Filing a claim can be a little intimidating, but with the right knowledge, you’ll find yourself empowered by the system. Though, before you follow these steps make sure you have proof of damage or injury. Understand that five sets of information are received by the carrier including what YOU tell the insurance companies, what the OTHER PARTY tells them, a police report, witnesses and physical damage at the scene. Consider all of these factors when filing a claim, and then follow these steps to help save you some time.
Assuming the other party is at fault, you will have to file a claim their carrier.
Prepare to negotiate with the party directly in court.
This is based on several factors including who’s at fault, your driving record, and the severity of the accident. If it’s not your fault, the police record will be your best friend when talking with your insurer. A clean driving record will also keep your rates down. Lastly, the severity of your accident is measured by how much it will cost to fix. If the vehicle damage is less than your deductible and no one else was involved, be prepared to pay out of pocket.
Deciding to file isn’t easy, but we’ve got a few points to highlight that might be able to help you.
Morrison Insurance knows that working out claims from traffic accidents can be stressful. But we want to make sure you and your investment are protected while you’re out on the road. We encourage you to call us today at 775.473.9300 and find out how easy it is to save with us.
If you would like a more personable approach to insurance though, and find yourself looking for private or commercial auto insurance in Reno … or any other type, including umbrella insurance, let Morrison Insurance provide you with the coverage you need at a price you can afford.There are many perks of being a homeowner. However, taking care of that investment can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to homeowners insurance. There are so many options to choose from. Selecting one option over another might save you money on your premiums initially, but it could also cost you money in the event that something happens. The proper insurance coverage should be determined based on your own unique situation and needs, not solely on price. One size does NOT fit all when it comes to your insurance coverage and cheaper is definitely NOT always better.
In general, most homeowner’s policies do not cover natural disasters such as flood and earthquake. Coverage for these kinds of disasters are generally only available through a separate policy. Also, most homeowner’s policies contain a maximum payout for jewelry and firearms. These items may be covered at full value for an additional cost.
Knowing your coverage is crucial to avoiding additional grief and frustration after an unfortunate event or disaster.
Talk with your insurance provider. Ask specific questions and share your concerns to make sure you understand your insurance options and the outcomes of possible events.
Homeowner’s insurance can be difficult to understand and navigate. Whether you’re a new homeowner or just looking for a new agent, Morrison Insurance can answer all of your questions and ensure that you have the proper coverage based on your unique situation.
Sure, it’s good to have that extra money in your pocket. More dinners out, less pain when paying for those movie tickets, and you can go shopping at the fancy supermarket rather than the bargain mart. But when an accident occurs, be it big or small, some of you might be wishing you had paid that higher premium rather than opting for the fancy brand name granola.
Certainly, those with lower incomes might have no option but to choose the lower premium rates that are mandated by state law for minimum liability coverage.
If you think the higher premium for a lower deductible isn’t worth the cost, just consider how daunting it could feel when you have to pay $1000 or more for simple cosmetic damage to your vehicle. For some, the whole point of insurance is to avoid that moment of shock when the body shop hands over the bill.
The most common instance for this is when you have a chip or crack in your windowsheild. If you need that windsheild replaced, you could be looking at upwards of $500 dollars to replace it. Unless you’ve set your deductable low, it could cost you $50 or less.
Making too many insurance claims can come back to haunt you. The more claims you make, the more you’ll see your insurance rates go up. If you have a higher deductible, you might feel less inclined to make a claim on that scrape you put on your truck heading out of your garage.
Obviously, if there’s a history of accidents or just bad luck when it comes to your vehicles, paying the higher premiums should be a no brainer.
If you are flush with income, have a sterling driving record of no-fault injuries, and can basically afford that unexpected moment when somebody broadsides you in a parking lot, a lower premium and higher car insurance deductible might suit you just fine.
So you need to buy insurance? There are so many options out there that you say, “Eh… I’ll save myself some time and just go online and buy direct. It’s quicker, it costs less, and I’ll get the coverage I need, right?”
When you are buying insurance, talking to an agent will often take less time, cost the same amount of money or less, and is a far better way to make sure your insurance “needs” are being covered rather than just meeting minimum insurance requirements. Not to mention, when the worst happens and your are depending on your insurance to take care of you, do you want to be talking to a computer or a real person?
