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3 reasons you should never let your auto insurance coverage lapse

3 reasons you should never let your auto insurance coverage lapse

Allowing your auto insurance to lapse is never a good thing. Here’s the three main reasons why: Required by law Nearly all states require drivers to carry auto insurance at all times. If you have allowed your auto insurance to [...]

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How does auto insurance work when you drive across state lines?

How does auto insurance work when you drive across state lines?

Question of the Week: How does auto insurance work when I cross a state line? Answer: All auto insurance policies are valid nationwide. If you carry relatively strong coverage in your home state (which we highly recommend), that coverage will most [...]

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How auto insurance compares to other household expenses [Infographic]

How auto insurance compares to other household expenses [Infographic]

When you think about your annual expenses, you might think that auto insurance is a major drain on your finances, and while we all want to save as much as we can, auto insurance in fact only accounted for 2.19% of [...]

Teenage drivers – is it better to insure their own cars or add them to the family car?

Teenage drivers – is it better to insure their own cars or add them to the family car?

Question: Is it better to buy my teenager a used car and then add it to my auto insurance or should I just let him/her drive my car? Answer: The answer to this question depends on the exact situation, but [...]

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Switching auto insurance – What would I pay for a Honda CR-V in California?

Switching auto insurance – What would I pay for a Honda CR-V in California?

The state: California The vehicle: 2010 Honda CR-V EX Today we are looking at auto insurance quotes for a 2010 Honda CR-V EX in California. We’ll run a few different quotes for different locations and other variables, so that you [...]

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Agent’s Corner: How long do I need to have a SR-22 auto insurance form?

Agent’s Corner: How long do I need to have a SR-22 auto insurance form?

Editor’s Note: This is the first article in a new series we’ll be publishing called “Agent’s Corner” where you’ll get advice directly from one of our agents on the call center floor. This week, we’re hearing about SR-22′s from Charles [...]

Should you get accidental death coverage?

Should you get accidental death coverage?

A slightly obscure type of auto insurance coverage is called “accidental death” (or sometimes “automobile death indemnity”) which provides coverage for funeral expenses in the event that you or someone in your vehicle is killed, and the driver of your vehicle [...]

Home insurance endorsements – why you should pay attention

Home insurance endorsements – why you should pay attention

When it comes to property and casualty insurance, an endorsement is a amendment to your insurance policy contract that specifies your coverage under certain special circumstances or for itemized valuables. In some states and with some insurance companies, certain endorsements are [...]

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Joint car loan auto insurance tips

Joint car loan auto insurance tips

Getting a joint car loan is a serious commitment for both parties. When it comes to auto insurance, there are additional things to consider when deciding whether or not to get a joint car loan, especially if both parties do not live [...]

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CRASH! The Most Often Damaged Auto Parts in Collisions [Infographic]

CRASH! The Most Often Damaged Auto Parts in Collisions [Infographic]

CRASH! You just got in an accident, and after you confirm that no one is injured, your next thought might just be “I wonder what’s damaged?” Well, using data from thousands of crashes, we put together the following infographic to [...]

Why auto insurance companies don’t operate in all states

Why auto insurance companies don’t operate in all states

You might be surprised to know that most auto and home insurance companies do not operate or provide coverage in all 50 states. In fact, most don’t even come close to operating in all states. Here’s an explanation. To begin [...]

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Umbrella insurance explained and why you might need it

Umbrella insurance explained and why you might need it

Whether it’s auto, home, motorcycle, boat or other kinds of policies, all liability insurance has maximum limits. These limits are determined by how much coverage you are willing to pay for, though in all cases insurance companies have a liability [...]

5 ways to dispute auto insurance claims

5 ways to dispute auto insurance claims

You were in an accident and do not feel that you are receiving the proper repairs or fair coverage from your insurance company for those repairs, here are five options you have to try to fight for what you feel [...]

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Can you temporarily add someone to your auto insurance policy?

Can you temporarily add someone to your auto insurance policy?

Question of the Week: Can you temporarily add someone to your car insurance policy? Answer: Absolutely. Whenever you have the need, you may contact your insurance company or agent to ask that someone be temporarily added to your policy. However, [...]

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What does it mean to live in a no-fault auto insurance state?

What does it mean to live in a no-fault auto insurance state?

You are moving to a new state and while going through your moving checklist, you contact your auto insurance company about your car insurance. Your auto insurance agent tells you that you are about to move to a state that [...]

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Can you just keep cash from a car insurance payout and not fix your car?

Can you just keep cash from a car insurance payout and not fix your car?

Question of the Week: Can you just keep the money from an auto or home insurance payout and not put it towards repairs? Answer: This really depends on whether or not you fully own your vehicle or not. If you [...]

Getting auto insurance after returning from years abroad

Getting auto insurance after returning from years abroad

If you have been living abroad for a number of years and are now returning to reside in the United States, one of the things on your to-do checklist will most likely be getting auto insurance in the US for [...]

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Towing after an accident – you should involve your insurance company

Towing after an accident – you should involve your insurance company

You’ve been in an accident that will require your car to be towed. You’ve called the police and they are on their way to the scene. You are about to call your auto insurance company and start to wonder, “how [...]

