Save on Auto Insurance With These Tips

If you own a car, you know that having insurance on your car is required. While this expense is mandatory, it does not mean it has to be costly. When it comes to insurance for your vehicle, there are several ways to save money on your policy.

• Plan your purchase. If you plan to purchase a vehicle, talk with your agent about insurance costs for the different models you are interested in. The type of vehicle you own is a big factor in the price of your auto insurance policy.
  
  
• Drive less. How many miles do you drive each year? Many insurance companies offer discounts for drivers that drive under 7,500 miles each year. Taking public transportation or carpooling doesn’t only save you on gas, but also on your insurance costs.
  
  
• Are you driving an older car? If so, consider dropping the collision coverage. Any claims filed will only pay what the vehicle is worth, and chances are, it’s not much if your car is more than seven years old.
  
  
• Ask your agent for discounts. Your vehicle might be cheaper to insure if it has airbags or an alarm. You might also be entitled to a discount if you are a member of a professional organization or if you have homeowners insurance with the same insurance provider. Ask your independent insurance agent what discounts you may qualify for.
  
  
• Be a responsible driver. Avoid traffic violations and do all you can to stay out of accidents. A clean driving record can be a huge factor in lowering your auto insurance rates.
  
  
• Raise your deductible. Raising your deductible can help you pay less for your car insurance. For example, raising your collision deductible up to $1,000 can save you about 30 percent off your monthly premium.
  
  
• Keep credit healthy. Insurers are starting to use credit scores more and more to set insurance rates. A higher score could mean a lower premium.

Paying for auto insurance does not have to break the bank. If you are looking to lower your costs, use these tips and talk to your agent about more ways to save.

See how much you can save today. Call Reliable Insurance Managers at (713) 227-7283 for more information on Houston auto insurance.

The Consequences of Car Accidents on your Car Insurance

Sometimes, regardless of how careful you are on the road, an accident happens. If this occurs and you are found at fault, your Houston auto insurance premium rates will likely increase. The reason is not that you are seen as being negligently involved in the incident, but rather that you are now seen as a greater risk.

If you are found at fault when an on-road accident happens and your auto insurance cost becomes more expensive, it is advisable to understand how fault is determined.

• If there was not another vehicle involved in the incident, you will be found at fault by your insurance company.
• When two or more vehicles are involved in the collision, blame must be assigned. There are some common incidents where it is easy to determine who is at fault. Where it is not so easy to assign blame, the police examine the scene and deliver a report determining fault.

Insurance companies usually have their own system to determine how much they will raise the policy costs of an at fault driver. Each insurer assigns a number of points to each type of accident. If the driver is then found at fault for that kind of accident, the set number of points will be placed on the driver’s record. Premium increases are determined by the number of points recorded. The driver will carry these points on his record for many years to come, and, as a result, pay an increased premium for all of those years. If the driver changes his insurance agency, the points still remain on his record.

Some insurance agencies, due to customer loyalty, refrain from penalizing their clients. This is usually only done when the client has been with the insurer for many years, or when his driving record is a good one. Including accident forgiveness on your policy is another way to prevent a penalty in the event of an accident. Most insurance companies charge extra for this added protection, and only award it when a client has an impeccable driving record. If you change your insurer, you would need to apply for accident forgiveness on your new policy.

Accidents happen, but there are ways that you can stop the occurrence from increasing your car insurance rates. For more information about how this can be done, call  Reliable Insurance Managers at 713-227-7283. We will happily answer all your questions.

Ever heard of Car Flood Insurance?

When most people purchase car insurance, they tend to assume they’re covered for every eventuality. However, the average policy lacks coverage for flood damage, as well as other types of damage. In light of the current hurricane season, here’s a question that should be first and foremost on your mind – “Does my car insurance cover damage from floods?”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this year’s hurricane season is likely to be one of the most active on record. Storm activity resulting from hurricane conditions can easily cause flooding in low-lying areas. Last year, Superstorm Sandy caused millions of dollars in damage due to massive flooding.