When it comes to auto insurance coverage, there are minimum requirements set by the state you live in. Sooner or later, it is likely you are going to get into some sort of accident situation, and perhaps one for which you are liable.
In this situation, you don’t want to be stuck holding a policy you got from and online insurance agent that just covers the state’s minimum requirements. You could wind up on the hook for a lot of money, when a few more dollars per month might’ve saved you such an unsavory situation.
If you were to buy online insurance, you could actually find yourself buying into coverage that doesn’t meet your individual needs, and ultimately spending beyond what’s really necessary. Or, even worse, spending money on redundant or totally irrelevant coverage.
An agent will be in it for the long haul. They want your long term business and are trying to establish a personal rapport with you, something a computer can’t do (well, not yet, anyway). It is in an agent’s best interest to get you the right insurance policy that makes you happy in all facets of your insurance needs. It’s also in that agent’s best interest to make sure every one of your hard earned dollars is being spent wisely when it comes to your car insurance purchase. Ultimately, when your agent cares about you and it is in their best interest to look out for you, everyone wins.
A personal agent will look at the big picture concerning your family, occupation, and the type of vehicles and other policies you have, to evaluate and decide what coverages make the most sense for you.
“Would you like extra insurance coverage on your rental car?”
If you’ve rented a car, you most certainly have been faced with this dilemma:
Do I need the additional liability, personal injury and personal property coverage offered at the counter by the rental rep who, by the way, is doing a pretty decent job of convincing you such coverage is absolutely necessary?
First off, if you own a car and you aren’t insured, well, that’s a problem right there, and you need to get that fixed.
So stop here and call Dana Morrison at Morrison Insurance Services for a free quote. If you’re visiting Reno, Tahoe, or anywhere in Northern Nevada, call him at (775) 473-9300 before you sign that rental agreement. And if you’re looking for fun things to do on vacation, visit Reno.com and make the most out of your trip.
Of course, most car owners do have insurance. The question is, are they sufficiently covered and protected against bodily injury, property damage liability, collision and comprehensive coverage and is their personal property covered when renting a car. Do you need to spend that extra money and check “yes” to insurance on those rental forms?
For starters, if you have auto insurance, you have already purchased at least the state minimum liability coverage, that may protect you from a potential lawsuit, granted that the minimum is not very much coverage. So, getting that car rental liability insurance could be a redundant coverage. But to be safe, make sure to double check with your auto insurer that you have adequate limits for your particular situation.
Personal property coverage would cover your “stuff” that you are bringing along in your rental car, be it a laptop computer, iPod or fancy coat. If you already have homeowner’s or rental insurance, that “stuff” you are taking into the car with you is already covered, up to a certain dollar amount. Once again, this could be a redundant coverage.
Finally, if you have health insurance and/or medical payments on your current auto policy, it probably already covers accident related injuries. So getting the personal injury insurance over the counter at the rental place could be redundant in more ways than one.
This is where if you happen to be in an accident while renting a car, the rental car company will charge you for the days that the rental is in the body shop being repaired. Therefore resulting in a loss of use to the company. In most cases this is NOT covered by your auto insurance. Does this mean you should sign up for that extra coverage with that person behind the counter? The answer is, MAYBE! If you have a credit card, many credit card companies offer loss of use coverage as one of their benefits, as long as that is the card you used to rent the vehicle. Be sure to call your credit card company and ask!
Hey, that rental car insurance pitch can be pretty tantalizing, right? Some of us have enough disposable income that we just say, “Sure, go ahead!” and get that extra, redundant insurance. Good thing that income is disposable, because you are probably throwing your money away.
Can supplemental rental insurance make sense? If your current personal auto insurance has a large deductible, maybe. If you wish to make sure you are protected from raised insurance premiums on your personal insurance as a result of an accident in a rental car, the rental supplemental coverage might not be a bad idea.
Do you have questions related to the rental car insurance issue? Contact Dana Morrison, at Morrison Insurance Services for a consultation and free quote. He’ll answer your questions, and look into your current insurance to make sure you have the provisions to protect you when renting a car.
photo credit: thepointsguy.com