FAQs
Auto Insurance FAQs
Most states require drivers to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance. Liability Insurance provides coverage for other drivers in the event you're at fault in an accident that causes injury or property damage to others. The amount of coverage you carry beyond liability is contingent on several factors:
* The value of your car and other assets
* How often you drive
* How you use your vehicle (e.g., mostly driving to work, etc.)
* Do you regularly transport passengers? How many?
It's not inconceivable that the liability portion of your auto insurance policy could hit its payout limits in the event of a serious claim against you. This is especially true if you were sued by someone claiming you caused their loss or injury. If you lost the suit, the award could easily exceed the payout limits of your normal auto insurance policy, potentially devastating your finances.
This is when a Personal Umbrella Insurance Policy would be extremely useful. Personal umbrella insurance supplements your existing auto insurance policy and begins paying when you reach the payout limits on the standard policy.
That's easy! We do the comparisons for you! We work with numerous vehicle insurance providers to find the right coverage in the right amounts to fit your lifestyle and budget. Our large number of insurance partners enables us to provide high-quality personal vehicle insurance at competitive rates.
A deductible is a dollar amount you're responsible for paying in the event of a covered claim. Deductibles are agreed upon in the terms of the police on the Declarations Page. After you file a covered claim, you're obligated to pay the portion that's up to the amount of the deductible. For example, if your claim is worth $3,600 and your deductible is $500, insurance will pay $3,100 of the claim. You pay $500.
If the covered loss was valued at $475, you would be responsible for the full amount, with no insurance payment. Deductible payments do not accumulate across multiple claims. For example, if you file a claim in January, you will owe a $500 deductible. If you filed another claim in March, you would again be responsible for $500. In the $475 example above, your payment of the full claim has no impact on the deductible you'll owe on your next claim: $500.
Generally speaking, the higher your deductible amount, the less you pay in premium. The lower the deductible amount, the more you pay in premium. It's important to select a deductible amount you reasonably believe you can pay. Keep in mind, too, that if you have more than one claim in a short period of time, you'll have to pay that deductible amount for each separate claim.
There are a number of measures drivers can take to lower rates. For example, the vehicle's make, model, and age have a significant impact on rates. An individual who drives a Corvette will pay significantly more for insurance than a person who drives a Corolla. Likewise, an individual driving a 2007 Corvette will pay lower premiums than one who drives a 2017 Corvette with the same features, and so on.
Before you buy a new or used vehicle, call us first. We'll give you comparison quotes for the various makes, models, and model years you're considering.
Drivers can also lower their rates by purchasing multi-coverages with the same insurance provider. For example, a driver who buys both car and homeowner's insurance from the same provider will typically pay less on both policies than if they purchased auto insurance alone.
Most providers will also lower premium rates if multiple drivers and/or cars are covered in the same household.
Maintaining a safe driving record is another effective way to lower premiums. Most providers will reward drivers with lower premiums for going a certain number of years without having an accident.
You can also slightly lower your premium by paying an entire six-month coverage period at once, as opposed to paying it monthly.
You can also raise your deductible amount. The more you choose to pay out of pocket for a future claim, the less you will pay in premium.
Getting older-especially in the absence of serious accidents or citations-will also automatically reduce your rates over time.
Beyond these most common ways to lower car insurance rates, a number of providers also offer various company-specific discounts. To find out what unique discounts your provider might offer, give them a call.
We can help you with that. We shop our various partner providers to help find you the most-comprehensive coverage possible at the lowest possible rates. What are your insurance needs? Talk to us about it and we'll help you find maximum coverages at minimum prices.
You might have heard the old saying that "past is prelude to future." In the insurance business, this axiom is taken seriously. How many accidents have you been involved in while behind the wheel? How many speeding tickets or other traffic citations have you had? Have you ever had a DUI or DWI? How many comprehensive claims have you averaged per year in your driving career?
Auto insurance companies use such information to establish your driving and claims patterns over time. From those patterns, providers make statistical predictions on how likely you are to be involved in an accident, to get a citation, to make a comprehensive claim, etc. Companies are legally permitted to base auto insurance rates on these predictions.
