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Auto Insurance

Basics Coverages

Auto insurance has 4 main coverages:

• Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability

  Liability coverage pays for damage, due to your negligence, that you do to others. Bodily Injury liability pays for injury or death to someone else. Property damage liability pays for property you damaged due to an accident. These coverages can be combined into one limit Combined Single LimitCombined Single Limit, aka CSL, will have your BI & PD as one number, ex. 300,000 CSL. This type of limit offers flexibility. or written as separate limits Split LimitSplit Limit, BI and PD will be separate numbers, ex. BI 100,000 per person, 300,000 per accident and PD $50,000. This type of limit can offer more total coverage but is not as flexible.

  
  

• Personal Injury Protection (aka PIP, Additional PIP)

  Pay close attention to this coverage because it pays your medical expenses, work loss and rehabilitation expenses resulting from an injury in an automobile. You may also know these coverages as No Fault insurance. Personal Injury protection (PIP) is a mandated coverage in New York for $50,000. Additional PIP is available up to an additional $100,000. You can even buy a coverage related to these called OBEL (Optional Basic Economic Loss) for $25,000 giving you a potential total of $175,000. You can also request a $200 deductible to save some premium.

  
  
• Uninsured Motorist (UM) & Supplemental Underinsured Motorist (SUM)

  Here is another coverage that pays you so check your limits. Many drivers either have no insurance or low limits for Bodily Injury liability to others. If you are in an accident with a driver in one of these situations you may be able to collect under your own policy. This coverage pays for your Bodily Injury only. You can purchase limits up to the amount of your Bodily Injury liability limits.
  




• Damage to Your Vehicle

  Better known as CollisionCollision- Upset or impact with another vehicle or object and ComprehensiveComprehensive-losses caused by, Fire, Theft, Falling objects, Explosion, Earthquake, Windstorm, Hail, Water/Flood, Vandalism, Riot, Contact with bird or animal, Breakage of glass coverage but may also include Towing and Rental Reimbursement coverages. These coverages pay for damage to your vehicle. Collision and Comprehensive usually have a deductible that first needs to be met in the event of a loss. Comprehensive coverage also has an option to waive the deductible in case of windshield damage (aka Full Glass coverage).
  
  

• Discounts

  These can vary by company but include:
  

  Airbags
  Alarm systems
  Anti lock Brakes
  Good Student
  Multiple Policies with same Company(Account Credit)
  Life Policy with same Company
  Defensive Driving Course completion
  Daytime running lights
  Hybrid Car
  Multiple cars on one policy (Multi Car discount)

Tips on Purchasing Auto Insurance

1. Buy adequate Limits whenever possible

   Because this product can be expensive customers tend to buy less coverage than they need because they believe more coverage always means a lot more money. Although this may hold true with inexperienced drivers or drivers with driving record/accident issues it may not be true for you. Remember the quote is free so check out other options.

2. Pay close attention to how you title and register your vehicles

   Due to the electronic interface with DMV, your insurance policy should match your registration(s). If a husband and wife have two vehicles registered in each others names they should both be listed on the policy. Many insurance companies run title searches so be sure the title of a vehicle is in the name of an insured.

3. You may be surprised what your car is worth

   Often customers will delete Collision and Comprehensive from vehicles to save premium. They rationalize that older vehicles are not worth insuring due to their diminished value. Remember, older vehicles almost always generate lower premiums. If your car were totaled would it have made sense to pay $100 to get $1500 due to a total loss? Try a higher deductible before you eliminate the coverage altogether.

4. Take an Accident Prevention Course

   Before you buy less coverage than you need have all the drivers in your household take a driving course. They are well worth the the $30-$50 they cost. You can save 10% of some of the more expensive coverages included in an Auto policy. Remember that you can only get credit for the number of vehicles you own. The credit is good for three years and usually pays for itself in the first year.

5. Use deductibles to purchase more coverage

   Deductibles can save you premium. Deductible options are available on Collision, Comprehensive and PIP coverages. They key is being comfortable absorbing risk so be sure the deductible is something you could afford in the event of a loss.

6. Accuracy, Accuracy, Accuracy

   Insurance Companies will verify your information. We as agents are responsible for producing Motor Vehicle and Loss reports for all policies we submit to our carriers. Some of our companies are also doing phone interviews after policies have been issued to verify driver information, use of vehicles and garaging location. Tell us what your situation is so we can help.