Mercury Insurance Group was formed in 1961. Mercury Car Insurance Company offers some of the lowest rates available for individual, family and businesses. It was one of the first companies to utilize a multi- risk factor pricing when offering quotes to its customers. It has received an A+ rating from A.M. Best (one of the nation’s premium automobile rating companies).
Mercury writes automobile insurance mainly in California (it is the third largest automobile insurer in that state) but also offers automobile insurance coverage in Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada and New York. The company’s philosophy is to maintain strict underwriting, cost control and claims management to ensure that they can offer their customers the lowest possible insurance rates.
Mercury offers 24 hour claims services and has a pre approved list of repair shops to ensure that you are receiving the highest level of customer service. The company offers also the convenience of paying your auto insurance premiums online.
Mercury also offers commercial automobile insurance for people and companies that utilize their vehicles for business. Their commercial auto program is competitively priced to ensure that their customers remain recipients of the best possible rates.
Mercury Car Insurance offers umbrella coverage to protect you in the event an occasion arises where your automobile insurance doesn’t cover or excludes you from filing a claim. If you are a current a Mercury customer then you can purchase umbrella policies that offer additional coverage ranging from 1 million to 5 million dollars.
Mechanical breakdown coverage is another product offered by Mercury Car Insurance’s subsidiary American Mercury Insurance. The coverage is available for new and used vehicles and will allow repairs at any licensed repair shop. Breakdown coverage covers towing services, rental car expenses, trip interruption, and even tire protection.
If you live in one of the states that Mercury Car Insurance Company offers coverage in then Mercury may be a great choice for your car insurance needs. Of course, you should shop around and compare rates from many different insurers before you decide to make a buying decision.
Are you new to the State of Alabama? If so one of the most important aspects of moving to any new state is to determine what their car insurance regulations and requirements are. Are you maybe just looking for some Alabama car insurance basics in hopes of finding a low cost policy? The following information will provide you with basic information regarding what is expected of you as a licensed driver in the State of Alabama. Car insurance is required in AL so read on to find out what the State minimums are and then see if maybe you can put these basics to work in saving you some money.
Minimum Insurance Requirements
All drivers within the state of Alabama must have liability coverage when operating a vehicle within the state. The minimum amount of acceptable coverage is $20,000 for individual liability, $40,000 per accident, and $10,000 for property damage per accident.
Proof of Insurance
If you are driving within the state of Alabama you must have proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times. Types of proof that are acceptable are as follows: a permanent or temporary card from your insurance carrier; a premium receipt or binder; the declarations page of your current policy or the actual policy itself; or a recent proof of purchase of the vehicle, within the past 60 days, along with an up to date insurance card from your prior vehicle. Acceptable proofs of purchase are bills of sale if the vehicle was made before 1975; and if made after 1975 then your copy of the application for title. If you are driving a rental car then you must have a copy of the rental agreement showing the insurance coverage.
The penalty for failure to have your proof of insurance is suspension of your vehicle tag registration and a reinstatement fee of $100. Your tag registration will remain suspended until you present proof of insurance to the proper authority. After the initial suspension, if you are caught again driving without proper proof of insurance you will then face a mandatory four month suspension of your vehicle tag registration and have to pay a reinstatement fine of $200 upon providing proof of up to date insurance.
Alternate Forms of Coverage
Instead of carrying liability insurance you can get a motor vehicle liability bond or deposit of cash. In either case the minimum amount is $50,000. The bond is issued on the condition that it will be payment for any judgment against the holder with or without his consent as a result of any injury or damage committed by him. The bond must be executed by a surety company that is licensed to issue bonds and you as the driver must keep your Motor Vehicle Liability Bond Certificate on you as you would proof of insurance.
A cash deposit certificate is issued when you deposit the required $50,000 with the State Treasurer. You would also carry this certificate as you would any proof of insurance. If at any time this money is used to satisfy a judgment you would have 30 calendar days to reinstate your $50,000 balance with the State Treasurer.
Alabama Car Insurance Quotes
Be certain to compare Alabama car insurance quotes from at least 5 different companies before you purchase.
Many auto insurance companies offer claims about providing excellent customer service, efficient claims processing, and good insurance coverage to the public. Some advertise the lowest available rates for insurance. All of these claims make it difficult to discern which company actually offers the best product. To help people sort through all of these companies, one organization has developed an auto insurance rating system.
This rating scale, which was created by J. D. Powers and Company, provides a comprehensive evaluation of the most popular insurance companies as seen by their clients. Each insurance company is scored on 5 different criteria, and given a rating in each area between 2 and 5, with 5 being the highest possible score.
