Auto Insurance Questions to Consider When Buying a New Vehicle

Buying a new vehicle can be an exciting time. However, you should consider that there is more to the cost of a car than the simple sticker price at the car lot. Here are a few insurance questions to consider when buying a  new vehicle. 

How Will Insurance Rates on This Vehicle Compare to My Old Rates?

Do not assume that your insurance will stay the same vehicle to vehicle. Insurance rates are based on several factors. One important factor will be how new the vehicle is. Generally newer vehicles will have higher insurance premiums than older vehicles. Another thing you should consider is how different in make and model is this vehicle from your last vehicle. Different types of vehicles will fall under different insurance categories. Doing this research before purchasing your vehicle will help alleviate any shock value that might arise when you apply for insurance for your new car. 

Insurance Must Not Lapse

In many states, there are laws in place which require that insurance be placed immediately on a vehicle before it can be purchased. This can be a huge inconvenience if you are not aware of this before visiting a car dealership. Be in contact with your insurance company prior to vehicle shopping, so that you can set up a seamless insurance transferral if you are trading in a vehicle.

What Is the Grand Total?

The real price of your new vehicle will be your car payment plus insurance. If you are operating on a budget you will want to evaluate how much this grand total may be, before signing any paper work to purchase your vehicle. Speak with an insurance representative and discuss insurance rates for the types of vehicles you are considering before visiting the dealership. This way you will have a better idea of what your grand total will be for your new vehicle. 

If you would like to learn more about placing insurance on a new car call one of our helpful insurance reps at North Georgia Insurance Center serving Commerce, GA. 

What Kind of Coverage do New Motorcycle Riders Need?

Even experienced riders are at risk of causing a motorcycle accident – how much more those who are new to riding. The high risk of injuries and bike damage should prompt new riders to get sufficient motorcycle insurance coverage. In Georgia, motorcycle liability coverage is mandatory with minimum requirements. As a new rider, however, you should consider more than just minimum protection.   

The following coverage will give you an idea of the kind of insurance protection you can get from North Georgia Insurance Center in Commerce, GA.  

Liability – Due to lack of experience, new motorcycle riders are at greater risk of causing an accident. Liability coverage helps pay for injuries or property damage to others if you’re found at fault in an accident. If injuries or damages exceed minimum liability requirements, you may be held responsible for paying extra expenses out of pocket. For this reason, new riders should consider higher liability coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist – Unfortunately, there are all kinds of drivers on the road today with little to no insurance coverage. If you’re hit by one of them, this coverage will help pay for damages to your motorcycle and any medical costs. It helps protect your interests when accidents aren’t your fault.

Collision – If you own an expensive motorcycle, it only makes sense to protect it against accidents. Collision insurance helps cover the cost of repairing your bike if it’s damaged in a collision.

Comprehensive – The more you use your bike, the greater the risk of it sustaining weather damage or being vandalized or stolen. Comprehensive insurance protects your costly investment from these risks so you can enjoy your travels to the full.

For affordable motorcycle insurance that will provide the protection you need, contact North Georgia Insurance Center, Commerce, GA.

3 Common Mistakes When Choosing RV Insurance

An RV is a great way to get out and see the world; however, there are different risks and liabilities that come with this type of vehicle that can make choosing the appropriate insurance slightly stressful. Whether you are new to RV traveling or have years of experience, here are a few common mistakes to avoid when choosing RV insurance.

Assuming Auto Insurance is Enough

As an RV owner, it is important to understand that your RV is much more than just a large automobile. It’s a specialized vehicle that requires a different type of policy and coverage. For example, it needs coverage that also protects your personal belongings stored inside of it. For this reason and many others, it is essential that you purchase an insurance policy specifically designed for your RV.

Insufficient Coverage and Buying the Lowest Priced Policy

It is essential that you have sufficient liability coverage, which will protect you in the case of an unfortunate incident. Not having sufficient liability insurance can result in a large financial loss, especially if there are medical expenses and loss of wages that exceed the coverage. Although it’s nice to save money, it is recommended that you avoid buying the lowest priced policy. Before buying RV insurance, you should compare the features and services that are available with the different priced policies.

Not Knowing About Potential Discounts

There are a number of things that can help reduce the premium for your RV insurance. For example, combining coverage for your RV with automobiles and home insurance policies through the same carrier, installing security and safety features on the RV and maintaining a clean and safe driving record can all provide discounts on your policy.

When searching for RV insurance, it is important to talk with your agent about the type of RV you have, the frequency of use and where you store the vehicle.

Residents of Commerce, GA and the surrounding area interested in learning more about RV insurance or upgrading their policy should contact North Georgia Insurance Center.

How Much Of Your Medical Expenses Does Medicare Insurance Cover?

Having the right medical coverage can mean the difference between being healthy and able, and being incapacitated as a result of recurring health issues. People who are over the age of 65 are eligible to receive Medicare coverage from the government. Many people who enroll in the Medicare program are not aware of the amounts of coverage as well as any gaps in coverage.

