Category: Insurance

In looking at both comprehensive and collision insurance, there are strategies to determine which one is preferable in the sense of the needs of a driver and his or her vehicle. Both forms play a pivotal role in maintaining your vehicle.

Wherever you drive your vehicle, you are going to be susceptible to accidents and possible property damage. There are few safeguards for your own protection as well as that of others, and any property that may be involved, whether yours or theirs. There is a day-to-day concern with accidents and determining which coverage is better doesn’t have to be confusing. Here is a rundown of comprehensive and collision coverage to help you determine which one, or both, works best for you.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive insurance covers damage to a vehicle that happens through varying incidents in contrast to a direct vehicular collision. This type of car insurance covers other vehicles you drive as well. A rider goes along with your comprehensive insurance and specifically states what will be covered.

Comprehensive Coverage Details

A rider to a comprehensive plan will usually include coverage for:

• Glass repairs as well as repair for windshield chips, cracks or shatters that can occur
• Vehicle contact/collision with animals (usually deer, elk or other animals in the wild)
• Protection from natural disasters, fires, storms, floods, wind and hail
• Vandalism damage from break-ins, interior theft, keying or outright
• Vehicle theft
• Fairly priced coverage with low deductible

With the potential of most anything happening to a vehicle, in addition to a collision, comprehensive insurance is definitely a plan to consider for protection against any type of accident or material damage. You’re not left holding the bag when it comes to the added costs of damages caused through a casualty or unforeseen event. Comprehensive insurance can also be coupled with other coverage, or it can be used as an altogether separate coverage.

Collision Coverage

Collision coverage is critical as it protects your vehicle from damage. It will allow for repairs that occur when two vehicles collide and damage is present. Collision coverage will cover accidents when you are at fault or when the other driver is at fault.

Collision Coverage Allowances

Collision coverage pays for your vehicle repairs, but when the repair costs go beyond the true value of your vehicle, you will only be paid for the book value of your vehicle. Your options will be repairing your vehicle for less or taking what payment you are given and putting it towards a vehicle replacement.

This type of coverage is usually purchased with basic automobile insurance and is often combined with both liability and comprehensive coverage. Your deductible will likely be high, but your monthly payments will be low.

Other areas that a collision policy covers include:

• Damage repair for vehicles that may have been involved in a collision while in drive or reverse modes
• Damage caused by hit-and-run accidents
• Damage caused by uninsured drivers
• Coverage for hitting road ice and sliding into a stationary object
• Coverage for pothole damage
• Coverage for roll overs
• Collision insurance can be costly and choosing a higher deductible will help lower policy costs

Comparison Aspects

In comparing the two types of coverage and deciding which one is better, there are aspects to be considered. One aspect is knowing the real worth of your vehicle. If your vehicle is new and of greater value, both collision and comprehensive coverage would be necessary, particularly in the event that your vehicle required extensive repairs or complete replacement.

Accident risk –

The greater risk of an accident is another consideration. If your continually driving great distances on a regular basis, having both policies would be necessary to cover different types of accidents that would fall on your shoulders expense wise.

Theft –

Also, what if your car were stolen, would you be able to take that money out of your savings to replace it?

Location –

Another important aspect is the area where you live and the places where you drive on a regular basis. Is the location one that has frequent reports of vehicle damage because of severe weather, falling power lines, tree branches or road encounters with wildlife?

If you are still questioning what coverage is best for your vehicle, you want to first consider the cost of coverage as well as the current value of your vehicle along with the possible costs of any repairs or replacement. If you have further questions or concerns and want more information about comprehensive or collision insurance, complete the online contact form and a representative will get back to you as quickly as possible with answers to your car insurance needs.

When trying to save money on car insurance, many people look at raising their deductible to make premiums lower. It is true that the higher the deductible, the lower your premiums may be but a high deductible also means your insurance covers less when you have a claim. If you are considering a raise in your deductible to lower your premium costs, there are some tips you should follow to be sure the change actually saves you money.

How Much Do You Have Saved?

If you have a significant amount of money in savings, raising your deductible to the maximum amount possible could save you a considerable amount in premium costs. For example, if the maximum deductible you can choose is $5,000 and you have more than that in a savings account, you could cover the cost of the deductible with your savings should you be involved in an accident. In addition, you can add the premium savings to the amount you set aside each month to grow your savings account faster.

How Much Will You Actually Save in Premiums?

The next thing to look at is how much you will actually save in premiums. Is it worth saving $30 per year if you will need to come up with $1,000 should you be involved n an accident? In most cases, the higher your premium, the more you will save if you increase your deductible. You also need to determine if you are in a financial position to handle the higher deductible. If you would be unable to pay the deductible, saving a few dollars a month in premiums would not be beneficial.

How Often Do You File Claims?

If you rarely ever file insurance claims, you may be able to afford a higher deductible should something happen. Raising your deductible may result in additional savings because, for every year you don’t make a claim, the saved premiums can go in your pocket. If you have made several claims, your premiums may be fairly high. Consider negotiating the deductible with your insurance rate to get the best discount on your premiums.

Higher Deductible Discounts

Although every policy and insurance company are different, the average savings you can see when you raise your deductible is between 5 and 10 percent. The higher you raise the deductible, the more you save. With some policies, if you raise your deductible from $200 to $500 just on collision and comprehensive, you could save as much as 30 percent and if you raise it to $1,000, you could save as much as 40 percent.

If your vehicle has been damaged in a collision, schedule an appointment today by calling or filling out the easy online form.

