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You can lower your insurance rates!
A lot of factors can influence your insurance premium, including ( but
not limited to) your driving record, age, gender, type of car you drive,
grades and where you live. Here's how you can keep your insurance affordable:
Stay ticket and accident free.
Moving violations and at-fault accidents could cost you alot of money or even
your policy!
Choose the right vehicle.
Choose to purchase a safe durable vehicle in good condition. Remember, muscle
cars and sports cars are expensive to insure, if you can even get insurance.
It pays to stay insured.
If insurance seems like a hassle, consider the costly alternative! You could
lose your car, savings, possessions, or a portion of your wages if you have
an accident while uninsured. You could also jeopardize family member's assets
and property.
Smart driving can save you more than just money... It can save lives.
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Your auto insurance is really a package of several primary coverages,
which together make up a standard auto policy. Each of these coverages
has its own separate premium. There also are other add-on coverages.
Bodily Injury Liability
This provides protection if you injure or kill someone while operating
your car. This is coverage you want to keep at a consistent level, even
as your car gets older and declines in value. In the event of a serious
accident, you want enough insurance (higher limits) to protect assets
that may become subject to a lawsuit. This coverage is mandatory in
Washington State for a minimum of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per
accident.
Property Damage Liability
This provides protection
for the damage you cause to the property of
others. Although this coverage is mandatory in Washington State for a
minimum limit of $10,000, it is important to keep in mind that there are
many autos that you could severely damage or even cause total loss that
have a value in excess of $10,000.
Uninsured/Underinsured Bodily Injury (UIM BI)
This pays for injuries
caused to you and your passengers by an uninsured
driver, an unknown driver (hit and run) or someone not carrying enough
coverage to pay the losses.
Why do we buy uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage when Washington
State law requires all drivers to be insured?
Unfortunately, there are
a small percentage of drivers who are not
insured. Some individuals just choose to "risk it" while others may not
have sent in their insurance payment on time or by some oversight have
allowed their policy to lapse. We must protect ourselves in case we are
involved in an accident caused by one of these drivers. It is also
possible that even an insured driver may not have enough coverage to pay
all of your property damage or medical costs.
This coverage is generally recommended but not mandatory and can be rejected by your
signed acknowledgement.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Property Damage (UIM PD)
This pays for damage
caused by individuals described in the UIM BI
section who cause damage to your auto or other property. It is written
only in conjunction with UIM BI but is also not mandatory and can be
rejected by your signed acknowledgement. You should always carry a
limit as high as the maximum value of your most expensive auto.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)/Medical Payments
This coverage is not
intended to cover 100% of your medical needs.
Although state law now requires companies to offer PIP up to $35,000,
this still may not cover the extent of your injuries and those of your
passengers. We recommend additional personal medical insurance either
through a group (such as your employer) or an individual plan.
This coverage although generally recommended is not mandatory in
Washington State and can be rejected by your signed acknowledgement.
Collision Coverage
This pays for damage by
collision or upset to your auto regardless of
who causes the accident. The cost of this coverage can be reduced by
increasing the minimum deductible which varies among the companies.
This coverage is not mandatory and should be reviewed with your agent
each renewal period as your auto decreases in value with age.
Comprehensive Coverage
This pays for damage to
your vehicle caused by an event other than
collision or upset, such as fire, theft, glass breakage or vandalism.
Most companies offer this coverage only in conjunction with collision
but there are exceptions.
The cost of this coverage can be reduced by increasing the minimum
deductible which varies among the companies. This coverage is not
mandatory and should be reviewed with your agent each renewal period as
your auto decreases in value with age.
Rental Reimbursement
Coverage for a rental
car while your auto is being repaired due to a
covered loss is available through some companies. Ask your agent to
inform you of the availability, coverage and cost with the specific
company the agent is quoting.
Towing and Labor
This emergency road
service coverage usually inclues fuel outages, stuck
in mud/snow, lock out and flat tires etc. It covers the labor only at
the site of the breakdown. It does not cover materials such as gas,
tire patches, etc. Some companies do not offer this coverage.
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