Do you have a dog or cat?  If you do, you may like a new offering from Progressive Insurance which covers vet expenses for cats or dogs injured in an accident while riding in their owner’s vehicle, in yet another new twist on auto insurance.

Now the “pet provision” is available in 46 states and Washington D.C. at no extra charge.  Progressive Insurance will pay up to $500 towards vet bills, with the “usual and customary” requirement of course, but only on dogs and cats.  This won’t work on gerbils, birds, or pet iguanas. 

Why are they doing this?  Progressive is looking for one more reason to get your business in the highly competitive auto insurance business. They will require customers to carry collision coverage and file a claim for damage before a payout will be issued on hurt critters. 

Until now, if your dog or cat was injured in a crash that wasn’t your fault, the other guy’s property damage liability coverage would pay, because pets are considered property.  But if you were the cause of the accident, you were just out of luck.

We have two Siberian Huskies who love to ride in our SUV, with their heads hanging out the window of course.  We don’t have Progressive right now, but when renewal time comes, that will be one of the companies we’ll ask for a free auto insurance quote.  Yes, we price our auto insurance rates every year, just to make sure we’re getting a great deal and prevent our agent from getting complacent.  Don’t you?

Requirements for Georgia auto insurance are a bit higher than most states, at $25,000 per person and $50,000 per incident for bodily injury liability insurance and $25,000 for property damage liability insurance, according to the official Georgia state insurance website.  Though that’s still not a realistic amount to cover your personal assets, it’s good to know that if you are in an accident with an insured motorist, there’s at least that much coverage you can count on.

Georgia doesn’t require personal injury protection (PIP) or uninsured/underinsured motorists like some other states, but both are still good ideas to have as part of your auto insurance coverage.  If your car is financed, your lender will probably require you to also carry comprehensive and collision coverage, so that if there’s an accident that’s your fault, if the car gets stolen, or even if a tree falls on it, you’re covered. 

As you’re shopping for auto insurance in Georgia, if your budget allows, spring for a few extras in the policy such as towing insurance coverage and loss of use, which will help pay for a rental car if your vehicle is in the shop due to a covered event, like an accident (sorry, it won’t pay just because your car broke down). 

Car insurance companies in Georgia look for pretty much the same things as companies in other states – good driving records, type of vehicle, credit scores, so make sure you make smart choices in each of those areas.  Make sure you compare quotes from at least 3-4 companies too before making your final decision on Georgia auto insurance.

Hurricane Katrina caused many insurance companies to re-examine the exposure they had from existing home insurance policies.  As a result, many have modified the language in their policies in subtle but critical ways.  So it’s time to ask – did your homeowners insurance policy change?

One of the biggest changes concerns damage from windstorms.  Now, instead of identifying deductibles for this incident in a dollar amount, they are frequently shown as a percentage of a policy’s total value.  Thus, instead of paying your normal deductible of $250 or $500, you could pay $10,000 on a $200,000 policy before the insurance company starts to bear the cost.  If you live in an area that’s subject to windstorms or hurricanes, call your homeowners insurance company or insurance agent to confirm the exact details of your policy. 

Also be on the lookout for an “anti-concurrent causation” clause.  This clause gives home insurance companies a way out if coverable damage occurs at the same time as non-coverable damage.  For example, if the wind blows the roof off your house (a covered incident), and the home then floods from rain or hurricane (a non-covered incident), then companies can reject the claim under the provisions of this clause.  Again, check with your insurance company or agent to see if this is part of your policy. 

Depending on where you live and the perils you are normally subject to, these items may not impact your homeowners insurance policy, especially if everything else about the policy is great.  Home insurance isn’t a one-size-fits-all commodity, so you have to decide whether your individual policy meets your needs.  At least now you know a few more things you need to find out about your home insurance policy first.

Study after study proves that people with health insurance are healthier than people without health insurance.

There are many reasons why this is true, but the biggest reason is that people with affordable individual health insurance will see a doctor when a medical problem begins, instead of putting it off.  That way small health problems don’t become big ones.  It sounds so simple, yet it affects people’s health in such critical ways. 

Even if you only have basic health insurance coverage, make sure that you see a medical professional if you develop any type of health condition.  I know that’s it hard to justify a doctor’s visit when the gas bill is due, but just spend a few minutes thinking of the consequences if the medical problem isn’t addressed, and you’ll see that it’s worth the doctor’s bill.  Even if you don’t have any level of health care insurance coverage, find a clinic or public health service and take care of the problem.  Your health is too valuable to risk over money!

