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Snoopy Navigates the “IF” Questions in Life with MetLife Insurance

Written by Michele Wilmonen. Posted in Advertising, Research Last Updated: 05/15/2012

MetLife Insurance brings us back to the whole reason we purchase insurance in the first place.

Summary

Announcer: As a new car owner you face a lot of big ifs: if you can’t avoid every obstacle, if you can’t avoid every hazard, if your current insurance doesn’t provide full replacement coverage. With MetLife auto and home you’re automatically covered at no additional cost for a full year, with no depreciation.

One more way we help you build a personal safety net with guarantees for the road ahead. Call on our expertise and we will help you navigate the “ifs” in life.

As the announcer speaks we watch Snoopy drive from the sales lot with his new vehicle and successfully avoid all the “ifs” that life can throw at him in this commercial.

Point of Commercial

This is a classic insurance commercial. MetLife Insurance doesn’t proclaim that they are the cheapest, the fastest at getting you a quote or even the biggest insurance company out there. They cutely tell you that they will be there for you “if” something bad happens to you in your vehicle.

Helping you during an accident is the exact reason we purchase car insurance and MetLife Insurance is playing on that point.

What They Want you to Do

MetLife Insurance wants you mostly to trust that they will be there for you if you choose them as your insurance company. They don’t push any certain method of contact through the commercial as you don’t actually get any contact information until the end of the commercial.

At the end the announcer makes a casual mention of calling them (classic call to action in a commercial) and then the end screen provides a 2 second shot of all the different methods they can be reached. These 2 seconds is just enough to register that the information is there, but not enough to write it down or remember them all.

My Opinion

This MetLife Insurance commercial is simple, cute, endearing (who doesn’t like Snoopy) and to the point. In other words, it provides entertainment while at the same time being clear as to what the commercial is selling.

I like commercials like these because then I don’t have to scratch my head after the commercial and wonder how in the world the commercial had anything to do with the product they were trying to sell.

I give this MetLife Insurance commercial two thumbs up.

 

Maryland Car Insurance

Written by Todd Clay. Posted in Research Last Updated: 12/01/2017

Maryland car insurance verifies your insurance cancellation electronically, but requires a form to verify you have it.

State Regulator Information 800-492-6116 mdinsurance.state.md.us
Insurance Premium Avg. Annual Premium: $ 1,327 National Average: $1,318
Mandatory Car Insurance Coverage Bodily Injury Liability:$30k/60k
Property Damage Liability: $15k
Maryland car insurance

Follow the exact directions you are given to verify Maryland car insurance.

Maryland car insurance requirements run a little higher than normal for what they require for bodily injury liability coverage, but about average for the required property damage liability coverage. Their insurance verification system however, is unique and can be tedious for both drivers and insurance companies. Unfortunately, if you fail to follow this Maryland car insurance verification system that the Motor Vehicle Administration has in place, stiff penalties await.

Required Maryland Car Insurance

Across the nation the property damage liability coverage that is required is always lower than what is required for bodily injury liability coverage. Maryland car insurance follows the same pattern and requires:

• $30,000 for bodily injury per person,

• $60,000 for bodily injury for two or more people, and

• $15,000 for property damage.

When you purchase this coverage, always discuss with your insurance agent if buying the minimum Maryland car insurance required is enough to protect you.

Penalties for no Maryland Car Insurance

If you are trying to get out of having to pay for Maryland car insurance and avoid getting caught for having no Maryland car insurance; the idea to forge your proof of insurance may come to your mind. As a strong word of advice, don’t listen to the idea in your head. Getting caught for providing false Maryland car insurance evidence will land you in jail for a year or with a $1000 fine (or both).

Now, if you don’t provide false proof of Maryland car insurance and just don’t provide any proof of insurance at all; it will be much easier on you. You will only face having your plates and registration suspended, $150 in fines for the first 30 days you are without insurance (after 30 days it is $7 a day), and cannot register any new vehicles or renew the registration on an already owned vehicle.

