By Russell D. Longcore
Northern Georgia has been inundated with heavy rains over the last week. This has caused localized flooding, toppling trees and flooded roadways.
What do you do if your automobile or vehicle has been damaged by flood waters? What do you do if your home has sustained flood damage? Now, you’ll begin the cleanup, recovery and repair process. Many of you will be submitting insurance claims for damage to your home, business or vehicle. Let me share a few strategies to help you add hundreds or even thousands more dollars to your claim settlement.
Vehicle Damage Claims
1. Remember that when flood waters damage your vehicle, it will be covered by the “Other Than Collision” or “Comprehensive” coverage, not your Collision coverage. Make sure you know what your OTC deductible is.
2. Take your damaged vehicle to the body shop of YOUR CHOICE, not the choice of the insurance company. It’s YOUR vehicle, not theirs.
3. Insist on Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts, not cheap aftermarket parts. The insurance company has a legal duty to return you car to its pre-loss condition. Cheap aftermarket parts are not as safe as OEM parts.
4. Perform a very careful inspection and test drive of your vehicle after repairs are completed. If you need to, have a qualified mechanic do the inspection for you. Document any uncompleted repairs, and make sure they get done right then.
5. If your vehicle is a total loss, get written appraisals from dealers of your choice to be sure that the insurance company pays you all that you are entitled to collect. Don’t just accept the first total loss offer from the insurance company...they ALWAYS try to “lowball” you.
Building Damage Claims
1. Mitigate your damages...board up and tarp the home or business if necessary. The costs are covered.
2. Call a restoration contractor, not just a remodeling contractor.
3. Get your chosen contractor to meet with the insurance adjuster and agree on the scope of damages. Don’t just accept an estimate written by the adjuster.
4. If your home is too damaged to live in, your policy may have Additional Living Expense coverage. Carefully document all your expenses over and above your normal expenses while you’re living in a hotel or apartment.
5. If you have heavy damage to your home or business, consider consulting with a Public Adjuster to help you with your claim. They are claims professionals, and can customarily help you maximize your settlement amount.
If you have experienced a property loss, you need to know winning insurance claim strategies. The insurance company will not tell you the claims process, but I will. I will show you how to take control of your insurance claim, and add hundreds or even thousands more dollars to your claim settlement.
For more information, go to: www.insurance-claim-secrets.com
© Copyright 2009 Russell D. Longcore. All rights reserved.
Russell Longcore is available for interviews about insurance claim strategies. These strategies will show your audience how to add hundreds or even thousands more dollars to their claim settlements.
Russ is available for interview on short notice by phone at 678-234-2923.
Showing posts with label car insurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label car insurance. Show all posts
Monday, September 21, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Insurance Quotes: Save Hundreds Of Dollars, Prevent Financial Disaster
Insurance quotes are a terrific way to help lower your monthly expenditures. I used a quote service earlier this year and saved $590 on my homeowners and car insurance package.
In today’s economy millions of people have lost their jobs. Millions more will lose jobs as the economy worsens. Millions of unemployed persons have stopped looking for new jobs, which skews the national unemployment figures, and makes the unemployment rate appear smaller than it actually is.
Some people have had to accept pay cuts just to keep their jobs. Add to that the number of unemployed people who just closed an economy-sensitive business.
I have a good friend who is a home designer. She has been in business for over 25 years, and was a nationally-renowned designer. In 2008, her business stopped like turning off a water faucet. She has just gone out of business. Will her business ever come back? No one knows.
Colleges and universities across America just finished commencement ceremonies, where tens of thousands of young graduates got their degree and a handshake. However, job prospects look bleak for this graduating class. According to an ABC News story, last year over 51% of graduates had a job when they left school. This year, the number is only 20%. But they still live in homes and drive cars every day.
An increasing number of people are allowing their insurance policies to lapse, or they are cancelling them outright. They simply made a decision that they cannot pay the premiums anymore.
