Sometimes you find yourself in a difficult situation, where you need to rent a vehicle on short notice. You may also need to borrow a vehicle that belongs to a friend or family member at some point. In either scenario, you may wonder if you’re covered under your insurance policy. Most policies that are issued for people in Washington DC won’t cover them when they drive other people’s cars, and not all policies cover them in rental cars, either. It often depends on the extent of the policy.

In order to determine if your coverage will protect you, come see us or give us a call. As an independent agent we work with a lot of companies, and we can find one that will provide you with the kind of coverage you need. We can also help you if you already have a policy with us and just have a question about it. No matter whose car you’re thinking of using, that person’s insurance will often cover what’s called an "occasional driver." That would be someone like you, who only borrowed the car for a little bit and doesn’t really drive it often.

Despite the fact that the other person’s auto policy will probably protect you, and that you can get insurance through the rental car company for a high price, it’s much better to know specifically what your policy covers. That way you don’t have to worry at all about whether you’ll be protected in the event of an accident. Even something as simple as getting pulled over for a minor traffic infraction can turn into a big deal if you don’t have insurance or you aren’t covered on the car you’re driving. Don’t take the chance. Just get in touch with us and make sure what kind of coverage you have so you can enjoy your drive.

Just like all of the states, if you live in our nation’s capitol, you are required to carry a minimum amount of liability insurance. Washington DC is a no-fault District which means that you must carry both liability insurance for damage you may cause to another person or vehicle and also carry uninsured motorist coverage in case you are injured or your property is damaged by another driver who does not have insurance.

Under the Washington DC Compulsory No-Fault Motor Vehicle Act, drivers must maintain minimum auto liability insurance of 25/50/10. In other words, you must have $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage in case you injure the driver of another vehicle and a total of $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage for all other individuals who may also require medical attention. In addition, the minimum requirements are $10,000 for any property damage that you may cause.

Because Washington DC auto insurance is no-fault and not like some other states where auto liability insurance is based on tort law and the at-fault driver bears the financial burden, drivers are also required to carry uninsured motorist liability coverage. This coverage protects you, the driver, in the event you get into an accident with an uninsured driver.

Uninsured bodily injury liability coverage minimums are $25,000 for a single person injured in an accident by a driver with no insurance and $50,000 for all people who may be injured by the uninsured driver in that same accident. Uninsured property damage liability is $5,000.

A large number of our clients buy policies that exceed the mandatory minimum requirements. The most popular liability policy is 100/300/50. It does not raise your premiums by too much and you will have much better coverage. If you would like to find out what coverage is best for you, give us a call and talk with an independent agent who can fill you in on all the details.

If you are a car owner, you know there are a lot of things you have to think about. One of the most difficult to have to handle is dealing with a stolen car. Instead of dealing with the repercussions of that, it is generally easier to work at preventing the auto theft from occurring in the first place. Follow these tips and you will be less likely to deal with a car robbery in the Laurel, Maryland area.

• Keep your car locked. It may seem like common sense advice, but keeping your doors locked will prevent a lot of robberies from occurring in the first place.
• Make sure you arm your car alarm. Even though many people do ignore them, a thief is less likely to pursue a car that is beeping at full volume than one that does not.
• Choose a car that is less flashy. The flashiest cares are the ones most often targeted for theft. It is possible to have a very nice car that will not garner as much attention from thieves, just use common sense.
• Do not park off by yourself. If you park out in the middle of nowhere you are more likely to be targeted by thieves.
• Bring your car in your garage at night. If you have garage space anyway, it makes sense to use it.
• If you are working late, try to park close to the front of the lot. More thefts occur in the early dusk hours than anytime.

As you can see, there are many ways you can go about reducing your risk of car robbery. Adding full insurance coverage that protects in case of theft is another great way that you can protect yourself. Talk to us about the options available and we can do a live quote comparison and find you the best possible price on your insurance as well.

Accident forgiveness – This is something that most Laurel, Maryland drivers probably think sounds like a good idea. However, do you understand exactly what it entails and how it can help you when it comes time to make a claim on your auto insurance?

