Insurance can be confusing…we get it! But we’re here to help provide you with a better insurance experience. Learn more about what these common insurance terms mean so you can be prepared when looking for a policy.
For customer information or to get a quote, please visit our website at www.ShieldAgency.com .
Rental Car Coverage | Shield Insurance Blog | Auto Insurance |
After a car accident, you have enough things to worry about. Getting to work the next day shouldn’t be one of them.
We’ve all been there—and arranging alternate transportation while your vehicle is in a repair shop can be a hassle. But rental reimbursement coverage can help alleviate some stress after an accident while also saving you money.
1. Rental car insurance is optional.
Rental car reimbursement coverage does not automatically apply after an accident. As an optional coverage, it must be purchased separately. A common misconception is that auto insurance automatically covers the cost of a replacement rental car. In reality, you often have to select this coverage and apply it to the policy.
2. There is a limit.
You’ll likely have a per day and per occurrence limit. For example, if you have a 25/750 limit, your insurance company will pay up to $25 per day but no more than $750 per claim for the rental vehicle. Most insurance companies will offer several different options, allowing you to choose the limit that is right for you.
3. Your vehicle must be in the shop due to a covered loss.
Rental car reimbursement coverage can be used while your vehicle is being repaired after an accident or another covered loss, not for routine maintenance or leisure. So, if your car is at the body shop after an accident, a rental car is covered up to your limit. But if your car is undergoing routine maintenance that will keep it in the shop overnight or you are renting a vehicle for a family road trip, then rental reimbursement coverage would not apply.
4. You can use it right away.
After reporting a claim, if your vehicle isn’t drivable, you can be authorized for a rental car right away. Otherwise, you will be relying on the at-fault driver’s insurance company, and you may have to wait a little while before they can assess the claim and agree to pay for a rental car. With rental reimbursement coverage, there’s no waiting.
5. No need to worry about additional insurance.
For the most part, when you have collision and comprehensive coverages in your auto insurance policy, it will transfer to the rental vehicle, eliminating the need to purchase additional coverage from the car rental agency. Check with your Shield agent, who will be able to tell you when this applies.
6. You may not need it at all.
If you have access to another vehicle, rideshare service, or public transportation in the event your vehicle isn’t drivable, you may not need rental reimbursement coverage. But if you prefer the safety net of having a rental available if you need it, you may want to opt-in to this coverage.
7. Rental car insurance costs less than you might expect.
One year of rental car reimbursement coverage will typically cost less than one day of out-of-pocket rental car expenses. Want to learn more? Talk to your local independent Shield agent for complete details on rental reimbursement coverage.
Reference
– Insurance Information Institute
Shield Insurance Agency Blog | Millennials Buying Insurance |
Adulting (verb) – acting like an adult or engaging in activities usually associated with adulthood, often responsible or boring tasks.1
If you’re a millennial, you know this definition all too well. You’ve reached the age where you may be taking out student loans, buying or renting a place to live, having kids, and, ultimately, purchasing insurance. These major life events for millennials make it extremely important to have a financial security net. And that’s exactly what insurance is: a financial security net. So it’s troubling that a survey from Princeton Survey Research Associates International named millennials the most under-insured generation.
There are many reasons why people of all generations avoid purchasing insurance. It‘s often seen as a big investment, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s an expensive one. In fact, insurance probably costs less than you think. For instance, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), millennials overestimated the cost of renters insurance by more than five times its actual cost per year.
Also, the complicated terms can make finding a policy a puzzling experience and the subject matter can be tough to digest. No one wants to think about being in a car accident, experiencing a break-in, losing everything in an apartment fire, or any other sort of bad, unexpected event. But these things can happen, so you’ll want to be prepared.
And don’t let any initial confusion or preconceived notions drive you away. You’re a millennial, after all! Your generation is always tackling new challenges and expanding the way the world works, oftentimes in brilliant ways.
Insurance provides essential financial protection for your future, so now’s the time to start “adulting” and take that first step.
Find a local independent agent and start protecting your finances today.
1 – Grammar Girl
Shield Insurance Blog | Roadside Assistance | Auto Insurance | Start a Quote Today!
