(NAPS)—To steer this riding season in the right direction, you’ll want to make sure your motorcycle—and your motorcycle insurance policy—are in good working order before hitting the open road.
While you should always check your owner’s manual for specific guidelines, here are some general tips for getting ready:
1. Change the oil and filter. Many manufacturers recommend changing the oil and filter before storing a bike for any extended period of time and again when you bring it back out for riding season. Be sure to first start up the motor-cycle to warm the engine and then shut it off before changing the oil and filter.
2. Check the belt or chain. Make sure it is set to the manufacturer’s recommended tension. And if you have a chain, lubricate it.
3. Check nuts and bolts. Start off the riding season with a solid bike. Make sure everything is tight. “A well-maintained motorcycle not only assures a fun time, it can save you money by avoiding accidents, which helps to keep your insurance rates down,” says Rick Stern, motorcycle product manager, The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies.
4. Inspect tires. Look for any damage and also make sure each tire is inflated to the correct pres-sure. You’ve only got two tires, so for maximum stability it is very important to avoid underinflation as well as overinflation.
5. Look for fluid leaks. The easiest way to check for this is to look at the floor under the motor-cycle. Leaking oil or brake, radiator or clutch fluid can cause their own special problems. For example, being low on brake fluid could make it hard to stop your motor-cycle. You don’t want to find that out after you’re already on the road.
6. Check all lights. Make sure headlights, taillights, brake lights and turn signals are all functioning properly.
7. Brush up on your riding skills. Find a safe place to practice riding skills such as fast stops, figure eights, U-turns, etc., so you’re ready for the season. You’ll be glad you did.
8. Update your policy. Per-haps one of the most important things you can do at the start of the season is review your insurance coverage to be certain you, and your bike, are covered. Talk to your local independent insurance agent.
Independent agents represent many companies and they can help you to understand the cover-ages you need. An independent agent can also help you find the combination of price and service that’s right for you. To find an independent agent, visit the Web site at progressiveagent.com.
Did You Know?
To steer this riding season in the right direction, you’ll want to make sure your motorcycle— and your motorcycle insurance policy—are in good working order before hitting the open road. To find an independent agent, visit progressiveagent.com.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Your Credit Score Affects Your Insurance
Your Credit Score Affects Your Insurance
Most insurance companies, use many factors to price your insurance, including your driving record, your claims history, the type of home or vehicle you own, and your credit-based insurance score (“CBIS”).
What is a CBIS and Why Does it Matter?
Your CBIS is not the same as your personal credit score, nor is it a measure of your credit worthiness. The CBIS is a number that measures your likelihood of having an insurance claim. Studies have shown that consumers with higher CBIS have fewer and less severe losses. For this reason the CBIS is useful as a rating factor, but it is only one of many that are used.
Because your personal credit history affects your CBIS, it is important to regularly review it and make sure that it is accurate. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) allows you to order one report for free from each of the major credit reporting agencies each year. You may also purchase a "3-in-1 report" to review your scores from all three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Credit Rules Vary by State
Most states have rules that state how credit can be used in insurance. Contact your state’s Department of Insurance for the latest information on your state’s rules.
Credit Report Errors
If your credit record is incomplete or has an error, ask the credit reporting bureau to make the corrections. If they do they will notify you in writing. Then you can let us know if you want your policy updated by providing a copy of the notice with your name and policy and mailing it to: Tuscarawas Insurance Agency 160 N Broadway, New Philadelphia, Oh 44663
Most insurance companies, use many factors to price your insurance, including your driving record, your claims history, the type of home or vehicle you own, and your credit-based insurance score (“CBIS”).
What is a CBIS and Why Does it Matter?
Your CBIS is not the same as your personal credit score, nor is it a measure of your credit worthiness. The CBIS is a number that measures your likelihood of having an insurance claim. Studies have shown that consumers with higher CBIS have fewer and less severe losses. For this reason the CBIS is useful as a rating factor, but it is only one of many that are used.
Because your personal credit history affects your CBIS, it is important to regularly review it and make sure that it is accurate. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) allows you to order one report for free from each of the major credit reporting agencies each year. You may also purchase a "3-in-1 report" to review your scores from all three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Credit Rules Vary by State
Most states have rules that state how credit can be used in insurance. Contact your state’s Department of Insurance for the latest information on your state’s rules.
Credit Report Errors
If your credit record is incomplete or has an error, ask the credit reporting bureau to make the corrections. If they do they will notify you in writing. Then you can let us know if you want your policy updated by providing a copy of the notice with your name and policy and mailing it to: Tuscarawas Insurance Agency 160 N Broadway, New Philadelphia, Oh 44663
Monday, June 9, 2008
Car Insurance Myths Debunked
Red cars cost more to insure.