What a horrible and tragic decision! Cancel your cell phone...your cable TV...your internet connection...your gym membership...your electrical service. But don’t go without insurance!
“Cancel my home’s electrical service??” I hear you sputter. “Have you lost your mind?”
Listen to me. You could temporarily live without electrical service in your home and your life would not be destroyed. But just have ONE insurance loss without coverage, and your financial life could easily be destroyed for the rest of your life.
A fire could wipe out your home or business. An auto accident could destroy your vehicle. If the accident is your fault, the claimant could sue you for damages, which could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In every example shown above, those people have homes, cars and businesses. In the area of auto ownership, every state in the USA and every Canadian province requires auto insurance by law. So, if you cancel your auto insurance, not only are you without coverage, but you are also committing a misdemeanor in most jurisdictions.
In addition, if your home, business or vehicle is financed, your lender requires you keep Property coverage on the property at all times. If the lender finds out that you have cancelled your coverage, they likely have the right to declare you in default on your loan, and require payment of the balance. They could repossess your car, home or business. At the very least, they could purchase coverage on your car, home or business property for the loan balance and charge you for it. This is called “forced-placed coverage,” and is very expensive, inferior coverage.
Before you make a choice to cancel your insurance policy, stop and consider getting insurance quotes that could lower your insurance premiums.
The process of getting insurance quotes is simple and IT COSTS YOU NOTHING! All you have to do is go online and use the search term “Insurance Quotes.” You’ll find hundreds of quote websites, all eager to get that quote for you.
Simply fill out an easy information form, giving the quote services details about what you want to insure and submit the form. Within minutes, you’ll begin receiving contacts from agents and insurance companies who want to compete for your business. Make sure that the coverage quoted are the same, and choose which vendor offers the best deal. Most times, the agent will do all the paperwork for you if you are switching from one company to another. Then, choose your new insurance company and breath easier with YOUR SAVINGS!!
An Insurance Quote website will get you great insurance quotes. Don't delay!!
In today’s economy millions of people have lost their jobs. Millions more will lose jobs as the economy worsens. Millions of unemployed persons have stopped looking for new jobs, which skews the national unemployment figures, and makes the unemployment rate appear smaller than it actually is.
Some people have had to accept pay cuts just to keep their jobs. Add to that the number of unemployed people who just closed an economy-sensitive business.
I have a good friend who is a home designer. She has been in business for over 25 years, and was a nationally-renowned designer. In 2008, her business stopped like turning off a water faucet. She has just gone out of business. Will her business ever come back? No one knows.
Colleges and universities across America just finished commencement ceremonies, where tens of thousands of young graduates got their degree and a handshake. However, job prospects look bleak for this graduating class. According to an ABC News story, last year over 51% of graduates had a job when they left school. This year, the number is only 20%. But they still live in homes and drive cars every day.
An increasing number of people are allowing their insurance policies to lapse, or they are cancelling them outright. They simply made a decision that they cannot pay the premiums anymore.
What a horrible and tragic decision! Cancel your cell phone...your cable TV...your internet connection...your gym membership...your electrical service. But don’t go without insurance!
“Cancel my home’s electrical service??” I hear you sputter. “Have you lost your mind?”
Listen to me. You could temporarily live without electrical service in your home and your life would not be destroyed. But just have ONE insurance loss without coverage, and your financial life could easily be destroyed for the rest of your life.
A fire could wipe out your home or business. An auto accident could destroy your vehicle. If the accident is your fault, the claimant could sue you for damages, which could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In every example shown above, those people have homes, cars and businesses. In the area of auto ownership, every state in the USA and every Canadian province requires auto insurance by law. So, if you cancel your auto insurance, not only are you without coverage, but you are also committing a misdemeanor in most jurisdictions.