Please note, however, that providers are also limited regarding how long they can cite any single accident, traffic violation, etc., as a reason to increase your rates or keep them high.
Absolutely not and never, ever. Our quotes are always 100% free of charge or obligation.
You can pay your premium via cash, check, money order, or any major credit or debit card. Please note that, if you pay with cash, you'll need to come by our offices in person to do so, which presents a decided inconvenience.
If you pay via check or money order, these can be mailed to us.
If you pay with a credit or debit card, you can opt for an automatic draft to be charged to your card every month. Ask us about this option, and we'll be glad to get you set up.
Your coverage begins upon the issuance of a valid proof of insurance coverage card. We will mail this card to you, but you can also access it online.
Is a payment receipt for a policy a valid substitute for a proof of insurance card?
No. Your proof of insurance card contains all the details of your policy not provided by a receipt. These include your confirmation number, policy number, your vehicle's VIN, and other information. Most providers allow you to access this information online, too.
Extremely. We take your privacy very seriously. We never sell your information to third parties and we use cutting-edge security protocols to keep your data protected.
1) Multi-car
2) Multi-policy
3) Multi-driver
4) Safe driver
Please note that some discounts are provider-specific.
Ask your provider what discounts might be available to you.
Many factors can cause your auto insurance rates to change:
1) Normal market fluctuations, influences, and variances
2) You had an accident that was your fault
3) You've been involved in several accidents within the last few years-even if some weren't your fault
4) You've had a recent traffic citation
5) You recently added a driver to your policy
6) You've gone several years without an accident or traffic citation
This largely depends on your finances. How much can you afford to pay out of pocket on any given insurance claim? Is the amount $250, $500, $1000 or more? How much monthly premium can you afford? To answer these questions, you must closely review your income against your outgoing bills.
The higher your deductible, the less premium you will pay. It's critical to choose a deductible amount that balances your coverage needs with the amounts you can pay out of pocket and in premium. Does the kind of car I drive influence my auto insurance rates? Yes. A vehicle's make, model, and age all have a significant impact on insurance premiums. An individual insuring a Dodge Viper will pay far more than a person who drives a Honda Civic. Likewise, an individual driving a 2002 Civic will pay lower premiums than one who drives a comparable 2020 Civic.
Generally, the more a car is worth, the costlier it is to insure. Other factors can also impact insurance costs, however, including engine power, overall size, number of seats, and other factors.
Full coverage means that, in the event of an accident, your policy reimburses your losses, as well as the losses of other drivers if you're at fault (this part is called liability insurance). Full coverage also includes comprehensive coverage, which reimburses you for things like theft, road damage (e.g., you hit a deer), weather-related events, and others.
Generally, the insurance policy of the vehicle's owner covers you if you drive someone else's car with permission. In the event of an accident, your own personal auto coverage may kick in, depending on your individual coverages. However, the vehicle owner's insurance will always provide the first, if any, line of coverage.
This depends on your individual policy and coverages. However, most policies include an allowance for other drivers who operate your vehicle with appropriate permission.
This depends on your individual policy and coverages. However, rental car coverage is sometimes offered with comprehensive policies.
Generally, no. In most cases, a single accident won't cause your coverage to be terminated. However, if you are found criminally negligent for an accident and/or cause serious injury, loss of life, and/or severe amounts of property damage, your coverage could indeed be terminated for a single accident.
Business Insurance FAQs
That's easy! Just call us or click over to our business insurance quote page for a free business insurance quote.
No. We provide quotes for all our insurance products with no obligation and absolutely free of charge!
Generally speaking, yes. Whether you're truly liable for the claims against you or not, a business insurance policy covers you for any damages awarded against you up to the policy limits. Business insurance also covers you in the event of an out-of-court settlement.
Some policies also cover the cost of hiring an attorney and other costs related to defending yourself in court. However, it's important to note that a standard business insurance policy won't cover suits arising from discrimination or harassment. For these, you need an "Employment Practices Liability Policy."