Medicare Coverage

In most cases, Medicare will cover a set amount of doctor’s visit expenses up to a certain amount. After that, there is a small co-pay. which is usually 20% of the office visit. Medicare coverage is broken down into several parts. The most common are parts A and B. Part A covers hospital stays, surgery, hospice, home health care, and more. The Part B coverage is used for doctor’s visits, tests, and preventative care. There is also the Advanced Part C plan, as well as Medicare Part D, which is meant to cover medications. Most of the expenses beyond a doctors visit have an allotted amount of coverage and co-pays.

Gap Coverage

For individuals who have needs that extend beyond the coverage offered by standard Medicare, there is also gap insurance coverage. This gap coverage prevents Medicare recipients from experiencing financial losses as a result of medical bills not covered by their Medicare policy. Consult an experienced, knowledge Medicare Insurance provider that serves the Commerce GA area such as North Georgia Insurance Center.

Get the coverage you need to safeguard your health and protect from the burden of medical bills. Residents living in and around the Commerce GA area should contact North Georgia Insurance Center by calling or stopping by the office to speak with a representative about their options.

College Students Don’t Need Life Insurance, Right?

In a word, the answer may be "wrong."  Aside from the fact that life insurance makes it easier for loved ones to take care of one’s estate if passing too early, life insurance can also be a tremendous saving tool while providing protection from the unforeseen at the same time. That’s because there is more than just coverage life insurance available.

A policy available from providers like North Georgia Insurance Center is known as whole life insurance allows a person to be both covered for life insurance as well as providing a savings vehicle. Now, that might not seem that attractive at 21 in Commerce, GA. However, when one takes into account that he could be holding the same life insurance policy for the next 30 years, then that savings becomes a big consideration down the line. It works by taking a percentage of the premium paid for a life insurance policy in place and diverting it to a forced savings account. This grows over time at a set interest rate and becomes available towards the end of the natural term of the policy.

Granted, the tool assumes a person sticks with the policy and keeps it for three decades forward. If one decides to cash out early, then the fees and penalties pretty much make the tool inefficient as any kind of an investment. However, that’s not the point. For those who remember their lessons in Finance 101, the key to building investments is compounding over time. So following through on the whole life plan for its full maturity is the success path that works in combination with other financial choices. And, probably five to ten years in, a Commerce, GA college graduate is likely to have a family or significant other which the main purpose of a life insurance plan also makes sense for as well.

To find out more about how whole life works and it’s dual benefits, contact the staff at North Georgia Insurance Center for more information.

What Valuables May Not Be Protected Under Your Home Insurance?

Standard homeowner’s insurance is designed to protect your home and personal property. If you own high-end items, however, such as posh jewelry or fine artwork, the limits of your standard policy may be insufficient to protect you against loss. By obtaining an insurance rider from North Georgia Insurance Center in Commerce, GA, you can protect your most valued possessions against theft or loss. Here are just a few examples of valuables that may not be fully covered under your current home insurance policy.

Jewelry: Standard homeowner’s insurance covers jewelry up to a certain amount. If the value of your jewelry exceeds this limit, you’ll need additional coverage to protect your property. Protecting valuable jewelry with an insurance rider (extra coverage added to your policy) will enable you to recover their cost in the event of a loss.

High-End Electronics: High-end electronics and gadgets need adequate protection to safeguard your investments. A standard homeowner’s policy will only cover so much, especially if your policy comes with a high deductible. With additional insurance coverage, you won’t have to worry about replacing these goods out of pocket.

Fine Art: Fine art tends to increase in value over time, making it necessary to appraise your collection often to maintain accurate insurance protection. Protecting fine art with an insurance rider and updating coverage as needed will safeguard your collection from damage, theft or loss.  

Antiques/Heirlooms: If you’re the proud owner of treasured antiques or heirlooms, you’ll want to make sure they’re protected in accordance with their appraised value. Costly antiques and heirlooms need more coverage than what standard insurance policies have to offer. Additional insurance will enable you to recuperate your investment if these items are stolen or lost.  

For more information on home insurance options to protect prized valuables, contact North Georgia Insurance Center in Commerce, GA.

What Does Motorcycle Insurance Cover?

According to North Georgia Insurance Center, motorcycle insurance is meant to provide financial protection to you in case of an accident, damage, theft, or complete loss. In Commerce, GA, Motorcycle insurance also includes liability coverage in case you cause property damage or personal injuries to another person.

Since they belong to the same category of vehicles, in addition to motorcycles, the insurance policy also covers Segways, Mopeds, Crotch rockets, or even street bikes. A standard motorcycle insurance policy will cover some parts of the costs incurred by damage to your bike. It will also provide some financial compensation when you cause body harm to another person or any of his properties.

The insurance liability of your motorcycle insurance also covers the cost of liability and legal fees up to the limit of your policy. However, that is if the accident was probably caused by you.

You can tweak your motorcycle policy a little bit. Here are the coverage you can add to your policy.