In addition, if your home, business or vehicle is financed, your lender requires you keep Property coverage on the property at all times. If the lender finds out that you have cancelled your coverage, they likely have the right to declare you in default on your loan, and require payment of the balance. They could repossess your car, home or business. At the very least, they could purchase coverage on your car, home or business property for the loan balance and charge you for it. This is called “forced-placed coverage,” and is very expensive, inferior coverage.
Before you make a choice to cancel your insurance policy, stop and consider getting insurance quotes that could lower your insurance premiums.
The process of getting insurance quotes is simple and IT COSTS YOU NOTHING! All you have to do is go online and use the search term “Insurance Quotes.” You’ll find hundreds of quote websites, all eager to get that quote for you.
Simply fill out an easy information form, giving the quote services details about what you want to insure and submit the form. Within minutes, you’ll begin receiving contacts from agents and insurance companies who want to compete for your business. Make sure that the coverage quoted are the same, and choose which vendor offers the best deal. Most times, the agent will do all the paperwork for you if you are switching from one company to another. Then, choose your new insurance company and breath easier with YOUR SAVINGS!!
An Insurance Quote website will get you great insurance quotes. Don't delay!!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Auto Insurance: Is “Pay-As-You-Drive” The Next Big Thing?
Do you own a car and drive very little? Perhaps your situation is like this:
• You are elderly and only drive to and from the market.
• You live and work in a small town, or work close to your home.
• You travel a lot, and your car is parked at home for days or weeks at a time.
• You are in the military, and deployed outside the US for many months at a time.
• You own a pickup truck that you only use on weekends to run errands. (that’s me)
“Pay-As-You-Drive” (PAYD) is the concept of linking the amount you pay for auto insurance to the number of miles you drive each year. The more you drive, the more you pay. The less you drive, the less you would pay.
Drivers would gain the most savings from Liability and Collision coverage. If a person carried Comprehensive insurance (fire, theft, glass breakage, etc.) on their vehicle, that likely would not change much. A car doesn’t have to be moving for there to be damages under Comprehensive coverage.
There are various ways that insurers would verify mileage under a PAYD program. Some would use GPS tracking systems that automatically tabulate and report mileage. Some use odometer checks or maintenance records.
The concept is becoming more popular in many states. Some insurers are already offering PAYD discount programs in most states. For example, Progressive Insurance and GMAC Insurance presently offer PAYD policies. Progressive ties mileage verification to GPS, and GMAC uses the OnStar system built into many GM automobiles.
PAYD has gained a strong foothold in Europe, with insurers from the UK to Italy offering the program.
Giving people a financial reward for driving less is good ecological and social policy. As with any new program, the devil is in the details, but it is very clear that the “pros” far outweigh the “cons.”
Issues relating to the “Pay-As-You-Drive” concept include:
1. Insurers must give appropriate discounts
2. Discounts must be high enough to motivate people to drive less
3. Miles driven must be monitored without violating people’s privacy
The Brookings Institute issued a report in July 2008 that estimates that the universal adoption of pay-as-you-drive plans would lead to a savings of $270 per vehicle for two-thirds of American households.
Would an annual savings of $270 be a sufficient incentive for the average American to switch to PAYD insurance? The jury is still out.
Check with your insurance company to see if they presently offer PAYD coverage. Or, check with your insurance agent to see if he writes PAYD coverage. You could save some bucks!
• You are elderly and only drive to and from the market.
• You live and work in a small town, or work close to your home.
• You travel a lot, and your car is parked at home for days or weeks at a time.
• You are in the military, and deployed outside the US for many months at a time.
• You own a pickup truck that you only use on weekends to run errands. (that’s me)
“Pay-As-You-Drive” (PAYD) is the concept of linking the amount you pay for auto insurance to the number of miles you drive each year. The more you drive, the more you pay. The less you drive, the less you would pay.
Drivers would gain the most savings from Liability and Collision coverage. If a person carried Comprehensive insurance (fire, theft, glass breakage, etc.) on their vehicle, that likely would not change much. A car doesn’t have to be moving for there to be damages under Comprehensive coverage.