There are many ways to save money on health insurance, finding item after item to eliminate and reduce the cost until it fits within your budget.  Many families have found that buying a major medical health insurance policy can fit their needs and their budget.  Major medical insurance usually has a co-pay and a high deductible; benefits kick in during a serious health situation, such as a broken bone, surgery, or serious illness.  Knowing that you have coverage for the really big stuff does provide some peace of mind. 

The process of shopping for major medical health insurance is the same as other types of medical insurance.  It’s just even more critical to shop around for the right health insurance company.  So take the time to compare free health insurance quotes from several companies.  Examine each included item to see if you really need it, see how much raising the deductible a bit more can lower your premiums, and keep working on it until you find affordable health insurance.

There are some features on new vehicles which can help lower your auto insurance premium.  Remember, insurance companies base their rates on the amount of risk involved in each car, so anything that helps reduce that risk reduces rates.  That’s why it’s important to consider the entire package when purchasing a new car, SUV or pickup. 

One of the best options to add in your new car is electronic stability control.  ESC uses speed sensors to detect if the vehicle is headed in a direction different than the steering wheel indicates, then automatically brakes individual wheels to help drivers maintain control.  Tests have shown that ESC can so significantly reduce the risk of rolling over or having a fatal accident that it may become required in all vehicles some day. 

Electronic stability control is required before a vehicle can be considered for a Top Safety Pick award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  This feature is standard in over half the 2007 cars and almost every SUV, but sadly it’s not available in three quarters of all pickup trucks.  If ESC is only available as an option on your vehicle, at $500 many consider this the best money you can spend on a new car.

Side air bags, which protect the head or chest, are another critical option to include whenever possible.  If your car is hit from the side, these air bags instantly inflate, protecting drivers and passengers from hitting the rigid side of the vehicle, reducing fatalities by a huge 26% from torso injuries and 37% from head injuries.  Currently side air bags are standard equipment on many cars, but if they are an option on the vehicle you’re considering, spend the $600 for this important protection.  Not only will your auto insurance quotes be lower, isn’t your life worth it?

So remember, when you are searching for that perfect new vehicle, besides choosing the color and GPS system, make sure that you include every possible safety feature.  Not only will you save money on auto insurance, you could save a life too.

One of the most important factors in determining your auto insurance rates is the type of car you drive.  Sure, we all know that a Maserati will cost more for insurance than a Ford, but would you guess a Volvo is the cheapest of all when it comes to car insurance?

Auto insurance companies look at a bunch of different things that are all part of providing coverage on your car.  For starters, what will it cost to repair your auto in case of a collision?  Owners of fast, sporty cars tend to drive faster and get in more accidents, so that’s why those have higher insurance premiums.  The design of luxury cars, with fancy aluminum body panels, can be more expensive to fix than the sheet metal used in cheaper models.  End result – higher auto insurance premiums.

Do thieves just love your car?  If it’s one of the more popular targets, your insurance will be higher.  It’s not just Mercedes getting stolen – it’s also specific models of Hondas, Nissans, and even a Dodge SRT-4. 

Not everything works against you when it comes to your premiums.  Tomorrow we’ll talk about the car features which can help reduce your auto insurance rates.

If you’re an Alabama resident searching for life insurance, you’re fortunate to have many great choices.  There aren’t too many regulations on life insurance that will affect your buying process, regardless of the state, so it’s important to shop around for the best Alabama life insurance rates.  Life insurance is an extremely competitive industry, so with a little effort, you should be able to find a policy which meets your needs at a price you can afford.

The Alabama Department of Insurance has one of the best websites around, including a great worksheet to calculate your net worth and thus determine how much life insurance coverage you need.  Most experts suggest an amount that’s six to ten times your annual salary to cover the expenses your family will face during the transition to your new life.  There are things you can do to save money on life insurance too.

Fortunately all types of life insurance policies are available in Alabama, including term life insurance, whole life insurance, and specialty policies as well.  Top rated companies, like Prudential and AIG offer coverage within the state, and are happy to provide free Alabama life insurance quotes.

