Latest Insurance Info

Why beg for trouble by not taking up a proper RV insurance policy? Of course there is no reason why you should preempt problems, there are RV’ers who live their entire life paying premiums for comprehensive insurance but never actually use it. But if there ever comes a situation where you have to put in for financial compensation then you would do well to follow these five points that will ensure you get your money’s worth, in a manner of speaking. 

First off ensure you have kept all the receipts of all your expensive purchases like video cameras, bicycles, fishing gear, binoculars etc. Photocopy your receipt and file it, it’s easy to do and you’ll thank yourself for the extra work later. If you are a full time RV’er then it’s prudent to keep a safe deposit box in your bank.  Remember when filing a claim your friend philosopher and guide is the adjuster. The adjuster is the one who checks your claim thoroughly to ensure that your claim is legitimate. Before each trip take photos of your RV with your digital camera. Now in case of any eventuality you have proof that the damage is new and not old.

If there is an accident or mishap of some kind, keep your wits about you and take photos again of the damage done and any other relevant features of the accident around you without being inconsiderate to the others involved. It is these photos which will help you garner your claim without hassles. Claims which involve repair to the rig, major repairs included, need all the receipts, quotes and estimates to be filed properly for your adjuster to go through. The adjuster is the one who will apprise you of all the requirements to fulfill your claims terms and conditions.

The main reason for taking photos is that mishaps can be of any kind. You could go over a rut or a speed breaker on the road and your TV gets jostled free, flies off and damages the interior. Your rig is good for driving but you need to get the interior done up. You could clean up the mess and carry on till you reach the next town but then claiming your damages will be difficult as there is no evidence left to show the adjuster.

One very important aspect of paying insurance and making claims is to find out the damage cost that will pay you. For example, if your RV insurance policy mentions a deductible of $450 and you have documented your damages as $700 then will your insurance pay you for filing the claim for $250 that is left after the deductible? The trick is watch out for the fact that sometimes the rate increases when you are making such a claim. In such cases its best to sort the issue out with your agent so you know when and by how much your rate is going to increase. Keep this amount as a contingency plan for any future eventualities. Keep in mind that most insurance agencies use CLUE, a service that tells the agency how many times claims have been filed by people. It works somewhat like a credit rating. The more insurance claims you file the higher goes your rate. It could happen that you are debarred from receiving insurance for other things. Keeping the above mentioned contingency amount aside might help you avoid this kind of situation.

One tried and tested method of saving you problems while claiming is to be completely upfront about details like your plans for using the rig, whether you are considering renting it out and the duration, whether your RV will used 365 days a year or in part etc. avoiding these questions or giving incorrect answers just to save a few dollars may cost you your few thousand dollar claim should the need ever arise. The old adage of honesty being the best policy will help you and your adjuster in filing your claim and getting it approved too.

And last but not the least, ensure that contact details of the insurance are kept handy at all times along with your policy number. An insurance policy is usually a big bulky packet of documents with loads of details and terms and conditions etc. of all this important information the most important are the policy number and the phone number. Keep this wherever you are going to remember it is there like your wallet or the glove compartment of your rig or tape it up to the door on the drivers side etc. 

With these five handy tips you should be well on way to a peaceful and happy journey. 

Relocating to a new city, changing houses, a new lifestyle, all these are instances in a person’s life that denote change and with this change comes a lot of excitement and plans to do things differently. What tends to get sidelined inadvertently of course is the insurance aspects of this new life. There is a very important difference between procuring a full time RV insurance from a dedicated insurance agent for RV insurance and a regular auto insurance policy.

A full time RV insurance includes personal liability coverage and if this is not put in to effect with your auto insurance policy then it could prove to be the most expensive mistake you ever made. If you are new to the field of insurance then you must remember that RV insurance makes far better economical sense than auto insurance.

If you have decided to make an RV your home then it is understood that you will be living and entertaining there too. If you get proper full time RV insurance it will cover personal liability also. Remember that any injuries happening on your property makes you responsible for them so a fulltime RV life  means you must have an ongoing liability cover that will not drain you financially. A regular auto insurance policy cannot give you a policy that will travel with you; sort of a floating home loan policy and the lack of this can prove costly for a full time RV person.

It’s something like this, if your neighbor sprains his ankle coming down the steps of your RV then you may be held responsible for it especially if their health insurance is not up to the mark. With standard auto insurance you could fine that you are paying heavy medical bills for no fault of yours. You then learn the hard way that auto insurance for your RV leaves you with gaping holes in your insurance cover. Do your homework first, look for an agency that will give you a comprehensive personal liability cover for your RV, ask the necessary questions and then make your decision.