Flooding isn’t just a worry on the coasts. Hurricanes can easily move deep inland and cause severe storm activity that washes away bridges, overflows river banks and floods roadways. In any dangerous storm, there's always the potential for flood waters to damage your vehicle.

Although damages caused by floods are not covered by default, they are covered under comprehensive coverage. In addition to covering damage through theft, vandalism and fire, comprehensive coverage also covers damages caused by “acts of nature,” including floods. If you have a car loan or a lease, chances are there is a good chance that you’re required to carry comprehensive coverage.

Upon filing a claim, an adjuster will take a look at your vehicle to assess the damage. Depending on the amount of damage to your vehicle, your insurance company may reimburse you for the cost of repairs. In cases where the cost of repairing the vehicle exceeds its value, the company will declare the car “totaled” and either reimburse you for the full amount your car is worth or pay off the remainder of your lease or loan.
If your coverage features a deductible, you’ll have to pay that cost before reimbursement begins. Also, remember that if the dollar amount of damage falls at or below your deductible limit, you’ll have to pay for the damage out-of-pocket.

If you drive or park your vehicle in areas that are prone to flooding, it’s a good idea to have comprehensive coverage. If you already have comprehensive insurance, don’t hesitate to review your policy or contact your insurance agent to make sure it covers flood damage.

To learn more about your Houston car insurance policy or to add additional coverage to your current plan, contact us at 713-227-7283. We’ll help you choose the right coverage options that offer the best protection from life’s hazards, without putting a dent in your budget.

How to Compare Car Insurance Rates and Policies

If you are searching for a new car insurance policy, your initial impulse is probably to compare insurance premiums in order to make certain that you get the best deal on your policy. But comparing rates alone will not provide you a good indication of which policy is more cost effective, dependable and better suited to your general needs. Use this list to help you narrow down your choices for all the reasons you should consider, not just cost.

1. Compare coverage options.

Check out the coverage options for all the different policies you have gotten quotes for. Make sure they are similar and that they provide you the security that is most vital to you. This may mean they only consist of state-required coverages or that they include additional protections like uninsured motorist coverage.

2. Compare deductibles and limits.

Policy premiums will differ, especially if you set different limits and deductibles on each. It isn’t a fair comparison to put a low-cost policy with high deductibles and low limits up next to one with small deductibles and high limits. So when you do your comparisons, make sure the deductibles and limits on each policy, for each coverage option, are comparable.

3. Compare A.M. Best ratings.

An insurance policy is only as good as the company that issues it. When comparing two different policies from two different carriers, don’t just center on cost, deductibles and coverages; take a look at the A.M. Best rating for every company to make sure they are alike in terms of financial standing.

4. Compare customer service and payment options.

If you like to do business on the internet, make sure that the insurance companies you are looking at have that capability. If you’d rather to converse on the telephone, make sure they can do that. Also, verify their different payment options (online, automatic draft, check, etc.) and pick the policies from those companies that have what you are searching for.

5. Compare rates.

Now that you’ve made sure that you have several comparable policies from different companies, it’s time to actually look at the rates and compare them. Be sure to check out all premium types—the annual, semi-annual, quarterly and monthly so that you get a good idea of the differences.
Once you’ve compared all these items and narrowed down your choices, you should finally come up with the policy that meets most, if not all, of your needs.

Call us at 713-227-7283 to review your current Houston auto insurance policy or customize a new policy today!

The 5 Most Common Distractions of Teen Drivers

The 5 Most Common Distractions of Teen Drivers


AAA recently released the findings of a study they conducted regarding the distractions encountered by teen drivers. The purpose of the study was to discover what preventable environmental events pulled a teen’s attention from the road. Using videos, audio clips and other data, they amassed a list of distractions encountered during real-life driving adventures.