But hey, there’s no jail time involved.

Maryland Car Insurance FR-19

When the state requests proof of Maryland car insurance the only proof that they will accept is a FR-19 form. This request is usually triggered by cancelling your car insurance with a company, but can also be a result of buying a new vehicle or trading one in.

Insurance companies don’t notify the state when you have new insurance, only when you have cancelled insurance. This means that the state only knows that you no longer have the required insurance coverage; they don’t know that you replaced the coverage that you cancelled. Hence, the reason they need to verify that you have new coverage.

The requested FR-19 form can only be filled out by your insurance company. If your insurance company does not send the required FR-19 form then you are the one that will be penalized, so it is very important to contact your insurance company immediately to have them send the form.

It is also important to follow up with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration to make sure they received your FR-19 to verify you Maryland car insurance coverage.

 

Jerry’s Back- But, Still Not Back with State Farm

Written by Michele Wilmonen. Posted in Advertising, Research Last Updated: 05/13/2012

Jerry has another interesting accident, but apparently didn’t make changes to his insurance coverage after the pole incident.

Summary

Commercial opens with the State Farm agent, Jessica, in her office. On the screen are the words “State of Savings”.

Jessica: State Farm this is Jessica.

Jerry: Hey Jessica, Jerry Neuman. I know I dropped you guys for the whole 15-minute sign up thing, but I’m having second thoughts right about now. Is now a good time to start a new policy?

Jessica: Is your car up a pole again?

Jerry: (laughing) You’re funny. No it’s in the garage; it’s not going anywhere.

Here we see Jerry’s car with the front end sticking out one side of the corner of the garage and the back end sticking out the other side of the corner of the garage.

Jessica: Well you could switch back to State Farm for auto. On average people do save 480 dollars.

On screen is the $480 with “Switch and Save” above it as well as a disclaimer below it. The disclaimer reads “Average annual per household savings based on a 2010 national survey of new policy holders who reported savings by switching to State Farm”.

Jerry: Really?!?!

Jessica: Yep, and nobody gives more discounts to more drivers. Like the multi-car discount.

Jerry: Multi car? Is that for a person with one car, but multiple accidents? ‘Cause that might really interest me.

Jessica: Not exactly, but that savings could get even bigger when you combine your auto and your home.

Jerry: Awesome, I just combined them.

Jessica: You did what Jerry?

Jerry’s car finishes rolling onto its side, taking out the corner of the garage that was still standing at the beginning.

Jerry: Actually I’m going to have to call you back.

Jessica: Anytime. Our call center is available 24/7 at 1-800-State Farm. With discounts like these, State Farm is the only quote you’ll ever need.

Jerry: Actually I’m going to need a quote for a stone mason.

Announcer: You could save an average of 480 dollars on auto. Get to a better state and a better rate, call 1-800-state-farm today.

Point of Commercial

Jerry is brought back again for another not-so-subtle jab at GEICO. State Farm wants to point out that they can save you money just like GEICO claims to, but that with State Farm you will have an agent to help you. With GEICO you don’t get that agent assistance as you purchase the insurance coverage directly through them.

What They Want you to Do

State Farm wants you to call them. Not call your local agent (which is surprising) or visit their website, but call them. This is very evident with how many times they tell you the phone number as well as their phone number being on the screen for 95% of the commercial.

My Opinion

Honestly, I would love to see more Jerry commercials. Not because I am a big fan of State Farm, but I want to see how many other ridiculous accidents the writers can come up with for him.

The commercial is memorable, which makes State Farm stick out in your head. It is also getting people talking, as you can see by the discussion thread from the last State Farm Jerry commercial I posted. Both of these things mean that the commercial is effective.

I give this commercial two thumbs up.

 

Maine Car Insurance

Written by Michele Wilmonen. Posted in Research Last Updated: 12/01/2017

The amounts of coverage required for Maine car insurance are some of the highest in the nation.

