If you are watching television at all these days, you are undoubtedly seeing commercials for auto insurance. Virtually all of the commercials promote one thing, price. Naturally, we all want the lowest rates possible. But is auto insurance really a commodity? In other words, are all insurance plans and their companies the same? Will you discover a difference in benefits when you evaluate them?
When shopping for insurance, in addition to price, make sure you compare similar values. Always ask for identical deductibles and coverage limits. When looking at limits on medical coverage, remember that even minor injuries can be very expensive to treat. Therefore, you should pay attention to any differences in coverage to determine which offers the best value.
A company that offers very low auto insurance premiums, but provides lousy customer service may come back to haunt you. If you have ever been in an accident, then you probably grasp what I’m getting at. An auto accident is a traumatic event. You don’t want your insurance agent and company to make it worse by being unresponsive and fulfilling their contract obligations to you in a slipshod fashion. Rather, your insurance company should be right there for you to ease the pain. A good insurance agent and company will take care of your claim expediently and see to it that your repairs are approved within a reasonable amount of time. Therefore, before you purchase or change your auto insurance, make sure you check their record for customer service. Choose only an agent and company that have an excellent reputation for this.
Your insurance company probably offers some special benefits. Make sure your agent will see to it that you always have the best deal. For example, companies offer good driver discounts, multiple car discounts, good student discounts, loyal customer discounts and more. Ask your agent what he is going to do for you to ensure you always receive the maximum discounts.
Having insurance is the law. The cost of medical treatment has skyrocketed in recent years. Therefore, make sure that you always pay on time, so your policy remains active, and that your coverage is adequate. Your insurance should cover all medical bills and repair or vehicle replacement for your car, as well as the other vehicles involved in the accident.
Gregg L. Goodman, LUTCF is the CEO of the Gregg L. Goodman Insurance Agency, Inc. He is an agent for Farmers Insurance and provides life, health, homeowners and auto insurance, as well as commercial insurance programs.
For more information, please call 661-254-6739.