Because this list is based on actual events, it gives us priceless data that can help us determine which topics are most important to discuss with our teens and how to teach them to be better, less distracted, drivers. Here are the five top distractions AAA researches observed.

Electronic devices:

In almost 7% of the clips AAA researchers studied, electronic devices such as cell phones were present and distracting, and female teen drivers seem especially prone to being distracted by them. Not only is it important to talk to your teen about the dangers of using a cell phone or texting while driving, but it is also important to have a system of preventative measures in place that stops them from engaging in this behavior while behind the wheel. This can include downloading apps that auto respond to text messages while your teen is driving so they feel less compelled to answer texts themselves, monitoring cell phone usage so that you can identify periods when calls were made or received while driving, and having consequences for utilizing electronic devices while driving. But it’s not just about having consequences in place—it’s also about enforcing them.

Adjusting controls:

Distraction due to adjusting dashboard controls was present in 6.2% of the data collected by AAA. Changing the radio station, raising the volume of the stereo, changing CDs, skipping tracks, and even operating some of the dashboard utilities such as directionals and windshield wipers can easily pull your teen driver’s eyes away from the road ahead. Make sure your teen understands that they must be comfortable with all dashboard controls before they begin driving and that the only appropriate time to play with the radio and CD player is when they are at a complete stop or when they are able to do so without looking at the controls. It only takes a few seconds to get into a car accident—make sure they understand that changing the radio station provides just enough distraction for that.


Attending to personal hygiene:

3.8% of the data collected by AAA showed teen drivers distracted by personal hygiene behaviors. Make sure your team understands the consequences of removing his or her eyes from the road for the three seconds it takes to put their misplaced hair back in place. Let your teen know that brushing their teeth, shaving, combing their hair and applying makeup are all behaviors that should be done before they get in the car or after they reach their destination.

Eating or drinking:

In 2.8% of the clips analyzed, a teen was distracted by either eating or drinking and sometimes both. It’s hard enough for a teen driver to learn how to interpret and react to all the information presented when they are driving—adding eating and drinking to the menu seems simple, but can result in way too much distraction and should be discouraged while they are behind the wheel.

If they must eat breakfast after leaving for school, give them something easily portable that they can munch on after they've parked the car and are walking to their first class.

Reaching for another object.

In 2.5% of the clips observed, teen drivers were distracted as they reached for another object found inside the vehicle.  Remind your teen that while driving, paying attention to the road is the most important task they have to complete. Should they need to reach for an object that is not right next to them while driving, it's a good idea to pull over and stop the car or to ask a passenger to get it.

By minimizing the distractions your teen faces while driving, you’ll not only keep them safer but also keep their insurance premiums lower. To discuss more safe driving tips for you and your teen, or to talk about Houston auto insurance rates and limits that are perfect for teen drivers, give us a call at 713-227-7283.

Texas to be U.S. transportation testing ground

by Candace Lombardi May 5, 2010

Texas is about to become IBM's test subject for a series of telematics transportation technologies with the blessing the U.S. Department of Transportation.

IBM Chairman and CEO Sam Palmisano plans to announce the news in Houston on Wednesday at the 20th annual meeting of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITSA 2010), along with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Texas Transportation Institute Director Dennis Christiansen. The partnership between IBM and Texas will closely follow the federal intelligent transportation research agenda put forth by Secretary LaHood and the Obama administration.

LaHood announced Tuesday that the Department of Transportation is offering $775 million for transit agencies across the U.S. to upgrade their bus systems, and he plans to announce yet another initiative during a speech at ITSA 2010 on Wednesday regarding vehicle-to-vehicle communication (aka IntelliDrive), according to the DOT.

Vehicle-to-vehicle technology would give cars standard communication by combining a system similar to Wi-Fi with the global positioning system. Drivers would be warned in short advance of an impending collision, sudden lane change, or if the car in front of them is suddenly braking hard. An estimated 76 percent of crashes involving unimpaired drivers could potentially be prevented using the technology, according to DOT statistics.

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