Frequently Asked Questions

If your question is not answered here, or if you need further information, please feel free to contact us.

What do I do if I have an accident?

1. Stay at the site of the accident and stay safe.
2. Obtain the full name, address, phone number, insurance company and policy number of the other party.
3. Obtain names and phone numbers of any witnesses.
4. Give the other party your information as described above.
5. If you have a camera take pictures.
6. Do not discuss "at fault" issues with the other party. Leave that to the investigating authorities, if applicable, or your insurance company's adjustor.

Do I have to report all accidents?

1. Insurance policies commonly state that "you must report any occurrence that may give rise to a ‘claim'."
2. If you have an accident that affects no one but you and you do not wish to make a claim that is your call.
3. If in doubt, consult your insurance agent or call center.

Can I have anyone repair my car?

1. Insurers want the repairs to be done by a professional body shop.
2. Most insurers want you to use a shop on their preferred list but they cannot force you to do this.
3. If you choose a shop not on their list and it costs more you may have to pay the difference.

What should I know about buying insurance?

1. You need to buy liability limits high enough to protect you and to indemnify the other party in the event of a serious accident. Your State minimum liability insurance requirements are generally not adequate.
2. Physical damage coverage is optional unless required by a lender. It breaks down into two components: (a) comprehensive coverage and (b) collision coverage. Comprehensive coverage covers damage to the vehicle caused by any covered peril other than collision. Both are subject to a deductible.
3. Other coverage available:
   • Medical. Usually sold with a $5,000 limit.
   • Personal injury protection (enhanced medical). This has a base limit of $10,000 with an additional $35,000 available.
   • Underinsured motorist coverage. Protects you from the uninsured or underinsured motorist. Usually the limit should equal your liability coverage limit.
   • Gap coverage. There are occasions where the replacement cost of a vehicle is less than the loan still outstanding on it. This coverage, if offered, covers that gap.

What do I do if I receive a notice of cancellation?

1. Call your insurance agent immediately to determine why.
2. If it is because the insurer did not receive a payment get a payment immediately to your agent. He/she will be able to advise you when coverage can be reinstated. As a way of forestalling this happening you might ask your agent about electronic funds transfer.
3. If it is because of claims frequency you will want to discuss this with your agent to come up with a plan to get your insurance reinstated or rewritten.

What determines the cost of insurance?

1. Many factors are used such as your driving record, your age, marital status, level of education, where you live, how you use your car, the year – make and model of your car and in some instances your credit score.
2. The general rule is the more conservative you, your car and your use of credit are -the lower your cost of insurance will be.

What about college kids?

1. If your child is attending a "distant" school, usually over 100 miles away, and do not take a car with them they are eligible for a "distant student" discount.

What about young drivers?

1. Teen insurance or auto insurance for teens can be expensive. We recommend that young drivers have good parental supervision. One method is Teensurance. Teensurance is a GPS locator that is installed in the teen's car which can be used to keep the teen's parents informed of where the car is traveling. You can find this system at teensurance.com.

What about a child on a learners permit?

1. Most insurance companies want to know when a child obtains a learners permit.
2. While providing coverage while the child is driving on a learners permit in the company of an adult most companies will not make a charge.
3. While on a learners permit there may be only one other person, an adult, in the car with him/her.

What if I lease a vehicle?

1. Your insurance policy will normally cover a leased car the same as an owned car.

What if I rent a vehicle.

1. You should check with your insurance agent first. Some policies will cover rented cars and some will not.
2. You should check to see if any areas or locations are not acceptable to your insurance carrier and to also determine the length of time your insurance company is willing to provide this coverage.
3. If your insurance policy does not carry comprehensive or collision coverage for your owned vehicle, this coverage would not be there for a rented vehicle and you should obtain the rental car company's insurance.
4. "Loss of use" is not covered as a peril on your policy so would not be covered for a rented vehicle. Rental car companies will normally charge for "down time" for a vehicle even if the damage is not your fault. Some rental car companies offer reduced physical damage coverage at a lower price that would take care of this. Some credit cards will also pick up this coverage if you use that card to rent the vehicle. You should check this out before renting a vehicle.

What limits of insurance do I need?

1. In the event of an accident it is impossible to predetermine "how much" is enough. Buy as high limits as you can reasonably afford. This applies to limits of liability, purchasing personal injury protection rather than plain medical coverage, and underinsured motorist protection.

What if I loan my vehicle:

1. Many auto insurance policies generally follow the vehicle. If someone borrows your vehicle coverage will follow the vehicle with the borrower's insurance being secondary.
2. Other policies follow the driver and if a non-authorized driver borrows the vehicle there is no coverage. Always check with your insurance agent.
3. Some insurers do not give coverage when the car is loaned. Again always check with your insurance agent.

What do I do when I purchase a new car?

1. It is always best to check with your insurance agent first. They can give you an estimate of cost and advise if your policy is one that will automatically extend coverage to a newly purchased vehicle equal to the broadest coverage currently on your policy.
2. Many policies do provide automatic coverage for a newly purchased vehicle.
3. Have your insurance agent's name and phone number with you when purchasing the car. The car salesman and your agent can generally arrange to get you off the lot with the least amount of difficulty.

What if my car is totaled?

1. In many states when an insurer tells you that your car is totaled they are no longer obligated to pay for a replacement car. If you think your car may be totaled it would be in your best interest to determine as quickly as possible its value before the accident to begin to prepare to replace it with the money you can reasonably expect to receive. There are several services on line such as nada.com; autotrader.com or kellysbluebook.com that can assist you with this.
2. Remember that any lien holder's claim must be satisfied first before you receive any payment.
3. Salvage. When your car is totaled you may decide that "…it's not that bad, I can fix it." If that is the case you can ask your adjuster for the "salvage price." This can be surprisingly low.

What if I travel to another state?

1. Most insurance policies provide coverage in any state you visit temporarily.
2. If you are moving to another state for more than one policy period you should ask your agent for advice.

What if I travel to another country?

1. This is an area where you really want to check with your insurance agent for the exact wording in your policy. Most companies in the U.S. provide coverage in Canada but will not in Mexico.
2. Mexico does not recognize U.S. insurance coverage and requires that you purchase insurance from an insurance company based in Mexico. Even if your company does provide coverage in Mexico, it will not be recognized by the Mexican authorities.