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How adding an addition to your house affects your home insurance

How adding an addition to your house affects your home insurance

If you are thinking of doing major renovations and/or adding an addition or garage to your house, you should know that it will most likely increase your home insurance premium. The reason for this is pretty straightforward: you are adding [...]

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Is it ever too late to file an auto or home insurance claim?

Is it ever too late to file an auto or home insurance claim?

Question of the Week: Is it ever too late to file a claim with your auto or home insurance provider? Answer: This answer may surprise you – in most cases with property and causality insurance (which includes auto insurance and home [...]

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Insuring your new car with existing car insurance coverage

Insuring your new car with existing car insurance coverage

So you are in the market for a brand new car. You’ve been visiting dealerships, test driving, doing online research and now you’ve narrowed your choices down to a few different models. Once you make your final decision, you’ll most [...]

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Should you get car insurance where you buy your eggs?

Should you get car insurance where you buy your eggs?

If you are customer of a members-only shopping center such as Costco, you may have noticed that your store offers insurance (most likely auto insurance, but possibly other types including home insurance) – and your reaction was probably something like, [...]

How long does it take before an accident increases my auto insurance premium?

How long does it take before an accident increases my auto insurance premium?

Question of the week: When will an accident or speeding ticket start to affect my car insurance premium? Answer: Generally, if you have an accident within the first eleven months of your auto insurance policy being in effect, you will [...]

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Can you insure a salvaged vehicle?

Can you insure a salvaged vehicle?

Many people buy salvaged vehicles for spare parts for their daily driver or for a “project car”. However, some people find salvaged vehicles that they either buy in a condition that they feel is road worthy, or they fix them [...]

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Get a quick auto insurance quote on your phone with Answer Financial’s new mobile website

Get a quick auto insurance quote on your phone with Answer Financial’s new mobile website

We’re pleased to announce that Answer Financial now has a new mobile website for people to get insurance quotes quickly right  from their web-enabled phones. The new website can be found at http://m.answerfinancial.com As one of the largest insurance agencies [...]

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The New Year and your auto insurance

The New Year and your auto insurance

It’s a new year, and many people are starting their New Year’s resolutions. For many, this includes goals around better money management and as well as finding ways to save a few dollars here and there. In that spirit, we [...]

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Why Kelley Blue Book’s new car rating shows used cars are gaining popularity

Why Kelley Blue Book’s new car rating shows used cars are gaining popularity

Kelley Blue Book (KBB), which offers regularly updated pricing for used cars, has added a “Very Good” rating in order to better reflect the evolving used car market. Additionally, KBB has expanded its weekly ratings to 51 regional markets nationwide [...]

Insurance tips on taking your car off the road for the winter

Insurance tips on taking your car off the road for the winter

With winter fast approaching, you may be considering taking your summer vehicle off the road and into your garage. If so, there are a few things you should be aware of regarding your auto insurance. Let’s start off saying that [...]

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Car accidents are three times costlier to cities than congestion says AAA report

Car accidents are three times costlier to cities than congestion says AAA report

AAA has released a report that shows that vehicle crashes are three times costlier to American cities than traffic congestion. Based on crash and congestion data from 2009, AAA found that the economic impact of car accidents in the urban [...]

Classic car insurance – how to protect your chrome

Classic car insurance – how to protect your chrome

While not for everyone, classic car collecting is a popular hobby that can entail significant financial investment over many years. If you are a new collector, restorer, or someone just thinking of getting into the hobby, you might be wondering [...]

Would you rent your car out by the hour to a stranger?

Would you rent your car out by the hour to a stranger?

Rental cars have been around for decades, and even newer alternative rental car services such as Zipcar are well established now, but a new brand of rental car services are springing up – people renting out their private cars by [...]

Allstate closes acquisition of Answer Financial and Esurance

Allstate closes acquisition of Answer Financial and Esurance

We are happy to announce that we, along with Esurance, have been formally acquired by The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL)! Here is the press release on the announcement: NORTHBROOK, Ill., Oct. 7, 2011 - The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) today announced [...]

Insurance and moving to another state – what you need to know

Insurance and moving to another state – what you need to know

While there are many things to consider when moving to another state, you shouldn’t forget that changing states could possibly have a large impact on not only your insurance premiums, but also on your insurance needs. Home insurance Let’s assume [...]

How relationship status can affect your auto insurance premiums

How relationship status can affect your auto insurance premiums

If you are in a legally recognized relationship – whether married, in a civil union or domestic partnership – you should be aware of how this can affect your auto insurance policy. First of all, we’ll look at married couples. [...]

Survey: Homeowners insurance satisfaction has risen in 2011

Survey: Homeowners insurance satisfaction has risen in 2011

According to the latest annual study on homeowners insurance by J.D. Power and Associates, home insurance policyholders are more satisfied with their insurance companies in 2011 than they were in 2010. The study – which rates policyholder satisfaction on a [...]

