No matter how long you've had car insurance, there might be a few aspects related to your policy that you are unaware about. Fortunately, though, we're here to share a few secrets with you to help you understand how to get the most out of your insurance coverage.

Your Credit Score Matters

Did you know that your credit score influences how high or low your insurance rates are? That's right, and this gives you just another reason to make sure you pay back all of your debts and make all debt payments on time. Insurance companies predict your driving behaviors on your credit, so the better your score, the better your rates.

Never Stop Payment

Just because you've decided that you want to switch car insurance companies, this doesn't mean you should simply switch and leave your old agency in the dark. You should always go through the formal hoops of canceling your policy. Otherwise, the agency may report you to credit bureaus for non-payment of your premiums.

It Pays to Shop Around

Sure, you may have been with the same auto insurance company for the past 15 years, but what you don't realize is that you can likely save money by switching. There are many factors that influence insurance rates — many of which were not considered 15 years ago. You very well might find that new influencing factors could save you a considerable amount of money if you switch agencies.

 

Whether you just received your learners permit or you've been a licensed driver for 20 years, it's wise to speak with on of our professional North Carolina insurance agents to compare policies and see how you can save money on your insurance premiums.

All drivers in Lexington, NC are required to maintain the state’s minimum levels of coverage for bodily injury, property damage and uninsured motorists. Anyone who has a lapse in coverage, and therefore does not meet the state’s minimum standards for a period of time, is subject to a penalty. The penalty is determined by how many lapses there have been in the previous three years and the duration of the current lapse.

What Happens When You Have a Lapse in Coverage

When you have a lapse in coverage, your auto insurance provider is required to notify the department of motor vehicles (DMV) in North Carolina. The DMV will then send you Form FS 5-7, which you must complete and return within 10 days. When submitting this form, you will need to provide proof that you have a current insurance policy and pay the appropriate fine.

The Fines and Fees

In North Carolina, the fines assessed are primarily determined by the number of previous lapses you have had in recent years. In any given three-year window, the first fine is $50. After your first lapse, the fines increase to $100 and then $150 for the second and third offense. Failure to submit this payment within 10 days results in increased fines.

Should you fail to return Form FS 5-7 with the appropriate documentation and payment within 30 days, the DMV will revoke your license plates. When you apply for new ones, you will have to pay the original fine, any late fees, a $50 service fee and the fee for new license plates.

Find Insurance Immediately

The first step to recovering from a lapse in insurance coverage is to immediately find new insurance. You can use our online tool to shop around and find a new policy today. If you need help with the DMV’s paperwork, call our agents for assistance.

A car is a necessity in many parts of North Carolina, especially Huntersville, NC. You don’t have a lot in the way of public transportation, so you need rock solid insurance that isn’t going to let you down when you need it most. One of the most important features to look at with car insurance is to confirm that the monthly premium is at a rate you can afford consistently on a long term basis.

There are a few ways to get cheaper car insurance. One of the first ways is to look at comparative quotes from several insurance providers. While you can get this information on your own by contacting each carrier individually, but you won’t get the best deal. Instead, contact our independent agents so we can get in touch with the carrier for you. We have worked with the major carriers before, and they know that we talk with multiple companies before we write an insurance policy. Therefore, we get more competitive quotes than an individual talking to each company.

You can also adjust the level of coverage you get to the minimum instead of holding as much coverage as possible. Liability is the required insurance level in North Carolina, and if you cut out collision and comprehensive coverage you cut down the amount you pay monthly. However, this does mean that if you are in an at fault accident, that you aren’t going to have financial coverage for your repairs.

Deductible adjustment is another way to cut down the amount that you pay for insurance. The higher you set your deductible, the less you pay per month. Talk to our independent insurance agents in Huntersville, NC to get your free online insurance quotes.

If, by any chance, you are not old enough to have experienced this yourself, ask your parents to tell you about what it took to buy an insurance policy a decade ago. If you were new to town you would frequently find yourself calling agency after agency, looking for coverage and a price that would fit your needs. If you were lucky enough to have a strong relationship with an insurance agent, you would sit in his office or he would come to your home, review your options (which were somewhat limited) and before the meeting ended you would commit yourself to a policy that may, or may not, be right for your family.