Specific business insurance products include:
- Commercial Auto
- Commercial Property
- Small Business
- Property and Umbrella
- Worker's Compensation
Yes. Operating any kind of business-even a one-person operation-isn't advisable.
The following isn't an all-inclusive list but provides a fair overview of coverages for which you can use business insurance. For specific questions regarding business coverages, contact our offices:
- Buildings and renovations
- Machinery
- Furniture
- Supplies
- Equipment
- Money
- Records and documents
- Automobiles, including passenger vehicles and industrial trucks
- Construction equipment
- Signs, fences, and other similar items
- Intellectual properties (e.g., patents, trademarks, etc.)
Relying on your homeowner's policy to cover losses to your home office is a dicey proposition. Homeowner's policies aren't meant for this kind of coverage, and they generally cap property losses at specific amounts.
If you've made significant investments in computers, fax machines, telephones, file cabinets, etc., you could easily reach and exceed your homeowner's limits in the event of an unforeseen catastrophe. Even if you're a one-person business operating out of the home, it's a good idea to have a separate business insurance policy. Plus, your homeowner's policy won't provide any business liability coverage.
A Business Owners Policy (BOP) is a type of specialized policy for small-to-medium-sized businesses combining different coverages into a single policy. Sometimes referred to as a small business package insurance policy, BOP's can significantly reduce premiums. Call or email us today to find out if your business qualifies for a BOP.
This depends on the size and type of your business. If you own your business as a sole proprietor, you and your spouse can be named primary beneficiaries. If your company is a corporation, officers, directors, and others associated with the company can also be named beneficiaries. It's important to note, however, that BOP coverage only applies to business-related activities.
Generally speaking, the following types of businesses are best suited for small business package insurance:
- Accountants
- Repair shops
- Bakeries
- Dentists
- Physicians
- Funeral homes
- Hair salons/nail salons
- Laundry mats
- Drycleaners
- Law firms
- Locksmiths
- Print shops
- Shoe, watch, clock, and jewelry repair shops
Business umbrella insurance is a type of supplemental coverage that provides reimbursement when you reach the payout limits of standard business insurance policies. Business umbrella insurance works similarly to personal umbrella insurance in that, it reimburses you when other policies aren't sufficient to cover your losses.
Umbrella insurance provides supplementary coverage to standard policies in the event of:
- Business-related, personal injury, or property damage claims, arising from negligence by you or anyone legally representing your business
- Business-related, personal injury, or property damage claims, arising from an accident caused by hazards on your property
- Business-related liability claims against you, for events occurring on or off your property
- Business-related liability claims against you, related to an accident in a company-owned vehicle
- Business-related liability claims against you for slander, libel, wrongful eviction, and/or false arrest
- Business umbrella insurance can also cover legal costs associated with defending yourself in court.
Because each business and circumstance is different, it's impossible to provide a one-size-fits-all estimate, regarding how much coverage businesses should carry. That said, the typical Umbrella policy provides reimbursement between $1 and $10 million in liability damages.
Worker's compensation insurance protects your business if an employee suffers a job-related injury or illness. It covers medical expenses and lost wages for sick or injured workers. If you don't have workers' compensation insurance, your business might be obligated to cover those expenses.
In most states, all regular employees must be covered by some form of workers' compensation. Depending on what state you do business in, failure to provide workers' compensation to applicable employees can result in significant fines, prohibition from public-works jobs, and other, potentially crippling penalties.
Homeowners Insurance FAQs
It can. The National Insurance Services Office (ISO) ranks each local fire department on the quality and potential effectiveness of their firefighting capabilities. The ISO ranking is formally known as the Public Protection Class (PPC). The PPC uses a scale of 1 (highest ranking) to 10 (lowest ranking) to rate each facility.
Home insurance providers commonly use the PPC score in conjunction with a home's distance from the nearest responding Fire Station to determine policy rates. Some providers might even decline coverage based on the PPC score and related factors.
The answer to this question will determine how much insurance coverage you require. The following questions will help you estimate rebuilding costs:
* What are the rates charged by local contractors?
