Why Insurance is Important
The insurance industry is one of the fastest growing industries in today’s world. It’s required in almost every state and it absolutely essential for safe and affordable living. Now I know that “affordable living” isn’t what first comes to mind when you think of insurance, so let me explain. Insurance is a cost effective way of paying for coverage so that it’s there for you in the case that an unfortunate event happens.
Since Insurance Nerd Day was just last Tuesday, we decided to answer some of the most commonly asked questions for you in an attempt to help spread the love for insurance! Feel free to comment with any questions you may have!
Frequently asked questions:
Q: Why does my premium increase every time I use my insurance?
A: Every time you file a claim that will be viewed as you being a higher risk. Someone who’s filed a claim in the past is more likely to file a claim in the future. This basic truth is what determines the cost of each individual insurance premium. It’s all based on who is a high risk and how likely they are to file a claim.
Q: Why do young drivers cost more?
A: Young drivers have less experience and are therefore considered a higher risk. Every high-risk driver will cost more than the other low-risk drivers. This is also why people with more accidents and tickets are more expensive – they are viewed as a higher risk.
Q: What’s the difference between a captive agency and an independent agency?
A: A captive agency cannot provide competitive prices because they only sell insurance for that specific company. They also cannot provide you with multiple options in product and coverage options. An independent agency can sell insurance through as many carriers as they have a contract with. This requires that these carriers keep their prices as competitive as possible. An independent agency will also have more options for you, if you decide that you don’t like your carrier, you can call and ask to be switched to the next. Not every carrier will have a good rate for you but usually, there are a couple options that are close in price range.
Q: Why should I get an estimate prior to filing a claim?
A: This depends on what your deductible is. If you aren’t sure how much the damage will cost to repair and you think it might be around the same amount as (or less than) your deductible, then it will probably be more cost-effective to pay for the repairs out of pocket. A claim on your policy will make you classify as a higher risk and will be surcharged for on your policy. If the damages will cost significantly more than your deductible then you wouldn’t require an estimate prior to filing a claim, it does make the process faster though.
Q: Why is my medical coverage (PIP) costing SO much money?
A: Here in Michigan, we have UNLIMITED medical on our auto insurance. This is the true meaning of unlimited, it covers however much you need for the rest of your life, not until your policy term expires. Benefits of PIP typically cover medical expenses, funeral expenses, work loss, replacement services, and survivor’s loss (consisting of income loss and replacement services).
PIP can be written as Primary or Coordinated.
a. Coordination of Benefits
• Coordination of medical expenses (excluding Medicare benefits provided by the Federal
Government) applies to you or any family member.
• Coordination of work loss applies to you or any family member.
b. Primary Benefits: The insuring company will pay for all expenses incurred from an auto
accident, less the deductible that is shown on the declarations page.
c. Deductible: Options of $0, $300 or $500 can be chosen. The deductible will be applied if…
• You have chosen Primary or
• A Coordinated medical carrier denies the claim and does not “pay the first dollar”
Most people who have health insurance are not covered for auto accidents because their health carriers see how expensive it is and exclude it. If you have health insurance, always ask if you’re covered in event of an auto accident.
PIP can be paid out if you are injured in, on, or around a vehicle.
Medical expenses include usual and customary charges incurred for reasonable and necessary services rendered for an insured’s care, recovery, and/or rehabilitation.
I hope these have helped answer some of the questions you may have. If you have any other questions, please feel free to comment! Someone else may have the exact same question and we can work on efficiency and answer them for multiple people at the same time! Let us know if you have any questions!