The first criterion in which companies are scored is that of overall satisfaction. Customers are asked to offer their perspective on their overall experience with the identified company as being positive or negative. Although this can be helpful, it is more indicative of a company’s long-term relationship with the customer than with individual customer service and effectiveness issues.
Each company is also evaluated with respect to the variety of policies it offers, and how thoroughly each of these policies meets individual customers’ needs. This can assist prospective customers to evaluate the company’s flexibility, but a good company that provides only a few different types of policies is penalized if this method of rating is used.
Companies are also rated concerning pricing. Customers are asked whether they believe that the policy they have selected offers a good value for the money spent. This can be a good indicator of customer satisfaction; however, the scoring will be erroneous if some companies provide excellent policies at a higher cost. Customers who desire only basic insurance may not appreciate paying a higher premium for a higher quality of policy.
A fourth area that is used to rate companies is that of billing and payments. Customers are asked how promptly they feel their insurance statements are sent to them, and how streamlined the billing service is. This can be useful, especially if one company has extremely poor customer service or many billing problems are frequently problematic for its customers.
The last area in which companies are scored is in the customer’s individual interactions with company representatives. This criterion, which reflects customer service, is used to evaluate the agents, telephone representatives, and online support offered by the company.
Although these criteria are excellent in evaluating customer service, or potential service problems, they do not provide extensive information about other aspects of the insurance organization. Issues such as claims coverage and adequacy of insurance, billing reimbursement for repairs or medical expenses, or other problems are not addressed. While this system is not comprehensive, however, it does offer some system for rating the companies and assisting potential customers to consider which ones are most desirable. Although auto insurance rating systems are not 100 percent inclusive of all facets of a company, they can be very useful.
Insurance companies will send you a coverage denial letter when they believe their investigation is complete and there are no grounds for granting coverage.
There are many reasons why an auto claim is denied. The most common reasons for denials are: non-payment of premium, the coverage is specifically excluded form the policy. The more severe
reasons are misrepresentation of the insurance application and fraud. If you misrepresent anything in the insurance application, then it would excuse the insurance company from performing as agreed under the terms of the policy. Most courts do not side with insureds when there are misrepresentations of material facts. Make sure that you answer truthfully when you are filling out the insurance application. If you do not know the exact answer, tell the insurance agent that you will answer once you have certainty about your answer, do not guess, it can cost you a lot of headaches.
The worst thing that can happen is that you end up with a coverage denial because you said or wrote something that can be construed as misrepresentation.
A coverage denial based on fraud usually occurs because the insured tries to inflate the value of the claim. They claim that their car stereo was equipped with DVD player when in reality it only had a CD player. Trying to inflate the claim will leave you with no coverage at all, even if there is damage to a third party. So never misrepresent your damages, because if you get caught, the insurance company will give you a coverage denial and a court of law would side the insurer.
The most common coverage denial, however, is for items specifically excluded in the policy. You need to be able to navigate and read the insurance policy to learn what is covered and what is not covered. You need to understand the declarations page, the insuring agreement, the definitions, the exclusions, and any applicable endorsements. To learn how to accurately read your policy visit http://www.auto-insurance-claim-advice.com/read-your-auto-insurance-policy.html
Note, there are other reasons why insurance companies deny coverage. The accident happened before the policy coverage period was active. The accident happened outside the coverage geographical area, the driver was specifically excluded from the policy, there was prior damage to your car, you do not have the specific coverage you are seeking (a tree fell in you car and you do not have comprehensive coverage in your car). Other important reasons for exclusions of coverage because you did not mitigated your loss, and/or did not report the claim within a reasonable time.
Remember that you have the burden of proving your loss. However, the insurance company has the burden of proof when they deny a claim. In other words, the insurance company must prove to you that the coverage is excluded, there was fraud or misrepresentation, and/or all the other reasons
noted above. Make sure they put everything in writing so you know exactly why there is a coverage denial. If you ever go to court, this will help you because courts interpret exclusions of coverage very narrowly and against the drafter of the policy (the insurance company).
By requesting all documents of the investigation, the coverage denial letter, and a certified copy of the policy, you will be setting up a case to protect yourself and seek a declaratory judgment by a court to grant you the coverage that you paid for. Review all these documents and make sure they are crystal clear. Most courts will side with the insured unless the insurer did everything by the book. Make sure they did.
Here are some tips you might wanna consider for you to save hundreds of bucks and money in the near future!
First, don’t be reckless while driving. Be careful, it is very much clear that the less risks you get into, the lesser the times you will get a ticket, thus, your premium will be lowered. Next, if you are an amateur driver, taking the Pass Plus test might be worth it in the future. This course is an evidence of additional driving proficiency which can mean a lot more discounts on your insurance plan.