When you are in an accident, the costs pile up. If you are at-fault, you may have to pay for a traffic citation and you have to pay for your car repairs or insurance deductible and if you have any medical costs you will pay those too. However one cost that you face that will come back to haunt you time and again is that of increased insurance premiums.

This is where accident forgiveness starts to play a part on your insurance. This is something offered by many different insurance companies. Even if they do not advertise it, it is often available for those who ask. The idea is that the insurance company will forgive you for an infrequent accident by not raising your premiums. This can make a big difference in the price you pay for the long-run.

Something to keep in mind is that accident forgiveness only applies to that particular company. If you move to another insurer, you will likely have the accident factored into determining the premium.

If accident forgiveness is something that you think may benefit you, contact an independent agent to talk about it. Working with an independent agent is the best way to make certain you are getting all the insurance you need and not paying more than you need to for the coverage. We can help you determine if accident forgiveness is right for you and help tailor the perfect auto insurance policy for you in or around Laurel, Maryland.

Your auto insurance policy was put together in order to give you the protection you need in order to drive a car. As life changes there is a need for you to be able to make changes to your auto policy. Residents living in Laurel Maryland should know that they can make changes to their auto by knowing some simple facts.

The Best Time to Make Changes to Your Auto Policy

• One of the best times to make a change to your auto policy is when you are changing to another auto policy. When people make the move to change insurance companies they change because they find a better rate. Some people have been able to save hundreds every year and end up raising or lowering their limits to accommodate the price.
• Another time people make changes to their policy is when the cost gets too expensive. Some people think that by lowering their coverage limits they will save some money. In some cases the price is lower but in some states the higher the limits the cheaper the policy.
• A final time people make changes to their policy is when there is a need too. For instance, if you are trying to buy a Umbrella policy, then you may have to raise your limits in order to meet the requirements of the desired policy.

If you have any questions about making changes to your auto policy, then you need to speak with your independent agent. They can answer all your questions and even help make recommendations that will help make your policy better for you. Take the time today and have your insurance policy reviewed today. You just may find that the changes you make will enhance your policy.

Maryland and most other states across the United States require proof of insurance in order to register your vehicle and all vehicles are registered required. If you reside in Laurel, Maryland and you own a vehicle that is either inoperable or being stored for any number of reasons, you will at least want to insure your vehicle against possible theft, vandalism, and fire to protect your investment.

If the inoperable or stored vehicle is not being driven it will still need to be registered with that state of Maryland and full coverage will need to stay intact if there is a lien on the vehicle. This full coverage insurance policy will remain in effect until the lien is paid in full, whether the vehicle is being driven or not.

If you have full ownership rights to the vehicle and there is no lien, then it is possible to take your information to the DMV of Maryland for special coverage for stored vehicles. If you let your coverage lapse on your stored vehicle, and have not taken the appropriate steps to obtain the right coverage, then your independent agent may have to notify the MVA of this cancelation. This generally means that you can be fined and receive points against your driving record. Some states require the agent to notify the DMV and they have no choice in the matter. If they do not take this step the company could be presented with a heavy fine.

If this state requests from you proof of policy you must have signed a certification. This is only issued by a state approved independent agent. Policies for stored or inoperable vehicles in this state is not expensive, and it will offer you the protection you need on your investment, the car is registered and you have remained within the boundaries of Maryland motor vehicle laws through the help of your independent agent.

In Laurel, Maryland, it is illegal to operate a vehicle without insurance on that vehicle. This is the rule of thumb throughout Maryland. States do fluctuate in the degree of fines that are put on drivers who operate a vehicle without active insurance coverage and some states being stricter than other states.

If you live in Maryland and are in a position where you need to purchase short term or temporary car insurance for a day up to 28 days, you can expect to pay a slightly higher premium. The question remains on just why you may need a short term policy.

Once instance would be if you are borrowing some else’s vehicle. Before driving any other person’s vehicle, check with your independent agent to make sure that you are covered. When borrowing another vehicle there are many risk factors that you might not consider, such as, fire, theft, vandalism and accident damages.

Another situation would be if you are shopping for a new or used vehicle and you want to take the vehicle for the day, you would want to make sure that you are covered in the event of an accident.

