Insurance World

Let your fingers do the walking… Remember that Yellow Pages Ad Campaign? Excellent advice if you’re shopping for auto insurance. Shop around and do it yearly. Don’t just keep paying the invoice over and over without comparison shopping. Below are a few suggestions to help you get the best deal available on your automobile insurance policy.

Insurance agents really have a lot of leeway. They can price match and they can offer many discounts. There are also many decisions you can make about your policy that will save you a bundle. For example, if you change your deductible on your collision from a $50 deductible to a $1000 deductible, you’re inline for a huge premium savings. If you don’t think you could come up with $1000 out of pocket, then change it to a $500 deductible; you’ll still save a sizable amount on your annual premium payment.

You can also get more of a savings if you change your comprehensive deductible. Many people needlessly carry full coverage on their older vehicle. They originally purchased the vehicle new, paid for full coverage and to this day, continue to pay the same high rate. Their ten year old vehicle may be worth $1000 or less, yet they continue to pay $250-$450 every six months (total $500 to $900 dollars a year) to keep full coverage on their old vehicle.

However, if they have an accident and totaled their vehicle, the insurance company will only pay them the wholesale value of the vehicle. The amount they would receive could be $1000 or less. A vehicle that old just needs the insurance that protects the other person in case of an accident.

Another method to save more on your insurance is by combining your vehicles and other insurance together to get you additional savings. All insurance companies offer a multi-car discount (if yours doesn’t, it’s time to switch companies). Further, many will discount more if you have your homeowners or renters policy with them.

There are a few other discounts that you may not be taking advantage of. It seems obvious, but make sure you are getting the correct rate for your age. There are discounts for various ages than can save you lots of money. Check with your agent on this one. Also alarm systems on your vehicle are usually good for a discount. Additionally, anti-lock brakes and air bags can also help lower your premiums.

Don’t just keep paying the invoice when it comes in. Your insurance bill should be an automatic trigger for you to make a few phone calls to see if you can save even more money on your auto insurance premiums.

Anyone who can afford a yacht knows that it is a major undertaking. Caring for a yacht is hundred times harder than taking care of a ten-foot johnboat used to tool around a lake searching for bluegills.

A yacht is nothing short of a house on water. With all the comforts of home and then some, it is a marvel of engineering and expense to boot. Affordability is not really an issue when it comes to yacht ownership, but protecting one’s investment is. When you have spent more on a boat than other people spend on a home and car combined, then you have every right to make sure that the money you spent will not be in vain. Insurance is the only option in this case and you should choose the policy wisely when dealing with large sums of money like the cost of a yacht.

First off you will need to determine the coverage for the entire yacht. This amount will represent the amount that you would need to get back should the vessel become a total loss. There are several ways in which any type of boat can be lost, the least of which being theft and the worst being explosion. An explosion is a more real threat then you realize when you consider the amount of fuel being carried below decks of a large yacht. A misplaced collision with another boat can cause an explosion that will most likely destroy the entire craft. This type of coverage is the normal amount required by a financial agency that has fronted the money for the yacht. This is to protect them from loss.

Next you should figure the equipment on board the boat that should be covered. This can consist of the motors, navigational equipment, riggings, anchors, and radios. These items are essential to the yacht’s operation and should be protected against loss or damage. This type of coverage can also include any personal items on board that need to be protected. This is similar to homeowners insurance in that respect as those policies generally cover household contents to a certain degree.

If the boat is stored in a region that is prone to violent weather conditions like hurricanes, then a provision in an insurance policy for this type of loss should also be considered. The loss from weather related occurrences is tremendous and most standard insurance policies do not offer coverage in this area. It may cost a considerable amount more to be covered against weather related damage but it will be worth it should the need arise.

Lastly you should consider damage to other crafts caused by your yacht. Even the most experienced seaman can make a mistake or an error in judgement and this can cause damage to boats in or around the area. Protecting yourself with insurance coverage against such incidents can mean the difference between terrible financial devastation and no more the matter of filing some paperwork with your insurance company.