Four Questions To Get The Right Auto Insurance

Using the right tool for a job is key to success in any profession. Experts say the same principle applies when selecting an auto insurance policy. Having the right type of policy can help ensure that you, your employees and your business are all protected in the unfortunate event that one of your vehicles is involved in an accident.

If you’re a business owner and you or your employees use a vehicle for business-related deliveries or to carry certain materials to and from a job site, you may need a commercial auto insurance policy that’s tailored to more closely suit the needs—and risks—of a business vehicle operator.

Here are some questions that can help you determine if you might need a commercial auto policy instead of a personal auto policy, courtesy of A-Insurance Agencies, Inc.

• Do you need more liability coverage than your personal auto policy provides? Generally, a commercial auto policy provides higher limits of liability, but less or no coverage in areas that are typically not associated with commercial auto risks.

• Do you need special coverage for situations associated with con-ducting business? Commercial auto policies also usually offer certain coverages—such as hired and non-owned auto coverage and coverage for towing a trailer for business use—that are not available with personal auto policies.

• Do you need to list any employees as drivers? You can do this with a commercial auto insurance policy.

• Do you use your vehicle for business purposes? If you use your vehicle for things like pizza or newspaper delivery, catering, door-to-door consulting service, landscaping or snowplowing service, logging business, day care/church retreat van service and/or farm-to-market delivery, you might need a commercial auto policy.

Cameron Moore from A-Insurance is an Independent Insurance Agent – trained, licensed insurance professional who offer personal service and advice. We can help match you with the type of policy that best suits your needs and those of your company.

To learn more about all an independent agency offers, visit www.Ainsurance.com or give Cameron a call at 801-825-3887.

This is the time to get your RV ready for the road. Check out our quick spring checklist:

1. Give It A Good Look-Over

Inspect your RV for water leaks. Check the caulking around windows, doors, roof vents and seams. Water may intrude even through the smallest cracks and cause damage.

Open and close awnings. If they are difficult to operate, you may need to adjust the spring tension. This can be a difficult and dangerous job to do, so be very careful or cosider hiring a pro.

Don’t forget to check brake pads, lights and turn signals, as well as the hitch and wires on the tow vehicle.

Make sure your vehicle’s tires have adequate tread and tire pressure. Check for bulges as well as cracks in the tires’ sidewalls and between treads. Jack up your trailer and test the wheel bearings on each wheel, making sure there is no play or wobble. Worn bearings and / or tires can cause major mechanical problems, not to mention potentially deadly accidents.

2. Clean It Up

Remove outside covers for water heater and refrigerator and clean the burner units from debris and cobwebs.

3. Hoses and Valves

To check LP lines, be sure to turn on the LP detector inside the RV first. Then, open the tank valve all the way and smell carefully for possible leaks. Also, run a soapy water solution around the valves and look for bubbles. Be sure that all leaks are detected and fixed properly.

Also, inspect the sewage dump hose for punctures and signs of wear and tear. Dump hoses have a limited life span and need to be replaced periodically. Also, don’t forget to connect to a dump station and carefully check your waste tank valves before you head out for the first trip of the season. Valve seals may dry out and become difficult to operate, but they may be saved with some gentle wiggling. Look for special valve lubricant to add to your tank.

4. Batteries

Batteries ought to be both cleaned and tested at the beginning of the season. Cleaning corroded battery terminals and connections and checking battery fluid levels can be a dangerous job. Be sure to wear safety goggles and latex gloves, have the shore power disconnected and main shut-off in off position. If you have to remove wires, be sure to mark all connections with masking tape and marker.

You may also need to do a load test, which is best done by a professional. Don’t forget to have batteries fully charged before the test, as a low charge may actually cause the battery to fail the test. If the batteries need to be replaced, replace multiple banks together. Avoid combining old and new batteries.

5. Smoke Detectors

Test smoke detectors and replace the batteries. Equip your RV or Travel Trailer with a CO detector if it doesn’t already have one.

6. Tanks and Fluids

Drain antifreeze from holding tanks, shut off the water heater bypass and refill the propane and water tanks according to manufacturer’s instructions. Before filling with water, check the hot water bypass valve with faucets closed. Then, during filling, open a hot and a cold water faucet to let air escape until the water runs steady. Don’t forget to check faucets, plugs and valves for leaks and fix where necessary. Run enough water through each faucet to be sure that all RV antifreeze is removed.

7. Appliances

Test fire appliances after getting the gas and water systems up and running. Be sure the LP gas leak detector is on; then light a stove top burner. This will fill the LP lines and the burner’s easy-to-see flame will tell you when the air in the line is purged. Then, light and test other LP-fired appliances. Be sure that the water heater is full before you ignite it.

