car insurance – Susman

January 27, 2017

The More You Know

Insurance can be one of the most confusing items in your life – but it shouldn’t be. If you know what questions to ask and can find someone to give you the right answers, you will find all the clarity you need. Here are some things we think you should know or ask in regards to various types of insurance:

What type of insurance do I need?
Once I have guaranteed replacement coverage for my home, do I need anything else?
If I have a home office/business, do I need any special insurance?
Does homeowner’s insurance cover me if, say, someone slips on my front steps, breaks a leg and sues me?
How do I decide the amount of coverage I want or need?
How much or how little is covered?
Should I just let the bank pick my policy?
How do I know if an item needs additional coverage?
Are all accidents in my home covered?
What discounts do I get if I have added safety features?
Is coverage for legal assistance included?
Is car insurance an absolute must?
What about life insurance?
How can I figure out how much life insurance I need?
Can I control the cost of coverage?
Does health insurance help if I’m sick or injured and laid up for a while?

There are so many other questions and items to consider for all of the various insurance you may need. We can answer all of those questions for you and give you the knowledge and control to enable you to make the most informed decisions.

January 9, 2017

Yes, You NEED Car Insurance

Have you ever been in a car accident? I have.
Luckily, I have never been at fault, but unfortunately, I have been hit more than once by a driver that didn’t have insurance.

Imagine this scenario:
You are the first car at a complete stop at the red light of a major intersection. While listening to your favorite radio station and waiting for the light to turn green, SMASH!
You get rear-ended.
The driver behind you was busy looking at a text on his cell phone and didn’t realize he needed to actually stop his car prior to hitting you.
Once the realization of the hit and whiplash registers, you step out of your car. There is severe damage to your vehicle, yet barely a dent to his. Of course. You start the process of exchanging information, but notice that he starts to get really uncomfortable. Clearly, he doesn’t have proper car insurance. In fact, he admits that he doesn’t have any auto coverage.

Car insurance is important and necessary.
Why?
To start, it is the law. Most states require that all drivers carry minimum liability coverage. Driving without insurance means you are breaking the law and if you get caught, it can result in substantial fines, increased insurance premiums, and even a suspended license. Outside of it being the law, your vehicle is a very important part of your life. They are an expensive investment that need protecting. You would probably have a very hard time functioning without your car. Cause an accident and be at fault – it could get so expensive that you can’t afford your other bills and worst-case scenario, have to file bankruptcy. Making a small monthly payment toward your total premium now, can save you a ton of money later on. HUGE expenses can results from being in a car accident. With over 6.5 million car accidents happening every year in America alone, you need the coverage for you, the car, the passengers, and property. It provides peace of mind knowing that you are financially protected and have the assistance of an insurance agent to help you through the claim process.

Do you still need other reasons?
Your car insurance provides a level of legal protection between you and other drivers that wouldn’t hesitate to sue you for even the most ridiculous reasons.
It also offers protection from the nasty acts of Mother Nature. Hail, flood, icicles piercing your windshield, swept up by a tornado, etc.…you really want to have that coverage in case Mother Nature strikes!
Bottom line – ALWAYS HAVE CAR INSURANCE!

November 4, 2016

Discounts Everywhere

Do you like discounts? I know I do! In fact, I don’t now anyone that doesn’t like to save money! There are numerous factors that can determine the type of discounts you are eligible to receive on your car insurance. Your gender, age, location, and driving record are the most common discounts that most of us either know about, hear about, and/or currently receive. However, the majority of us out there have no idea how many other discounts are available – and if we don’t know about them, then we can’t ask about them, and then we can’t receive them!

You can potentially get discounts for – age, gender, location, driving record, driving training courses, multiple vehicles, policy bundling, being a good student, maintaining low mileage, having a low-risk profession, having a public service career, holding a degree in a specifc occupation, have memberships to auto clubs, credit unions, alumni organizations ( and more), bing in the military, being a federal employee, paying your policy in full – and SO MUCH MORE.

That is nowhere near an all encompassing list of potential discounts. Speak to your insurance agent as soon as possible and see how much money you could be saving with all these “hidden” discounts!

September 26, 2016

Insurance Trackers

By now you have probably heard about those car insurance trackers – you know, the advertisements that talk about those little devices you somehow plug into your car so it can track how you drive and then determine how much you should par for your car insurance and what level of insurance you need…??

How do those work? Do they really serve as a way to save you money?

The device connects to the internal computer system of your vehicle and sifts through all the information and date until it finds what it needs to determine how safely you drive. This info is then sent directly and wirelessly to the insurance company that you opted in with for this program. Often times you have to use the tracker for at least six months. During this time period, the device tracks habits, speed, accidents, time spent driving, distances, level and rate of braking, and sometime even location.

There are pros and cons to using such a device. Many consumers find the tracker to be a success and saved money in the process. Others didn’t like the outcome, didn’t save ‘enough’ money, or didn’t find the process to be fair. As of now, nobody is required to utilize a tracking device. You best bet is to stay in contact with an insurance agent you trust and keep your car insurance updated at all times.

May 16, 2016

Refresh. Renew.

It is time to renew!

Within the next couple of months, I will be renewing my car insurance, health insurance, lease, driver’s license, and cable television. It is crazy that when I first sign-up for something, it seems like expirations and renewals are SO far off in the future that I don’t really need to worry about it. In actuality, with how fast time goes by and how bust my life is. I almost have to start saving and planning for the costs of renewals and the time it takes to makes sure everything processes correctly, the day after I either sign-up to begin with or do a renewal.