You’ve grabbed your coffee, found your car keys, and herded your children out the door. Everyone’s buckled up and ready to go – on time. (A small miracle!) But when you go to turn on your car . . . nothing.
Here’s what to do when your car won’t start:
If you have roadside assistance, you can call them using the phone number on the back of your insurance card. If you haven’t already, consider adding Roadside Assistance coverage to your car insurance policy to help cover the costs of unexpected roadside maintenance.
This article is for informational and suggestion purposes only. If the policy coverage descriptions in this article conflict with the language in the policy, the language in the policy apply. Shield Insurance Agency offers Roadside Assistance coverage in select markets that can be accessed during a roadside emergency through a Mobile app or a toll-free phone number. Talk to your local independent agent to learn more about Grange’s auto insurance and Roadside Assistance coverage.
Reference:
– Advanced Auto Parts
Comprehensive Coverage | Shield Insurance Agency Blog |
Sometimes the blog posts just write themselves.
ABC News in North Carolina reports that a driver in the state looked up and saw a bird carrying a huge fish.
“It was one of those slow-motion moments in life. I saw the fish and I saw him drop it,” said Rhesa Walston of Beaufort, North Carolina.
The catfish smashed straight into her windshield.
It happened so quickly she didn’t have time to react.
“There was glass all over my front seat…glass on my lap,” Walston told ABC News.
After making sure her daughter in the back seat was safe, Walston contacted her family and her insurance company. Family members tracked down the fish (apparently, catfish dropped from high altitudes bounce) and took pictures to corroborate her catch.
Walston told ABC News she will have to pay the $250 deductible on her comprehensive auto policy — not a huge price for a story the family will be telling for years to come. Animal damage is covered if you have optional comprehensive coverage. If you only have collision coverage, then you’re not covered.
The eagle could not be reached for comment…
As we approach the new year, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is encouraging you to exercise “Foresight in 2020.”
While it’s easy to look back on where and how we failed to protect our assets, it is exponentially more beneficial to look forward and try to predict where we can best insulate ourselves from insurance crime and theft. By studying where we are vulnerable, we can identify weaknesses and adapt improvements that protect us, our families, and our property. From small precautions, like making sure we don’t leave valuables in our vehicles, to more extensive protections, like installing home security systems, we can exercise foresight in 2020 and stop crime before it happens. Law enforcement agencies across the country now engage in the practice of intelligence-based policing.
This methodology uses past data to identify and predict the patterns and behavior of criminals. NICB and our members follow suit, by identifying known threats and patterns in order to properly educate our consumers. You too can be an advocate in this preemptive strike against crime. Educate yourself, take precautions, and be vigilant. By using foresight in 2020, we can win the battle against crime.
If there is a vacant home or business in your area, and you see suspicious or unusual activity around the property, call your local law enforcement. If any vehicles are involved, jot down their descriptions and license plates. Also, note the clothing and physical appearance of any person(s). All of this is very helpful to investigators.
NICB reminds consumers to make sure your vehicle is locked when unattended. Don’t leave spare keys or fobs inside. Take a moment and be sure to hide your valuables from view. Even an empty bag or extra change in view looks appealing to a thief from the outside.
Do things to protect your home, by locking your doors and investing in a home security system.
Anyone with information concerning insurance fraud or vehicle theft can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 800.TEL.NICB (800.835.6422) or submitting a form on our website.
Headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting, and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through data analytics, investigations, learning and development, government affairs, and public affairs. The NICB is supported by more than 1,300 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote over $496 billion in insurance premiums in 2018 or more than 81% of the nation’s property-casualty insurance. That includes more than 92% ($254 billion) of the nation’s personal auto insurance. To learn more visit www.nicb.org.
Apparently, I fell off the face of the planet when it comes to car seat safety. Despite reading all the NHTSA tips for car seats, doing the safety checks, and experiencing Michigan winters my whole life, I have never, ever heard of winter car seat safety. If have a bundled-up little one, this is a must-read and must-share on your Facebook page to educate other parents.