I know it’s difficult to think about buying life insurance.  For most people, just the idea of buying it sends chills up their spine.  That’s the number one reason why most people put it off.  But if you have a family, little ones that count on you for support, it’s one of those necessary evils you have to deal with as a responsible adult. 

So start the process, decide whether term life insurance, whole life insurance, or a different policy is best for you and your family, then find an affordable policy from a licensed Alabama life insurance company, and be done with it.

Let’s continue talking about auto insurance, since it’s a mandatory part of our lives.  We already know that every state requires you to purchase bodily injury and property damage insurance; here are the other components of auto insurance that you need to consider as well.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage – Some states require you to purchase this type of auto insurance, which covers medical bills, rehabilitation or funeral costs for you and your passengers if you are injured by a driver with little or no insurance, or someone who flees the scene of the accident.  Given the sadly large number of uninsured drivers out there, this coverage is well worth the few dollars it adds to your total car insurance premium.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Some states require PIP; others don’t, and some are changing those rules right now.  This coverage provides for lost wages and medical care if you are in an accident.  The last time I was in an accident, my company health insurance paid for everything, so this would not have helped.

Collision Insurance – This will pay for the repairs to your car if there’s an accident, regardless of fault.  Determine whether or not your vehicle costs enough to warrant this type of insurance.  Most cars do, but it’s still something to think about.

Comprehensive Insurance – If your car is stolen or damaged due to something other than a car accident, comprehensive coverage will pay for it, to the limit of the policy.  Again, ask yourself if your vehicle is worth paying for this coverage.

One of the most popular ways to save money on auto insurance is by increasing the deductibles for comprehensive and collision insurance coverage.  Most quotes default to a $250 deductible, but ask about raising it to $500, or even $1000, and see the difference it makes in your automobile insurance quote. 

So, just how much auto insurance do you need?  Virtually every state has minimum amounts required for bodily injury liability coverage and property damage coverage, which are usually quite low – so low, in fact, that if you do cause an accident, you may not have enough coverage to pay the claims.  In that case, you are personally liable for the rest of the money, meaning your wages can be garnished, you could lose your home, and a bunch of other nasty things you don’t want to think about.  If you want to protect the rest of your life from those types of claims, buy the necessary additional auto insurance coverage to insure you’ll be safe.

Bodily injury liability requirements are sometimes as low as $10,000 per person or $25,000 per accident.  Honestly, knowing what medical bills can skyrocket to these days, your best bet is to increase your coverage to $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident.  Bodily injury covers things like rehabilitation, pain and suffering award and legal costs too.

If you are a high net worth individual, raise those limits even higher, to $250,000/$500,000 levels.  Though your premium will increase at least 10% in doing so, you have a lot more to protect from a hungry lawyer with an injured client.

Property damage liability insurance covers the costs to repair caused damage by your vehicle to another person’s vehicle or property damaged by your vehicle.  Though your state may only require $10,000 – $25,000 for this type of damage, $100,000 is a much better idea. 

We’ll help you find the state insurance requirement minimums you must carry, then shop around for auto insurance to see what it will cost you to carry the extra coverage recommended.  Usually it’s not that much more expensive, and the peace of mind is more than worth it!

If the line supplying water to your home broke, would your home insurance policy cover it?

What about if termites started eating your basement – would the insurance claims adjuster be there tomorrow?  How about mold in the walls?

Surprisingly, the answers to all of these questions is “no.”  None of these items would be repaired through a standard home insurance policy, though over a third of all homeowners think these situations would be covered.

After all the controversy over flood insurance following the hurricanes, most home owners now know whether they live in an area eligible for flood insurance.  But when these or other situations arise, most people face an expensive surprise. 

The best way to avoid these situations is to study your insurance policy, and ask many “what if” questions as you compare quotes on standard home insurance coverage from different insurance companies.  Ask about specific items which concern you, such as mold, if it is a particular issue in your community.  The only way to be covered for everything is to purchase an all-peril policy, which is much more expensive, and could be more coverage than you really need.  That’s something only you can decide.

Just so you know, other perils that aren’t covered include:

• Stolen or damaged cars, boats or motorcycles
• Broken sewer line connecting your property to the municipal sewer system
• Stolen or injured pets
• Earthquakes
• Infestations by vermin (mice, rats, etc) or insects
• Damage due to property neglect

So read your home insurance policy, know what’s covered, and remember, taking good care of your home is your best insurance.