* How many square feet is your home?
* How many bathrooms do you have?
* How many other rooms do you have?
* Is your home's exterior built of brick, stone, veneer, or frame?
* What type of roof does your home have?
* How many floors is your home?
* What special features does your home have (e.g., attached garage, fireplace, arched windows, etc.)?
* What is the quality level of your home's materials and finishes?
We recommend estimating your home's value each year.
* Know local building codes - These change with varying frequency from the community to community. If an unforeseen event requires you to rebuild, you'll want to make sure you rebuild everything in compliance with local code. Failure to do so could be extremely costly.
* Don't insure at market value - Rebuilding costs could significantly exceed your home's market value or the amount you paid for it (they could also fall below these values).
* Have enough coverage for your mortgage and for rebuilding - your lender may only require you to cover the mortgage amount. However, you should also consider the cost of rebuilding when deciding on coverage amounts.
* Increase your policy limits - If you enhance your home's value, add a room, upgrade your flooring, upgrade your roof, or make any other change to your home that significantly increases its value, it's imperative to also increase your coverage amounts.
* Full replacement coverage - This kind of coverage reimburses you the full amount required to replace your property, regardless of age or depreciation.
* Actual cash value coverage - This type of coverage subtracts the amount of depreciation from the replacement cost of new items.
A deductible is a dollar amount you're responsible for paying in the event of a covered claim. Deductibles are agreed upon in the terms of the policy, on the declarations page. After you file a covered claim, you're obligated to pay the portion that's up to the amount of the deductible. For example, if your claim is worth $3,600 and your deductible is $500, insurance will pay $3,100 of the claim. You pay $500.
If the covered loss was valued at $475, you would be responsible for the full amount, with no insurance payment. Deductible payments do not accumulate across multiple claims. For example, if you file a claim in January, you will owe a $500 deductible. If you filed another claim in March, you would again be responsible for $500. In the $475 example above, your payment of the full claim has no impact on the deductible you'll owe on your next claim: $500.
Yes. The three most common deductible types for homeowner's policies are:
1. Flat - A flat deductible is a set dollar amount owed for each covered claim. The $500 example above is a flat deductible.
2. Percent - With this type of deductible, the policyholder selects a percentage of the house's dwelling coverage to pay as the deductible. For example, if you have $200,000 in dwelling coverage and a 2.5% deductible, you'd owe $5,000 for each covered claim.
3. Split - A split deductible uses a combination of percent and flat deductibles depending on the loss type. For instance, the policy might specify that, in the event of a wind and hail-damage claim, a percent deductible will apply. For all other loss types, a flat deductible might apply.
The higher your deductible amount, the less you pay in premium. The lower the deductible amount, the more you pay in premium. It's important to select a deductible amount you reasonably believe you can pay. Keep in mind, too, that if you have more than one claim in a short time, you'll have to pay that deductible amount for each separate claim.
Yes. A certain amount of liability coverage is automatically built into most homeowner's policies. Homeowner's liability shields you against loss and or injury to other people you are legally ordered to pay. If your dog bit your neighbor, for example, your liability coverage would cover the cost of medical expenses, any lost wages arising from missed work time, etc. Your liability coverage would also help cover your legal fees in the event you're sued for a claim against you.
It's not inconceivable that the liability portion of your homeowner's policy could hit its payout limits in the event of a serious claim against you. This is especially true if you were sued by someone claiming you caused their loss or injury. If you lost the suit, the award could easily exceed the payout limits of your normal homeowner's policy, potentially devastating your finances.
This is when a Personal Umbrella Insurance Policy would be extremely useful.
Personal umbrella insurance supplements your existing homeowner's policy and begins paying when you reach the payout limits on the standard policy.
Standard homeowner's policies provide only limited coverage for jewelry and other personal belongings. Therefore, you might want to invest in jewelry coverage and/or personal articles floater.
Yes. Taking an inventory, including photographs, is always a good idea. In the event of a covered claim, you'll be able to more effectively catalog and estimate your losses. Some providers even offer forms to make the process of inventorying your stuff easier. Talk to your provider about it.