For something simple like my driver’s license, I know that it is just a quick picture, fee, and I am done. It is something I need and have to have. It doesn’t require review or changes on my part. However, I always take the time to review my car insurance and health insurance coverage every time I have to renew. Not only do the policies, rules, and regulations change, but sometimes so does the coverage for what I was originally paying. I don’t want to be stuck without proper coverage.

Last year I started using my health insurance renewal period as the time of year that I also review my life insurance policy. Just like everything else, I want to make sure it fits with my current needs and lifestyle.

Double-check your life insurance policy. Is it current for your life? Does in need updating?

Time to make changes and renew…
Renew-stamp

April 8, 2016

Add to the Budget

Do you live beyond your means? Do live paycheck to paycheck? Is it a struggle to pay your bills?

I am not asking if you make enough money, I am wondering if the money that you are making is being allotted to the appropriate items. Yes, I underst and that there are a ton of people out there that struggle so badly and don’t make enough money to just scrap by. However, there is also a ton of other people that make a decent amount of money, but fail to properly budget and don’t stay on track with their financial responsibilities. I remember walking down the hallway of a college once and hearing a girl scream at her parents over the phone, dem anding that they give her money and help her with her bills. Meanwhile, she had a venti espresso in her h and and top-of-the-line purse, shoes, and sunglasses. It was SO irritating. Clearly, she was living beyond her means and wasn’t budgeting!

It is important to be financially responsible. It is important to create a budget and live within your means. It is also very important to make sure that within that budget, you add the monthly payment for your insurance policies. Yes, as in multiple policies- car, home, health, auto, life, etc…It is extremely import those items are added to your budget and that you don’t miss payments. They are your life lines in more ways than one. Don’t stress – we can help you fit all policies into your budget and make sure you are properly covered.

March 11, 2016

Get One Already

Why do you not have life insurance?

Health insurance in now required. That is your body you are protecting and making sure it is covered in case a medical emergency arises. You wouldn’t know what to do if there was a major medical expense due to your health and you didn’t have coverage. Therefore, you get health insurance to stay protected. Why? It is the right thing – the responsible thing to do.
Car insurance – required. In almost every state, it is required by law. This covers the physical property of your vehicle, as well as drivers and passengers. A car is a tangible item that gets you from point A to point B. For many of us, it is something that we cannot live without. Most of us need a car to ‘survive.’ What do you do? You insure it. Why? It is the right thing – the responsible thing to do.
So…you are going to protect yourself and have coverage for everything from a cold to major surgery? You are going to make sure your car has protection so you never have to go without personal transportation? Additionally, you choose to cover your house, your dog, your valuables, and more!

So I ask again…
Why do you not have life insurance?

Is treating a cold more important than protecting your family after you are gone?
Is making sure you can get a replacement vehicle a priority over making sure your loved ones aren’t stuck with your debt? How do you think that makes them feel that they are less important than your car? How would it make you feel if you weren’t a priority to you loved ones?
Perhaps it is time to reprioritize and decide what really needs to be protected – now and for the future. Time to get a life insurance policy.

June 1, 2012

Do You Own a Classic Car?

It’s usually easy to tell who owns an antique or classic car. That’s the guy at the head of the parade. He putters along enjoying the scenery while a parade of motorists forms in his wake. He takes life a little slower—well, maybe a LOT slower—than the rest of the human race.

Ever wonder why they call it the human “race”? Kind of like the rat race…most of us speed along at sixty or seventy mph, sometimes faster. Then you come to the man in the 1912 Buick. This guy knows how to relax. Just mosey along at thirty mph tops in your antique car and let the rest of the world zoom around you. “Taking your time” attains a whole new meaning when you’re following him.

Why spend your life rushing around when you can kick back and enjoy the view from one of these venerable old machines? My friend Barb says her uncle owns a 1912 Buick painted Christmas green and red. It goes well with his long, bushy white beard. Everybody notices when he goes out on the town, and not just because half of them are stuck behind him.

If you’re tempted to fume and fuss because the clock is ticking while you crawl along, try thinking about a time when life was lived at a more genteel pace. Women wore hats and white gloves. Men opened doors for them and dealt with chores like turning the crank to start the car. There’s a lot to be said for life in the slow lane. Give it a try.

The National Motorists Association advises that newbies to the classic car field use caution when buying. Be skeptical if the car has unusually low mileage or if the seller says he’s just helping a friend get the car sold. Be sure to take a test drive, and go early so you can start the car when the engine is cold. Also make sure the car can pass safety and emissions tests. Be particularly careful if the car is sold “as is.”

Whether it’s an antique more than twenty-five years old or a classic between fifteen and twenty-five, your venerable car needs extra care and special insurance. Antique and classic car insurance covers all those things that could happen to your favorite automobile. Insurance for a classic car is far different from regular auto insurance.

One of the great advantages of antique and classic car insurance is that you get more coverage for less money. This is largely because most of these older automobiles don’t go zooming along at seventy mph. They’ve earned the right to go through life at a slower pace. Besides, people who own these wonderful classic autos don’t usually drive them on a daily basis. That lovely antique stays in the garage until it’s time to go on tour to the classic and antique auto shows.

Another benefit of purchasing special classic car insurance is the ability to set an agreed on value with the insurance broker. Special cars appreciate as the years pass instead of losing value. Insurance companies recognize this and provide for the difference in price for the automobiles and the parts and care needed when they must be repaired.

That 1912 Buick requires tires made by h and because manufacturers don’t produce them. This is just one example of the added cost of keeping a specialty car in good repair. So enjoy life with your old beauty. Take the slow lane, but make sure you’re covered with a good insurance policy. You’ll have peace of mind and a fatter wallet.

The More You Know

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