An RV is a type of home that if it breaks down or you meet with an accident you have to vacate it for a short while to get the necessary repairs done. Ensure that along with your comprehensive cover you also have an insurance cover that will account for any emergencies.  Regular auto insurance does not take into account car rental, hotel stays and eating out in such cases. On road emergency cover is provided for by the dedicated RV insurance agencies as these are packaged keeping the full time RV’er in mind.

Keep simple standard auto insurance policies at bay if you are a full time RV’er unless you are the kind who budgets for a month’s hotel stay to take care of repairs and maintenance. A life in an RV gives you a different lifestyle as you are traveling, seeing new places making new friends. Make your life a comfortable and tension free one with a full time specialist RV insurance policy and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you are covered for any eventualities in any form. Remember it makes no sense to save money by purchasing auto insurance for your RV with the threat of potential expenses lurking around.

Auto transport is something that is a necessity for many people. While they use the auto transport service regularly they are not aware that it is prudent to find out about auto transport insurance also. Of course the companies who are in the regular business of auto transport do cater to the insurance requirements of their customers during shipping. It is usual for the car that is being transported to reach the destination in the same condition as it was received at the loading point.

Insurance is a complicated subject with lots of sub heads and provisos. Prior to insuring your car with a particular auto transport company for transportation you must be aware of some key points. It is an added job for you to but a little hassle now will save you a lot of trouble if your car does get damaged during transportation.

Check with the auto transport company in question if they have an insurance certificate. Get detailed information on their policies on issues pertaining to car damage, whether the car is covered in parts only, for example, no plastic parts are insured etc,  and if there is a proviso for you to pay a deductible. It is a good idea to get all your discussed terms and conditions, promises, discounts and any other pertinent areas of probable conflict put down in writing so that there is no room for ambiguity should there be a need for claiming. Sometimes the insurance varies between actual insurance during transportation and before and after.

Conduct a thorough check of your vehicle, click some photos of existing damage and keep a record.  When you hand over your car to the car shipping company driver or agent, go over these points with them so that if there is need for claiming there is no debate on whether the damage was old or new. On receiving your car at the destination, check and compare with your notes and if you feel there is some damage, point it out to the driver and get his signature on the bill of lading which you can present to the auto shipping company for reimbursement.

Everyone may not be familiar with umbrella insurance. This kind of insurance policy protects you from every thing that may not be a part of your auto and home insurance. Umbrella insurance is ideal as it cover risks even when the ordinary policy comes to an end. Umbrella Insurance is not a policy that covers the umbrella that keeps you away from the rain and the sun.
Umbrella insurance helps in protection of personal assets as they are prone to any legal action or lawsuit. Almost all insurance companies will be able to give you extensive details on the cost. It is good to be prepared and be shielded against multi-million dollar lawsuits. Umbrella insurance is definitely worth the buy even if these lawsuits do not exist in reality.

Today every other person is involved in lawsuits either because they are genuinely a part of it or they may be dragged into them for no fault of theirs. Whatever the reason may be one has to be prepared to defend himself. Most often the common man does not have enough knowledge to protect himself and his assets from these lawsuits. The umbrella insurance is just the right kind of insurance policy that will give you ample protection against frivolous lawsuits. The term ‘excess liability’ that the umbrella insurance grants helps covers the auto and home insurance policies when they have come to an end. Your auto and home insurance will only cover the risks that are related to your house and your car. Most insurance companies give umbrella insurance policies that range from one to five million dollars and even up to ten million dollars.

Each policy holder may choose the extent of coverage depending on the value of assets he holds. The assets that you possess must be equal to the amount the umbrella policy covers. The cover is not very expensive to purchase and this is one reason most often buyers end up buying a cover of five to ten million dollar umbrella policy even if he may not possess assets of the same value.

Insurance companies grant umbrella insurance to already existing clients with home and auto insurance. Clients who have a liability on home and auto insurance policies are eligible for the umbrella insurance policy. $250,000 of any kind of bodily injury, $500,000 on every accident, around $100,000 on auto damage and about $500,000 liability for your home must be maintained in order to qualify for umbrella insurance.$120 dollars can buy you coverage of one million dollars as this policy is not very expensive. If the value of your assets is more than the insurance will cost you more, this insurance is still cheaper when compared to the other policies. This insurance covers motorcycles, boats and other vehicles used for recreation, you can check with your insurance company to see what they have to offer.