You'll need to purchase the appropriate coverages to receive this kind of reimbursement. Such coverage will reimburse you for housing, food, and other expenses within the limits established by the policy.
Standard homeowner's policies typically cover losses arising from:
* Fire
* Lightning
* Tornadoes
* Windstorms
* Hail
* Explosions
* Smoke
* Vandalism
* Theft
The following types of events aren't covered by standard homeowner's policies and require separate policies:
* Earthquakes
* Flooding
* Nuclear accidents
* Warfare
Yes. Most homeowner's policies will cover this kind of event.
If you add rooms to your home or other additions or make a significant purchase (e.g., jewelry, computer equipment, etc.), it's a good idea to review your policy and consider modifying your coverages.
There are several measures you can take to lower your premiums:
* Install window locks and deadbolt door locks.
* Install an alarm system, including outside coverage, that connects directly to your local police department.
* Install smoke detectors and keep them properly maintained and functional.
* Install inside fire-suppression sprinklers.
* Install a fire alarm that sends an alert directly to your responding firehouse.
* Stop smoking.
* Bundle your homeowner's insurance with other policies (e.g., auto) from the same provider
You might have heard the old saying that "the past is the prelude to the future." In the insurance business, this axiom is taken seriously. Statistics show that your loss claims history is a strong predictor of your future claims. Therefore, your claims history is considered when a provider calculates your premiums. Your claims history can also be used to deny coverage entirely.
In the event, you're denied coverage, or your rates are negatively impacted by your claims history, the Federal Fair Reporting Act (FCRA) obligates the provider to send you an FCRA notice.
This notice will include information for contacting the consumer reporting agency that gave the provider your claims history information. You can then contact that agency to verify the information in your report and correct any mistakes.
Life Insurance FAQs
In its most simple definition, life insurance is a contract between a policyholder and an insurance company. In return for a regularly paid premium, the insurance company promises to pay the policyholder a pre-specified amount of money upon the death of the person named in the life insurance policy as the "insured." It's important to note that the policyholder and the "insured" don't have to be the same person.
This is the amount of death benefit stipulated in the policy.
This is the amount of money paid to the beneficiary upon the death of the insured.
A policy beneficiary is a person (or persons) who receives the death benefit upon the insured's death. Without a named beneficiary, the policy itself dictates who receives the payout. The policy terms stipulate these automatic beneficiaries. Such automatic beneficiaries could include:
- Spouse
- Children
- Parents
- Siblings
- Other family members
- Your estate
If your estate becomes the beneficiary, it becomes subject to estate taxes. This is a compelling reason to have named beneficiaries on the policy.
As with the need to annually reassess your coverage needs, it's important to review your beneficiaries list regularly. Has someone died? Has there been a birth? Have you recently gotten married or divorced? All of these, along with other life events, can cause a need to change your named beneficiaries.
You can always name a new primary beneficiary. However, if you've named a contingent beneficiary (also called a secondary beneficiary) in the policy, this new person will become the primary beneficiary.
In contrast to permanent life insurance policies, term life insurance policies don't build cash values over time. These policies provide coverage for a pre-determined number of years, which is called the "term." The term is specified in the insurance contract. The primary advantage of term life insurance compared to permanent policies is cost: term life policies are typically significantly less expensive.
A permanent life insurance policy provides coverage for the insured's entire lifetime. In contrast to term life policies, permanent life policies build cash value over time. Assuming the policyholder keeps premiums paid and up-to-date, permanent life policies guarantee a payout upon expiration. There are three primary types of permanent life insurance policy:
- Whole Life - These policies provide coverage throughout the lifetime of the insured. Policyholders can take out loans from these policies once they've accrued a significant cash value.
- Universal Life - These policies also provide coverage throughout the lifetime of the insured. They also offer flexible premium amounts, as well as flexible face value amounts. Universal life insurance is especially beneficial as part of a retirement portfolio or for achieving long-term financial goals.
