Mark Sanchez: Last week I bought a brand-new 2011 Honda Fit Sport, and last night all four of my car rims and tires were stolen.  The base of the car is damaged; I guess from dropping it on the concrete after taking the tires.  Also, the side spoiler and body kit, which came with the car, are damaged.  Will my comprehensive insurance cover the damage to the car or only pay for the stolen rims and tires?

Response : Mark,  your auto comprensive coverage  should cover both the rims and tires being stolen off your new Honda Fit as well as the body damage.

The damage was done during the act of a thief, so it would be covered under your comprehensive insurance coverage. The issue that may arise is if any of the body kits are custom and your insurance company wasn’t made aware of when you placed your new vehicle on your car insurance policy.

When a car has body kits or custom parts added on to it, it’s prudent that you alert your auto insurance provider to that fact and make sure these parts are covered and don’t invalidate any part of your car insurance policy.

If these kits were put on by the manufacturer and are standard parts for your model type, or installed by the dealer as part of the original sale, then likely they will be covered, but it’s something to discuss with your car insurance company when you make your auto insurance claim.

If your rims were custom, and not stock from the manufacturer, then you’ll need to speak with your insurer to make sure their theft will be totally covered by your comprehensive coverage.

If your car’s parts weren’t custom, then they should be covered without issue. If they were custom, though, it’s possible that you would need custom parts and equipment coverage to cover them fully. This is added coverage that you pay extra for so that your custom parts are covered by your physical damage coverages.  Without this coverage, you may only be covered for the monetary value of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts instead of the custom parts you have on your vehicle.

In some car insurance policies your collision and comprehensive coverages automatically give you up at least $1,000 of custom parts and equipment coverages, which would be the deductible. Find out what the deductible is on your auto insurance policy. You can pay a little higher auto insurance premium if you do not want a deductible on the policy.

Besides this some insurance company would pay you for the cost of replacing a standard auto part and not necessarily a customized part and hence you can buy an extra warranty which would give you the difference between the cost of a standard part and a company geneuie part.

Hopefully you’ll be fully covered but to find out, first have a police report taken on the incident, if you haven’t already done so, and then make your comprehensive insurance claim . Your company will tell you what is covered, minus your deductible, since ultimately the terms of your policy and the guidelines of your insurer will dictate what coverage you have for these items.

Get your cheap teen auto insurnace quote here.

Thanks.

Kamlesh

I am a teen driver- what is accident forgiveness? Should I opt for this?

Accident forgiveness with teen auto insurance

Response :An excellent question. Basically, I would be in favor of teenagers, new drivers or young drivers wanting to go for accident forgivness, this is one sure way to keep your car insurance low rather than getting into the high risk zone very very early if you get involved in an accident.

First lets get the facts about Accident Forgiveness with relation to teen auto insurance ?

Your car insurance rate is based on a number of factors. One of the most crucial is your driving record including whether you have had speeding tickets, moving violations or an actual collision. This risk you pose is considered high risk to the insurer. This would determine how much they require you to pay. If the insurer offers accident forgiveness it is an incentive to purchase your insurance policy from them. Possibly, this will convince you to switch your coverage from another insurance company to their insurance company.

Teen car insurance and Accident Forgiveness
An offer of accident forgiveness is not the company overlooking the fact someone has an accident on his or her record. It is however, an offer to compute the amount you will pay for insurance without including that fact in the computation. This is a good reason for you to take out insurance from them to save money over insurance from a company that does not offer accident forgiveness.
It is not a way to remove your accident history from your record. If, at a later time you decide to change to another insurer, the accident may not be “forgiven” when that insurance company calculates your premium. This is a good incentive for you to stay with the insurer that does offer it. If enough drivers take their business to them, they will actually profit from giving this price break.
How much would the car insurance cost reduce by ?
As you may know, only liability car insurance is required by law. This protects the other driver in case of accident. You may elect to purchase collision coverage, which covers your own vehicle’s damage. This usually includes fire and theft coverage as well as towing insurance. Therefore, you must analyze the entire cost when comparing prices from company to company. The insurer who includes accident forgiveness does not necessarily charge the lowest premium for your total insurance package.
Eligibility for the accident forgiveness feature is not automatic. Not every driver is going to qualify to receive it. Different insurance companies may have different requirements.
However, do not forget that the cost of this additional coverage would be taken into consideration by the present insurer and also in order to get this benefit you would have to stick with the present insurer for a definite period of time. You might be missing on the other cheap car insurance options by other insurers. Think wisely before you take the step on this.
Get your cheap car insurance quote here. Let me know if you still have any concerns.