Color is not a factor used to calculate car insurance rates — we don't even ask you what color your car is when you get a quote from us. Factors that do matter are the year, make, model, body type, engine size and age of your car, as well as drivers on your policy.
One speeding ticket will make my car insurance rates go up.
Sometimes this is true, but in many cases, you have to get two tickets before your rate goes up. Your driving history, the length of time you've been insured with a company and how fast you were going when you were cited can affect whether your rate increases or not. Keep in mind that a speeding ticket may not be the sole reason your rate increases, as several factors are considered when reviewing them.
Auto insurance rates aren't regulated, so auto insurance companies can charge what they want.
Each state requires auto insurance companies to file how they calculate customer rates, and insurers cannot deviate from these filed rates. Each state also has regulators who review that information and the rates companies charge.
I only need the bare minimum amount of car insurance.
Many states have minimum car insurance requirements, but the minimum amount of required insurance may not cover all of your costs. If you cause an accident that results in a lawsuit and your insurance limits don't cover all of the damages, your assets could be pursued.
Cheaper cars cost less to insure.
If your cheaper car has a large engine, weighs a lot or is an unusual model, it might cost more to insure than a more expensive small car. However, if you have a cheaper car, you will pay less for Comprehensive coverage, which covers damage caused by vandalism, hail, fire or animal accidents.
If someone driving my car causes an accident, I won't be held responsible.
It's possible you'll be financially responsible for an accident — even if someone else is driving your car. In most states, the car insurance policy covering the vehicle is considered the primary insurance, which means that the insurance company for the vehicle must pay for damages caused by an accident. Even so, it's still possible that the driver's insurance company could be responsible for some of the damages. Why? If the vehicle's insurance limits are too low and don't cover all the damages, the driver's insurance may be next in line to pay for the remainder of the damages.
Since policies and laws differ by state, knowing how your state's insurance system works could influence who drives your car.
Older cars are cheaper to insure.
Car insurance rates for all vehicles vary depending on several factors, such as who drives a vehicle and its annual mileage. For older vehicles, many drivers choose to carry only Liability (BI/PD) coverage, which covers injury or damage to other people or property, not damage to the insured person or vehicle. Liability only coverage may be cheaper than insuring a vehicle with Liability, Comprehensive and Collision coverage.
My car insurance rates will be higher if I'm a smoker.
Your car insurance rates will not be higher if you smoke — we don't even ask you if you're a smoker when you get a quote from us.
My car insurance rates will be similar to my neighbor's rates.
Car insurance rates are individually determined, so factors such as age, driving record, type of vehicle and marital status are considered. Each person's situation is unique, and car insurance rates will vary because of this.
Car insurance rates go down dramatically when drivers turn 25.
Younger and older drivers typically have the most car crashes, and customers of different car insurance companies have different claims experiences. When determining auto insurance rates, insurers generally consider a variety of information about you, including age, vehicle information, claims history and the claims experience of other customers like you.
While it's generally true that rates will go down when you turn 25 if all information about you and your vehicle remains the same, changes in one or more of the other pieces of information used to calculate a rate could lead to you getting a higher, lower or the same rate when you turn 25.
Comprehensive coverage protects drivers in all situations.
Comprehensive coverage is one type of protection available on an auto insurance policy (others being Collision, Uninsured Motorist, etc.). Comprehensive coverage pays only for damage caused by an event other than a collision, including:
Fire
Theft
Vandalism
Weather (hail, floods, etc.)
Vehicle collisions with animals
Rental Reimbursement coverage protects drivers who crash their rental car while on vacation.
If your insured car is in the shop as a result of an accident, Rental Reimbursement coverage pays for some or all of the cost of a rental car (depending on the limits you select).
Having more than one insurance policy with the same company always results in a cheaper car insurance rate.
Buying more than one type of insurance, such as auto and homeowners insurance, from the same company doesn't always mean you're getting the best rate available. Often, you can save money by purchasing different products from different insurance carriers.
Color is not a factor used to calculate car insurance rates — we don't even ask you what color your car is when you get a quote from us. Factors that do matter are the year, make, model, body type, engine size and age of your car, as well as drivers on your policy.
One speeding ticket will make my car insurance rates go up.
Sometimes this is true, but in many cases, you have to get two tickets before your rate goes up. Your driving history, the length of time you've been insured with a company and how fast you were going when you were cited can affect whether your rate increases or not. Keep in mind that a speeding ticket may not be the sole reason your rate increases, as several factors are considered when reviewing them.
Auto insurance rates aren't regulated, so auto insurance companies can charge what they want.