  • Full replacement of your motorcycle or bike only in case it gets demolished completely
  • If you can opt for comprehensive coverage and it will pay for damage or total loss due to other causes apart from collision and these include damage from animals, weather damage, hail, or even complete theft of your motorcycle.
  • You can also include medical payment in case you get hospitalized
  • You can also upgrade your policy so that it can cover some other liabilities that you may think of.

You should understand that you are only through with a leg of the procedure, other leg Is to protect yourself against possible of the risks that you may face as you ride your motorcycle. You need not worry your head since you can drive more carefully to be able to save a lot of cost on the insurance of your motorcycle.

Don’t make the same mistakes a lot of people usually make. Accidents do occur. But a lot of people usually don’t believe that they can be a victim until it happens to them. For more information about motorcycle insurance in Commerce, GA contact the North Georgia Insurance Center.

 

Do You Need to Change Your Home Insurance If Your Home is For Sale and You Aren’t Living There?

In a perfect world, you would sell your current home before moving on and purchasing or renting a different home. However, we don’t live in a perfect world. You may need to move to care for an ill family member or for a job change and your home may not have yet sold. Or you may have found the home of your dreams and purchased it and moved before your home sold. Either way, you may have an empty house that is for sale. When this happens, we at North Georgia Insurance Center, serving the greater Commerce, GA area, are often asked if there are any changes that you need to make to your home insurance policy. Here is what you need to know. 

If you are no longer residing in the home and no longer have belongings inside, you may be able to make changes to your home insurance policy. These changes include stating that you have no personal property inside and waiving your right to replacement housing in the event your home becomes unusable due to a catastrophic loss or event. All in all, this may help you to save some money on your insurance policy. However, it is important to note that you are not legally required to make changes to your policy and many people do not. If your home is priced right, it will likely sell quickly, leaving it alone for only a brief period of time. Most people don’t like to change their insurance for this shortened period of time. 

If you are looking for a new home insurance policy or considering making changes to an existing one, visit North Georgia Insurance Center, serving the greater Commerce, GA area. We can help you decide what changes, if any, need to be to your home insurance policy. Contact us today to get started. 

What to Expect When Filing a Homeowners Insurance Claim

One of the questions that we at North Georgia Insurance Center are frequently asked is what can someone expect when filing a homeowners insurance claim in the greater Commerce, GA area. Here are a few of the things that you can expect if you should ever have to file a homeowners insurance claim. 

The Initial Phone Call

When you need to file a homeowners insurance claim, the first thing that you will need to do is phone your insurance company. During this initial phone call, you will be asked to provide basic information, such as your name, policy number and the type of damage that exists. The insurance agent will likely ask you how the damage occurred as well. 

An In-Person Inspection

After you have filed a claim, your case will be passed on to an adjuster. Typically, the adjuster will arrange for an in-person inspection of the damage done to your home. This typically takes a couple of days at least. During this time, the person the insurance company sends out will note what caused the damaged and what they value the costs to be to repair the damage. 

Negotiating the Settlement

Once your claim is accepted, you can begin negotiating a settlement. It is best to have a few quotes from contractors on hand to help you negotiate a fair settlement. However, be sure to deduct your deductible from the quoted price. In some cases, the insurance inspector values the repair work low and in other cases, they value it fairly. Having quotes on hand helps you to show that they valued the repairs too low if that is the case. Once the settlement amount is negotiated, you will be sent a check to begin the repair process. 

Having the right insurance limits in place is key in case you ever have to file a homeowners insurance claim. If you are not sure if your insurance rates are ideal for you, or if are looking for a new policy that increases your limits, contact North Georgia Insurance Center, serving the greater Commerce, GA area today. 

Benefits of Medicare Supplement Insurance

North Georgia Insurance Center provides Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance) policy which can assist in paying health care costs that are not often covered by your Original Medicare. It takes care of deductibles, coinsurance, and co-payments. If you already have the Original Medicare and you proceed to purchase a Medigap policy in Commerce, GA, Medicare will take care of all the healthcare costs, while Medigap will take care of the remaining expenses. The benefits of getting a Medicare Supplement insurance policy include:

You Get to Enjoy Reduced Out of Pocket Costs

The Medicare supplements work together with the Medicare Parts A and B to reduce your health care related costs. This means that even the unexpected medical events will most likely not impact the status of your finances. Additionally, as the Medicare coinsurance, co-payments, and deductibles increase, your medical supplement insurance benefits provided by North Georgia Insurance Center will also rise and assist you in meeting your eligible expenses.

No Referral, No Provider Networks

You get to keep your preferred hospitals and doctors. Any healthcare facility that accepts Medicare patients will also accept your supplement insurance. Therefore, you will not have to be stressed over getting referrals or finding network providers to receive treatment.

Few Bills for the Covered Services

If a healthcare facility accepts Medicare, it will be billed for all the services that you have received. Medicare will get to pay its share and your insurer will pay the remainder. The fact that the entire process is electronic in nature means that claims are processed very fast. Furthermore, you do not have to worry about having to write any checks.

If you are unsure of how to proceed or if you have further questions on Medicare Supplement Insurance in Commerce, GA, feel free to contact us, and one of our agents will answer any questions that you may have.