First, let me divulge a few of the (brutally honest) thoughts that came to mind when I heard this:
A child may be buckled in tightly with their winter coat on, but in an accident, the impact of pressure would compact the bulk of the coat making the harness too loose to keep the child safe.
While I quickly thought of every reason why this was a bad idea, I landed on the one reason why this was a good idea: safety always comes first. The fact is, a child may be buckled in tightly with their winter coat on, but in an accident, the impact of pressure would compact the bulk of the coat making the harness too loose to keep the child safe. So, I called my local fire department and got these important tips that are pretty simple and much more do-able than I imagined.
The winter coat rule applies to children in car seats and for children in boosters if the seat belt system in the car does not automatically lock when the brakes are applied.
If you find your child’s coat is too bulky to buckle them in safely, here are some alternate options to keep your child warm:
For all the other snow-state mommies and daddies like me who didn’t know this…now you do! So, test the bulk of your child’s coat and keep them safe in their car seat this winter. Foremost encourages all parents to be safe while driving, especially with a child passenger.
Just picture it — you’re driving on a winding road blasting some music, enjoying your time with family and friends, when something pops out in front of you. Do you brake? Do you try to swerve around the thing? Animals seem to have other things on their mind near the roads, and can often jump out at us while we drive, which can cause major safety issues. These moments need a quick response but it can be challenging to think through what to do and then do it on the fly. That’s why we’re providing some guidelines to help prevent a collision between your car and an animal during this season!
Under every circumstance, you should also always make sure you are driving at a safe speed — those speed limits are more than a suggestion! Following the posted speed for a specific stretch of road gives you the benefit of being under control regardless of twists and turns and unexpected visitors!
Shield Insurance Agency Blog | Winterizing Your Collector Vehicle | Start A Quote Today!
In most of the country, cold weather is here to stay, so it’s likely time to prepare your ride for hibernation. And because collector cars don’t live the same life as a vehicle that’s driven every day, it’s important to follow a winterization process thoroughly, to ensure your car survives the cold months.
Coverage is subject to policy terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions, underwriting review, and approval, and may not be available for all risks or in all states. Rates and discounts vary, are determined by many factors, and are subject to change. Policies are written by one of the licensed insurers of American Modern Insurance Group, Inc., including American Modern Home Insurance Company d/b/a in CA American Modern Insurance Company (Lic. No 2222-8).
Accident to Reimbursement | Shield Insurance Agency Blog | Start A Quote Today!
The morning commute is never fun, and being rear-ended by another car can quickly take you to the worst-day-ever level.
But recently, for a State Auto customer, a day that began with a fender-bender on the way to work ended with their claim being filed, processed, and paid within 3.5 hours!
How is this possible? When our customer’s car was hit, their State Auto Safety 360® telematics device notified State Auto and initiated our Quick CARE process.
Their claim was set up at 1:04 p.m. EST. We secured photos of the damage and our Auto Physical Damage team wrote a virtual estimate by 4:30 p.m. EST. The electronic payment was then issued to our customer — all in record time.
This is just one example of how we combine technology, great customer service, and urgency to handle our claims!
What You Need to Know
State Auto Safety 360 Connect customers — who have activated their telematics device — automatically receive the Quick CARE benefit.*
If your customer is in an accident — and it registers on their telematics device — it will alert our Claims and Risk Engineering (CARE) team.**
When we receive the accident alert into our claims system, we quickly review the crash information (i.e. severity, location, vehicle, insured, etc.) and then call the customer. If the customer is in need of a car rental or tow truck, we can help arrange those for them, if towing service is included in their auto policy.
A claim will only be filed once the customer requests to do so. If they would simply like advice on what to do or if they’re going through the other driver’s carrier, we note it and let them know to contact us if they need anything.
*State Auto Safety 360 is available for new auto policies written on our Connect platform. It is not available for legacy policyholders. Availability and discounts vary by state.
**Accident notifications won’t transmit to our CARE team unless registered by the telematics device. The inability to register an event can be caused by a low GPS signal, a minor impact, the vehicle was turned off when hit, or your vehicle was sideswiped.
Since 2006, Shield Insurance Agency has been an Endorsed Local Provider with Dave Ramsey.
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