8. Get Your Insurance Up To Speed

At A Insurance we offer insurance for  your Travel Trailer, and “Summer Toys” such as ATVs or Jet Skis. Give us a call today at 801-825-3887  for a free, no-hassle insurance quote. We are here to help!

Click here to request a free quote.

“Owners should think of ATVs the same way they think of motor-cycles,” said Rick Stern, product manager, The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies. “You’d never consider getting on a motor-cycle without the proper insurance, and you shouldn’t ride an ATV without the right coverage either.”

If you’re not sure what to do about your ATV insurance needs, here are a few things to consider:

Your homeowners policy might not be enough. Most likely, your homeowners policy only covers your ATV if trouble occurs on your property. Anywhere else and you’ll be exposed. Look for an affordable ATV insurance policy that offers coverage no mat-ter where you are. Trail riders should be aware that many states require ATV insurance for vehicles operated on state-owned land.

What about theft? ATVs are portable and can be easy targets for thieves. You should consider ATV insurance that provides cover-age for things such as theft, fire and vandalism—just like the kind you can get for a motorcycle. Theft, fire and vandalism are covered by Comprehensive coverage, an optional physical damage coverage.

Consider uninsured and underinsured coverage. You never know what can happen in the great outdoors. This relatively inexpensive coverage protects you if another rider causes damage to you and he or she lacks adequate coverage.

Keep your rates low. You can do a number of things to save money on your ATV insurance, including maintaining a clean driving record, staying free of claims or choosing a less “sporty” ATV. In addition, most insurers offer a discount if you insure more than one vehicle on your policy, or have more than one policy with the company. This could mean additional savings on your car, motorcycle, boat or RV insurance.

You can control several factors that can make you a more favorable candidate for motorcycle insurance in the eyes of an insurance company.

YOUR AGE

While age is a factor in purchasing any insurance, it is of particular importance when buying motorcycle insurance. If you are a female under age 21 or a male under age 25, your rates will automatically be higher than any other age category. A recommended method to save on your insurance premium is to wait until you are beyond those ages, which can significantly reduce motorcycle insurance premiums.

YOUR EXPERIENCE

If you are a new operator of a motorcycle, many insurance companies want to know this and will adjust your premium accordingly. New motorcycle operators are a bigger risk to insurance companies as they are more likely to have accidents. If you are a new owner or operator of a motorcycle, the only way to circumvent this is to shop around at various insurance companies to find the best rate, as not all insurance companies use this decisive factor in the same way.

YOUR RECORD

A rule that applies to any motor vehicle operation is to be a safe driver. Your driving record is one of the first things that an insurance company will look at when evaluating you as a candidate for insurance. Speeding violations, traffic accidents, and insurance claims are three factors that play heavily into an insurance companies evaluation of you. By avoiding these things, you make yourself more attractive to an insurance company.

With some insurance companies, your accident history may have less of an impact on your candidacy if the accident history was in an automobile rather than on a motorcycle. Again, shopping around at different insurance companies is the best way to circumvent this issue.

LOCATION

Many people do not realize that the town where you live may have an impact on the insurance premiums that you pay. If you live in a highly populated town or city, the likelihood that you will encounter other drivers increases. This means that the chances of an accident occurring also increase. If you live in a rural area, you will have less contact with other vehicles, which may mean that you are relatively safer, however you may also live in an area where speed limits are much higher which is another factor of risk for an insurance company.

Consumers can find it frustrating to consider all of these criteria, especially if you or your circumstances put you in an unfavorable light in the eyes of the insurance company. Your tactic then should be to change the things that you can and never ever lie to your insurance company. If you are dishonest with your insurance company regarding any of the questions they ask you, you can be denied insurance altogether. That may be the least of your problems as this is technically insurance fraud, which is a punishable offense.

YOUR WORK

Although unusual, if you use your motorcycle for any business activities, you will have to disclose this to the insurance company. Business use of a motorcycle will most certainly cause and increase in your insurance rates. If using a motorcycle to conduct business is a choice rather than a necessity, consider an alternate mode of transportation in order to save money on your insurance premiums.

YOUR MOTORCYCLE

The type of motorcycle you own will also play a factor in your insurance rates. Motorcycles designed for speed and performance are clearly more dangerous than commuter style motorcycles or cruising motorcycles. Accordingly, they will have a higher rate.

Modifications to your motorcycle can also play a factor in your insurance rates. Modifications can be for speed or for looks. If the modifications are for performance, and you have made you motorcycle faster, then your motorcycle is now more dangerous in the eyes of the insurance company.

If your modifications are just for style and looks, you can also see and increase in your insurance rates because now your motorcycle is worth more and their payment to you to repair the motorcycle will be more in the event of an accident.

These suggestions will help to make you a more favorable candidate for insurance companies. Consulting with professional insurance agents and brokers for advice on the best insurer for your situation will be by far the best step you can take to lower your premiums.