MA Auto Policy, Part 4: Property Damage

Let’s take a look at the Massachusetts Private Passenger Auto Insurance Policy:

Part 4. Damage to Someone Else’s Property …

MA Auto Insurance Property Damage

As a Massachusetts auto insurance shopper, it is important to compare “apples to apples” coverage between insurance companies.

In our effort to help educate the MA Auto Insurance consumer, let’s take a quick look at the Massachusetts Private Passenger Auto Insurance Policy:

Part 4. Damage to Someone Else’s Property-

Under this Part, we will pay damges to someone else whose auto or other property is damaged in an accident. The damages we will pay are the amounts that person is legally entitled to collect for property damage through a court judgement or settlement. We will pay only if you or a household member is legally responsible for the accident. We will also pay is someone else using your auto with your consent is legally responsible for the accident. Damages include any applicable sales tax and the costs resulting from the loss of use of the damaged property.

MA auto insurance compulsary limits are $5,000 per accident.

http://www.Massautoquote.com recommends you carry, at least, limits of $100,000 per accident.

You may want to consider limits of $250,000 per accident.

Let’s go to our MA auto insurance comparative rating software:

In a previous blog article we quoted a client, living in Charlestown, MA with an annual premium of $1,656.

This coverage includes $100,000 per accident, Part 4. Damage to Someone Else’s Property.

If our client chose $50,000 per accident of coverage (which her previous carrier sold her), the annual savings would be: – $3.00. (minus three dollars annually). Absurd.

For a valuable coverage which will pay for damage if you hit someone’s Ferrari, or house, or telephone pole, or automobile carrier filled with BMWs, or oil truck, it seems to make all the sense in the world to carry $100,000 (vs $50,000).

If our client decided to carry $250,000 per accident of coverage, the annual premium would be: + $4.00.

Do yourself a favor, take a look at your Part 4. Damage to Someone Else’s Property coverage. If you don’t carry, at least, limits of $100,000 per person call your independent, MA auto insurance agent and ask them how much it would cost to improve your coverage.

Until our next MA Auto Insurance blog entry: Drive Safe Massachusetts!

MassAutoQuote: 15 Seconds …

Time yourself:

Try our Quick Quote Request on the right.

7 fields of information, if you have your MA driver’s license in front of you it might take you 15 seconds.

15 seconds might save you more than 15% …

Shop your Massachusetts auto insurance with MassAutoQuote: call or click us today!

As independent, Massachusetts insurance agents, we see it every day: MA Auto insurance renewal rates are going up.

Massachusetts insurers offer premium enticing ways to capture new business, including:  advanced shopper, advance issue, new home buyer, and declining e-customer credits.

Now is the time to get a brand new, shiny Massachusetts auto, home, business or life insurance quote from your insurance agent.

If you’re tired of filling out seemingly endless fields of information to get a quote request, then try our Quick Quote Request on the right.

7 fields of information will get us started.

7 fields of information, time yourself. If you have your MA driver’s license in front of you it will take you, maybe 15 seconds.

Geico suggests: “15 minutes could save you 15% ….”

We might be able to save you more than that in 15 seconds.

Call or click us for your free, no obligation, competitive, comparative, Massachusetts auto insurance quote!

Massachusetts Insurance Company Spotlight: Vermont Mutual

When shopping your auto insurance, we recommend you utilize the services of a Massachusetts, independent insurance agent …

Vermont Mutual Insurance Company

When shopping your auto insurance, we recommend you utilize the services of a Massachusetts, independent insurance agent.

One of the reasons is because your MA independent agent shops your coverage with multiple companies to find you the best premium.

In addition, they will shop different insurance companies’ insurance programs.

Not all insurance policies are the same.

Some insurers offer new, exciting programs that feature variations of Accident Forgiveness & Disappearing Deductibles.

Some insurance companies make you earn it, some companies make you qualify for it, and then allow you to buy it.

Often it makes sense for the MA auto insurance consumer to increase the vehicle’s collision deductible & purchase the endorsement.

By doing so, it is possible to improve coverage & save money.

Let’s take a look at one insurance company, Vermont Mutual, and check out their MA auto insurance program.

Vermont Mutual Insurance offers the “Advantage” endorsement to 99 & 98 drivers which,  for $49 includes:

  •  Disappearing Collision Deductible
  • Accident Forgiveness
  • New Car Replacement Coverage
  • Auto Loan / Lease Gap Coverage
  • Original Equipment Manufacturer Parts Guarantee Coverage
  • Enhanced Towing & Labor Coverage
  • Emergency Travel Expense
  • Enhanced Substitute Transportation.
  • Rental Vehicle Loss of Income
  • Personal Clothing and Baggage Coverage
  • Bail Bonds and Loss of Earnings
  • Air Bag – Accidental Deployment

When you sign up for Massachusetts auto insurance, ask if accident forgiveness & disappearing deductible is available.

