Personal Auto Insurance Coverage

Automobiles, motorcycles, boats, and RV’s are major purchases, and need the proper coverage both for collision and liability reasons. Auto insurance rates vary from carrier to carrier. Please allow one of our trained professionals to search for the best policy for your individual needs. We’ll make sure we’ve secured all the discounts you are entitled to.

New auto insurance discounts include but are not limited to:

  1. Home and Auto with same company – Account Credit

  2. Driver Training Credits

  3. Special Discounts for Hybrid or Electric cars

  4. Good Students Discounts

  5. Loyalty Discounts

Generally speaking, most personal auto policies provide the following basic coverage:

  • Bodily Injury Liability - Covers accidental injury or death of another person if caused by you in an automobile related accident.

  • Property Damage Liability - Covers accidental damage to other people’s property if caused by you in an automobile related accident.

  • Collision - Covers you for damage to your car in an accident, regardless of who was at fault.

  • Other Than Collision - Covers your car against damage from fire, lightning, flood, theft, glass breakage, falling objects, and other specified perils.

  • Medical Payments - Covers you and your family in any car, and anyone riding in your car for medical expenses resulting from an accident.

  • Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist - Covers bodily injury suffered by you, your family and anyone riding in your car against the uninsured / underinsured.  Uninsured Motorists Property Damage can also be purchased to cover your vehicle if you do not have comprehensive or collision coverage.

Money Saving Tips for Auto Insurance

  1. Buy a “Low Profile” Car.Before you buy a new or used car, check into insurance costs. Cars that are expensive to repair, or that are favorite targets for thieves, have much higher insurance costs.

  2. Consider Insurance Cost When Making a Move. Costs tend to be lowest in rural communities and highest in cities where there is more traffic congestion.

  3. Inquire About Other Discounts. Some insurers offer discounts for having multiple cars insured with them, anti-theft devices, good driving records, driver training courses,  passive restraints, low mileage, and for drivers over 65.

  4. Ask for Higher Deductibles. Deductibles represent the amount of money you pay for a given claim. By requesting higher deductibles on collision and comprehensive coverage, you can lower your costs substantially. For example, increasing your deductible from $500 to $1,000 could reduce your collision and comprehensive cost by 15% to 30%.

  5. Drop Collision and/or Comprehensive Coverage on Older Cars. It may not be cost-effective to have collision or comprehensive coverage on cars worth less than $3,000 because any claim you make would not substantially exceed annual cost and deductible amounts. Auto dealers and banks can tell you the worth of your car.  You can also go to Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com or NADA www.nada.com to find out a value of your car.

  6. Take Advantage of Low Mileage Discounts. Some companies offer discounts to motorists who drive less than a predetermined number of miles per year.

FAQ

How does my driving record affect my insurance premium?

Answer: The premium you pay is a direct reflection of your driving record for the past three to five years depending on the insurance company. Insurance companies order driving records from the DMV of your residence state and from other states where you've been licensed. Statistics show that drivers with tickets and accidents are more likely to have accidents than drivers with clean records.

My son/daughter has their temporary driver's license; do I need to add them to our policy?

Some companies require you to add your young drivers once they receive their temporary driver's license while others will add them only when they receive their permanent license. A few, however, require that the child be listed at age 16, even if they have not yet received their permanent license. Just give us a call when your child is about to get their temps and we can advise you what we will need to do.

Whose policy pays for an accident with a borrowed car?

If you lend your car to a friend and your friend has an accident, it may be your insurance that would pay a loss first. It would depend on the insurance company that issued your policy. One company’s policy may state: "the insurance follows the car"; while another company’s policy states "the driver’s insurance is the primary coverage" even though you own the vehicle involved.

Should I purchase rental agency coverage for rental cars?

If you have collision and comprehensive ("other than collision") coverage on your own car, you are most likely covered for actual cash value if you're traveling within the continental United States.  It would be important for you to check with the rental car company’s agreement to see if they require you repair their car for actual cash value or replacement value.  If they require replacement value, we recommend you purchase their coverage. 

What is Lease Loan Gap Coverage?

If you are thinking about leasing or buying a new car, you might consider adding Lease Loan Gap (LLG) Coverage to your auto policy. LLG Coverage is an extension of your auto's physical damage coverage.

Ordinarily, your comprehensive and collision coverage provides you with up to the actual cash value (the vehicle's cost minus depreciation) in the event of a total loss. When you sign a lease or loan agreement, you may be obligating yourself for an amount higher than the vehicle's actual cash value.

LLG Coverage protects you from out-of-pocket expense when such a "gap" occurs. Although there are some limitations, LLG Coverage will pay up to your lease or loan amount if your car is stolen or if the cost of repairs is greater than its salvage value. Contact our office and we'd be happy to discuss this coverage further.

Note: Some car dealers may provide gap coverage as part of the lease agreement -- check your particular contract for details.

Does an insurance quote affect my credit score?

When an insurance company does a credit inquiry to price an insurance policy, it usually does not affect a consumer's credit rating. While the inquiry does appear on the credit report, it is clearly identified as an insurance company that checked. Most reputable lending institutions realize that you're not borrowing money from that insurance company and will ignore that entry on your credit report.

If a cellular phone is stolen from my car (or along with my car if it is stolen), is the phone covered by my auto insurance?

No, it is not unless the phone is permanently installed and powered by the car's electrical system. You may want to check with your cellular phone's service provider to see what type of insurance coverage they provide in the event the cellular phone is lost, stolen or broken.  In fact, items that are not permanently installed in your vehicle may be considered personal property and could to be submitted under your home or renters policy but would be subject to your homeowner’s deductible.

If I don't own a car, why do I need to carry insurance?

If you are a licensed driver in the state of Ohio, whether you own a vehicle or not, you must carry automobile liability insurance which includes your Bodily Injury, Property Damage, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists, and Medical Payments to others. A Non Owned Automobile Policy will give you these coverage’s at a reduced price. However, you are only covered in vehicles you do not own or have daily access to and there is no physical damage coverage for the vehicle itself.