Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Should You Buy Rental Car Insurance

Auto InsuranceSometimes it can feel as though your entire working life adds up to just one single life-defining event each year—Vacation. And that vacation, while important for reminding you that there is a reason you work so hard all year round, must be planned so that it offers you the most bang for the buck that you can afford.

When you budget your vacation and the cost of your rental car, it is easy to forget to factor in the cost of rental car insurance. But unless you want to come home from your vacation with a car repair bill that rivals the cost of a first-class vacation overseas, then you should probably consider buying rental car insurance or finding out whether you already have sufficient protection through other means.

Does your auto insurance policy cover it?

The first thing you can do is contact your insurance agent to find out what coverage you have for rental cars through your existing auto insurance policy. You want to make sure that you have something to protect yourself in the event of an accident, theft, and vandalism. This coverage should not just include protection for damage to the car, but also property damage and bodily injury as well.

Does your credit card offer any insurance?

Next, you can check with your credit card company. Many credit cards offer special protections for their clients when they use the credit card to pay for their rental car fees. Call the credit card company that you plan to use while you are on vacation and see if they have this protection. When you do, make sure you also ask about any special protocol you must observe in order to have the insurance coverage.

Cover All Drivers

Finally, you need to make sure that any other person you plan to have drive the rental car has the same coverages, because your personal insurance and credit card protection might not extend to another individual driver who is not named on your credit card or auto insurance policy.

By coordinating the benefits offered by both your credit card and your auto insurance policy, you may be able to avoid the expense of rental car insurance. But if there are any gaps in the coverages you get between the credit card and auto policy, make sure you try to fill it with the insurance offered by the rental car company so that you can spend your vacation relaxing and enjoying your time rather than worrying about potential damages and expenses.

Be sure to learn more about your own Maryland auto insurance from Jones & Associates Insurance Agency today!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

What Can Affect Your Homeowners Insurance Premium?

Your individualized quote for homeowners insurance is not found on any kind of static chart that matches your age, home value and deductible information to a set price. Homeowners insurance quotes are specifically developed for each applicant and are based on the very personal details of your lifestyle and living space. Here’s a taste of what some of the factors involved in your premium pricing include:
Homeowners Insurance
The age of your home: Older homes are less fortified against natural disasters than newer homes, and are also more expensive to repair. Newer homes are built to new safety standards and with more durable materials. What does this mean to you? That if you have an older home, you can expect a more expensive homeowners insurance quote.

The construction of your home: Wood frame houses are susceptible to fire in a way that concrete block and brick homes are not. Concrete homes can also stand up to harsher environmental elements. That makes wood frame houses more expensive to insure.
Learn more about your Clinton MD Home Insurance from Jones & Associates Insurance Agency today.