Call us Today @ (443) 313-1000 Request a Quote
Request a Quote

Category : Insurance

When most people think about earthquakes in the United States, California and Alaska are the two states that come to mind. However, earthquakes can happen in any part of the country. Many people move out of areas that are prone to earthquakes after experiencing one to escape the possibility of a repeat experience. The truth is that there is no place that is completely safe from earthquakes. They are a very real threat that everyone must consider and plan for. One of the most vital aspects of proper preparedness is having ample insurance coverage.

To get the most out of a car or home insurance policy, it is important to understand the roles deductibles play. A deductible is the amount deducted from an insured loss. When a damage claim is filed, the deductible is the amount of money a policyholder must pay upfront. It may be a percentage of the policy’s total or a set dollar amount. Larger deductibles are associated with smaller premiums. To find the verbiage concerning deductibles, consult the front page of the auto or homeowners policy. Deductibles are subtracted from the claim amount. For example, if a person with a $500 deductible files a claim for $10,000, that policyholder will receive a check for $9,500. However, if that individual’s deductible is calculated using percentages, the amount may differ. With percentages, the variable is calculated from the total claim and then subtracted from the total.

Your credit rating can affect a lot more than you may think. Almost all insurance companies factor in credit ratings to set rates for new and existing auto insurance customers. Yet, blemished credit doesn’t necessarily translate into higher insurance premium rates. Instead, it is the overall insurance risk score that can cause a rise in your rates.

Is your property at risk of damage from flooding? If you answered “no,” think again. Every property has a flood risk; some may have a more severe risk than others, but all have some risk. A home on a lakeshore has a pretty obvious exposure to flooding. So, however, does a building miles from a body of water, located on a street with storm drains on it and a steady water supply. Because standard homeowner’s and commercial property insurance policies do not cover flood losses, the federal government makes insurance available through the National Flood Insurance Program. The NFIP evaluates the risk (and determines the insurance premium) for each property in a participating community according to its location on that community’s Flood Insurance Rate Map. Recently, those maps have been changing, and some property owners have received big surprises.

When the threat of earthquakes arises, most Americans think only about California, or more recently Haiti. For many years, the San Andreas Fault Line has been the recipient of much of the press concerning earthquakes in the U.S. Furthermore, predictions concerning the ultimate cataclysm believed by many to eventually be centered there have given it a mythical stature unrivalled by fault lines elsewhere in the country.

If you are in the market for a new car you have probably looked at the reliability ratings, fuel economy statistics and safety tests. But have you looked at the insurance rates for the car of your dreams? If not you may want to take a step back and consider what that new car will cost to insure. Before you sign on the dotted line it is a good idea to contact your car insurance company for a premium quote. Some cars are surprisingly expensive to insure, while others are surprisingly affordable. The key is to find out how much the premiums on your proposed vehicle will be before you commit to buying.