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You’re out for a Sunday drive. Windows down. Breathing in the crisp fall air. Soaking up the sun’s rays. You arrive at a four-way stop. As always, you come to a complete stop, look left, right and left again. You ease off the break and start rolling forward.  CRASH!  A massive SUV clips the rear of your sedan sending you off the road in a tailspin. You finally stop, take a deep breath and think to yourself, “My first car accident! I don’t know what to do in a car accident.  What now?!”

Before you get behind the wheel, you need to be prepared for the unexpected.  Motor vehicle accidents happen every moment of every day. Are you up on car accident law and car accident insurance claims? Do you know what to do if someone is injured? If you’ve never been in one, you probably don’t know what to do after a car accident.   Here are the top five Dos and Don’ts.

What to Do After an Auto Accident (and What Not to Do Too!)

1

Do Don’t

Survey the situation, and call 911 if anyone is injured. Don’t panic.

2

Do Don’t

Contact the police and have them fill out a report.   Don’t share personal info or insurance info with anyone but the police officer.

3

Do Don’t

Get witnesses and leave the cars where they are. Don’t leave the scene of the accident.

4

Do Don’t

Limit discussion of the accident to only police officers or your insurance agent. Don’t discuss fault or liability at the scene.

5

Do Don’t

Report both major and minor motor vehicle accidents to your insurance agent.    Don’t forget to review insurance coverage, next steps and auto accidents claims.

 

What Can You Do Before an Auto Accident? Prepare!

Now that you know what to do, car accident preparation should be your next step. Keep up-to-date insurance papers, a pen, paper in your car at all times.  For the ultimate in preparation, get your hands on a nifty auto accident report folder.   Contact our agency for your Auto Accident Report Folder. You can never be too prepared.

Adding my teen driver to our policy will cost me HOW MUCH?!

Parents shell out an average of more than $2,500 each year to allow their teens to drive, according to poll conducted by Harris Interactive. In fact, the National Safety Council states that teen car insurance for a girl will cause the family car insurance to likely double, and for a boy it will likely to triple (the general view is that boys are more reckless drivers than girls). 

Why this spike in rates, you ask? Drivers ages 15 to 19 tend to get into more accidents than older drivers and have little driving experience. So, even if you have a clean record, your rates reflect the overall teen track record. There are ways to decrease rates on car insurance for teenagers, but buying a car for the teen and putting them on their own policy normally isn't one of them.

So how can parents of teenage drivers reduce the teenage auto insurance costs?

Saving on Teen Auto Insurance

It’s exciting when you pass the car keys over to your teenage driver. But adding insurance for teens to your policy can cause your rates to rise. Follow these tips to help keep your premiums low when dealing with auto insurance for teens and high-risk car insurance.

1. Drive Wisely. Teens have the physical ability to react quickly, but they may not have developed the skills to scan the road and anticipate what might happen. For those who’ve been driving for less than three years, a discount on auto insurance for teenagers is available to young drivers who’ve completed a six-hour road training course that helps you avoid distractions and drive smarter.
2. Be a good student. Many insurance companies offer discounts on auto insurance for teen drivers who get good grades. If you’re a full-time student under the age of 25 maintaining a B average in the most recent semester or cumulative, you can save big on teens car insurance.
3. Keep it in the family. Discounts earned by the adults in a household can be applied to a teen driver. You can save up to 25% on premiums with multi-car, multi-policy and financial responsibility discounts reducing the costs greatly with car insurance for teenager drivers.
4. Take a defensive driving course.  In some situations, especially if your young driver has been involved in an accident or traffic violation, having your teen driver complete an approved defensive driver courses can be well worth the cost.
5. Save by Paying. Sometimes, the method of payment you use can save you money. A simple change to monthly auto pay can create savings when dealing with auto insurance for teens.  

Best advice when you need to buy or renew your auto insurance is to remember that as in most purchases, “You get what you pay for.” Especially when shopping for the auto insurance, going after the cheapest deal could mean trouble.

What’s all the talk about saving money on car insurance lately? How can you know what’s best for you? In this economy price is important, but when it comes to buying car insurance, cheaper is not usually better. Here are the 5 Factors we believe you need to keep in mind in getting the best auto insurance:

1. Price – Sure, nowadays everyone is looking for a bargain, and we’ve all heard some insurance companies promising big savings. Save here, save there, save on this, save on that. Truth is, in the same breath, there is little discussion of coverage and service, two essential factors that matter, especially when you have a claim.
    
2. Price – Yes, it’s here again. When you consider that you’re probably paying your car insurance bill each month, promises of big savings are attractive. Keeping to a budget means saving anywhere you can. If someone tells you you’ll save big money, you’re likely to pay attention.
    
3. Price – But hold on....there’s more. Price is an important factor when buying auto insurance, but is it the most important one, and does low cost really save you when it counts? Well, you have to look closer.
    
4. Coverage – It’s true, coverage from one policy may be as good as another. But not always. Coverage matters when it matters. Think about personal liability, uninsured or underinsured motorists causing an accident, damage to property, medical expenses, car repairs, rental car costs, the possibility of a lawsuit. You should consider all of these factors and consider how important they are to you.
    
   Discounted auto policies sound good. Right, but you could wind up paying less and getting less.  The smart approach is to look for value with innovative auto policy features that matter when you need them most. Today there are many things to consider when buying auto insurance beyond the required coverages. You could be eligible for real savings based on your safe driving experience, car safety features, young driver and senior driver discounts and more.
    
5. Service – It’s true, service matters. And can vary from company to company. Your local insurance agent will take the time to understand your specific needs and recommend an auto policy that’s best for you. The relationship you develop with your agent can make a difference. It’s comforting to know that your agent is there when needed.

Ask yourself, “Am I really saving money on a low cost policy?” Consider the value, when you need it, of all that your local insurance agent provides. It’s in your best interest.