How Good is Your Insurance?

After you have a wreck or hail damage is not the time to find out. Trust me, I’ve experienced both. A hailstorm destroyed my neighbors’ roofs and put a hurting on mine. By the time, my cut-rate insurance adjustor arrived most of my neighbors were getting new roofs. The adjustor attired in dress clothes and shoes climber the ladder and merely peeked at the steep roof. “No new roof for you,” he pronounced looking at a small section of the wet roof. He didn’t actually look at the roof and it was wet, which can fill in or gloss over some hail damage, which he probably knew. I followed him to his car pointing this out, and he said stiffly. “Just because your neighbors are getting new roofs, doesn’t mean you get one.” Well, I got one on my own dollar because I wanted to sell in the spring. Wait, wasn’t insurance supposed to protect me from these sorts of things. Maybe I went too cheap.

Another tale of woe this one from the auto viewpoint, our auto insurance was switched by my independent agent when buying a new house. I wasn’t sure why they switched it, but it was more expensive about $150 higher a month. That’s a big jump. I never got a clear reason behind this either. No wrecks, no speeding tickets, and four cars all over six years old, then my stepdaughter’s parked car was hit by a drunk driver. Despite the neighbor’s taking down the driver’s license of the offender, the insurance company has yet to do anything two months later. They don’t return my calls and tried to DROP me as a customer. I’ll drop them all right as soon as they pay the claim.

How do you know your company is on the level before you have a claim? Ask your friends, but make sure they filed a claim. I thought all my companies were okay before I filed a claim. Two friends’ houses burned down almost the same time. The first friend had no problem getting what she needed at the right price. The second friend was low-balled on everything. They would only give her fifty dollars to replace the wide screen television. After their modest house was restored to normal, they were hit by lightning destroying everything electronic. Company refused to pay told her she couldn’t have two disasters per year. Personal stories will help you select.

The big difference on the two women’s houses was replacement value clause. For about $71 dollars more a year, replacement value actually pays what it costs to replace an item. Another deal on homeowners if your house is destroyed by fire, you’ll have to pay to have the site cleared before rebuilding. This can cost you several thousand dollars make sure your coverage covers this.

Car insurance is an expensive item, but needed. Many commercials advertised cheap insurance, and it is pretty much that. Always have uninsured motor coverage because most of the people who hit you are uninsured. Some out the uninsured rates as high as 50%. There are ways to lower your rates even if you have teenagers.

Good grades this help out with your children, along with them taking online driving surveys to prove their driving skills. I believe anyone can pass these tests, so don’t worry. Multi-car discounts plus clustering with your homeowners will bring the rate down.

Make sure you have at least 100,000 on medical for each individual. Hospital expenses will run through 50,000 in no time. It sounds high but a few more dollars a month that will save you from bankruptcy.

Can you afford to replace your car if it is totaled? I can't so I carry full coverage on a paid for car. If the worst happens and the car is totaled at least I'll be able to get some type of replacement. The difference for me was about $20 a month.

Please don’t pick your friend or relative for an agent. If you do you might expect them to do superhuman feats to get you what is owed you, they’ll disappoint, and your relationship will be strained. The nature of an insurance company is to deny claims. Do you want to find someone who has a good record? Free Advice, a consumer site allows customers to rate their experiences with various insurance companies. Commercials aren’t your friend in picking out a company, and independent agents aren’t either. Please investigate on your own first. Don’t go to the insurance’s own site for advice because it would not be beneficial for them to report bad service.