One more situation may be your college student is coming home for vacation break and will want to drive your car while home. Exercise caution and call your independent insurance agent and have the student added temporarily on your auto policy.

Some states require that anyone living in your household, and are a licensed driver must be on your car policy, even if the vehicle is going to be in close proximity to your home, be aware that many accidents happen close to home.

To be on the safe side call your independent agent and make sure that you have the right kind of short term coverage for your specific situation in Laurel, Maryland.

Navigating the realm of insurance is a tricky thing. It seems like there are so many different things you have to consider when you are deciding which company or independent agent to use. Many of the insurance companies have started offering benefits such as accident forgiveness in an effort to boost their client base. You may wonder if this is something that could benefit you now or down the road. Learn more about what accident forgiveness really is, so you can decide if it is something that would benefit you when you go to renew or redo your auto insurance coverage.

For the most part, insurance companies use a star rating system to determine what you pay for your car insurance. The rating goes from 0 to 6 stars. A person with a 6 star rating will pay the least amount, while those with a 0 star rating will pay the most, if they are even able to purchase insurance.

When you have an at-fault car accident, you will likely lose a certain number of stars. This would normally make the cost of your insurance go up, possibly considerably. However, a policy that offers accident forgiveness would “forgive” a first accident, essentially making it where your rate didn’t go up despite the accident.

This may or may not be a good deal for you. The problem is that most policies that offer accident forgiveness come at an added cost. If you never have an accident, you are paying extra for no good reason. It’s a matter of weighing the risk versus reward. Talk with your agent, and if you do not have one, perhaps finding a local agent in Laurel, Maryland is the way to go. An agent will better be able to tell you if this would be a major benefit for you.

Although no one gets into his car expecting to become involved in an automobile accident, it can happen at any time. You need to be informed about the steps involved in an auto claim when living in Maryland. Of course the first thing you need to do if you are involved in an accident is to make sure there are no injuries. If there are injuries, make sure someone contacts emergency personnel immediately. If there are no injuries, the next step is to contact the police. In Laurel, MD, if you are planning to involve your insurance company, you need to make a report with the police department.

The third step is to contact your insurance agent. You can usually find this information on the back of your insurance card. Your insurance agent will be able to take the appropriate information and begin the claims process. You will not only need all of the details about the accident, you will also need information from the other party involved. It is best if you exchange telephone numbers and insurance information as soon as reasonably possible. There are a lot of details that will need to be worked out and the more information you can give your insurance agent in Laurel, Maryland, the easier the claim process will be.

Finally, you will need to assess the damages. You will need to take your vehicle and obtain quotes to have the car fixed or determine if the automobile is worth fixing at all. Your insurance company may take care of a lot of this work for you. If they determine your car is a complete loss, and you have comprehensive coverage, they should give you what your car is worth. Speak with a local insurance agent who can help you compare quotes and explain the auto claim process.

With your car insurance policy, there can be several reasons why your insurance premiums increase. Even if you have not had a claim, the insurance carrier may increase your rates without any obvious reason. As an insurance agent in Laurel, Maryland, I have seen a number of items that can make a difference in your monthly premiums.

According to The Motley Fool, there are five primary factors that affect auto premiums:

• Age
• Driving Record
• Location
• Type of Vehicle
• Discounts

Certainly, some of these factors can be multi-faceted. For instance, daytime running lights, good student, multiple policy, and safety discounts can be found in the final area. Kira Botkin of Money Crashers adds other factors, such as marital status, credit score, profession, and specifics – such as age of car and the likelihood of theft (this is related to location) – as further dynamics within the “type of vehicle.

In other words, there are several potential reasons why your insurance carrier could hike your rates – without the mention of a claim.

The best way to follow-up on such a notice is to contact your insurer. Call your insurance agent or company directly to ask why your premiums have been increased. However, be wary of your company/agent trying to reduce your coverage to make up for the price change.

You have several options. Perhaps there is a discount that is not reflected in your policy. Or, you could consider altering your coverage to make your premiums more affordable.

Inevitably, you may need to consider comparing car insurance to determine what the market looks like. This certainly won’t hurt anything – and could lead you to a better policy. It is advisable that you do this on a regular basis (every six months is a good rule of thumb), to make sure you are receiving fair market price.