- Variable Life - The cash value and death benefit of these policies varies depending on an underlying investment into which premiums are consigned. Premiums may be invested in stocks, bonds, and/or money market funds. Like any other such investment, these policies carry a certain amount of risk, but any earnings accrue tax-free until payout.
What would happen to your family if you died unexpectedly or after a long illness? Would there be sufficient money for your spouse to pay the bills? What about sending your kids to college? What about your student loans? What about your funeral and its associated costs?
Would there be sufficient money to cover all these expenses without requiring loans or, worse, driving your household to bankruptcy? Life insurance can help provide solutions to these problems. It can provide the security of knowing your family will be taken care of if you leave them behind.
Although life insurance through your job is a valuable benefit, such coverage is usually limited to between $10,000 and $20,000. For most people-especially those with families-this is far from sufficient coverage. Additionally, unless you take out premium coverage from your job, you'll likely lose coverage if you switch jobs. As such, life insurance as a work benefit should be considered supplemental coverage.
The answer to this question is a definite "maybe." It depends on your company's size, how many employees it has, and other factors. How many of your company's employees have opted for premium life insurance coverage? These factors will have an impact on the group-based rates your company can offer for optional policies.
Before purchasing any kind of life insurance, it's important to "shop around," comparing rates, policy types, etc. Call us. Our large pool of providers allows us to do the shopping around for you. Chances are, we can find you a comparable policy with comparable-if not better-rates than those offered through your job.
Exact calculations of the amount of coverage you need are difficult. However, you can make dependable estimates based on several factors. Ask yourself:
- What percentage of my family's income comes from my salary?
- If I died, could my family live without my salary?
- If I died, how much money would be available to my family through my 401k and other retirement savings?
- How old are my children? How long will it be before they go to college?
- How much money have we already saved for my children's college education?
- How much are our monthly bills? Our mortgage payment?
Remember: The prices of just about everything rises over time. You need to take inflation into account when making coverage estimates. For instance, if your children are young and won't go to college for 10 or more years, the price of a college education will probably be significantly greater by the time they graduate high school.
This largely depends on several factors, including your age, the age of your children, the amount of money remaining on your mortgage, how much you've saved for retirement, and other factors.
For example, the younger your children are, and the higher the amount remaining on your mortgage, the longer you'll want to stretch your coverage. Also, if you've got lots of money saved for retirement, you probably won't need coverage for as long a time. Call our office. We'll be happy to review your coverage factors and needs in-depth.
This depends on several factors, including:
- Your age
- Sex
- Height
- Weight
- General health condition
- Type of policy you choose (i.e., Whole, Term, or Universal Life)
- Your status as a smoker or nonsmoker
- Length of coverage you choose
There are several steps you can take to make your premiums as low as possible:
- Buy coverage as early in life as possible. Premiums generally rise as you get older.
- Don't smoke.
- Maintain a healthy weight and diet.
- Consider buying a combination of term and whole life insurance to get your rates down to affordable levels. Term life is generally more affordable than whole life.
- Consider group coverage through your job. Depending on the size of your company, such coverage can be surprisingly affordable - especially for term life.
Yes. Life insurance coverage offers several tax-based benefits. For one, any death benefit paid to your beneficiaries is generally exempt from taxation at the local, state, and federal levels. If you've purchased a permanent life insurance product, its cash values accrue on a tax-deferred basis; you won't pay taxes on those monies until receiving a payout. Additionally, any loans or withdrawals you make on a permanent life policy won't be taxed.
Over the course of a lifetime, your coverage needs will be extremely fluid. That's why it's important to annually or even bi-annually assess your current coverage and needs. Have those needs changed over the last year?
Additionally, certain life events also require an immediate reassessment of your coverage requirements. Consider adjusting your coverage if you:
- Get married
- Get a divorce
- Make a new home purchase
- Refinance your mortgage
- Welcome a new child or grandchild
- Have a child or grandchild about to enter college
- Start providing care or financial assistance to a family member
- Need to ensure long-term care for a family member
Insurability is a measure of how suitable the prospective insured is for coverage. Insurability is based on your overall health and the presence of any diseases or other health conditions.