There are various ways that insurers would verify mileage under a PAYD program. Some would use GPS tracking systems that automatically tabulate and report mileage. Some use odometer checks or maintenance records.
The concept is becoming more popular in many states. Some insurers are already offering PAYD discount programs in most states. For example, Progressive Insurance and GMAC Insurance presently offer PAYD policies. Progressive ties mileage verification to GPS, and GMAC uses the OnStar system built into many GM automobiles.
PAYD has gained a strong foothold in Europe, with insurers from the UK to Italy offering the program.
Giving people a financial reward for driving less is good ecological and social policy. As with any new program, the devil is in the details, but it is very clear that the “pros” far outweigh the “cons.”
Issues relating to the “Pay-As-You-Drive” concept include:
1. Insurers must give appropriate discounts
2. Discounts must be high enough to motivate people to drive less
3. Miles driven must be monitored without violating people’s privacy
The Brookings Institute issued a report in July 2008 that estimates that the universal adoption of pay-as-you-drive plans would lead to a savings of $270 per vehicle for two-thirds of American households.
Would an annual savings of $270 be a sufficient incentive for the average American to switch to PAYD insurance? The jury is still out.
Check with your insurance company to see if they presently offer PAYD coverage. Or, check with your insurance agent to see if he writes PAYD coverage. You could save some bucks!
Monday, April 20, 2009
UK Vehicle Breakdown Coverage: Europeans Have The Advantage
You’re all familiar with insurance policies on your auto or commercial vehicle. Those policies exclude mechanical breakdown.
You’re all familiar with Road Service memberships, or Towing and Car Rental Endorsements that you place on your auto policies.
Well, European insurers have bridged the gap between those coverages with a product called “Breakdown Cover.” Breakdown Cover is a full Europe-wide rescue and recovery service for both breakdown and accident. It is not available in the USA..but should be.
Imagine going out for the day with the family to spend time together and your car breaks down on the way. This will ruin your plans and leave you by the road for hours until you can get the car fixed, not to mention costing a fortune. By adding Breakdown Cover to your auto policy, you can ensure that if your vehicle breaks down, you will be back on the road in the shortest amount of time. If your car cannot be fixed at the side of the road, you will be taken back home or to the garage where it will be fixed while you wait.
With Breakdown Cover, no matter what happens, help is less than an hour away.
If your vehicle is immobilized as a result of mechanical breakdown, fire, theft or attempted theft, Breakdown Cover will arrange and pay for:
• roadside repair (including one hour of labor) or recovery to a suitable repairer or your home
• up to one hour of assistance to try to repair the vehicle
• if the vehicle cannot be repaired at the scene, to arrange for it to be taken, with the driver and passengers, to a suitable garage for repair at your cost
• if the vehicle cannot be repaired the same day, it will arrange for:
- the vehicle, transport of the driver and up to six passengers to be taken home or to your destination and, at your request, the vehicle will be taken to a garage of your choice within 15 miles, or alternatively;
- we can provide one nights hotel accommodation for the driver and passengers, or
- a replacement hire vehicle for up to 24 hours
• chauffeur to your home if the sole driver is injured or ill and is unable to drive
• a message service, informing up to two people of your breakdown
• repatriation of driver, car and up to six passengers to your country, following an accident abroad, where the car cannot be repaired in time for your return home.
Don’t Be Misled! This Is More Than Towing Coverage
The main reason people do not add this inexpensive coverage to their Auto policy is that they think it’s just roadside assistance or towing service. But you can see here that Breakdown Cover is much more than towing coverage.
Strategy for Breakdown Cover for European Motorists
1. Call your insurance agent and add this valuable cover to your auto policy.
2. Go to any insurance quote service online and you’ll likely find Breakdown Cover. Simply fill out the online form to get a quote. Once you find the combination of best coverage and best price, purchase the Cover.
