Posted by PegiT_MN on 10/17/12 11:31am
Msg #438908

Automobile Insurance

As many of you know, I was in a car accident last Friday afternoon while out doing my signings. I went to the doctor and I am going to be okay. I was very stiff and sore, but I am feeling so much better now and I want to thank everyone here at Notary Rotary for your well wishes.

The purpose of this post is not about my accident, but rather to encourage everyone to review your automobile insurance policies and make sure you have adequate coverage. This business requires us to be out on the roads every day with all kinds of crazies and while we may be the most careful of drivers, it doesn't mean that we can't get into an accident when you have some nut job speeding, changing lanes, not paying attention, etc.

In my case, it was a three car accident and they already know I was not the one at fault. However, until the insurance companies determine liability between the other two drivers, my own insurance policy has kicked in for my immediate expenses which has included a rental car until my car can either be repaired or they total it.....it's going to be close they say. I did not have car rental coverage and I have had to pay more than $300 out of my pocket for car rental. It's not that I didn't have the money.....it's that the accident was not my fault and I feel that someone else should be picking up this tab. Eventually I will get reimbursed, but for right now it is an inconvenience.

Yesterday I contacted my insurance company and had them review my current policy with me line item by line item. I added car rental, roadside assistance, lowered by deductible, and raised some of my medical coverage.

I just wanted to pass this information on to everyone here at Notary Rotary. Call your insurance agent and review your automobile insurance coverage.

Reply by ikando on 10/17/12 11:49am
Msg #438909

Peggy, glad to hear you're on the mend.

I think it's a good idea to routinely review all insurance policies. Paying monthly sometimes we forget exactly what we're paying for, and circumstances change.

One thing I did on my auto policy was to raise the uninsured motorist portion. My rationale is, in my area, there are MANY people who only carry insurance when it's time to renew their tag, then they cancel it. Uninsured coverage will help pay for MY medical and other expenses.

As for rental car and roadside assistance, if you're a member of AAA or similar organization, those are options you'll want to check so that you don't duplicate coverage.

Reply by sigtogo/OR on 10/17/12 11:50am
Msg #438910

thanks for thinking of us Pegi while in the midst of

recovering physically and financially from your accident. good advice.

Reply by Karla/OR on 10/17/12 12:00pm
Msg #438912

Thanks for the heads-up on checking our individual insurance policy for coverage - a great idea!

Glad to hear you are doing better.

Reply by Barb25 on 10/17/12 12:24pm
Msg #438914

Well, first glad to hear that you went to the doctor and he gave you a good report and glad you are on the mend.

You bring up a good point. Just recently I found out that somehow some of the coverages that I had for years were dropped. Why I have no idea except that I asked my agent to look and see if we could cut some costs. Dropping car rental and increasing deductibles was not what I had in mind. Anyhow, that appears to be what happened. I have car rental back on. It is so inexpensive. I can't imagine that I would want to be without it. I have dropped some coverages that are covered by my medical insurance already. That is what works for me.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 10/17/12 12:29pm
Msg #438915

"I have dropped some coverages that are covered by my medical insurance already."

Keep a couple things in mind with this:

1. In FL, $10,000 PIP coverage is mandatory;

2. If you're involved in an accident and incur medical bills your health insurance kicks in when the PIP is exhausted - however, whatever your health insurance pays on your behalf for treatment of those injuries has to be paid back to the insurer at time of settlement. Medpay does NOT have to be paid back;

Reply by Barb25 on 10/17/12 12:47pm
Msg #438917

I kept the mandatory of course. I don't know exactly what option we chose but went over things pretty carefully. It has gotten to the point that it would be nice to insure, insure insure. But there reaches a time when you have to make decisions that are educated (IMO) and calculated "risks" if you will. We live in a wonderful society where we have to take out insurance against people who don't have insurance. Ain't life grand?

Having said that, I will check again to make certain I get any bad advice or make bad choices.

Reply by Art_PA on 10/17/12 4:25pm
Msg #438950

2 Things:

1. It may pay to carry more than the minimum for replacement vehicle. $50/day give you the option to get a 4wd vehicle if you need it, or just something better than the $30 compact. After an accident last year the $50 got me a Mercedes which was much nicer than the Focus or Corolla $30/day cars.

2. More important is to review your coverages and to check out other companies (not the crappy cheapo ones which advertise but give you a difficult time when you make a claim). We save $$$$$s on our cars & house 2 years ago. You may want to ask your local body shop which companies are easy to deal with, and which do not try to repair your car with used or aftermarket parts.

Reply by NVLSlady/VA on 10/17/12 7:00pm
Msg #438970

See if your insur agent will feature your story in an upcoming newsletter or ask he/she could put you on their webpage of "What Ifs." Or, do your own psa/press release about Why IT pays to Review Coverage. Might be your agent will help pick up the ad cost.

After all the headache and inconvenience, might as well try and get a little publicity out of it (:

Reply by Yoli/CA on 10/17/12 7:58pm
Msg #438978

Thanks for the reminder!

I've been with AAA forever. My policy comes up for renewal in November. Had just received Policy Declarations and meant to call to question rise in premium. But, hadn't.

Picked up the phone and come to find out my premium went up $128 per year due to increased mileage from previous policy. Explained to them I had relocated middle of last year and prior to that I had been traveling to current location, seeking a new residence, almost on a weekly basis (about 125 miles each way) for about 2-3 months. She recalculated my premium to the former rate.

ALSO -- and, I know the vast majority of my fellow NotRotters are NOT in this category, but, I am -- we noticed I didn't have the "mature driver" discount. I am in the process of taking the online course. When complete and I pass the test, I will be issued a completion certificate to be sent in to AAA and I'll get an additional ~$50 discount. Good for 3 years. The online course cost: $15.95. Made sense to me.

Reply by MW/VA on 10/17/12 9:30pm
Msg #438994

Hope you're feeling better, Peg. While we're on the

subject, NR now offers auto & home insurance in most states. If you check the "Home" page they have a drawing for an I-Pad just for faxing over any existing policy. I did. I'd like to see if they can give me a better rate on my auto policy, anyway.
BTW, I do have rental car coverage. I'm a single gal, and have to make sure I'm covered.