To take out a life insurance policy on you, the prospective policyholder must have an insurable interest in your life. Those with insurable interest usually include family members and, in some cases, include employers, business partners, certain organizations, and even major creditors.
No. As the policyholder in your own life, you can name any beneficiaries you want.
Once your policy reaches "fully paid-up" status, you won't need to pay any further premiums but will nonetheless receive coverage for the rest of your life-unless you withdraw money on the policy.
On a fully paid-up policy, the insurance company uses the cash value to pay the premiums. You will no longer need to pay premiums to be covered for the rest of your life. However, if you take cash from the policy, you might be required to resume paying premiums or have to opt for a smaller death benefit.
You should be able to calculate your current cash value by reviewing tables laid out in the policy contract. You can also call our office, and we'd be glad to quote your current cash value.
Generally, no one. Although some policies pay both the death benefit and the cash value at the time of death, typical policies only pay the stipulated death benefit. In other words, with most policies, the cash value at the time of death is irrelevant. It's important to note that if you take out a loan on the policy that's outstanding at the time of death, your beneficiary will receive a payout that's less than the policy's face amount.
An accelerated death benefit allows a terminally ill insured person to receive a significant part of the death benefit while still alive. It's important to note, however, that the amount taken out will be subtracted from the death benefit, as will interest on the early payout.
Most providers will require a medical exam before issuing a standard life insurance policy. If you're in reasonably good health, this is a good thing. Policies that don't require a medical exam tend to be far more expensive.
Policy riders add additional benefits to an existing life insurance policy. In most cases, riders must be purchased separately from the primary policy.
Yes. Life insurance coverage for children can generally be added to existing policies as a rider.
This depends on the type of policy purchased, and the number of steps required to finalize coverage. Approval can take between several days and several weeks.
Coverage starts after approval and immediately upon receipt of the first payment.
Motorcycle Insurance FAQs
We can help you with that. We shop our various partner providers to help find you the most-comprehensive coverage possible at the lowest possible rates. What are your insurance needs? Talk to us about it and we'll help you find maximum coverages at minimum prices.
Different policies provide various coverage levels, so this will largely depend on the policy you purchase. If you've made significant investments in aftermarket customizations to your bike, you'll want to be sure they're all covered.
Your helmet and leather riding clothes and jacket should all have accidental-damage coverage under your policy. However, most policies don't provide theft coverage for safety apparel.
Some companies will provide first-accident waivers for certain customers with otherwise clean driving records. Ask us about first-accident waivers when we start shopping for motorcycle coverage for you.
Yes. Depending on your situation and how often you ride, you might want to consider increasing your liability limits. These limits shield you in case you're cited as having caused an accident. Many riders opt to carry the same liability limits they carry on their automobile.
Many of the same discounts available for auto-insurance coverage apply to motorcycle coverage. For example, your motorcycle's make, model, and age have an impact on rates. Before you buy a new or used cycle, call us first. We'll give you comparison quotes for the various makes, models, and model years you're considering.
Riders can also lower their rates by bundling other policies with the same insurance provider.
Maintaining a safe riding and driving record is another effective way to lower premiums. Most providers will reward riders with lower premiums for going a certain number of years without having an accident.
Being accident-free in your regular vehicle can also impact your motorcycle rates.
You can also slightly lower your premium by paying an entire six-month coverage period at once, as opposed to paying it monthly.
You can also raise your deductible amount. The more you choose to pay out of pocket for a future claim, the less you will pay in premium.
Getting older-especially in the absence of serious accidents or citations-will also automatically reduce your rates over time.
Beyond these most common ways to lower motorcycle insurance rates, several providers also offer various company-specific discounts. To find out what unique discounts your provider might offer, give them a call.
Yes. Most companies offer optional roadside assistance in case your bike breaks down on the road. Generally speaking, this coverage adds relatively little expense to the overall premium. We can help you find reasonably-priced Roadside Assistance coverage through one of our various partner companies. Ask us about it.