Why college students (and their parents) should consider renters insurance

Why college students (and their parents) should consider renters insurance

It’s that time of year again – back to school, and for many college students that means moving into an apartment or condo. If you’re one of these students (or perhaps a parent) we highly recommend that you look at [...]

Most Expensive Home Insurance Claims [Infographic]

Most Expensive Home Insurance Claims [Infographic]

Ever wondered what home insurance gets used for? Well, we put together the infographic below to highlight the most expensive homeowners insurance claims in the United States from 2005-2009 (data source: ISO via III.org). So the next time you are [...]

Flood insurance: 86% of homeowners don’t have it

Flood insurance: 86% of homeowners don’t have it

Strong storms, hurricanes, overflowing rivers … Depending on where you live, your home could be prone to flooding. With that in mind, do you have flood insurance? You may not be aware of this, but homeowners insurance  (which we highly recommend you purchase [...]

Survey finds that most adults favor stricter laws for teen drivers

Survey finds that most adults favor stricter laws for teen drivers

A new survey conducted by Allstate found that most Americans are in favor of stricter laws for teen drivers, including the banning of cell phone usage, and setting the minimum age for obtaining a driving permit to 16 years old. [...]

Car insurance tips from California’s insurance commissioner

Car insurance tips from California’s insurance commissioner

Dave Jones, California’s insurance commissioner, recently offered some helpful tips about shopping for auto insurance that we’d like to pass along. You can go here for all of the commissioner’s tips, but a couple were particularly useful to anyone – in any [...]

The top ten stolen vehicles of 2010

The top ten stolen vehicles of 2010

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), a non-profit funded by the insurance industry, has released its list of the top 10 cars stolen in 2010, with two Hondas from a decade and a half ago topping the list. For the [...]

Why insurance providers offer competitors’ rates – and why it’s great for you

Why insurance providers offer competitors’ rates – and why it’s great for you

If you’ve ever shopped for insurance online, you may have noticed that certain insurance providers also reveal quotes, or at least estimates, from some of their leading competitors. Sometimes these quotes are even less expensive than their own. Naturally, you might ask yourself, [...]

Earthquake insurance policies skyrocket in Japan and New Zealand after quakes

Earthquake insurance policies skyrocket in Japan and New Zealand after quakes

In a previous post, we addressd the fact that earthquakes can strike nearly anywhere on Earth. This year we’ve seen two devastating quakes on the Pacific Rim, first in Christchurch, New Zealand in February, followed by the earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan in March. [...]

Crash avoidance system cuts down on fender benders

Crash avoidance system cuts down on fender benders

A recent report by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), shows that Volvo’s low-speed but high-tech crash avoidance system on the Volvo XC60 SUV model has dramatically cut down on auto insurance claims filed. The system, called City Safety, has [...]

Is usage-based auto insurance good for the consumer?

Is usage-based auto insurance good for the consumer?

A number of major auto insurance companies are adopting pilot programs around so called “usage-based” insurance tracking and benchmarking technologies (including GPS, OnStar, and custom devices). These technologies enable insurance companies to determine the cost of your insurance by, among [...]

GM offering a year of MetLife auto insurance for a year in Oregon and Washington states

GM offering a year of MetLife auto insurance for a year in Oregon and Washington states

General Motors (GM), in a move to attract new customers, has teamed up with MetLife to bundle a year of auto insurance to anyone who buys a new 2010-2012 Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet or GMC car, truck or crossover in the states of [...]

Insurance smartphone apps, email, and online chat lead to higher customer satisfaction

Insurance smartphone apps, email, and online chat lead to higher customer satisfaction

According to a report last month by J.D. Power and Associates, insurance customers who use emerging technologies such as smartphone applications, online chat, and email as complementary channels to interact with their insurance providers, “are significantly more satisfied than [customers] using [...]

SUVs much safer now according to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

SUVs much safer now according to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

A new safety report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) – the first such report since 2007 – says that SUVs are some of the safest cars on the road. This change is “dramatic” according to the IIHS, [...]

4 reasons to periodically check for insurance quotes

4 reasons to periodically check for insurance quotes

Here’s a question for you – when was the last time you spent five minutes checking to see if you are getting as much value as you can from your insurance? Awhile? Well, here are five reasons you should periodically [...]

One in five US Internet users have purchased auto insurance online

One in five US Internet users have purchased auto insurance online

One in five US respondents to a recent comScore survey said that they have purchased auto insurance online, and 32% of those surveyed who have not purchased auto insurance online before, will likely do so in the future. “Consumer preferences [...]

Earthquake insurance – in Missouri?

Earthquake insurance – in Missouri?

The past few years have dramatically risen the awareness of the destructive power of earthquakes, including the recent 9.0 quake off of the coast of Japan that created a tsunami that caused tremendous loss of life and property in that [...]

Welcome to the Insurance Center Blog!

Welcome to the Insurance Center Blog!

We are excited to launch the Insurance Center Blog, which will be a resource for anyone shopping for auto, home and other types of insurance. The Insurance Center Blog will strive to bring our readers up-to-date information, statistics, news and [...]