If you’re a woman, you are more likely to be a careful driver; if you’re a man, you might wanna consider including a female partner in your car insurance plan to lower your premium. And lastly, know your job. Be sure that the time you spend for your main job is the most time you spend than any other jobs. Always remember that your job can greatly influence your premium.
October 10th, 2010 in
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The fact that there are multiple auto insurance companies and their policies and requirements are different for each state making you harder to choose which one is the most suitable for your private car. Various options are available, but do you really want to spend your time pondering one by one before you finally choose one to buy? It is good, though, if in the end you manage to find the one suits you best. But if not, you are wasting your time already.
For you who reside in California, below are five important steps to do when you want to buy auto insurance in California.
1. Understand the California state insurance requirements
This is compulsory. When it comes to your mind that you need a car insurance, first you must check the state insurance requirements before you do anything else.
California state law requires minimum Bodily Injury Liability limits of $15,000 per injured person up to a total of $30,000 per accident, and Property Damage Liability coverage with a minimum limit of $5,000. This basic coverage is often referred to as 15/30/5 coverage.
The required limits for drivers in the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan are $10,000/$20,000/$3,000 Limits.
2. Set your budget
Auto insurance companies are working in the same field. They sure know exactly how other company works and also, their rates.
What you need to do is, set your budget. You know your own living, you know how much your car values, you sure have to set the limit for your insurance. Do a careful calculations before you decide how much should you spend on a car insurance.
3. Find online car insurance websites
Welcome to the 21st century. You need to know that there are abundant auto insurance companies through the Internet. Who wants to go outside when you can find auto insurance inside your home?
Keep in mind that you already set your budget. Use that as a guide. Find car insurance that in the range of your budget. Do not tempted by super cheap rates that are below your budget. Remember, you are looking for an insurance which in the range of your budget. And do not forget, what you pay determines what will you get.
4. Have your own research about auto insurance quotes
When you finished browsing on the Internet, you might find a couple of auto insurances that fits your budget. The next thing to do is, spend another 15-30 minutes to research further about those companies. It is important to know their experiences in auto insurance world, their contributions, policies, and so on. Do some researches, and then compare them.
You might also want to ask your relatives whether they know any of them or give you a recommendation.
5. Look for some discounts
In California, there are even some discounts for senior driver, good driver, good student, defensive driving class, safe vehicle, low income and multi-policy coverage. Indeed, these discounts are not always available, but you can always check, or ask, is there any discounts your auto insurance offers. We all love discounts, don’t we?
No matter which insurance company you choose, always double-check your decision before making a commitment. It is also better to make a visit to their office, take home the materials, read them over, and consult with the customer service officer. Remember to spend what should you spend, in other words, what you have set as your budget. Not more, and not less.
There are certain models and makes of vehicles that attract higher insurance rates than other. Many car insurance companies place automobiles in two categories; these are the High Risk Category and the Low Risk Category.
Sport cars are categorized as high risk. This is because they are specially built for speed and stunt motions. They are also known for having the most cases of accidents and vehicle wreckage occurrences. The age of the driver also plays a very important part when calculating car insurance rates. A driver who is between 18 years old and 25 years old will definitely be categorized as high risk no mater the make and model of the driven car. This age group has a higher record of reckless driving, more accident and driving offense tickets.
Let us consider cars like the Ferrari and the Porsche. They are both sport cars and are built for high speed. They are also very flashy and very expensive; in fact it is only the rich that can afford them. These cars are placed as high risks by car insurance companies so even if you elderly, you will pay more on your auto insurance policy if you drive fast cars.
Learn how to get the right cover for your automobile. Compare rates from trusted car cover providers and choose the rate that gives you your preferred coverage. Money should not always be your primary concern when shopping for your ideal cover deal. Protecting your expensive car ideally should be your utmost focus.
Where To Get Trusted Car Insurance Companies and Compare Their Rates Online?
Car Insurance is never cheap even for a middle aged driver with many years of untarnished no claims bonus behind them the cost of insuring a car can be substantial. However for a new or Young driver , car insurance is at its highest and can be prohibitive for many makes and models, It’s a cruel irony that when we are most lacking in finances as is the general rule with most young drivers , that the money required to insure a vehicle is at its highest.
This is not however an unscientific peace of legislation from the car insurance companies. All insurers carry tables of risk for all makes and models and driver characteristics. It is no surprise to find that among the highest risk categories of driver from an insurer’s perspective is the Young or New driver where claims are far more probable. All these factors help to drive the cost of vehicle insurance for a Young driver to the highest levels. Whilst if you are young or new driver you are bound to pay more for your car insurance than an older more experienced driver with a clean record there are still a number of deals to be found online with large savings to be made. Many car insurers are actively seeking new custom and this leads to a lot of competition between insurers fro new customers and no one is newer than a young driver who has just passed his or her test and is looking to insure their first car. Savings can be made by shopping around for the best young driver insurance deals. With the advent of a number of online insurance comparison sites the best deals can now be found in one convenient place. It is also worth noting that some insurers will also offer generous renewal policies for new and young drivers so within a relatively short time say two to three years your insurance premiums can drop substantially.