Boy, how times have changed. People buying home and auto insurance in Raeford, NC these days have it relatively easy. You can simply go on our website, answer a few simple questions, and receive a number of comparable quotes, each designed to give you options.

No one wants to need insurance, but we all do. We can’t go through life unprotected, given the number of things that can go south. A storm blowing through can take the shingles off the roof of your house or blow a tree over on your garage. A simple fender bender can cost thousands to repair, far more than you might guess by simply inspecting the damage.

We’re here to make sure that you are never alone when trouble finds you. Although our home and auto quotes are online, we are still only a phone call away when you have questions or a problem arises. We can also help you find the best coverage for your RV, motorcycle or boat. In other words, we help protect any material items that are of value to you.

For more information, give us a call.

It is the simple things life that seem to bring the most joy. Sure, those things frequently involve the people you care about, but on occasion joy can be found in something as simple as saving time. Our agency knows how busy you are, how little time you have to shop for homeowner and auto insurance. We have found a way to make it easier by offering online quotes.

We want you to know that we’re proud of this for a couple of reasons. Not do online quotes value your time, but they also make it possible for you to study different policies from home, at your own convenience. You have time to look at several options and figure out which one offers the coverage you need at a price you can afford.

When it comes time to buy NC auto insurance in Fort Bragg, you will see that you have a variety of options. If you are of a certain age you likely remember sitting down with an insurance agent and being told which policy you needed and how much you were going to pay. There was no opportunity to compare several policies side-by-side and make an informed decision on your own.

As an agency, we still take pride in providing you with professional service and an agent you can call if an incident should occur. We’re also here to personally answer any questions you might have. Online quotes simply allow us to offer you another way to determine the coverage that is best for you and your family.

And it’s not just auto and home insurance we offer. If you are looking for renter’s insurance, or coverage for your motorcycle, boat or RV, give us a call. We’ll help you sort through the options and to find a policy that is perfect for your needs.

Let’s say you have a minor fender-bender that results in a few scratches or, if you’re lucky, no damage at all. You and the other party may agree to pay for the damages out of pocket and not get the insurers involved, but this may not be the right way to go for a number of reasons.

While it’s customary and even contractually required by most insurance companies, many people choose not to report minor accidents to their insurers for fear of such claims raising their premiums. Those involved in single-car accidents are most likely to simply put up with minor damage rather than file a claim, while two interested parties may agree to grin and bear it if there’s only very light damage and no injuries.

How reporting an accident affects your premiums depends on your level of fault. Those not at fault won’t see any increases in their rates, but at-fault drivers may see steep premium increases for years. It’s no wonder that many people try to forgo claims for minor or nonexistent damage. However, not reporting the incident to your insurer could land you in hot water.

For starters, the police may transmit a copy of the accident report to your insurer, which could cause steep premium increases or cancellation for failure to report. Not notifying your insurer could also put you at risk of a small claims lawsuit later on, especially if the other party develops injuries related to the accident.

No matter how minor the accident, it’s a good idea to report it to your insurance company. Get in touch with us and speak to an independent agent for expert help when it comes to the claims process and how it may affect your future car insurance rates.

When you visit your independent agent in Hope Hills, NC to purchase auto insurance, you have several different types of coverage that you can buy. If you are only required to carry the minimum amount of coverage mandated by North Carolina law, you may want to buy a policy with coverage for bodily injury and property damage that you are liable for causing to another driver or their property.

Liability coverage does not cover property damage to your vehicle. If you want, or are required to carry coverage on your vehicle, you will need to buy an auto insurance policy that includes both collision and comprehensive coverage. If you get into an accident, or if your car is stolen, these two types of coverage will allow you to file a damage with your auto insurance company for your loss.

Collision coverage is just like it sounds. If you get into an accident with another vehicle or hit a stationary object like a pole or a brick wall, this coverage will pay to have your car repaired. Anything other types of incidents such as theft, vandalism, or a hail storm ruining your paint job, is covered by the comprehensive portion of your policy.