Thanks.
Kamlesh

heather locklear: My car has meet with an accident. How would the insurance company decide on the auto insurance claim.? Would my auto insurance rate change?

How car insurance companies decide on the auto insurance claim.

Response : Great question Heather. This is a very common question for most people. Your auto insurance is not cost effective to get your heavily damaged vehicle on the road again decide after an accident.

Instead, the insurer can carries an amount of present value of the vehicle.

If someone else in you crashed, you will probably make a claim on this person auto insurance. If you are by your own car – crash in a tree or some other mishap damaged “You need collision insurance to compensate by your auto insurance.”

How to determine an auto insurance of the vehicle value exactly?

“The important thing to remember is that you could have in essence similar cars differently measured” depending on of their State, says Rick Ward, Director of auto claims for MetLife Auto & home.

If you find a value, the insurer advises publications, which depreciated car values listed. It can go online or visit the car dealer to find out the current prices of comparable brands and models.

Provides an insurer a low cash value for your vehicle a total loss, get you to pay to buy an existing auto loan or another vehicle might not have enough money of the claim.

To challenge such a decision, and get a higher settlement, you have to prove the automatic. Age and mileage are important factors, but good maintenance and mechanical upgrades can increase an older car value.

Insurers often declare a total loss, if the present value of the vehicle exceeds 80 percent of the cost of repairs, but there is not only an industry standard, says Peter Foley, Vice President of business administration at the American International Association trade group claims.

Insurers must often total loss policy set state insurance departments.

Some drivers believe that their motor insurance, entitling them, repairing a vehicle, regardless of the extent of the damage. But not everyone is struggling, save a badly mangled car from the scrap heap.

Some drivers can their cars total losses like explains, if they, that the damage is so much fear that security is compromise. But if you do not agree, amount insurer’s assessment you sure that your reasoning is based on facts, says Ward.

“Information available that have justified your request”, says Ward.

You, that to check Internet sites – such as NADAguides.com – to the selling prices of similar brands and models. If you have no agreement on the car in value, you can submit protest with your auto insurance provider, says Ward.

Most disputes are settled amicably. If an agreement cannot be reached, consumers often take the matter of the State Insurance Department, which deals with formal complaints against insurance companies

When shopping for car insurance, questions about the process for the settlement of disputes. Some car insurance a formal arbitration you outline an impasse over the value of a damaged vehicle should reach, says Ward.

“This means that an independent third party review your case,” he says. It is, some individual companies may contain them not part of the default automatic.

A ruling may be either binding or non-binding. Your auto insurance is represented probably by legal counsel, so hiring an experienced attorney.

Your auto insurance rate

Your auto insurance rate would be higher in the next renewal since the insurance company would consider the cost of the claim and also the fact that you are not a precautious driver. As per the insurance companies statastics a driver who has an accident is more likely to have another one within the next three years and besides they get three years within which to recover the amount for the claim, hence loading contionus mostly for 3 years, some insurance comapnies want the loading for 6 years.

You can always compare car insruance your teen car insurance or young drivers car insurance here and get the best quote.

Cheap Car Insurance –do you have these  Safety Features?

Looking for cheap car insurances – do you have these Safety features? Check them out since in calculating what you pay as premium, insurers take a lot of factors into consideration. Therefore, if you want affordable car insurance, you’d have to be on the right side of those factors. In this article, I’ll go deep into safety features and which you should endeavor to have in your car  if want to pay a lot less… A Video On General Road Safety Tips…

Safety features in your automobile reduce the likelihood of claims and, where claims are made, reduce the amount  claimed. Therefore, they reduce the risk an insurer assumes by insuring you. But which are worthy of your time and investment?