3. Once you receive your Breakdown Cover policy, take the time to read it carefully. It’s always best to know your coverage before you need to use it.
You’re all familiar with Road Service memberships, or Towing and Car Rental Endorsements that you place on your auto policies.
Well, European insurers have bridged the gap between those coverages with a product called “Breakdown Cover.” Breakdown Cover is a full Europe-wide rescue and recovery service for both breakdown and accident. It is not available in the USA..but should be.
Imagine going out for the day with the family to spend time together and your car breaks down on the way. This will ruin your plans and leave you by the road for hours until you can get the car fixed, not to mention costing a fortune. By adding Breakdown Cover to your auto policy, you can ensure that if your vehicle breaks down, you will be back on the road in the shortest amount of time. If your car cannot be fixed at the side of the road, you will be taken back home or to the garage where it will be fixed while you wait.
With Breakdown Cover, no matter what happens, help is less than an hour away.
If your vehicle is immobilized as a result of mechanical breakdown, fire, theft or attempted theft, Breakdown Cover will arrange and pay for:
• roadside repair (including one hour of labor) or recovery to a suitable repairer or your home
• up to one hour of assistance to try to repair the vehicle
• if the vehicle cannot be repaired at the scene, to arrange for it to be taken, with the driver and passengers, to a suitable garage for repair at your cost
• if the vehicle cannot be repaired the same day, it will arrange for:
- the vehicle, transport of the driver and up to six passengers to be taken home or to your destination and, at your request, the vehicle will be taken to a garage of your choice within 15 miles, or alternatively;
- we can provide one nights hotel accommodation for the driver and passengers, or
- a replacement hire vehicle for up to 24 hours
• chauffeur to your home if the sole driver is injured or ill and is unable to drive
• a message service, informing up to two people of your breakdown
• repatriation of driver, car and up to six passengers to your country, following an accident abroad, where the car cannot be repaired in time for your return home.
Don’t Be Misled! This Is More Than Towing Coverage
The main reason people do not add this inexpensive coverage to their Auto policy is that they think it’s just roadside assistance or towing service. But you can see here that Breakdown Cover is much more than towing coverage.
Strategy for Breakdown Cover for European Motorists
1. Call your insurance agent and add this valuable cover to your auto policy.
2. Go to any insurance quote service online and you’ll likely find Breakdown Cover. Simply fill out the online form to get a quote. Once you find the combination of best coverage and best price, purchase the Cover.
3. Once you receive your Breakdown Cover policy, take the time to read it carefully. It’s always best to know your coverage before you need to use it.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Car Insurance: Five Things to Do to When Shopping for Car Insurance
Shopping for car insurance can be confusing, frustrating and expensive. But you can save hundreds of dollars annually if you’ll use the strategies listed below.
Remember, folks. I’m an insurance adjuster. I’m the guy that keeps the promises that the insurance company makes. So, I bring a perspective to this topic that comes from years of handling insurance claims, not selling policies.
When I get a claim, it means someone who drives and owns a car bought car insurance. Then, something happened and there was a loss. Then, the policyholder submitted a claim to their insurance company.
But, at that point, the policy is already in place. The contract has been signed. The premium has been paid. This is NOT the time to find out that the coverage YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD is different from the contract.
Unfortunately, this is the most common moment when people find out their car insurance is not going to work like they had hoped. And do you know who it is who gets to break that news to the policyholder MOST OF THE TIME?
The Agent who sold the policy? No.
ME!! The Adjuster!
So, in an effort to help you buy the right car insurance, here are five tips when you are shopping for car insurance.
1. Get at least three quotes. Ask your friends, neighbors, relatives and co-workers who they have chosen for car insurance. Ask them for good and bad experiences. Five quotes would be better. Also, start shopping about three months before your renewal date, so that you have plenty of time to make a smart decision.
