7 steps to take advantage of an
Utah independent insurance agent
It does not matter if your insuring your first car or its been awhile since you have reviewed your current policy. The goal is the same. You want to have the right coverage in the unfortunate event of an accident. Second, you do not want to be overpaying for that coverage. Overpaying for insurance is quite common. The main reason is shopping and understanding coverage can be a daunting and tedious task!
This is where the independent agency comes to the rescue. Your local Utah independent agent works for you not the insurance carrier. We can shop multiple carriers for you. We can also monitor your coverage for you. If your carrier raises your rates you do not have to start the process all over again. We do the hard work for you. By doing side by side comparisons you can save hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars per year. For example, we saved our client Mauricio over $200.00 per month by switching them from Allstate to Nationwide. Oh, and Nationwide offered better coverage in Utah.
Step 1: Let us help you decide what insurance is the right fit for you in Utah.
The Utah state minimum coverage 26/65/15. This figure only applies to the people or property that you cause in the event of an accident. This is also called liability insurance. If by chance the damage exceeds these amounts you are liable for the difference.
After you know what is required. Its time to decide what coverage you need. Deciding what limits, you choose depends on how much risk you are willing to retain.
If you have a lot of assets it would be wise to get enough liability coverage to protect them. For example: If you only have $50,000 of bodily injury liability coverage but $100,000 in assets. If you are in an accident and are found liable, the other driver’s attorney can come after them if the medical bills are not covered by your insurance limits.
The most common recommendations for liability limits are $50,000 bodily injury liability for one person injured in an accident, $100,000 for all people injured in an accident and $25,000 property damage liability (usually expressed in insurance shorthand as 50/100/25). Here again, let your financial situation be your guide. If you have no assets that a lawyer can seek, do not purchase unnecessary limits.
How you drive can also be an important factor on determining what coverage you need. If your driving history is full of fender benders, if you routinely drive over the speed limit, or if you make a long commute on a high risk road every day, then you should get more complete coverage. Collision coverage pays for damage to your auto in an accident or damage from hitting an object (a tree, a light post or fence,). Comprehensive coverage addresses damage that did not occur in a collision — such as fire, theft or flood. It also covers damage to windshields.
It is important to remember you do not have to buy collision and comprehensive coverage. Let’s say you drive an older automobile vehicle, you have a clean driving record, and there is low chance that your car would be totaled in an accident. But you must park in a non-secure lot at work and at home. Your vehicle is at greater risk of being stolen. Then you could purchase comprehensive coverage and opt out of collision insurance. Also important is to remember that cheap insurance can end up costing you way more in the long run!
Step 2: Enlist your independent agent to review your current policy.
If we did not issue your current policy, we can review your current policy. We will evaluate your coverage limits and discuss your driving habits; risk factors and help you make the right decision. We will assess your yearly and monthly costs and get quotes both ways. With these amounts we now have a price to beat.
Step 3: We can help you understand your driving habits and record.
How many moving violations have you had and how recent are they? If you cannot remember how long that speeding ticket has been on your record, you can follow this link. https://secure.utah.gov/mvr-personal/. If a ticket or points you earned are about to go away, and will improve your record, wait until that happens. Nothing causes insurance companies to charge a higher premium then a questionable driving record.
Stop by next week for the last 4 ways to save money on insurance.