Entries by Kathryn Morstad

The Difference Between Bodily Injury and Medical Payment Auto Insurance Coverage

Key Takeaways: Bodily Injury Liability serves as your financial protection if you cause an accident that results in injury to another individual. Bodily Injury insurance coverage goes beyond safeguarding your financial resources—it also addresses your legal obligations. Medical Payment coverage provides a wide range of advantages, based on a simple concept: it covers the medical […]

Car Insurance Fraud – All You Need to Know + 12 Strategies to Stay Safe

Key Takeaways: Car insurance fraud can be as simple as exaggerating the number of miles you drive when applying for coverage to criminal activity, like staged accidents or fraudulent medical claims. Fraud related to car insurance can carry stiff penalties like heavy fines and restitution, probation, and even jail time. The overall cost to the […]

Why Did My Car Insurance Go Up?

Key Takeaways: Car insurance costs can be impacted by a variety of factors both personal and ‘big picture.’ Determine if your premium increase is due to your personal changes in circumstances, e.g., recent ticket or accident, change in marital status, or if it is more environmental or legislative affecting everyone. Ask your insurance company or […]

How to Deal with an Insurance Adjuster

Key Takeaways: Insurance adjusters for homes and vehicles have different types of expertise but are basically responsible for the same thing — valuating your property’s damage and issuing compensation based on your coverage. Being prepared with the event information, details, estimates, and knowledge of your insurance coverage can help you during the claims process. We […]

Open Enrollment 2024 – All You Need to Know

Key Takeaways: Get ready for Healthcare Open Enrollment 2024! Read our comprehensive guide, and get detailed insights on the Medicare, ACA, and Marketplace open enrollment periods. Know the open enrollment 2024 deadline for your insurance and find solutions to common pain points. Be informed and make the best choices for your health insurance in 2024! […]

Does Car Insurance Cover Natural Disasters?

Key Takeaways: Weather-related events are causing more and more damage, but your auto insurance policy may not provide adequate coverage to repair or replace your car. Comprehensive coverage covers most natural and man-made disaster damage, but there may be limitations that impact your reimbursement. As weather events and natural disasters seem to get more prevalent […]

Homeowners Insurance Exclusions—What’s NOT in Your Policy?

Key Takeaways: Homeowners insurance can have exclusions that greatly impact on your coverage and your asset protection. Some exclusions may not be impactful, such as flood insurance when you live in a non-flood prone location, but other exclusions may be necessary to include or obtain a rider for coverage. Carefully review your current insurance policy […]

12 Steps to Switch Homeowners Insurance Companies

Key Takeaways: Switching your homeowners insurance coverage to a new company can save you money through reduced rates or better discounts. It’s always a good idea to check annually or whenever you have a change in circumstances. There are benefits and risks when you switch homeowners insurance companies. It’s important to know what they are […]

Financed Car Insurance – All You Need to Know

Key Takeaways: Do you plan to lease or finance a new or used car? Check with your dealer and insurance company about their specific financed car insurance requirements. Shopping around for the best insurance for financed cars can save you money on the full coverage insurance required by most lenders. If you choose to stop […]

What Color Cars Are More Expensive to Insure?

Key Takeaways: Car colors may not affect your insurance costs directly, but there are still certain things to take into consideration when shopping for insurance. Custom colors and fancy paint jobs will raise your rates, along with high performance add-ons like turbo superchargers and custom after-market wheels. Finding the best price on car insurance takes […]

Workers’ Comp Vs. Disability Insurance

Explaining Workers’ Comp vs Disability Insurance Key Takeaways: Workers’ compensation insurance and disability insurance both provide financial protection to an individual when they are unable to work because of an injury, illness, or disability. Both short and long term disability insurance can be purchased by an individual or employer and cover non-work related injuries and […]

Complete Guide to Renters Insurance: Protecting Your Rental Home

When you own a home, having homeowner’s insurance is common — in fact, not having it can cause serious problems with a lender or mortgage holder. But what about when you rent? How do you protect your belongings from theft or damage? Today, many large rental companies and properties require tenants to carry renters insurance […]

2023 Insurance Industry Outlook

Key Takeaways: In 2023, insurance companies will need to find ways to demonstrate value in their products while combatting rising costs for car and home repairs. Car insurance rates may rise as much as 8.4% in 2023. Contributing factors include increasing prices for cars, homes, and the costs to repair them, changes in habits as […]

Top 10 Safe Cars for Teens

Key Takeaways: It’s a great time to buy a new or used car for a teenager but be sure to look for safe reliable models that are also affordable. We give you a list of the top safe cars for teens for both new and used vehicles. Discover some great tips to keep your teens […]

How to Transfer Insurance to a New Car

Key Takeaways: When you buy a new car, you don’t have to automatically buy a new insurance policy. Most insurers allow you to transfer your existing policy to the new vehicle with the changes needed. Most insurance carriers offer a 7 to 30-day grace period when you purchase a new car allowing you time to […]

Car Insurance Policy Number – All You Need to Know

All You Need to Know About Your Car Insurance Policy Number Key Takeaways: Every car insurance policy has an identifying number assigned by the insurance company and used to identify you and the vehicle you are insuring. If you lose your car insurance card, you may need to find your car insurance policy number through […]

What Is Sinkhole Insurance?

What is Sinkhole Insurance? Key Takeaways: Sinkhole insurance is available to homeowners in many states, while only Florida and Tennessee require insurance companies to offer optional coverage. Sinkhole insurance can be expensive — in some cases, more than regular homeowners’ insurance. Plus, the deductibles can be astronomical, so shop around for the best quotes. With climate […]

Is Hybrid Car Insurance More Expensive?

Key Takeaways: Hybrid car insurance is often more expensive than gas-only vehicle insurance but is also dependent on various factors like the cost of the vehicle and your personal driving record. There are still ways to save money and take advantage of discount opportunities, including ‘green vehicle’ discounts, when buying hybrid auto insurance. The best […]