State Regulator Information 800-300-5000 www.maine.gov/insurance
Insurance Premium Avg. Annual Premium: $ 864 National Average: $1,318
Mandatory Car Insurance Coverage Bodily Injury Liab.:$50k/100k
Property Damage Liability: $25k
Um/UIM.:$50k/100kMedPay: $2k
Maine car insurance

Just like a lighthouse, Maine car insurance requirements sit high above what other states require.

The state of Maine has very high insurance requirements for its drivers. Most states only require 2 coverages (bodily injury and property damage liability) for their drivers to be able to drive. Maine on the other hand requires 5 separate coverages to be purchased and is among the few states that have this many coverage requirements.

On top of the number of coverages required, they also have some of the highest liability limit requirements in the nation.

Mandatory Maine Car Insurance Liability Coverage

Liability coverage is mandatory in almost all of the states across the nation, but Maine car insurance is at the top of the list as far as the high amounts required for bodily injury liability coverage. While most states usually require 25/50 limits for their bodily injury coverage, Maine requires that their drivers carry 50/100.

What exactly does 50/100 mean? It means that you have to carry no less than $50,000 in coverage for the medical bills that another person may have after you injure them in a car accident that is your fault. If there are two or more people injured in an accident that you are at fault for, you have to have $100,000 in coverage on your insurance to pay for all of the medical bills together. These limits are the minimum you are allowed to buy, but are the maximum your insurance company will pay if an accident does happen.

The requirements for property damage liability coverage on a Maine car insurance policy are really no more or less than most other states require. The minimum limit that you can buy for this coverage is $25,000 and it covers the damages you do with your vehicle, to property you do not own.

Mandatory Maine Car Insurance UM/UIM Coverage

UM/UIM stands for uninsured motorist/underinsured motorist coverage. These coverages protect you from other drivers that flee the scene of an accident, don’t have insurance or don’t have enough insurance. It only pays for the expenses that result from injuries and does not cover the damages that may be done to your vehicle.

You can have no less than 50/100 for your UM/UIM limits, just like with the bodily injury liability coverage. If you have more than 50/100 for your bodily injury liability coverage, your UM/UIM has to be the same. There is a form you can sign with your agent though, that will allow you to carry lower limits than your bodily injury liability limits; but the UM/UIM coverage still cannot fall below 50/100.

Mandatory Maine Car Insurance MedPay Coverage

MedPay (Medical Payments) coverage is for expenses that arise from injuries you received from a car accident. It is available for you to use regardless of who is found to be at fault for the accident you were in.

With MedPay you are required to carry no less than $2000 in this coverage on your Maine car insurance policy.

 

Mississippi Car Insurance

Written by Todd Clay. Posted in Research Last Updated: 12/02/2017

Mississippi car insurance is just one way to provide proof of financial responsibility to avoid a $1000 fine.

State Regulator Information 800-562-2957 http://www.mid.state.ms.us/”>www.mid.state.ms.us
Insurance Premium Avg. Annual Premium: $ 1,326 National Average: $1,318
Mandatory Car Insurance Coverage Bodily Injury Liability:$25k/50k
Property Damage Liability: $25k
Mississippi car insurance

It’s best to just follow the insurance laws in Mississippi before you find yourself up the river with no steamboat.

The state of Mississippi requires a decent amount of liability insurance for its drivers, but just the liability insurance. They don’t require uninsured motorist, underinsured motorist or personal injury protection like other states do. Meaning that purchasing the minimum required Mississippi car insurance shouldn’t be as expensive as it could be if all of the other coverages were required as well.

You do have two options if you still don’t want to purchase the required Mississippi car insurance though. One, you can opt for an alternative form of financial responsibility. Two, you can pay the $1000 fine for driving without car insurance and walk during the year your driver’s license will be suspended.

