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Safeco pursues partnerships with best-in-class companies to offer your customers benefits that promote safe driving. OnStar, a company that aims at improving vehicle safety, is offering a free year of service to qualifying Safeco policyholders.

Qualifying policyholders
OnStar currently offers their advanced connection technology, including features such as in-vehicle security, hands-free calling, turn-by-turn navigation, crash response, and remote diagnostics systems, on more than 40 General Motors (GM) car models. Safeco policyholders who own an OnStar^®-enabled car, and who don’t currently use the service, are eligible for this promotion.

*Please note: Safeco will not provide policyholder’s private information to OnStar

Source via Safeco Insurance

Named perils are events that a homeowners insurance policy specifies as covered, such as, lightning, fire, hail or windstorm, just to name a few. Depending on what type of policy you have, there are open peril or named peril homeowner policies. Named perils, you specifically name which perils your homeowners insurance will cover, on the other hand, open peril policies have broader coverage.

While a HO-3 policy is a much more comprehensive policy, the HO-2 policy covers 16 named perils:

1. Lightning or fire
2. Hail or windstorm
3. Damage caused by aircraft
4. Explosions
5. Riots or civil disturbances
6. Smoke damage
7. Damage caused by vehicles
8. Theft
9. Vandalism
10. Falling objects
11. Volcanic eruption
12. Damage from the weight of snow, ice, or sleet
13. Water damage from plumbing, heating, or air conditioning overflow
14. Water heater cracking, tearing, and burning
15. Damage from electrical current
16. Pipe freezing

Keep in mind, flood and earthquake are excluded from any homeowners insurance policy. They are their own seperate policies!

When should you get an umbrella policy? First, you should evaluate how much assests you have in your life. Generally, the more assests you have, the more protection you need.

An umbrella policy is an excess personal liability coverage that supplements your auto insurance and home insurance liability limits. It is in addition to those limits, thus, excess. For example, if you carry $250,000 for your auto liability limit per person, if you were to get into an serious accident, your auto policy would only pay up to $250,000 per person. Although, $250,000 dollars is a lot of coverage, it may not be enough if, for instance, the accident you got into had 5 people in the other vehicle, and each person suffered major injuries, you would be stuck with the rest of the bill, and the insurance company would only pay up to $500,000 maximum for that accident. For an accident like that, it could easily surpass those limits, which is why having an umbrella policy is very beneficial for a situation like that.

Of course, no one ever wants an accident like that occur, but it has happened. Are you going to be prepared if that times comes? Check with your agent to see if you need an umbrella policy, or maybe even to increase your limits. Having higher liability limits only benefits yourself, and it doesn’t cost that much. Purchasing an umbrella policy costs around 200 – 300 dollars a year for a million dollars worth of liability protection. You’ll probably never use it, but if you do, you’ll be glad you did.

Keep in mind, if you need an umbrella policy for your business, you would have to purchase a commercial excess liability policy. The umbrella policy mentioned above is for personal auto and home.

Visit our website at www.insuranceinc.com to find out more information or give us a call! (877) 468-2233

Myth 1: Color – It has been said that the color of the vehicle determines the price of auto insurance. However, this is not true. It doesn’t matter what color your car is. What does matter is the type of vehicle you are buying. Whether it is a sports car, mini-van, or a truck, each vehicle has a certain value and driving factor associated with it. For instance, if you drive a sports car, people tend to drive faster than those that drive a mini-van. Not only is this characteristic imbedded in the car, but usually, those sports car are valued high as well. Auto insurance premium are based on the make, model, body type, engine size, the age of vehicle, the age of the driver, driving record, credit history, and zip code. They are also based, in part, on the car’s sticker price, the cost to repair it, its overall safety record, and the likelihood of theft. Many insurers offer discounts for features that reduce the risk of injuries or theft. These include daytime running lights and anti-theft devices.

Myth 2: Age – It costs more to insure your car when you get older. Many drivers over 55 years of age can qualify for a reduction in auto insurance rates, typically for three years, if they have successfully completed an accident prevention course. Insurance companies will usually provide up to a 10 percent discount on car insurance, but check with your provider before you sign on. Mature driving courses are available through local and state agencies as well as through the AAA and AARP. You can also check with your insurance agent to find out which defensive driving courses are approved by your insurer. If you are retired or are not employed full time, you may also be eligible for a discount of up to 5 percent off your car insurance. Age requirements for this type of discount vary by state and insurance carrier.

Myth 3: Credit History – It has been said that your credit has no effect on your insurance rate. However, this does matter. Your credit history is a measure of how well you financially stand as well as how you manage your financial affairs. Many insurance companies take your score into consideration, because reserach has shown that people with a higher credit score get into less accidents, therefore, most would pay less for insurance.

Myth 4: Coverage if car is stolen, vandalized, or damaged by falling trees, flood, or fire – This coverage is optional. It is under Comprehensive and Collision coverage. If you have liability coverage ONLY, you will not be covered for these exposures. Make sure on your policy what you are protected from.

Myth 5: Minimium limits is enough! In California, by law, you must have bodily injury limits of $15,000/$30,000. However, one accident can far exceed that amount and you are most likely to pay more out-of-your-pocket for that loss. It is recommended that a minimum of $100,000 of bodily injury limit and $300,000 per occurance be on your policy. It’s to be sure that you have the right amount of protection for you and your financial assests.

Myth 6. If another person is driving your car, his or her auto insurance will cover them if they get in an accident. In most states, the auto insurance policy covering the vehicle is considered the primary insurance, which means that the auto insurance company for the vehicle must pay for damages caused by an accident. Policies and laws differ by state, and you should become familiar with these differences when allowing another person to drive your car.

Myth 7. Soldiers pay more for insurance than civilians. No matter what branch of the military you are in, you qualify for a discount on auto insurance. In some situations you might be able to have your commanding officer make a phone call on your behalf, but for most auto insurance companies, you will need to supply documentation that lists your name, rank and the time that you will be enlisted in the service. This allows insurance companies to determine how long you will be eligible to receive a military discount. Many auto insurance companies provide discounts for former members of the military and their families as well.

Myth 8. Personal auto insurance covers both personal and business use of your car. If you’re self-employed and use your vehicle for business purposes, personal auto insurance may not protect you. While auto insurance geared for businesses can be more costly than a personal policy, one of the best ways to keep your auto rates down is by having a good driving record. If there are others using your car they need to have good driving records too. Check the records of your employee drivers at least twice a year to ensure they maintain a clean driving record.

Sources: Insurance Information Institute