Reader’s Question:
I usually drive around for some matters about business my boss wants me to do using my own car. I don’t know if I will still be covered by my car insurance here in Nevada even if I use my car for that. How will I know for sure that my car insurance still protects me when I do business by means of my own car?
Lane
Las Vegas, NV
The majority of big companies have commercial car insurance policies that give protection to their employees when they are travelling on official business. In case you are using your personal vehicle on business and you are involved in as accident, your own car insurance policy in Nevada may kick in first, however, there would also be a possibility that your company’s insurance would compensate before your own. Make certain that you ask your boss and an insurance agent or your insurer to know the details.
Your boss must understand the basic information about the car insurance coverage for his/her employees. Be certain that you are familiar with how it works at your business. In case you have coverage from your company policy, ask your boss as to who you must contact in the event that there is an accident and take with you that info in your vehicle. No matter whether you talk to your own insurer or your employer’s insurer, you need to inform the insurance adjuster that you are driving the vehicle on business. Your own insurer must not decline your claim just because you are driving on a business, but they may try to get back the money from your company’s insurer afterwards. In case of an accident during a business trip, it would be better to begin at your employer’s insurer. That is because it would also be better if you have fewer or no claims on your personal car insurance history.
Reader’s Question:
I’m looking to buy an auto insurance policy here in Nevada, and I have a question about deductibles, What is it and how exactly does it work?
Miles
Reno, NV
A Deductible is the amount of money deducted from the payment coming from your car insurance policy after your claim has been approved. Auto insurance providers are obligated to make sure that you understand the amount of deductibles that will be stipulated within your auto insurance policy before you agree to accept the said insurance policy. For example, if you file for damages brought upon by a car collision and you have a $250 deductible under your policy, that amount will be deducted from the total payment or settlement you receive from your carrier or insurance provider. So if you were awarded $1000 then you actually only get $750, with the stated example. Keep in mind though, if the repair costs less than the deductible, then don’t go for the deductible since you will have to end up paying the insurance company the difference.
Deductibles are not fixed, most auto insurance policies would allow you to set the deductible higher, or lower, depending on your preference. It is actually recommended to increase your deductible if you drive an older vehicle or don’t drive your vehicle that much. You can actually lower down your regular car insurance premiums with a lower deductible. Also, each portion of your policy there in Nevada, such as for collision and comprehensive insurance, will carry their own respective amounts of deductibles.
Reader’s Question:
I’m currently leasing a vehicle here in Nevada and was advised to get gap insurance for it. What is gap insurance?
Euhmir
Henderson, NV
Gap Insurance is a form of insurance that protects against liability incurred in the event a leased or financed vehicle is damaged or is totaled beyond repair. What Gap Insurance will do is to basically “fill the gap” between the amount that you already paid for the vehicle and the amount needed to completely pay off the lease on the said vehicle. If said vehicle is also financed or acts as a collateral for a loan and the monetary value of the vehicle is lost due to theft or accident, Gap Insurance will take care of paying off the debt to the lenders. Some banks or lender’s have recently, either highly encouraged or required borrowers to get gap insurance for their vehicles for car loans and auto financing purposes.
Now the question is, do you really need one? It actually depends. What’s the likelihood of losing your car to accident or theft there in Nevada? If the car is being financed and you’ve already paid a significant portion of the loan then it may not be cost effective to get gap insurance since you may be paying more for the actual insurance as compared to the actual cash value remaining on the vehicle. If you are required by your lenders see if they are willing to compromise with comprehensive insurance coverage instead which may prove cheaper since it should already be included under most car insurance policies you take.
Reader’s Question:
How can I get a good car insurance here in Carson City, Nevada if I have a bad driving record?
