Author: AgentInsure

3 Tips for Dealing with a Hit and Run Driver

Posted on by AgentInsure

Being in a car accident is never enjoyable, but the feeling can be made worse if the other driver flees the scene or refuses to stop. Even more aggravating is walking outside to your parked vehicle to find someone else has caused damage while you are away.

In either situation, your insurance policy can help. Here are a few tips for dealing with a hit-and-run accident.

#1: Gather as Much Information as Available

After a hit-and-run accident, it is important to gather as many details as possible. If you are able to get a license plate number of the other driver, be sure to write it down. You can also take photos to help back up your side of the story and take written statements from witnesses who saw it happen. Any information you have that could possibly identify the other driver is crucial.

#2: Report the Incident to Police

Next, you will want to report the incident to police. However, it is important to remember that not all jurisdictions handle hit-and-run accidents alike. Some law enforcement teams will only take a report over the phone for cases where a vehicle was parked and unoccupied at the time of the incident, while others will send out an officer. Most police departments will immediately respond to an on-the-road crash with one driver who leaves the scene.

Many people also falsely believe that it is the police department’s job to track down the other driver. In serious cases where there are injuries, this can happen. However, most police departments will refer you to your insurance company instead of utilizing resources for a relatively minor incident.

#3: Understand Your Available Coverage Options

Understanding your available insurance coverage options is crucial after a hit-and-run accident. Call your agent as soon as possible to report the claim and review your policy to see what your next options are. Provide as much detail as you can when you give your incident statement. Many carriers can even take the plate number of the other car, which they can sometimes run through a database to find out who the vehicle belongs to. (Note: This is not available with all carriers or in all states.)

If you were injured, medical payments coverage on your policy usually helps offset the cost of any doctor’s visits or time off from work due to a hit-and-run accident. If your vehicle is in need of repair, collision coverage will help with the damage—no matter who is at-fault. This allows you to get your vehicle fixed right away without having to wait for the other party to come forward. While this is great news to many, there is one small caveat: you are subject to your deductible. However, if the other driver is ever found, your insurance company will be happy to help recoup that money back for you during the subrogation process.

Learn more about how insurance covers you after a hit-and-run accident. Please call us today at Idaho Select Insurance for details.

 

Don’t Rely on Your Roommate’s Renters Insurance Policy

Posted on by AgentInsure

Even though it’s one of the best ways to protect yourself if you rent an apartment or townhome, many people who lease a place in Meridian, ID don’t have renters insurance. Sometimes, we at Idaho Select Insurance hear renters justify not carrying a renters insurance policy by noting that their roommate has insurance. Relying on your roommate’s renters insurance policy is never a good idea, though, because it might not cover you.

Your Roommate’s Policy Is Theirs

Your roommate’s renters insurance policy is their policy, not your policy. They selected the policy and pay its premiums, and they’re the policyholder. As such, the policy insures them. It likely doesn’t insure you.

If you’re expecting your roommate’s policy to provide you with coverage, you could be in trouble if something happened. It likely doesn’t extend coverage to you. If your apartment was ever broken into or caught fire, you might have to pay for all the damages and losses yourself.

You Need Your Own Policy

As a renter, you should have your own renters insurance policy. A well-selected policy could provide you with the following coverages:

  • personal property coverage
  • personal liability coverage
  • medical payments coverage

To find a renters insurance policy in Meridian, ID that includes these coverages, contact us at Idaho Select Insurance. Our independent insurance agents have helped many tenants in the area find a renters insurance policy, and they can help you choose a policy too. After looking at multiple policies from several different insurers, our agents will help you choose the most appropriate one.

To speak with one of our renters insurance agents, call our office or contact us through our website. Once we hear from you, our agents will quickly help you find renters insurance.

 

Get Renters Insurance and Protect More Than Your Belongings

Posted on by AgentInsure

For tenants, renters insurance provides a host of protections that would otherwise be unavailable to people who lease an apartment or townhouse. Some landlords require their tenants to carry renters insurance, but even renters who aren’t bound to get a policy should look in to this. Here’s a look at the coverage options that renters insurance affords tenants, along with how to find an affordable policy.

Protecting More Than Your Belongings

Many tenants purchase renters insurance to provide coverage for their personal possessions such as their clothes, furniture, electronics, and other belongings. This coverage alone ought to be reason enough to get a policy, but it is hardly the only protection available through renters insurance. Coverage can vary, but a policy you look at might include any or all of the following choices:

  • personal liability coverage
  • medical payments coverage
  • additional living expenses coverage

Together, these coverage options can create a robust policy that provides protection from many risks, such as theft, fire, vandalism and covered accidents.

Finding the Coverage You Need

The specific coverage you need will depend on your personal situation, including where you live, what you own and how much money you have saved. For help determining what coverage and limits makes the most sense for you, contact us at Idaho Select Insurance, LLC. Our independent insurance agents have helped many tenants in Meridian, ID, and they’re ready to assist you.

Because we only have independent insurance agents at our office, you know you’ll get the best deal on renters insurance when you shop for a policy with us. Our agents will compare all of the policies that provide the coverage you need, quickly identifying which ones have the lowest premiums. They’ll then review the policies with you and help you select one. To talk with an agent, contact us at Idaho Select Insurance, LLC today.