There are many myths about what makes a vehicle cheap or expensive to insure.  Below are the three most common myths about finding a cheap vehicle to insure. MYTH 1:  The smaller the vehicle, the more cost effective to insure – totally untrue.  In order to understand this one, you have to spin it around and look at it from the insurance carriers mindset – if a small vehicle is in an accident, it will most likely suffer greater damage than a larger vehicle.  Chances are, the amount paid out on a claim would be greater thus making small compact … Continue reading

The Society of Automotive Engineers [SAE] published a paper in 1995 that suggested ways to eliminate blind-spots in your vehicle. However, many people have never heard of this of refuse to change the way that they are comfortable having their outside mirrors adjusted. If you are willing to be uncomfortable for a short amount of time, the change is worth it.  You will no longer have to wrench your neck to check your blind-spots. HERE’S HOW IT WORKS 1. INTERNAL REAR-VIEW MIRROR – Adjust your mirror so that you can see straight back behind your car. 2. LEFT SIDE MIRROR – … Continue reading

WHY ARE MY AUTO RATES GOING UP?!  This is a common question that we hear from clients.  One of the reasons we are seeing increases in Michigan is due to Personal Injury Protection coverage (PIP). In the insurance world today, especially in the State of Michigan, the discussion of Personal Injury Protection has never been more important.  It is Michigan Law that every vehicle has PIP, which covers medical costs and lost wages in the event of an accident.   Medicare/Medicaid does not cover injuries sustained in an auto accident.  This means insurance companies, in the unfortunate event of an … Continue reading

It started with a phone call last week and we’ve been inundated with incoming emails, calls, and requests ever since. If you live in Michigan, take notice.  You might be distracted when driving down the road wondering how the motorcyclist in front of you is getting away so carelessly without wearing a helmet.  As of Thursday April 12, 2012, Governor Snyder has officially signed the “No Helmet Bill”repealing the old helmet law which has been highly enforced in the state of Michigan for 40 years. What does this mean? In order to avoid wearing a helmet: You must be 21 … Continue reading

Do I need to buy rental car insurance?  It’s a common question and we were confident in telling clients not to think twice about renting that car on vacation.  After all, it had made sense for so many years that your personal auto policy would pick up the slack if you damaged a rental car in your possession.  It wasn’t until the last 3-4 years that this has changed.  The following are three costs that will be passed along to you if you were in an accident with a rental car. Diminished Value – this is a fun term that … Continue reading

You’ve probably heard a friend, family member or neighbor talk about the value of separating an accident prone teen driver off onto their own auto policy.  It’s a common problem and an even morecommon question that parents of newly licensed drivers ask.  In general, we usually find the effect of this to be adverse.  Here’s why: Credit – in many states (including Michigan) insurance carriers use your credit to develop what is called an insurance score.  Your rates are often largely determined by this number.  Younger drivers generally don’t have as solid of credit as their parents do.  Worse credit … Continue reading

When you think of an umbrella, the first thing that comes to mind is an object that shields you from the rain.  There are other kinds of umbrellas out there, and yes, they are a form of insurance.   Insurance umbrellas also give you protection, but not from the elements created by Mother Nature.  Following are five reasons everyone should carry an umbrella policy. Peace of mind – you might trust yourself, but can you trust your sixteen year old driver?  Or the neighbor who invites their friend to your house for a get-together?  Remembering that an umbrella provides liability protection for incidences that happen at … Continue reading

Many clients ask me what they can do to accumulate discounts on their home insurance to lower their rates.  There are a variety of ways to do this while making your home a safer place for you and your family.  We have highlighted some big ticket savings below: 1.  Install Central Alarms – the higher your home’s security level, the better off you are in terms of suffering from a theft claim.  This has an impact on your insurance rates!  The better the alarm type, the greater the discount. 2.  If you aren’t using your woodstove, take it out of … Continue reading

In today’s economic climate, the majority of people are looking for ways to save money.  Unfortunatley, there are no coupons for insurance. However, there are ways to save money on your auto insurance rates.  The following are five ways to reduce your auto insurance rates. Review your collision options (did you know there are three levels in Michigan?) Work on your credit.  Sorry to say it, but credit plays a big role in determining insurance rates.  They call it an insurance score (but it uses credit as one determining factor.) COMBINE, COMBINE, COMBINE!  Multi policy discounts (MPD’s) are where it’s at.  I … Continue reading