It is important to note that the added coverage will add to your annual insurance premium. You will pay more if you have an expensive car rather than one that is worth less. This coverage comes with a deductible, or the amount you are responsible for paying before the insurance company will pay on a claim. You can lower your overall premium by choosing a high deductible, but that will mean you assume more financial risk should you suffer a loss.

You usually need this type of added protection if you finance a vehicle or you have a fairly new vehicle that is still worth a substantial sum of money. Even if you are not required to carry such coverage, it may still be prudent to spend a little more and add it to your auto insurance policy.

It is always tragic when a minor child is involved in a fatal accident. When that child does not have a driver’s license and is driving a car in Hope Hills, NC, it can be more difficult for grieving parents to understand. Depending on the reasons for the accident, parents may or may not be able to take the owner of the vehicle to court for wrongful death.

Cause of the Accident

In general, the cause of the accident will play a role in the legal actions that a parent can take. For example, if the teen was driving because another individual was sick or injured, then the situation may provide a good reason for that minor to be behind the wheel. On the other hand, taking a car out for fun may be nothing more than a foolish gamble.

Children with a Permit

Any time that a minor with a permit is driving, an adult should be in the front seat. If parents have given permission for their teen to drive a friend’s car while they are learning to drive, then they may not be able to make a claim for wrongful death.

Ultimately, a fatal accident is a tragedy that does not have any legal solution. Parents may not be able to make a claim of wrongful death or other charges if the teen was driving with their permission or in an emergency situation.

It is difficult to discover that a loved one has died in an accident, but it is more challenging when the individual involved was young and should not have been driving. Contact us to talk to an agent for more information about making a claim on an insurance policy.

A friend, family member, or your child wants to finance their first car. The only problem they’re having is an inability to qualify for a loan without a co-signer. Your credit score is more than sufficient to help them out with their problem, but you’re wondering whether you need to be on your son’s auto insurance policy when you co-sign for the car.

The main factor in whether or not you should be listed on insurance or not is whether you are considered a co-signer or a co-borrower. A co-signer is simply responsible for financial matters related to the loan. If your son fails to meet his payment obligations on the auto loan, then your co-singing makes you financially responsible for the loan. It affects both your credit and your son’s.

Some financing companies require you to be listed as a co-borrower and co-owner on the loan. When you are a co-owner, you are placed on the car’s title. Because you are listed on the car’s title, you may be held legally responsible in the event of an accident. The way to cover your liability in the event of an accident is to get listed as an additional driver on your son’s car insurance.

Another factor to consider when co-signing on a loan is whether you are prepared to take financial responsibility if your son can’t meet his payment obligations. If this occurs, you either have to make the payments yourself, or receive a negative mark on your credit report. This has a long term impact on your own ability to get financing.

Auto insurance increases in a variety of different situations, but the rate may or may not increase if a windshield is broken in Hope Mills, NC, depending on the reason that it was damaged and the specific details of your policy.

The Situation

Damaged windshields from an accident, attempted theft or vandalism that is covered under your policy may result in a slightly higher premium after you make a claim. Depending on the amount of damage beyond the windshield, the specific impact on your premium may vary.

Although certain situations may increase your rate, it is possible that it will not have a dramatic impact on your current payments. For example, if a hail storm causes the windshield to break or scratch, then it might not impact your coverage or your premium. The situation and your specific policy will determine if your rate will be impacted by the damages.

Policies and Variations

Every insurer has a different policy and method of determining if a situation will result in an increased rate on your current policy. Depending on the details that are described in your policy, you may or may not see an impact on your auto insurance rate.

Review your current policy to determine if you are protected and how it may impact your current rate. Some insurers offer accident forgiveness or similar forgiveness programs so that your premium will not increase if it is the first time you are making a claim.

Auto insurance can seem complicated when an accident occurs, but in many cases the impact on your current insurance rate is limited. Depending on your policy, it may not have any impact if you make a claim to replace your windshield. Contact us to talk to an independent agent to learn more about premiums and insurance rates.