6 million auto accidents per year in the United States alone, there’s a good chance that you or someone close to you will be involved in an auto accident at some point. Having auto insurance is a great way to be prepared for an auto accident. When shopping for auto insurance, it’s important to look at auto insurance rates and quotes and do some comparing. Knowing how to proceed in the event of an auto accident can save you time, money, and headaches, especially if your car is damaged.

Q: What should I do if I’ve just had an auto accident?

A: Assuming there are no injuries, here’s a checklist of how to proceed:

1.Call 911 to report the auto accident. You’ll want a copy of a police report for any future claim, especially if the accident was not your fault. If the damage is minor and the other driver wants to negotiate a settlement on the spot, be wary: You could have unseen damage. 2.Don’t bother engaging the other driver in an argument about who was at fault – the police will handle that. 3.Write down the other driver’s name and insurance information. 4.If you have a camera in your car, get some shots of the damage and general accident scene. 5When you get home, call your auto insurance company to report the accident if there will be a claim on your policy. If the other driver was at fault and you don’t live in a “no-fault” state, contact their auto insurance company to start the claims process.

Whether the car damage is minor or extensive, your main goal is to get enough information in order to protect your best interests later. And remember that honesty is the best policy in reporting the circumstances of the auto accident.

Q: What coverage pays for damage to my car?

A: If you’re at fault in an auto accident (whether you’ve crashed into someone else or into a fence), you’ll need collision coverage if you want your repairs covered. If you don’t have collision coverage, you’ll need to pay for repairs out of your own pocket. Some drivers drop collision coverage when their cars get older because the potential cost of fixing them is more than the value of the cars.

If someone else crashes into you, their liability auto insurance must pay for repairs to your vehicle. This is called a “third-party” claim because you’re making a claim on their auto insurance company.

If you live in a “no-fault” state, you always make a claim on your own policy no matter who is at fault.

Q: Do I have to use my auto insurer’s body shop for repairs?

A: No, you can never be forced to use a repair shop that your auto insurance company designates. However, you may find it’s more convenient to do so. Many auto insurance companies have customer service programs that streamline your claim process by handling paperwork and your rental car from the repair shop and fully guaranteeing the work.

You can never be too prepared when it comes to an auto accident. Hopefully, these FAQ’s have given you some helpful advice and information if you or someone you know has to face this situation in the near future. Auto insurance companies are there to help you sort through the car damage and remove some of the headaches and worries for you. Auto accidents aren’t something that we like to think about, but thinking ahead will help you and your auto rates in the long run.



By: Amy Danise

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As summer draws to a close, around 10,000 UK bikers start to think about laying up their motor bikes for the winter months. From the end of October through until Easter, the thought of motor biking is not so appealing and there is little point in taxing and insuring the bike. Bikes are winterised and stored away at the back of the garage awaiting the better weather. Sadly, thieves are aware of this and so some 600 bikes are stolen every month.

Obviously if you have totally cancelled your policy you will be unable to claim for this theft. You can, however, reduce the cover to a minimum for fire and theft and this is worth considering.

If you’re more used to insuring cars than motor bikes, you’ll find some of the features of bike insurance very odd. For instance, it’s not possible to accumulate bonuses over time, as with a car. Occasionally you may find an insurer who will give you some discount if you don’t claim for a certain period with the same insurer, but this is not the norm.

There are various policies. Specified Bike Policy, Specified Rider Policy, Comprehensive and Third Party Insurance. With a specified bike policy you are covering the bike and not the rider. This means you could insure a number of riders on the same bike.

A specified rider policy covers the rider, but not the bike. This means the rider is covered on any motor bike up to the size specified on the policy.

Comprehensive and third party insurance are more familiar terms. Comprehensive is the most expensive. Apart from paying for repairs to the bike in the case of accidental damage, it may offer some extras such as breakdown cover. In the event of a claim, you will only pay the excess as stated on the policy. With third party you simply buy the minimum legal insurance. This means you are covered for any property you may damage or people you might injure. You would not be reimbursed for your bike or anything else and an excess would still be payable. Third party is the cheapest form of insurance.

Younger riders will be charged higher premiums for their policies due to their inexperience and the increased risk of motor cycling. There is a frighteningly high accident rate and statistics tell us they are much more likely to be involved in an accident than more mature riders. Damage caused to themselves is often costly and lifelong.

The more hours spent on the road, the higher the risk and riders using their bikes to travel from one location to another as far as their work is involved will be likely to be charged higher premiums. Claims made in recent years for driving-related accidents will have an adverse effect on your premium too.

Other factors that will influence the premium will be the power and make of the bike. There are some very expensive bikes around and obviously this will mean a higher premium will be charged. If you have any penalties for speeding or dangerous driving your premium will rise and if you were to be disqualified for a length of time, insurance would be extremely expensive when your licence was re-instated.

To try and get the cost of premiums down, consider security devices such as immobilisers, alarms and steering locks. It may also be possible to get discounts for any training courses you have completed.

Be completely honest with your insurance company. Failure to disclose something which the company later discovers can invalidate your insurance. Not only would you not receive payment for any claim, but you could be prosecuted for driving without insurance.

An internet broker will be able to offer you plenty of advice when it comes to choosing an insurer. They’ll find a choice of policies to suit your circumstances and their experience will be invaluable. There are internet-only deals and discounts which they’ll be able to offer too.

Keep insured and safe.



By: Michael Challiner

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