Each state requires auto insurance companies to file how they calculate customer rates, and insurers cannot deviate from these filed rates. Each state also has regulators who review that information and the rates companies charge.
I only need the bare minimum amount of car insurance.
Many states have minimum car insurance requirements, but the minimum amount of required insurance may not cover all of your costs. If you cause an accident that results in a lawsuit and your insurance limits don't cover all of the damages, your assets could be pursued.
Cheaper cars cost less to insure.
If your cheaper car has a large engine, weighs a lot or is an unusual model, it might cost more to insure than a more expensive small car. However, if you have a cheaper car, you will pay less for Comprehensive coverage, which covers damage caused by vandalism, hail, fire or animal accidents.
If someone driving my car causes an accident, I won't be held responsible.
It's possible you'll be financially responsible for an accident — even if someone else is driving your car. In most states, the car insurance policy covering the vehicle is considered the primary insurance, which means that the insurance company for the vehicle must pay for damages caused by an accident. Even so, it's still possible that the driver's insurance company could be responsible for some of the damages. Why? If the vehicle's insurance limits are too low and don't cover all the damages, the driver's insurance may be next in line to pay for the remainder of the damages.
Since policies and laws differ by state, knowing how your state's insurance system works could influence who drives your car.
Older cars are cheaper to insure.
Car insurance rates for all vehicles vary depending on several factors, such as who drives a vehicle and its annual mileage. For older vehicles, many drivers choose to carry only Liability (BI/PD) coverage, which covers injury or damage to other people or property, not damage to the insured person or vehicle. Liability only coverage may be cheaper than insuring a vehicle with Liability, Comprehensive and Collision coverage.
My car insurance rates will be higher if I'm a smoker.
Your car insurance rates will not be higher if you smoke — we don't even ask you if you're a smoker when you get a quote from us.
My car insurance rates will be similar to my neighbor's rates.
Car insurance rates are individually determined, so factors such as age, driving record, type of vehicle and marital status are considered. Each person's situation is unique, and car insurance rates will vary because of this.
Car insurance rates go down dramatically when drivers turn 25.
Younger and older drivers typically have the most car crashes, and customers of different car insurance companies have different claims experiences. When determining auto insurance rates, insurers generally consider a variety of information about you, including age, vehicle information, claims history and the claims experience of other customers like you.
While it's generally true that rates will go down when you turn 25 if all information about you and your vehicle remains the same, changes in one or more of the other pieces of information used to calculate a rate could lead to you getting a higher, lower or the same rate when you turn 25.
Comprehensive coverage protects drivers in all situations.
Comprehensive coverage is one type of protection available on an auto insurance policy (others being Collision, Uninsured Motorist, etc.). Comprehensive coverage pays only for damage caused by an event other than a collision, including:
Fire
Theft
Vandalism
Weather (hail, floods, etc.)
Vehicle collisions with animals
Rental Reimbursement coverage protects drivers who crash their rental car while on vacation.
If your insured car is in the shop as a result of an accident, Rental Reimbursement coverage pays for some or all of the cost of a rental car (depending on the limits you select).
Having more than one insurance policy with the same company always results in a cheaper car insurance rate.
Buying more than one type of insurance, such as auto and homeowners insurance, from the same company doesn't always mean you're getting the best rate available. Often, you can save money by purchasing different products from different insurance carriers.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Identity Theft Coverage
Identity theft is America's fastest growing crime, and it can happen to anyone. The good news: You can have peace of mind knowing that if this happens to you, we'll take care of it.
Whether you're a victim of identity theft, or your personal identification documents are stolen while traveling, Westfield Identity Services will provide diligent and personalized assistance to get your life back on track. You'll be assigned a personal advocate from Identity Theft 911, America's number one identity fraud resolution provider. Identity Theft 911's advocates work with you one-on-one, from beginning to end, to resolve your crisis.
Click here for information about identity theft coverage and useful tips to prevent identity theft.
Westfield Identity Services
With Westfield Identity Services coverage, you and your family receive these benefits at no additional cost if you are a victim of identity theft.
Identity Theft Resolution Assistance
If you become a victim of identity theft or need assistance handing suspicious activity in your credit files, Identity Theft Resolution Assistance will provide the fastest, most thorough resolution to your crisis. Fraud resolution specialists will help get your life back in order.
Proactive Identity Services
Proactive Identity Services help potential identity theft victims position themselves to detect and respond to fraud quickly. Options include free fraud alerts placed with all three credit bureaus, plus additional preventative measures, depending on the risk.