Lannie
Carson City, NV
Admittedly, it will be a bit challenging for someone with a not-so-great driving record to get a decently priced auto insurance rate, much more a good one. Most states auto insurance laws are designed to reward safe and responsible drivers and punish the bad ones. If you’re looking to have lower rates for car insurance, that won’t happen until you’re able to show that you have become a safe and responsible driver and by maintaining continuous auto insurance coverage (if you were required to get an SR-22) for at least two or three years. It is not impossible for you though to find other ways of compensating for the high price of a bad driving record auto insurance there in Carson City, Nevada. Here are a few suggestions:
Consider a higher deductible – if you agree to pay a higher deductible towards your auto insurance it is possible for your rates or premiums to become lower.
Decrease your coverages – your auto insurance is composed of several types of coverages. Some, like liability and collision coverage, are necessities but you may want to look into your comprehensive coverage to see if there are any items, like flood or tornado coverage that you can live without, to lessen your insurance expenses.
Also, try to shop around, you are still a customer even if you have a bad driving record so compare prices online and get the cheapest one you can find.
Reader’s Question:
I am shopping for auto insurance here in Nevada and they say that going online would be the easiest way to get an auto insurance quote. If I ask for a free quote from an insurance company’s website, will they be able to give me a quote immediately?
Nora
Sunrise Manor, NV
What they say may be right that going through the Internet is probably the easiest way to get a quote for your auto insurance in Sunrise Manor, Nevada. But before going online, you have to have the necessary things with you when you start shopping. This includes your existing auto insurance policy, your driver’s license number and your vehicle registration. When you visit online insurance quotation Websites, you could put in your details and you could obtain a number of comparative quotations.
There are some things that you have to remember when you go online to shop for your insurance. First is that if you go to quote sites like the Websites of an insurance company, you might not obtain instant insurance quotes. Some auto insurance providers could get a hold of you afterwards through e-mail. Some of them that aren’t “direct providers” could assign a local agent for you who would be the one to give you the insurance quote. Second is that, it would sometimes be hard to obtain insurance quotes from these Websites in some states. You would likely discover that it’s quicker to just use the phone because majority of insurance providers in some states do not offer online quotes.
Reader’s Question:
What can older people like me to avoid paying for high car insurance rates? I’ve lived here in Reno, Nevada all my life and I’ve noticed my insurance, over the years have gradually increased and they say it’s because of my age. Please help!
Wanina
Reno, NV
A lot of people can emphatize with you’re sentiments regarding our senior citizens having to pay relatively higher auto insurance rates. The fact is, car insurance providers view people aged 55 and above to be riskier drivers (due to the physical effects of aging such as poorer eyesight and slower reflexes and stamina) in getting involved in vehicular accidents. Hence the higher insurance rates to compensate for the proportionate risk. As soon as you hit your early to mid 50’s, and also depending on how well you maintained your driving record over the years, you can expect your car insurance bills to gradually rise.
There are still ways on how to manage and even save on car insurance costs. Here are a few tips that can bring you much needed breaks on your car insurance bills there in Reno, Nevada:
Get A Higher Deductible
Increasing your deductible will lead to lower insurance premiums. If you’re a safe driver then the chances of you getting to pay said deductible is slim enough so you can enjoy the savings of a lower premium.
Take Defensive Driving Classes
Learning to be safer and more alert while driving will not only qualify you for additional discounts but will also increase your chances of avoiding costly, even deadly, car accidents.
Ask For Discounts
Sometimes, in the name of customer loyalty and industry competition, it is a good idea to ask for a discount. Most insurance companies do provide discounts for senior citizens, but on a reactive basis.
Reader’s Question:
It’s time to salt away a bit after our wedding because we spent a great deal for it. Our car insurance here in Nevada is one way to start with because we were told that it could save us money now that we are married. How is that possible and what if one of us has a bad driving history?
Oprah
Paradise, NV
As you get ready for one of the best days of your life as a married person, you could be worrying about money. Everything that you went through on the whole process of getting married can be expensive, but you could be surprised to know that your new status could save you money in unforeseen ways.