Half the battle is finding the best and cheapest Young Driver Insurance Deals from the numerous insurance deals on offer. It is also worth noting that savings can be made by taking out a basic car insurance policy such as third party fire and theft style policies where in the event of an accident you are insured against damage to a third party vehicle and drivers. Third Party insurance is generally cheaper than fully comprehensive car insurance cover and in most cases where value of the vehicle your are insuring is small it is worth considering as savings in premium cost can be substantial.
If you’re a new or young driver and you’re now looking to insure your car for the first time or you have been driving for a relatively short amount of time then its well worth checking out a number of comparative young driver insurance deals. Try a visit to Young Driver Insurance UK
Basic auto liability insurance policies are low-cost auto insurance policies with a minimum number of benefits. It is a contract between an insured person and the insurance company, in which the insured person pays a premium and the company, in turn, provides financial support within the limits of the policy.
Basic auto liability insurance policies consist of two types of benefits or coverage. They are coverage for bodily injury and property damage. Bodily injury liability provides protection from various claims and court cases that are filed against insured persons, in case the insured person is the cause of injury or death of another person. This type of coverage pays costs for the affected person or his relatives for the pain, suffering, and other hardships, and also for economic damages. This coverage is optional, as it can be selected if a person needs it.
In property damage liability, insured persons are protected from claims and court cases for the damage of property of another person as a result of accident. Property generally refers to the vehicle of another person. However, damage to lamp posts, fences, telephone poles, and buildings is also considered in property liability.
Basic auto liability insurance policies are affordable and simple. Once a policy is selected, a “Limitation on Lawsuit” option is obtained along with the policies. There are certain limitations on the lawsuit option. Legal action can be taken only if death occurs or the person is seriously injured with any one of the conditions such as displaced fracture, dismemberment, major disfigurement or scarring, loss of fetus, and also for other permanent injuries in which body parts cannot function normally.
Basic auto liability policies are risky and provide very less or sometimes even no protection for bodily injury. Two-wheel motorized vehicles and commercial autos are commonly insured using these basic auto liability insurance policies.
When you plan to purchase a car, whether old or new, it is necessary to also plan out auto insurance. This means that the car you purchase should have insurance coverage, which would help you in case further on, you may have to face problems of accidents or anything such as property damage or physical injury. In such cases, it is very important that you have an insurance backup that will help you out.
There are three basic types of auto insurance, which are auto insurance coverage, liability coverage, physical damage coverage and uninsured motorist coverage. Each of these coverage have different implementations as well as their own importance, but they all come under one auto insurance plan, and most people either take all three types or just the common of all that is the liability coverage. All these insurance coverage have different insurance quotes, depending upon their states. Some of the states do cover all three while some don’t. So, before you set out the insurance plan, also see what your state insurance policies are offering.
Liability coverage is one of the most common kinds of auto coverage, as this plan tends to cover all body injury and property damage that occurs to another person, due to an accident with you. This plan covers all medical expenses for treatment of that person, it even covers the expenses due to death and also in case a lawsuit is filed against you, the cost is incurred by this plan. And, finally another area of expense covered by this plan is that of property damage. That is when cars, gates or any other thing which has been damaged because of you is covered by this auto insurance plan. Considering the accident rates nowadays, this plan is a must have and cannot be ignored.
The second kind of auto insurance is that of physical damage. There are two main categories in physical damage auto insurance plan, known as comprehensive and collision. A comprehensive auto insurance plan means to cover expenses for your vehicle, in case of any damage caused by natural disasters, robbery or any other such occurrences, except for accidents. A collision plan covers your car, due to a collision, where you are either the victim or the culprit. In either ways, the insurance covers up for the damage of the car of both parties. The collision plan is where you get to cover up for your car damage too, as compared to the liability plan where only the other party damage is covered.
The third basic type of coverage plan is that of uninsured motorist coverage type. This type of plan covers you and your entire family for any property or physical damage that has been done by a motorist who is uninsured. In this plan too there are four categories, the uninsured motorist coverage, the under-insured motorist coverage, uninsured motorist property damage and the under-insured motorist property damage. All these plans cover for expenses on your car, family, and any other physical damage done by a driver who has no insurance plans of himself.
Now that you know the basic kinds of auto insurance, you would have to plan out which plans suit you best, considering your area, condition of living, condition of car etc. Along with that insurance quotes, premium charges etc are all to be seen to. So, choose the best plan, and keep your property and family safe.
