Insurance Deductible

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A deductible is the amount of that the insured must pay out of pocket before an insurer will pay any expenses. Typically, a general rule is: the higher the deductible, the lower the premium, and viceversa. Depending on the policy, the deductible may apply per covered incident, or per year. A deductible will apply to claims arising from damage to or loss of the policy holder’s property, whether this damage/loss is caused byaccidents for which the holder is responsible, vandalism/theft or “acts of God”.

For example, a person might have an auto insurance policy with a 0 deductible on collision coverage. If this person were in an accident that did 0 worth of damage to the car, then the insurance company would pay him or her 0. The insured is responsible for the first 0. Insurance deductibles can also differ depending on the cause of the claim.

As an example the typical auto insurance policy contains two deductible amounts one for comprehensive claims and one for collision claims.

Comprehensive and Collision claims

It is a notorious fact that most car accidents happen due to collisions. This is in itself an adequate cause why you should consider purchasing Collision Insurance, a type of Auto Insurance that, less the insurance deductible, covers the damages of the car resulting from a collision with another car or object. Collision coverage reimburses you, less the deductible, for the repairs or replacement costs of your car after an accident. Comprehensive Auto Insurance includes almost everything that might go wrong with your vehicle except collision. This is the reason why Comprehensive plans are sometimes called “Other than Collision” insurance coverage.

Deductible reimbursement policies

There are also policies available called deductible reimbursement policies. A deductible reimbursement or zero deductible policy works as a supplemental coverage to your primary auto, boat or homeowners insurance policy and will reimburse the insured the entire deductible amount in case of a paid claim. A deductible reimbursement or zero deductible policy is usually a good thing to have as most insurance claims are small or partial losses and the deductible limit has been put in place by the insurance companies to prevent the insured from filing these type of claims. The insurance company saves money by not having to administer and pay claims that otherwise would have been covered under the insured’s primary insurance policy. The premium for a deductible reimbursement policy is usually much less than trying to get the same coverage with primary insurer. Check with your insurance agent for details.
 

Understanding Insurance

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Auto Insurance

An auto insurance policy protects you against financial loss if you are involved in a car accident. General types of auto insurance coverage include liability coverage, property damage and first medical benefits, all of which are required by law. Uninsured and underinsured coverages pay you and the other passengers in your vehicle if a driver with no insurance or insufficient auto insurance crashes into your vehicle. Auto insurance also gives the option to add coverages that will cover damage to your own vehicle. Comprehensive coverage will cover damages to your vehicle caused by fire, theft, vandalism, deer, and cracks to your windshield. Collision coverage covers damage to your vehicle caused by an at-fault accident.

Also, road service and rental reimbursement coverages are available to add to your policy at an additional cost. There are many discounts available for auto insurance, including: Safe Car Driver, Multi-Car Discount, Age 55 or Over, Passive Restraints, Anti-Theft Car Devices Discount, Auto Anti-Lock Brakes, Multi-Policy Discount, Auto Insurance Payment Plan Discount, Auto Accident Prevention Course, Driver Training, and Reduced Car Usage Discount.

Homeowners Insurance

A standard homeowners insurance policy includes four types of coverage. The first is Coverage for the Structure of your Home and Other Structures. This part of your policy pays to repair or rebuild your home for damage caused by most common risks.

Typically, damage caused by fire, wind, hail, or lightning is covered under this part of the policy. The second coverage involved is Coverage for your Personal Belongings. This part of the policy coverage personal belongings that are stolen or destroyed in an insured disaster such as a fire. The third part of the policy is Coverage for Additional Living Expenses. In other words, if damage from a fire, storm or other insured peril forces you out of your home, this part of the policy covers the expenses incurred while your home is being rebuilt. Finally, the last section is a homeowners policy is Liability Protection. This covers you against claims or lawsuits for bodily injury or property damage that you or your family members negligently cause to other people or property. Your policy also provides medical coverage. In the event a friend or neighbor is injured in your home, he or she can submit the medical bills to your insurance company. At an additional price, other coverages offered include; Replacement cost, Sewer or drain water back-up, Earthquake insurance, Flood insurance, and Identity protection. If you rent instead of own, you can purchase Renters Insurance for a cheaper cost. This would cover the contents in your apartment if something were to happen to them.

Personal Catastrophe Liability – Umbrella

An umbrella, or PCL policy, is extra liability protection for the actions of covered family members, above and beyond your already established auto and homeowner’s policies. It provides an additional million coverage against lawsuits arising from personal injury or property damage claims. If someone is severely hurt on your property or as a result of an accident that you caused, this liability protection would kick in if you have already exhausted your normal limits.

