When do you Need Short Term Car Insurance in Maryland?

In Laurel, Maryland, it is illegal to operate a vehicle without insurance on that vehicle. This is the rule of thumb throughout Maryland. States do fluctuate in the degree of fines that are put on drivers who operate a vehicle without active insurance coverage and some states being stricter than other states.

If you live in Maryland and are in a position where you need to purchase short term or temporary car insurance for a day up to 28 days, you can expect to pay a slightly higher premium. The question remains on just why you may need a short term policy.

Once instance would be if you are borrowing some else’s vehicle. Before driving any other person’s vehicle, check with your independent agent to make sure that you are covered. When borrowing another vehicle there are many risk factors that you might not consider, such as, fire, theft, vandalism and accident damages.

Another situation would be if you are shopping for a new or used vehicle and you want to take the vehicle for the day, you would want to make sure that you are covered in the event of an accident.

One more situation may be your college student is coming home for vacation break and will want to drive your car while home. Exercise caution and call your independent insurance agent and have the student added temporarily on your auto policy.

Some states require that anyone living in your household, and are a licensed driver must be on your car policy, even if the vehicle is going to be in close proximity to your home, be aware that many accidents happen close to home.

To be on the safe side call your independent agent and make sure that you have the right kind of short term coverage for your specific situation in Laurel, Maryland.

Insurance Statistics in Maryland from 2012

Insurance Statistics and trends for Maryland in 2012 are somewhat complicated to determine. There is a lot that will determine these statistics, such as populace and location. The populace in Maryland and throughout the United States could expect to see a double raise in cost.

Auto insurance fraud is on the rise nationwide and in the state of Maryland. You can expect to see higher statistics and policy rates depending on the population of certain states. Looking back at least four years, rates have been steadily on an increase depending on the amount of fraud cases reported.

Homeowner’s policy rates rose in 2012, due to all of the natural disasters affecting the United States. Natural disasters such as floods from hurricanes on the east coast, wildfires on the west coast, earthquake damages, droughts and extensive snow damage have all put their toll on the amount of home insurance claims processed and paid out. Policy rates are regulated on a state by state basis through that state’s insurance division. Since Maryland is smaller in populace then New York, Maryland’s rates could be lower on average.

Employers and employees in Maryland can expect to pay more out on their health insurance premiums. Rising commercial policies continue to rise for employers and they are in turn passing on these rises in rates to the employee, so that more money is expected to come out of your weekly pay checks. Maryland is not alone in this dilemma as this is going to affect all states. A continued rise in health policy premiums are expected to continue.

The only policy rates that seem to be falling are in the area of life policies. Many people are going without this coverage due to other more pressing financial issues. Life insurance companies continue to see a decrease in rates in 2012. Call your independent agent today for a quote on any insurance needed to help protect your future.

How to Handle Insurance Claims from Hurricane Damage in Maryland

Those who live in Maryland know that there are many worries about hurricane damage. Damage from a hurricane can be expensive and make a major impact on you and your family. Luckily, many insurance options allow you to protect the investment you have in your home from these terrors in nature. If you are not overly knowledgeable about insurance, you may be a bit confused about how these hurricane claims work. Learn a bit more about these hurricane claims and you can better tailor your insurance to fit your needs.

The first thing to remember is that hurricane coverage is a part of your homeowner’s policy. For the most part, you do not have separate hurricane insurance, it is a rider on your normal insurance. That means that you go about making the insurance claim just like you would any other claim. You will contact your insurance company and they will send an adjuster out to your home to take a look at the damage and help decide what you should receive (if anything) for a payout.

The claims process is actually simpler than most people think. This is even more so the case if you work with an independent agent. Working directly with an agent allows you to have someone on your side that will make certain you are making the decisions that benefit you and your family. An agent can also help you put together a full package of insurance including homeowner’s, auto, workers compensation, life insurance and anything else you may need to feel protected.

If you do not already have an independent agent on your side, give us a call today. We will be happy to look over your coverage and explain the ins and outs of hurricane insurance and other options for you and your family.

Maryland Homeowners: Does My Insurance Policy Cover Flood Damage from the Hurricane?

Maryland homeowners, like many other homeowners across the United States are finding out that after a catastrophic weather event they did not have adequate homeowners insurance to cover the damages incurred. It is a very sad situation for these homeowners to find out that their insurance company is not going to pay in certain instances, and they thought that they were secure in the knowledge that if any damages were done to their home or personal possessions they would be reimbursed.

All homeowner policies from all companies work on the same basis by offering an extensive list of coverage on a standard policy. If certain damages are not listed on the policy, in black and white, you must consider them uncovered issues. Flood damages from hurricanes in Maryland are another example. There is no standard homeowner’s policy that will pay for flood damages from a hurricane. As a Maryland homeowner you need to be aware that if you want to insure your home for items not listed on your standard policy then you must buy a separate policy, such as a flood policy.

A separate flood insurance policy is not cheap through any company, so if you reside further inland in Maryland and feel there is no risk for flood damage you should consider if you want this added expense. Be aware though, this type of thinking can give you a false sense of security that water damage is not going to touch your home should a hurricane occur, as flooding has happened far inland in Maryland.

If you do not have flood coverage and hear that a serious hurricane is on its way and you are right in its path, do not rush and sign up for flood insurance, because it is already too late, as there is a 30 day waiting period. Call your independent agent today for a flood policy quote.