Here is an example of an umbrella policy that will help you understand its usefulness. If while driving a car you have knocked off a pedestrian on the road that has resulted in excess medical expenditure that your auto policy covers,  the umbrella policy will be the just the right policy that will help in case the pedestrian takes you to the court of law and claims damages. You can meet your legal expenses and pay fines and other compensations if the judgment is not in your favor.

The excess liability helps in covering areas that your home and car policy do not include. With umbrella insurance you will be able to protect yourself from any kind of personal injury, eviction, if you have been arrested and imprisoned for no mistake of yours, if there has been an intervention of privacy, defamation or malicious prosecution. Umbrella policies also give relief when a client is involved in legal matters related to charitable boards or organizations. The insurance company charges an extra premium for covering such risks.

‘Loss of use’ exclusion clause in the car insurance document is a clause that gives you details of the alternative transport your insurer can give you when your car has been stolen or has been in a serious accident. This clause is not very helpful. A couple of insurance companies give their clients a courtesy car depending on the availability. Some insurers have a hire car scheme where they give the client a car from a hire car company that they have a tie up with. Most insurance companies do not offer a spare car to their clients.

If a policy includes the offer of an alternate car then the insurance company gives a rental car extension, it is up to the client to decide to buy it. Not everyone may feel the need to buy a rental car extension. It only becomes necessary when one does not find any mode of transport to get to work, drop and pick up the children from school, go out shopping or on a holiday and manage other daily chores without  a reliable source of transport. If you feel you can manage well without a rental car then you do not have to pay for the extra cover.

Most often buying the additional cover is advantageous if your car has been in an accident or has been stolen - then you will not be able to get any costs from the third party. A ‘credit hire’ company too will be of no use to you. A loan too will not be beneficial in case you want to get another car in exchange of a damaged one. If for any reason you do not want to use the repairer your insurer recommends, or in cases where the car has been written off, the hire car extra cover is the most ideal.

The average car policy lets you hire a car if you cannot use your own car within two days from the mishap. You cannot hire a car for more than fourteen days. You will have to pay extra if you want to hire the car for more than fourteen days. Most often there is a disagreement between the car owners, insurance companies and car repairers that cannot be resolved fast.
If the windscreen or glass of your car has been broken in an accident then you are not eligible to hire a car according to the policy. Also extra charges are levied by the hire companies if you are residing away from the metropolitan cities depending on the distance. Check to see if there are any local branches close to your place.

Extensive benefits are offered by insurance policies for hiring of cars. If while using a hired car you meet with an accident then the claim will be on your car insurance policy. You can hire a car only on the same day your car goes for repair. If your car is not fit to be driven then you can hire the car on the day of your accident.

Policies specify the maximum period of hire - that is fourteen days. If you get possession of your car before fourteen day then you must return the hired car. Do not expect any thing fancy or luxurious while hiring a car, all you will get is a basic and comfortable care that is a year or two old. You will have to pay extra if you want anything specific. They will give you the vehicle with a tank full of fuel that you will have to ensure while returning the car. The charges are exorbitant for filling up your fuel tank. Certain hire companies require the details related to your credit card for refilling fuel.

In all likelihood, you have heard the term umbrella insurance mentioned in relation to auto insurance but maybe you never really asked around to find out what exactly it was. An umbrella policy is designed to shield you from almost everything that your home and auto insurance policy does not, as well as fill in gaps in coverage when the limits of your regular policies are exhausted.

Look around and you’ll find that so many regular citizens have lawsuits filed against them with the reasons ranging from the frivolous to the justified and have no extra protection to block the plaintiff from going after their personal assets. To protect yourself, you should invest in umbrella insurance.

What exactly is an umbrella policy? It is, plain and simple, excess liability. What this ensures is that when the limits of your other insurance are exhausted, this comes into play. This could be your home or your auto insurance. Depending on the company you hire, you can purchase anywhere from 1 to 5 million dollars worth of excess coverage, sometimes even as high as 10 million.

The amount of coverage you select really depends on your net worth. You might find people buying a policy that is well above what they are worth because the coverage is cheaper to buy.

An insurance company will give you this only if you have home and auto insurance with them already and you will be required to maintain a certain level of liability on the home and auto policies in order to qualify for the excess coverage. There is a minimum amount of $250,000 that you need to have for each one as bodily injury liability, $500,000 per accident, and $100,000 for property damage for your autos, and $500,000 of liability in and around your home.

The coverage is cheap – and you’ll find that maybe $120 every month will provide you with excess liability of $1 million. Obviously if you own more, you pay more but overall, the price you pay is minimal. It’s not just your house or your car, you could have other vehicles including recreational ones like planes or boats and all these could come under one umbrella.