Your marriage could actually lessen what you pay for your auto insurance premiums in Paradise, Nevada. Those who are married are regarded as safer and probably more stable because of their new promise and obligations and this could mean that you will have discounts on your premiums. You could be entitled, as a couple, for cheaper auto insurance rates for similar coverage. You may also earn a multiple car discount once you put your vehicles under the same auto insurance policy. Depending on your driving history and the vehicles that you and your spouse own, you could get better rates if you have separate policies. If one of you has a bad driving history, you could have better insurance premiums by completing a safe driver course. You might want to get comparison auto insurance quotes to find out for sure.
Reader’s Question:
My father recently told me that his auto insurance provider inNevada has increased his rate because he was reclassified as a “High-Risk Driver”. Why would an insurance company tag him as a “High-Risk” driver?
Tina
Spring Valley, NV
Hi Tina, there are a lot of different reasons why your car insurance provider there in Spring Valley, Nevada have considered your father under the high-risk drivers category. Your father could have been caught driving without proper insurance or license, or could have accumulated one too many tickets and traffic violations. It is also possible that your father’s insurance provider could have also used age as the basis for the high-risk classification. Those above 60 years of age are already considered riskier to insure due to the physical effects of aging, such as poorer eyesight or slower reflexes, making it harder for older people to avoid car accidents.
It is important that you understand the factors that will make an individual a “high-risk” driver in the eyes of insurance companies so you can avoid making the same mistakes yourself. The best way to help your father avoid having to pay higher insurance premiums would be to get an idea of his driving history or anything that could have happened recently that may have had an impact on his driving records. You could also talk directly with his insurance provider to determine the specific reasons your father was tagged “High-Risk”. Enrolling him under state accredited defensive driving classes will not only qualify him to get discounts on his insurance premiums, it will also arm him with the necessary skills on becoming, and staying, a safer driver.
Reader’s Question:
My husband has a not-so-good driving history here in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Would it be wise to have separate vehicle insurance from him to save us some money?
Therese
North Las Vegas, NV
You most likely have to pay more on your vehicle insurance in North Las Vegas, Nevada if your husband has a not-so-good driving history. But even if that is the case, it is generally better to have both of you under the same insurance policy. You would pay a lesser amount if you are under the same policy than if you have separate vehicle insurance from him. You could presume that because you have a good driving history, you are going to pay less for your vehicle insurance if you have your husband on your insurance policy that you will if you have separate policies.
Experts say that there is no doubt that having a poor motorist on your auto insurance policy could cause your premiums to raise. But on the other hand, you can help maintain low insurance rates by having your auto insurance provider list your husband as an additional motorist on your insurance policy. If your insurance provider is unwilling to cover your husband because of his driving history, you and your husband can be asked to sign a legal agreement which says that there will be no coverage in any event that arises from your husband’s operation of your vehicle.
Reader’s Question
I would like to know more about savings on my car insurance costs, I feel like I’ve been paying so much for my coverage here in Henderson, Nevada.
Riley
Henderson, NV
You’re definitely not alone, with the recent crunch being felt by everyone due to the economy it suddenly became very practical for everyone to drop unnecessary expenses and get as much savings as possible off your monthly bills. Car insurance expenses are no exception and there are definitely a lot of ways to lower down your car insurance costs. Here’s a few tips on how to save on your car insurance there in Henderson, Nevada:
Safety Mechanisms
The safer your car is, the lower your car insurance premiums will be. You may be able to get discounts off your premiums by installing additional safety mechanisms (such as extra air bags or automatic seatbelt) against theft and collisions.
Consider a higher deductible
You can ask to have a higher deductible on your claims which should help in lowering down the monthly premiums you are paying. Try to get as high a deductible as you are comfortable paying for without hindering your ability to file a claim in the future.
Take Drivers Education
Taking accredited, defensive driving lessons or classes should qualify you for additional discounts towards your car insurance premiums. You also get the benefit of learning necessary skills and techniques on how to be a better and safer driver on the road.