final rate on insurance. Agents will ask what type of features it has and what category the safely standards are. If you have a category 1 or 2 4×4 you can get lower rates. Better security insures that your vehicle will be less likely to be damaged or stolen.
Last but not least, military personal are among the few who receive top notch 4×4 auto insurance rates. These special rates include the National Guard and will deduct a percentage of the costs. Those who are not in the military have to find the best rates by looking around as much as possible. Before going to companies check online to discover what your quote is. This saves you the time of driving around to every individual insurance company.
About the Author:
Susan Reynolds is the webmaster for a leading South African
Insurance provider who specialises in
Car Insurance.
Tags: a, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automobiles, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, n, p, personal finance, u, v, vehicle insurance
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
It is very important to know how to process a life insurance claim so that you don’t have to wait longer than you should to receive the money that’s rightfully for you. If you don’t have this money then you may not be able to pay for a proper funeral or burial. Worse off you may even have to temporarily fund it yourself. However if you understand the process then you will be able to get it in a timely matter and you may be able to get a large sum of money up front even if the policy states that it’s meant to be made in payments.
Someone should contact the life insurance company as soon as they’ve found out that the person has passed away. While they may be grieving it’s important to get the process started so that the funds aren’t delayed and the funeral can be paid for. It’s often best to contact an agent within 24 hours after the person has passed away. If you are unsure if the deceased had a life insurance policy then you will need to either ask other family members, the person in charge of the affairs or you may have to resort to calling local life insurance companies.
After you’ve notified the agent that the person has passed away you will then have paperwork sent to you or that you can pick up that needs to be filled out. The beneficiary doesn’t have to be the person to fill out the paperwork. However the beneficiary will need to be there to get the payment as well as to verify the claim. If any questions arise during the process of filling out the paperwork you should immediately contact the agent and get an answer so that you don’t delay the funds further.
The next step is for you to collect the certificate of death. You may be able to get this directly from the funeral director. If you are unable to get it from the funeral director then you will have to go to the coroner’s office to get it. The first thing you should do upon getting the death certificate is to make copies of it. You will need to send these copies out to the insurance company. Be sure to create enough copies of the death certificate in case the person had multiple life insurance plans. Each company will need to have at least one copy of the certificate. Be sure not to send out the original document to the insurance company unless they need it for a special situation. In most cases your copy will be acceptable for the insurance policy.
After you’ve returned the paperwork you will want to know how the policy is going to be paid out. Each policy and company is different. Some companies will release one giant payment while others will spread it out as it’s easier on the company. If the company has the policy set up to be paid out over time you may need to try to negotiate an initial lump sum if the burial costs are higher than what the policy is going to give in the first payment. After you’ve done everything the company should distribute a payment in the first week which is when most funerals take place. However if there’s a delay in the process you may need to contact the company to find out what the problem is.
About the Author:
Graham McKenzie is the syndication coordinator a leading South African
Insurance information portal, which amongst others specialises in
Household Insurance .
Tags: a, affordable car insurance, b, business;finance, c, car insurance, d, Disability Insurance, f, finance, h, Household Insurance, i, insurance, l, Life Insurance, money, n, o, personal finance
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
by Susan Reynolds
Those private households which have Home security systems installed within have an advantage to get discounts from home insurance policy providers. However the amount of the discount is dependent on several factors, such as the alarm system type and whether or not the system is being monitored always by the home security company. So before deciding on a home security system to install, it?s of due importance to check with your home insurance agent regarding various discounts offers against different security system installed.
Some home security companies will do a thorough assessment of your home to see what areas are most vulnerable, and what type of system is best. Once you go ahead with their recommendations, they will issue a discount certificate to your insurance company to verify what has been installed.
Some home security companies will do a consultation to determine areas of you home might be vulnerability. Based on your needs, the company will determine what system will be best for your home. This includes alarms, motion sensors and monitoring. After arrangements for installation are made, the company will offer a discount certificate to the insurance company as proof of installment.
The certificate submitted by home security company to insurance company will detail various equipments and services that form the part of your security system. Taking this certificate into consideration the insurance company will give you the appropriate discount. Greater discounts are offered for systems that feature twenty-four hour monitoring, panic buttons and safe rooms. So a discussion with insurance agent will help you get better discounts and insurance premiums. Further a detailed discussion might lead to higher discounts, such as upgrading locks.
Whether you’ve been dealing with the same insurance company for years or are looking for a new one, it pays to talk to them about what discounts are available. They’ll be able to give you advice about what you can do to lower your insurance costs, while keeping your household and valuables better protected at the same time.
So it?s wise to talk to your insurance company about discounts, even if you’ve been with the same company for a long period. By asking, your agent he may give details about the discounts for which you qualify. They will give you advice about lowering insurance costs and maintaining the safety of your home and property. Saving money in this hard economy is wise. So learn to take advantage of any discounts that are offered.
It is well worth your time to speak with your insurance agent. The savings you have might get can pay for the security monitoring and associate fees. There is no good reason not to ask for discounts, and take advantage of them.
Tags: a, affordable car insurance, b, business;finance, c, car insurance, d, Disability Insurance, f, finance, h, Household Insurance, i, insurance, l, Life Insurance, money, n, o, personal finance
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