Umbrella coverage works in the following way. Say you ran into someone walking along the road, and the treatment for that injury exceeded what your auto insurance could bear, the umbrella would be used. Say the person concerned decided that he wants to be compensated for the damages and sued you, that’s when the umbrella insurance can be of great use in paying all the fees and the damages in case things do not go your way.

Besides this, you’ll find that it also covers you for many things that have nothing to do with your cars or homes, such as personal injury protection. This includes false arrest, false imprisonment, and malicious prosecution, and wrongful entry or eviction, defamation or even invasion of privacy.

On fact, you might even have a policy that covers you in the event you are a member of an organization and you are sued by the board or any member. You may have to contact your insurance company to see if you have to pay an extra premium for this type of coverage.

If you are searching for a used car, be sure to utilize the Kelly Blue Book when you find a car that you think you would like to have. The Kelly Blue Book is a great way to tell you how much the car you are looking at should be selling for.

You can refer to the Kelly Blue Book for the prices of used cars. Its exhaustive list will ensure that you find probably every car that has been manufactured with the price and what it is based upon and the Book itself is organized in an easy-to-use style by make, model, year, and mileage on the car and condition.

Be forewarned that there are a few highly significant things the Kelly Blue Book doesn’t cover. It will not tell you how dependable this particular car you are looking at is or prior problems it has suffered such as water damage or accidents. You can get this information off the internet via a Car Fax report.

Now that you’ve decided on a ‘new’ car you’re next immediate step will be to decide on an insurance company. Unless you already have one that you intend to use, it is a minefield today trying to find the right car insurance.

Insurance companies are offering more and more incentives but are looking harder at credit reports instead of only driving records. This means that you’re premium will be high. Luckily, there are insurance companies that actually compensate you for a clean driving record.

Since insurance is a requirement on all automobiles and we do need the coverage for the unforeseen things in life, whenever your coverage for one policy is coming to an end, investigate around and see who is offering what and if there is a better deal out there. In the end it only benefits you and your ‘new’ car.

Here we examine the “loss of use” exclusion clause in your car insurance document. You need to what transport you will be offered by your insurer just in case your car gets stolen or is damaged and you need to have alternate transport.

Certain insurance companies have a team of retained mechanics who will offer you a courtesy car if one happens to be available. Very often a comprehensive policy comes with the facility of a rental car. The extension is far from cheap and the policy coverage is quite limited. You should decide if you feel it is essential that you purchase it. Ask yourself these questions:

You need to decide if you can do all of these even when your car is not available.

- commute to work

- drop the kids to school

- go shopping

- get out of the house (grocery shopping, etc.)

If you could live without a car for a week, you don’t really need to buy this extra coverage. If you’re sure that you can’t survive then you should check that you have this coverage.

If your car is stolen or in an accident that is your fault, you will not be able to recover any car rental costs from a third party. You probably will not be certain of the loan for a replacement car from the mechanics. So this additional coverage becomes worthless to you.

Similarly, if you do not wish to use the recommended mechanic of your insurer, or your car is written off, your rental car extra coverage will save the day. What does an average policy offer you?

You can only rent a car if yours is off the road for over two days, but the maximum period of rental is fourteen days. If the rental car is required for longer than this you will have to pay the additional cost to the car rental firm. There has been many a disagreement between the repair shop, the owner of the car and the insurance people in the event of the costs incurred for repairs having gone up due to whatever reason. This could be because a part was not available perhaps and no party wants to pay the extra rental car costs.

There is usually a delivery maximum so if you live away from the major cities and the rental company is a distance away from you, you need to be prepared to pay a charge for having your car brought home to you.

Your existing car insurance policy will cover the rental car for comprehensive benefits. That helps your insurance company keep down the cost of the rental car coverage, but if you are involved in an accident whilst using the rental car, the claim will be on your policy.

The car can only be rented from the date your car goes in to be repaired if the damage to your car is such that it is still safe and legal to drive. If your car is not roadworthy you can rental the car from the day of the accident.

In all likelihood, there will be a maximum of fourteen days for rental in the policies and just in case you get your car back, you should return the rental car as soon as that happens.

The rental car supplied will almost just fit your needs unless you are willing to pay for an upgrade at the rental company. When you get the rental car, it should come with a full tank of fuel and it must be returned with a full tank of fuel. Some rental companies will ask for an imprint of your credit card, insuring against the event that you return it without filling it up or if you’ve damaged the car in any way. If you don’t fill it up, you will be billed by the rental company for a fill up – and you’ll find the price they charge you very high.