Click or call us today for your free, no-obligation, Massachusetts auto insurance quote.

MA Auto Insurance: another Geico horror story

GEICO has funny commercials, a cute lizard, and they can, sometimes, have good rates.

From my independent, Massachusetts insurance agent perspective, however, that’s were the funny, cute, and good stuff ends …

MA Auto Insurance

GEICO has funny commercials, a cute lizard, and they can, sometimes, have good rates.

From my independent, Massachusetts insurance agent perspective, however, that’s were the funny, cute, and good stuff ends.

We have a long time client that was hit head on by a vehicle insured with GEICO.

The GEICO vehicle was at-fault, allegedly skidding on black ice (our insured thinks the person was texting).

GEICO appraised the vehicle (a 2005 Honda Accord LX with 141,000 miles) and deemed it to be a total loss.

The N.A.D.A. values for her vehicle are: $8,050 (retail) and $5,650 (trade).

GEICO offered her: $4,555 as settlement.

We had our client’s insurance carrier appraise the vehicle and they, in turn, offered her the full retail value: $8,050 (+ $503.12 … 6.25% sales tax).

We recommended our client accept her company’s offer and let GEICO know she has decided to go first party through her own insurance company.

As I hung up the phone with our client, I thanked her for insuring with us.

Her response was: “Always.”

Having an independent agent as your advocate, whether deciding on coverage that’s right for you, or at claim time, can really make a difference.

That’s my biased, independent Massachusetts agent position.

Call or click us today for your free, no obligation Massachusetts auto insurance quote.

You will be glad you did.

 

15 minutes could save you MORE than 15% …

Recently our Massachusetts Insurance Agency has written clients away from Geico and saved them more than 15%.

As a case study, let’s take a look at one of them …

Geico spent $921 million on advertising in 2012.

“15 minutes could save you 15%.” Then again … they may not.

Recently our Massachusetts Insurance Agency has written clients away from Geico and saved them more than 15%.

As a case study, let’s take a look at one of them:

A 27 year old woman living in Charlestown, MA (perfect driving/ step 99) owns a 2011 Mazda 3 sedan and, with Geico, carried liability limits of: $100,000 per person/ $300,000 per accident (parts 3, 5 & 12); $50,000 Property Damage coverage (part 4); Collision and Comprehensive coverage with $1,000 deductibles and no waiver of deductible.

Her 6 month Geico premium:  $1,611.80

Our annual premium, with $100,000 Property Damage coverage (part 4) including waiver of collision: $1,656.

Calculator aside, our 12 month policy, with better coverage, is about 50% less than Geico.

Maybe that’s why they spent $921 million dollars on advertising last year.

Massachusetts Auto Insurance Endorsement Spotlight

MA auto insurance companies have reacted to the changing competitive scenery offering discount programs and endorsements with valuable “bells & whistles.”

The most valuable, perhaps, being “Accident Forgiveness” & “Disappearing Deductible.”

As part of our Massautoquote continuing effort to educate our clients, we offer a snapshot of Safety Insurance’s “Shield Plus” endorsement.

The “Shield Plus” endorsement is offered to Safety Insurance auto insurance policies to clients that have state-best driving records of “99” or “98.”

The offer costs $35 annually and includes the following benefits …

Our Massachusetts Independent Insurance Agency has been writing insurance in the state for almost 20 years. Over this time span we’ve grown exponentially and we have picked up many markets. We’ve also seen many changes in the Massachusetts auto insurance marketplace.

MA auto insurance companies have reacted to the changing competitive scenery offering discount programs and endorsements with valuable “bells & whistles.”

The most valuable, perhaps, being “Accident Forgiveness” & “Disappearing Deductible.”

As part of our Massautoquote continuing effort to educate our clients, we offer a snapshot of Safety Insurance’s “Shield Plus” endorsement.

The “Shield Plus” endorsement is offered to Safety Insurance auto insurance policies to clients that have state-best driving records of “99” or “98.”

The offer costs $35 annually and includes the following benefits:

  • Disappearing Collision Deductible (-$500 credit toward your Collision deductible)
  • Accident Forgiveness. If in an at-fault accident during the policy term, Safety Insurance will not surcharge your policy upon renewal.
  • As well as some additional highlights such as: rental vehicle loss of income, lock in value (guaranteed replacement cost), personal effects coverage up $1,250, extended substitute transportation, emergency road travel expenses, enhanced towing & labor, & air bag coverage.