Child Risk Identity Services
It can take years for the theft of a child’s identity to be noticed ... which is why child identity theft is a rapidly growing crime. Child Risk Identity Services helps parents to suppress the credit file of the minor to help prevent against the further misuse of their personal information, and erasing any erroneous information from those files.
Military Identity Services
Military personnel serving abroad may not immediately notice a problem with their identity. This makes them more susceptible to identity theft. Military Identity Services assists military personnel with proactive steps to protect their identity, including active duty fraud alert on credit files, removal from credit bureau marketing lists and Identity Theft Resolution Assistance in the event of identity theft.
Estate Identity Services
After losing a husband or wife, surviving spouses may find they need to protect the identity of the loved one who has passed away. Estate Identity Services helps a surviving spouse protect the departed spouse’s records from identity thieves, as well as notify credit bureaus and credit issuers that the deceased has passed away.
Disaster Recovery Services
Natural disaster victims can rely on Disaster Recovery Services to recover critical documentation needed to rebuild their lives and identity. It also provides a communications hub so family members, friends and neighbors can have a central point of contact.
Identity Travel Assistance
Should you lose your wallet, or your passport get stolen while traveling, Identity Travel Assistance will help with emergency travel arrangements and coordinate with embassies and governmental agencies to get you home safely. If an identity theft should occur as a result, Identity Theft Resolution Assistance will be available. For Identity Travel Assistance, customers should contact the number provided on the Identity Travel Assistance wallet card included with their policy. The card contains country codes as well as a toll-free number to call for assistance when traveling.
Monitoring Your Credit Report
Monitoring your credit report can help you catch inaccurate information - which could be due to identity theft. Visit http://www.annualcreditreport.com/ to order a free copy of your credit report from the three credit reporting agencies every 12 months. (Tip: To monitor throughout the year, order from one of the three credit reporting agencies at a time, every four months.)
Whether you're a victim of identity theft, or your personal identification documents are stolen while traveling, Westfield Identity Services will provide diligent and personalized assistance to get your life back on track. You'll be assigned a personal advocate from Identity Theft 911, America's number one identity fraud resolution provider. Identity Theft 911's advocates work with you one-on-one, from beginning to end, to resolve your crisis.
Click here for information about identity theft coverage and useful tips to prevent identity theft.
Westfield Identity Services
With Westfield Identity Services coverage, you and your family receive these benefits at no additional cost if you are a victim of identity theft.
Identity Theft Resolution Assistance
If you become a victim of identity theft or need assistance handing suspicious activity in your credit files, Identity Theft Resolution Assistance will provide the fastest, most thorough resolution to your crisis. Fraud resolution specialists will help get your life back in order.
Proactive Identity Services
Proactive Identity Services help potential identity theft victims position themselves to detect and respond to fraud quickly. Options include free fraud alerts placed with all three credit bureaus, plus additional preventative measures, depending on the risk.
Child Risk Identity Services
It can take years for the theft of a child’s identity to be noticed ... which is why child identity theft is a rapidly growing crime. Child Risk Identity Services helps parents to suppress the credit file of the minor to help prevent against the further misuse of their personal information, and erasing any erroneous information from those files.
Military Identity Services
Military personnel serving abroad may not immediately notice a problem with their identity. This makes them more susceptible to identity theft. Military Identity Services assists military personnel with proactive steps to protect their identity, including active duty fraud alert on credit files, removal from credit bureau marketing lists and Identity Theft Resolution Assistance in the event of identity theft.
Estate Identity Services
After losing a husband or wife, surviving spouses may find they need to protect the identity of the loved one who has passed away. Estate Identity Services helps a surviving spouse protect the departed spouse’s records from identity thieves, as well as notify credit bureaus and credit issuers that the deceased has passed away.
Disaster Recovery Services
Natural disaster victims can rely on Disaster Recovery Services to recover critical documentation needed to rebuild their lives and identity. It also provides a communications hub so family members, friends and neighbors can have a central point of contact.
Identity Travel Assistance
Should you lose your wallet, or your passport get stolen while traveling, Identity Travel Assistance will help with emergency travel arrangements and coordinate with embassies and governmental agencies to get you home safely. If an identity theft should occur as a result, Identity Theft Resolution Assistance will be available. For Identity Travel Assistance, customers should contact the number provided on the Identity Travel Assistance wallet card included with their policy. The card contains country codes as well as a toll-free number to call for assistance when traveling.
Monitoring Your Credit Report
Monitoring your credit report can help you catch inaccurate information - which could be due to identity theft. Visit http://www.annualcreditreport.com/ to order a free copy of your credit report from the three credit reporting agencies every 12 months. (Tip: To monitor throughout the year, order from one of the three credit reporting agencies at a time, every four months.)
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