2. Choose high deductibles and high liability limits. Choose the highest deductible your budget will allow. Choose higher liability limits than just the minimum limits that state law requires. In today’s world, personal injury is expensive, and jury awards are always high. What happens if you only have $50,000 liability coverage, and a jury awards a claimant you injured $250,000?
3. In your quotes, make sure that all the coverages are as close to identical as possible. Agents are adept at switching around coverages to get the premium lower. Make sure you are comparing “apples with apples.”
4. Try to bundle your coverages with one company. Most insurance companies who write car insurance also write homeowners and renters insurance. They will give you significant discounts if you will place both your car and home insurance with one company. But, let your calculator be your guide.
5. Don’t do business with a company that gets a lot of complaints. Phone the Department of Insurance in your state. Ask them if they have a report that lists the number of complaints that they receive about insurance companies. (I just wrote an article about this recently, so I know that some states do have reports like that.) If the company you want to buy your car insurance from gets lots of complaints, DON”T USE THEM! Go on to another insurance company.
Well, that’s it for now. If you will use these strategies, you’ll buy your car insurance and save money. That will make you smarter than most people.
Remember this. Buying your car insurance wisely is best. However, at claim time, the insurance companies will not tell you the claims process that you should use to collect every dollar you are entitled to collect. But I will.
To find out more about how to take control of your insurance claims, and add hundreds or even thousands more dollars to your claim settlements, check out my website at: www.insurance-claim-secrets.com .
Remember, folks. I’m an insurance adjuster. I’m the guy that keeps the promises that the insurance company makes. So, I bring a perspective to this topic that comes from years of handling insurance claims, not selling policies.
When I get a claim, it means someone who drives and owns a car bought car insurance. Then, something happened and there was a loss. Then, the policyholder submitted a claim to their insurance company.
But, at that point, the policy is already in place. The contract has been signed. The premium has been paid. This is NOT the time to find out that the coverage YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD is different from the contract.
Unfortunately, this is the most common moment when people find out their car insurance is not going to work like they had hoped. And do you know who it is who gets to break that news to the policyholder MOST OF THE TIME?
The Agent who sold the policy? No.
ME!! The Adjuster!
So, in an effort to help you buy the right car insurance, here are five tips when you are shopping for car insurance.
1. Get at least three quotes. Ask your friends, neighbors, relatives and co-workers who they have chosen for car insurance. Ask them for good and bad experiences. Five quotes would be better. Also, start shopping about three months before your renewal date, so that you have plenty of time to make a smart decision.
2. Choose high deductibles and high liability limits. Choose the highest deductible your budget will allow. Choose higher liability limits than just the minimum limits that state law requires. In today’s world, personal injury is expensive, and jury awards are always high. What happens if you only have $50,000 liability coverage, and a jury awards a claimant you injured $250,000?
3. In your quotes, make sure that all the coverages are as close to identical as possible. Agents are adept at switching around coverages to get the premium lower. Make sure you are comparing “apples with apples.”
4. Try to bundle your coverages with one company. Most insurance companies who write car insurance also write homeowners and renters insurance. They will give you significant discounts if you will place both your car and home insurance with one company. But, let your calculator be your guide.
5. Don’t do business with a company that gets a lot of complaints. Phone the Department of Insurance in your state. Ask them if they have a report that lists the number of complaints that they receive about insurance companies. (I just wrote an article about this recently, so I know that some states do have reports like that.) If the company you want to buy your car insurance from gets lots of complaints, DON”T USE THEM! Go on to another insurance company.
Well, that’s it for now. If you will use these strategies, you’ll buy your car insurance and save money. That will make you smarter than most people.
Remember this. Buying your car insurance wisely is best. However, at claim time, the insurance companies will not tell you the claims process that you should use to collect every dollar you are entitled to collect. But I will.
To find out more about how to take control of your insurance claims, and add hundreds or even thousands more dollars to your claim settlements, check out my website at: www.insurance-claim-secrets.com .
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Insurance Companies Strike Gold in Illegal Immigrants!
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