Other companies offer similar type endorsements.

Sometimes, if a client presently carries a $500 collision deductible, it makes sense to include Safety Insurance’s “Shield Plus” endorsement (+$35) and increase the deductible (on paper) to $1,000.

By doing so, the client will improve coverage and save money.

Call or click us to find out more about Safety’s Massachusetts auto insurance “Shield Plus” endorsement.

You will be glad you did.

 

Save Money on MA Auto Insurance

Happy ending: our independent, MA Insurance Agency re-rated his renewal with seven companies and found another company more competitive for ”0″ drivers.

Our Massachusetts Insurance Agency recieved a call from a long time client regarding his 2013 auto insurance renewal.

His annual premium went up from $1,057 in 2012 to $1,331 in 2013.

What happened?

He got a speeding ticket.

Although there are no surcharge points added for the first moving violation, companies take away incident free driving credits.

So, as a result, his driving record went from a step “99? to a “0.”

Happy ending:  our independent, MA Insurance Agency re-rated his renewal with seven companies and found another company more competitive for ”0? drivers.

We transferred his coverage and was able to lower his annual premium to $1,156 with an additional -5% if he takes advantage of the company’s pay in full discount.

The moral of the story is to shop your Massachusetts Insurance with us @ Massautoquote and utitlize the power of the Massachusetts Independent Insurance Agent.

You will be glad you did.

Massachusetts Personal Liability Umbrella Policy

Contact MassAutoQuote to find out more information on Massachusetts Personal Liability Umbrella Coverage.

A Massachusetts Personal Liability Umbrella Policy “sits-over” your home and auto liability limits.

Coverage limits start at $1,000,000 and provide protection from lawsuits. 

Coverage is relatively inexpensive to purchase.

With one of our companies, for example:

$1,000,000 of Personal Liability Umbrella Coverage sitting over two autos and one home, annual premium: $180.

 Umbrella Policies require underlying motor vehicle liability limits of $250,000 per person/$500,000 per accident and $100,000 of property damage coverage.

 In addition to coverage limits, insurance companies provide legal defense.

So, in essence, when you purchase higher limits you are also purchasing improved legal defense. 

Please call or click if you would like to discuss Massachusetts Personal Liability Umbrella Coverage.

MA Auto Insurance : Part 5

As an independent, MA auto insurance agency owner, when someone has me take a look at their auto insurance, the first thing I do is look at their Part 5. Optional Bodily Injury to Others coverage.

It’s the Big Kahuna of coverage. It’s your lawsuit protection.

It’s the amount of coverage that’s available to another party if you injure them in an auto accident. It’s the amount of coverage available before the injured party (parties) can sue you for additional damages (assets).

In addition to coverage limits, insurance companies pay legal defense.

Let’s take a look at the MA Auto Policy:

Part 5. Optional Bodily Injury to Others

Under this Part, we (insurance company) will pay damages to people injured or killed in accidents if you or a household member is legally responsible for the accident. We will also pay dmages if someone else using your auto with your consent is legally responsible for the accident. The damages we will pay are the amounts the injured person is entitled to collect for bodily injury through a court judgement or settlement.

The MA Auto Policy continues with exclusions for business use, unlisted operators, and some other things but overall, this is the heart of your MA auto insurance coverage.

How much liability coverage do you have?

Is it enough?

Give us a call or a click (auto quote) and will offer you our suggestions.

Massachusetts Auto Insurance Discounts

MassAutoQuote.com will shop your MA Auto Insurance to find you the best coverage and biggest auto insurance discounts.

Chances are, when you get a quote from MassAutoQuote, we will save you money. Most likely, we will also improve your coverage.

Our job, as your Massachusetts insurance agent, is to shop your coverage with multiple companies, make coverage recommendations, and help you if you ever have a billing question or claim problem.

We re-rate renewals and suggest coverage improvements, insurance or discount programs.

Some of the traditional Massachusettsautomobile insurance discounts include:

Age 65 or Older, Passive Restraint, Annual Mileage discounts, Anti-theft, Multi-Car, Driver’s Education, Public Transit

Additional discounts may include:

Account discounts, Excellent driver & excellent driver plus discounts (99 & 98 drivers), Pay in full discounts, Hybrid vehicle discount, Advanced driver training discount, Alumni & professional group discounts, Good student discount (“B” or better), Student away at school discounts

Call or click us for your Massachusetts Auto Insurance Discount Review!