A car crash can be highly stressful. When you have a collision, you might be left to deal with injuries as well as damage to your vehicle. Car accidents are common in the U.S., and there were approximately 6.3 million crashes in the nation in 2015 alone. If you are in an accident and are uninjured, your primary objective will be to evaluate the damage to your vehicle. To receive reimbursement for the repairs, you will need to have collision coverage with your automobile insurance company. Elmer’s Auto Body works with many different insurance companies to repair damage to people’s cars.

What is collision coverage?

Collision coverage is optional insurance coverage that pays for accident damage accidents with objects and with other cars. However, it does not cover everything. It won’t pay for vehicle damage that did not directly result from your accident or for your medical bills.

Choosing a deductible

Before your insurance coverage will start covering your damages, you will first need to pay the deductible amount. For example, if you have a $1,000 deductible, you will have to pay $1,000 before the collision coverage will take over. You can choose the deductible amount with which you are comfortable. Lower deductibles come with higher premiums, so you will need to keep that in mind. However, the cost is not the only factor that you should consider.

You should also think about your risks, including your age, normal times when your vehicle is being used, the climate, and others. If you believe that your risks are higher, choosing a lower deductible might be a wise choice. By contrast, if you have a spotless driving record, live in a climate that has generally good conditions, and drive your vehicle in an area that has minimal traffic, a higher deductible policy might be a good idea. You should also consider the age of your vehicle and whether you have an emergency savings fund.

Should you purchase collision coverage on an older car?

If your car is older than 10 years, you might want to forgo collision coverage. Insurance companies will only pay the fair market value for damage to your car. However, if you are leasing or financing your car, you will likely be required to keep your collision coverage. Some vehicles also keep their values better than other cars. Check the Kelley Blue Book and NADA to find the value of your car so that you can determine whether collision coverage makes sense. Finally, if you do not have an emergency savings fund, it might be best to keep your collision coverage.

Contact Elmer’s Auto Body

If you are involved in an accident and need to have your vehicle repaired, contact Elmer’s Auto Body. We work with all insurance companies and can give you a reliable estimate of the costs to repair your car. Call us today, or fill out our online contact form.

As a vehicle owner, one of your biggest fears is having your vehicle stolen. Don’t feel bad! Your car is your home away from home, and something you depend on for so very much of your daily life. Fail to mention it’s a rather expensive loss should someone abscond with it. There’s a reason why vehicle security is such big business, and why grand larceny (formerly grand theft auto) is such a serious crime in our legal system.

But, no matter how secure your vehicle is, no matter how discerning you are in choosing where you park, it only takes one especially cunning, brave, maladjusted person to come along, find your car appealing, and take off with it. The better security, the smarter thieves tend to be as a result, after all.

So, the question is, what do you do if this happens? There are nearly 800,000 car thefts a year, and you never know when you might be one such statistic. Today, we’re going to go through this disaster step by step, and talk about what to expect at certain points. It’s not going to be fun, but if you, above all else, remain calm and follow procedure, one way or another, you’ll get this worked out.

Where Did You Park?

You’ve undoubtedly experienced this to a smaller extent before. You walk out of a mall or big box store during a busy evening, the parking lot is jam-packed. You’re sure you remember where you parked, but you’ll be darned if you can find your car. Panic wells up inside you, thinking “oh no, someone stole my car!”

This happens to everyone, and it happens often in a world where traffic is anything but diminishing. So, the first thing to do is make absolutely sure your vehicle is gone. This is a bit easier nowadays, with keyless remote entry allowing you to set off a chirping or honking sound with the push of a button.

If your vehicle doesn’t have this, then walk the lot. It’s exhausting and stressful, but necessary.

Time for the Police

So, it’s really gone? Ouch! Right now, your mind is racing, worst case scenarios causing your world to spin dizzyingly. Take a deep breath. The first thing you should do now is to inform the police. Report your vehicle stolen right away.

The longer it’s gone, the less chance there is of your vehicle being found, not unlike a missing persons case. If you’re in a highly urban or suburban area, police are statistically more likely to find your vehicle in short order.
If you’re in a rural area, well, don’t count on it. This is not the fault of law enforcement either, moving targets in expansive areas are logistically troublesome.

Technology to the Rescue

If your vehicle’s less than ten years old, there’s a really good chance it has tracking technology built into it. This is called a “low jack”, and if your vehicle has GPS or other modern, digital conveniences, you can usually get a location fix on the vehicle. If you can’t, then in many cases, the police can.

Of course, if you have an older vehicle, investing in this technology before the unfortunate can happen, might be a wise decision. There are services that specialize in this kind of surveillance, and it’s an affordable, solid peace of mind to have.

Dealing with Insurance

Now, you’ll need to inform your lender or insurer of your car’s theft. This is where things can get really scary and complicated. Does your insurance cover theft? You should find out now, before something happens, and if it doesn’t, you’ll want to adjust your policy so that it does. In the case your vehicle is never recovered, this is a windfall you’ll want to have.

Now, you just have to wait. Police are looking for your car, if you have tracking technology, specialists are doing everything in their power to triangulate its location, and there’s nothing you can do but stay in touch with these people and wait.

If you’re still making payments on the vehicle, you’ll want to continue making them. It’s a sad fact that lenders won’t accept “but my car’s currently stolen” as an acceptable reason to not continue payments. This goes for your insurance as well.

In the end, as long as your policy covers auto theft, you’ll eventually recoup and recover.

To learn more about handling car theft, fill out our contact form today.