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An Uncooperative Insurance Party

Written by Michele Wilmonen. Posted in Ask An Insurance Question Last Updated: 12/20/2015

What to do when the other party in an insurance claim refuses to cooperate.

Q:  My son bought a new car and someone already backed into him. It was a hit and run and he followed the driver to their destination. He called the police and they did exchange information. We filed a claim with the other driver’s insurance and sent a copy of the police report and an estimate of repairs. The insurance company refuses to return our phone calls and says they cannot do anything until their client responds to their calls. We have a police report – shouldn’t that be enough coupled with the client’s refusal to cooperate for them to pay our claim? Who do I contact about them not returning our calls?

HELP! Thanks!

A: So sorry to hear about the other party refusing to cooperate. There are two things you can do in this case and both call for you to stop contacting the insurance company you have been trying to work with.  First, if the other party confessed to being at fault for the accident and it is in the police report, contact the insurance commissioner for your state.  If you have an official confession, there is no reason for the insurance company not to process their claim just because they can’t get a hold of their client.

Your only other option is to file a claim with your insurance company for the damages and then they will go after the other person and the other insurance company for you.

Keeping Safe in Your Car this Winter

Written by Michele Wilmonen. Posted in Research Last Updated: 11/29/2015

winter driving

If you have to be on the road in the winter, make sure you plan ahead for trouble.

Car insurance isn’t the only protection you need to have when you drive during the winter.

Winter has arrived with quite the punch this year. So for those of us that got a little lax in remembering what to do during winter driving situations because we had it really easy last winter, here are a couple of reminders.

Ice + Rush = Winter Car Accident

Keep your speeds down and give yourself extra time to get EVERYWHERE in the winter. A good number of winter car accidents are completely avoidable by driving at reasonable speeds for the condition of the road. So the next time you are in a hurry to get somewhere and the roads are bad, ask yourself if the increase in your car insurance premium after you get into an accident is really worth it.

Trapped in your Car

When the authorities tell you to stay off of the road because the weather or road conditions are bad, please listen to them. They have no hidden agenda to keep you from travelling, they just want people to stay safe. They also probably have their hands full with everyone that is already in trouble on the roads and are trying to prevent there from being more.

However, sometimes you absolutely must travel or are already on the road when bad weather hits, so always be prepared for the worst to happen while you are on the road. For example, your car becoming disabled because of an accident, too much snow on the road, or you lost control and left the road are just some of the situations you could face.

So before any of this happens, make sure your vehicle is stocked with emergency supplies, like:

  • Extra blankets
  • Extra clothing
  • First Aid Kit
  • Water
  • Energy bars or other easy-to-open food that has a long shelf life
  • Portable charger for your cell phone
  • Flashlight (not your cell phone)

Having all of these items in your vehicle will prevent you from freezing and starving if you end up stranded and have to stay in your vehicle for a long period of time before help arrives. If you do find yourself stranded and can’t move your vehicle do the following to stay safe:

  • Stay with your car, don’t go look for help.
  • Crack the windows so that carbon monoxide doesn’t build up in the car, just in case your tailpipe is blocked.
  • Run the heater every 20-30 minutes (make sure you have a full tank of gas when you travel during the winter).

But again, if you don’t have to go out don’t.  Staying at home during bad weather in the winter is just safer, less of a hassle and a lot better for your insurance premium.

Happy Thanksgiving from Car Insurance Guidebook

Written by Michele Wilmonen. Posted in Research Last Updated: 11/29/2015

Thanksgiving and Car insurance

Happy Thanksgiving from Car Insurance Guidebook.

Don’t act like a turkey on the roads this holiday to keep your insurance costs down.

It’s time to head over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house or wherever else you are spending this holiday season. It also means that it is time for an increase in traffic and car accidents, so if you can help it try and keep your mind off the food for a little bit and on the roads. Otherwise, an accident this week will make this Thanksgiving one to remember every time you pay your higher insurance premiums.

Avoid Insurance Increases by Avoiding Overeating

Turkey and football aren’t the only Thanksgiving traditions that we partake in every year, most of us are also participants of the traditional, post-dinner nap. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying this yearly tradition as much as you enjoy mom’s stuffing, it is a problem if you are driving after dinner.

So if you are feeling sleepy after enjoying dinner, take a quick nap or wait a bit before getting behind the wheel. You don’t want to fall asleep while driving and cause an accident. An accident his time of year is so much worse for everyone involved than during any other time of the year.

Keep down Insurance Premiums by Keeping down Packing

There are windows in your vehicle for a reason; they are there so you can see what’s around your vehicle so you can avoid an accident. But, when you pack your vehicle so full that you block your windows you are increasing your chance of an accident.

So utilize as much of your trunk and lower space in your vehicle as possible and leave the rest at home.

Slip, Sliding Away from Higher Insurance

The calendar may be saying that it is still fall, but the weather has a mind of its own and it is saying that winter is here. Wherever you may be driving this holiday, give yourself plenty of time to get there so you don’t have to rush over the icy and snowy roads. It’s better to get to your destination earlier than planned than late or never because of an accident caused from being in a hurry on an icy road.

Young Driver in a Car Accident

Written by Michele Wilmonen. Posted in Ask An Insurance Question Last Updated: 11/25/2015

Young drivers in car accidents can expect car insurance premium increases.

Question: So I barely backed up into a car . I have my own insurance . Im 18 so I’m still in that expensive range insurance. how much more do you think my insurance will go up?

Answer: While I cannot tell you how much your car insurance will go up, it will be going up.  Yes, you are in that expensive range of car insurance and that is also the range of car insurance that the insurance companies come down on the hardest for the slightest infraction. You will find out on your next renewal how much your premium will be affected from the car accident.

Back Dating and Insurance Premium

Written by Michele Wilmonen. Posted in Ask An Insurance Question Last Updated: 11/25/2015

Can you get an insurance premium refund for a vehicle removed in the past?

Question: 2 yrs ago I scrapped my vehicle but still kept the paying for the insurance. I thought I needed if I would drive another vehicle and so I wouldn’t have a lapse which would result in a higher premium later. If I go to my insurance company and cancel the coverage, how far will they pro rate my payments to. Can I get a refund for the full 2 yrs Thank You!

Answer: Great question!  There are a number of things to address with this though.

First, were there other vehicles on your policy at the time? If there were then you are not going to be able to get a refund on the whole premium.

Second, if that was your only vehicle and you have not owned it then you should be able to get a refund back to the time you stopped owning it.  However, you are going to get push back from your insurance company about this and you are going to have to provide proof of the date you stopped owning the vehicle. Also state laws may favor your insurance company in regards to having to have continuous coverage or there being a certain time limit in which you needed to report to your insurance company that you no longer needed to insure that vehicle.

The only way you will know for sure is to call and talk to your insurance company.

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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.