1. Airbags: You know those bags that spring open when there is a crash, don’t you? Apart from keeping you safer while you’re in a vehicle, it helps cut down your rate.

2. Anti-Lock Brakes: These prevent your wheels from locking if you slam on your brake. This gives you more control in difficult situations and also reduces your stopping distance. Although NOT all states make it mandatory for insurers to give discounts to policyholders who have this feature in their cars, you’ll do well to discuss with your agent if you car has this.

3. Theft-Deterrent Features: Car alarms and keyless entries fall into this category. Thieving rats will generally think twice before going for vehicles with such features.

4. Automatic seat belts: Apart from the fact that seat belts are required by law, some vehicles go further by adding a feature that makes it impossible for you to ride in them without wearing the seatbelts. Discuss with your agent if your car has such extra feature.

5. Etch Your VIN. Having your VIN etched on your windows will help deter thieves as this will make it difficult for them to resell stolen items.

I know folks who have their VIN etched onto their fenders/bumpers. Just go ahead and do it wherever it makes sense — Just don’t disfigure your car.

All these safety devices will help cut down your auto insurance rate. But the question is “by how much?” This depends on the insurer…

Different insurers have different relevancy scores for the different factors that are used to determine your rate. Therefore, get cheap teen auto insurance or cheap car insurance here.

Season greetings – stay warm and happy.

Kamlesh

Once all the formalities of the accident are complete on the road and  your car needs to be fixed the question of how car insurance companies decide whether to fix your car or how much the insurance company is going to give you.

Lets first discuss how car insurance companies decide whether to fix your car, step by step:

First the insurance company would ask you for your personal details about the car, where you live and verify the policy period and the coverage you have. Once they confirm that your policy is in force and you have coverage – if it is a comphrensive policy the insurance company would fix your car. The insurance companies claim representative would either ask you for information where your vehicle is and come and verify the car details, or would send a surrveyor to the garage to evaluate the loss or assess the loss. Some insurance companies have the list of their own repaires and would ask you to get the vehicle repaired in the named repair shop immediately.  In this case there is no delay in repairing your vehicle. Remember that the insurance company is also interested in getting your vehicle repaired immediately since most of them do pay your rental charges till your car is repaired.

Car insurance would be worthwhile for you since you would get help and also the cost of repairing your vehicle from them. You must compare your teen car insurance or auto insurance comparison here now if you have not done so.

How much would the insurance company pay you for repairs?

For repairs of the vehicle for partial damage

The car insurance company would pay you the rental charges and also the cost of repair of the car when there is partal damage to the car. The insurance company would at times give you the cost of orginal parts of brand of your car, if they can get other parts for cheaper. Secondly, you would have to pay your deductible amount in case of a collision.

Besides, the insurance company would also not pay for painting the whole car but only for the part that is damaged. So you might have to bear the cost for repainting the whole car on your own.

How much would insurance company pay for total loss of vehicle

When the car insurance companies finds that the cost of repairing the car is more than 80% of the market value of the car, they would consider the car as a total loss and prefer to pay you considering the vehicle as a toatal loss. When total loss is considered the market value of the car would be arrrived at and depreciation on the vehicle also applied. The insurance company would mostly consider the value of the car based on Kelly blue book. Also the insurance companies need to follow the state insurance guidelines for settlement of a total loss.

In case you do not agree to the amount that the insruance company offers, you can first contact their grieveance department or you can ask the state insurance department to interven. If the matter is not settled there it would go for attribtration and you need to get a good lawyer.

What is most important is that once you have the coverage, insurance companies would settle the claim.  There are some companies which are very good at settling the insurance claims and hence you can easily and have excellent customer service.

Get your cheap teen auto insurance quote here – we have the leading insurance companies offers who have good customer service.