Required Mississippi Car Insurance

Mississippi requires that all of its drivers carry liability insurance to make sure that they are protected from each other. A driver in this state cannot legally drive without purchasing the minimum Mississippi car insurance of 25/50/25 in liability coverage. For those that don’t speak the language of insurance this means:

• $25,000 in coverage for the medical bills of a single person that you injure or kill in an accident.

• $50,000 in coverage for ALL medical bills that may result from an accident you are responsible for, where you injure two or more people.

• $25,000 in coverage to pay for the damages to other people’s property that resulted from a car accident you caused.

Other Proof that is Not Mississippi Car Insurance

Mississippi does allow its drivers to show proof that they can pay for damages from a car accident beyond just purchasing Mississippi car insurance. There are two alternatives allowed:

• A cash or security deposit of $100,000

• A bond posted for $100,000

If you don’t have that type or cash lying around, I would suggest that you should just purchase the required Mississippi car insurance. In the long run, the insurance premium for Mississippi car insurance will probably be cheaper anyway. If you think about it, if you are paying $1000 a year for insurance, it will take you 100 years to match what is required for the alternatives.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t know too many people that drive for 100 years.

Penalties for No Mississippi Car Insurance

The state of Mississippi is a real stickler that you not only carry Mississippi car insurance, but that you also have proof of it in your vehicle at all times. If you are pulled over and cannot provide this proof, you will be fined $1000 and have you driver’s license suspended for a year.

When you go to court for this particular violation, if you can provide proof that you now have Mississippi car insurance the fine will be dropped to $100 and your driver’s license will be reinstated. If you can provide proof that you had car insurance on the date you were given the violation, your driver’s license will be reinstated and all fines will be dropped.

Is there a lesson to be learned from this? Yes, always carry proof of Mississippi car insurance.

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Car Insurance Guidebook Unravels the Car Insurance Mystery

Unless you work in the car insurance industry, the topic is probably a mystery to you. The words deductible, comprehensive, collision, liability, premium, loss of use and bodily injury are all gibberish when they reach your ears.

Unfortunately, insurance is something that you are required to have by law if you want to drive. Because of how confusing it is many people go around in almost an insurance daze while they get car insurance quotes from the auto insurance companies that they have heard of. In reality, they are completely lost as to what they are actually buying.

Instead of looking at what each insurance company offers in the terms of protection for both themselves and their car, they are instead looking for cheap car insurance. Finding the cheapest car insurance coverage makes having to buy the required product all that much less painful, but misses the whole point of having insurance.

Learning about insurance through your insurance agent or websites like Car Insurance Guidebook will give you the upper hand when you looking for car insurance. You can take your knowledge and not only find the best price for insurance, you can use it to find really great insurance to protect you and your assets. Then you aren’t stuck settling for just average car insurance that can hurt you financially if you ever need it because there isn’t enough protection.

For example, when looking for insurance the car insurance rates are just the first of many factors that need to be taken into account when you are shopping around for car insurance. You also need to take into account the type of vehicle that you are driving. Many people don’t know this.

Are you driving around a vehicle that is a new sedan and can be protected under any blanket insurance policy? Or do you have an old car that you fixed up that needs special protection and could be better covered under classic car insurance?

Don’t just assume that when you compare car insurance that it will be a one-size-fits-all policy. This is where the insurance knowledge will come in handy; you will know what you need to protect yourself and your vehicle.

You will understand what your insurance agent is talking about when they use insurance terms and you will actually be able to make an informed decision. This is much better for you instead of the “nod and smile” approach people take in their insurance agent’s office.

Also just like your life changes your insurance needs will change. This year you may just need to learn about the best deductible to have. Next year you may need to educate yourself on car insurance for young drivers. As the years pass, motorcycle insurance may be something you will need to know.

Many wise people say that you never stop learning, so take their advice and educate yourself on the insurance that you spend a lot of money on and can’t get away with not having.