If you live in Western Pennsylvania and would like a free, no obligation quote to see how much money Erie Insurance can save you on your home, auto, and/or commercial insurance, please contact:  Jessie Balicki, J.E. Balicki & Assoc. Inc. – 724-226-1300, jebalickiassoc@verizon.net

 

What types of coverage you really need

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If you’ve been driving a car for quite some time and took the job of learning about vehicle insurance more than just the procedure of renewing the policy you probably know that there are different types of coverage delivered with each policy a vehicle owner can purchase. And depending on the types of coverage and the exact amounts chosen the policy can be affordable, reasonably priced or expensive as hell. So, it’s evident that knowing what types of coverage are really necessary and which are not is very important. Let’s take a closer look at what your policy may carry.

The first and foremost element of any insurance policy is the third party liability coverage. Comprised of bodily injury and property damage coverage, third party liability is actually the only coverage type that is required by law. Each state has minimum requirements on the amount of property damage and bodily injury the policy should carry and it’s up to the buyer to set the maximum he or she can afford. Third party liability pays out in case of an accident cause by the policy owner and is used to cover the damage and injuries inflicted to the other party involved in the accident.

Collision and comprehensive coverage are two separate coverage types often bundled into one offer. These are one of the most popular coverage options due to their practical use. Collision coverage pays out for the damage inflicted to your car due to a collision with an auto or an object. Comprehensive coverage pays for various types of damage such as fire, theft, vandalism, natural disasters and so on. So anyone who’s looking for extended coverage on their vehicle will definitely benefit from having these included. Besides, when taking an auto loan you’ll be required to include comprehensive and collision coverage to your policy as part of your contract.

Personal injury protection might be a good option to consider if you have plenty of money to spend on auto insurance. This coverage option pays for the injuries taken by you or your passengers while you’re driving the insured vehicle no matter who is at fault in the accident. It partially acts as your health insurance plan only that it’s limited only to injuries inflicted while you’re in the covered car. Usually this coverage option is only chosen by people who have a good budget for auto insurance. Otherwise you don’t really need it since your health insurance plan will still cover you medical bills if you have one.

Uninsured or under-insured motorist coverage might be a very attractive option for those who drive in places with a lot of car owners without sufficient or any car insurance. In case of an accident caused by such a driver you normally don’t get any coverage since the other party doesn’t have the necessary third party liability insurance. Uninsured motorist coverage acts as the other party’s insurance policy and settles the bodily injury and property damage portion. Sure, it’s a very attractive feature for drivers who spend a lot of time on the road, however it comes for a price and isn’t really necessary for those who drive not as often.

Everything you need to know about rental car insurance

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USA has lots and lots of services you can rent. But together with each service companies like to sell their bloody insurances. If we are honest, insurances are for the best. At first you get an idea of payment for nothing but believe us, when the time comes, and if it does, you are very lucky to be insured under a good insurance plan. Each plan has its own limitation, condition, provisions, exclusions and specifics. You might want to consider them before you make a purchase. Where can you always collect the information that will help you go further with the insurance? You can find it either from an agent in the company or online.

Some people do not have cars. Some other people need a particular car for a particular period of time for a particular occasion. But in order to keep yourself and the car safe you are recommended to get insurance. But we want to warn you about something – it doesn’t mean you have to get yourself a supplemental insurance because you are insured with the company your regular car is insured with. In another words, all the liability coverage limits remain effective even when it comes to the rented car. But that is not all, together with this, the comprehensive and collision coverage that are included in your regular policy stay effective with the deductibles. If you don’t know what any of the previously mentioned coverage types are – please research deeper and find out about them.

You may also find out one day that your credit card has some of the supplemental car insurance coverage on it. But we don’t want to lie or fool you so you have to check your credit card detailed information for further details. In general, there is an option like this but some cards only deal with particular agencies they have an agreement with. Other credit card companies can give some restrictions and limitations on certain period of time during which you can benefit from a special offer. There are also restrictions on car models and manufacturers. You may not even know your card has it when it does as sometimes you need to enroll in a special program to establish it. There are partial credit card coverage types that can leave you totally unprepared and vulnerable to personal damages and damages to the belongings of other people. Usually when you go to a car rental office they offer you two types of liability coverage. One is protecting you from the complaints of other people and the second covers the car you rented. The latter is more like an agreement-based coverage that doesn’t have a written confirmation.

You auto insurance doesn’t have to hurt you in any way. You do not have to feel scared or afraid when you get in your vehicle. You don’t need to be afraid of renting a car. The thought of after accident payments should not the thoughts hitting your head everyday. We can guarantee you that it can all be totally fine. But if you are responsible you have to realize some pressure you put yourself under with something that doesn’t belong to you directly.

Get your car insurance quotes from any company you consider a trust-worthy one and see for yourself. Insurers are not there to rob you. They want to keep you and your property safe.