Just about every state in the country requires you to have compensation in place for property damage that you may cause with your vehicle and either bodily injury liability for injuries caused to others and/or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) to pay for an injury suffered by the policyholder regardless of who is at fault. States will enforce these laws which are known as the Financial Responsibility and No Fault laws. Although there are a few different ways to satisfy these laws such as making a cash deposit with the state or obtaining a surety bond for a specified amount, most drivers choose to purchase auto insurance and maintain coverage through an insurer.

Although not all states require it, it may be a good idea to always carry proof of car insurance at all times while operating an automobile. If you are involved in a traffic accident you will need to swap policy information following the incident so having the documentation readily available can make it a whole lot easier and faster to go through the claims process. In many states it will asked for by a law enforcement officer upon arrival at the scene of the collision and in many cases not having proper proof will give the officer the impression that you do not have coverage which may result in a fine and a “need to appear” in court with the documentation necessary; both of which can be avoided by simply carrying that piece of paper.

Additional Information about Proof of Auto Insurance

When you purchase an automobile policy, the agent or his representative  should provide you a temporary proof of insurance as soon as the transaction is complete and the finalized documentation should be mailed to your residence. On the identification cards most states require that particular information is stated on the documentation; in most cases states require that the cards show the name of the insurer, a policy number, the effective date and expiration date of the coverage, your name, a description of the year, make and model of vehicles including the “VIN”. It is the responsibility of the policyholder to ensure that all information is correct.

You should make yourself aware of whether or not you are required by law to have proof on you at all times while driving because fines can get quite expensive and become a hassle if you are caught without the proper documentation (even if the state does not require identification cards to be carried it is probably a good idea to do so anyway.) States which require you to have policies you at all times will allow law enforcement officer to ask for identification cards at routine traffic stops and if unable to furnish the driver can be cited. According to the Washington State Department of Licensing those who are caught operating an automobile without coverage can be given a fine of at least $450 which can be close to the amount it would cost to purchase a policy. It would be wiser to always have the documentation ready and never risk driving uninsured.

Feel free to call me at 1-888-365-7553 or start by checking www.muskegonautoinsurance.net

We know citizens of Michigan are doing their best to abide by the state law and carry the required amount of auto insurance. We also know they are trying to find ways to cut back on expenses and save money wherever possible. Perhaps the suggestions below can help the drivers in Muskegon, Michigan not only save money on their policies but move forward in their understanding of car insurance and get closer to full coverage.

Can I Save Money On Required Liabilities?
State legislation has declared a minimum requirement of coverage that must be purchased by every driver on the road, which is personal protection insurance for $1 million, personal injury protection, residual bodily injury for $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident, and finally $10,000 in property damage liability. Combined, these mandatory coverage types will pay for the other party’s property damage, their medical bills, and your medical bills. There is no way to lower the amount that is required to be carried because it has been said as being mandatory by the state. Drivers who have carried higher amounts of these coverage types can lower their amounts to these stated minimums to help save money on their premium, but in the long run it may cost the driver more to pay less now and then in an accident situation pay out of pocket for expenses no longer covered. This thought should also be heavily considered when thinking about only carrying the state required amounts and nothing more to try and save money.

What Coverage Is Necessary For Mi. Drivers?
As mentioned earlier, if you live in Michigan you must purchase personal protection insurance, personal injury protection, residual bodily injury liability, and property damage liability. Any other coverage is extra and can be added on to the policy for a price.

What Coverage Is Available In Michigan?
Each insurer in Michigan offers different coverage options so it’s best to check with your current insurer or prospective insurers (perhaps the Steve Bedgood Agency) to see what is offered. As a general rule of thumb, most insurers offer coverage types that will give the policyholder and members the ability to expect the insurer to pay for their accident related medical bills and property damage. There are also other add-ons that will cover rental cars or help with paying for a rental car when your vehicle is in the shop because of an accident. Options regarding towing services are also available. Figure out what you coverage you need to properly protect your assets and policy members, know your budget, and decide what coverage you can afford.

Where To Find Good Car Insurance Coverage
The best place to find coverage for Michigan drivers at a good price is right here at the Steve Bedgood Agency.  All drivers in Muskegon can utilize our service. We can show you what prices we are charging and help you get your discounts. Anyone interested in finding a great agency with one-stop service should come visit our office.

We are located at 1500 Whitehall Rd, Muskegon, Mi. 49445 or you can start by checking us out at www.muskegoninsuranceagent.com

To begin this process, start by e-mailing me at steve.bedgood@fbinsmi.com. We’ll need to know the local zip code, basic information about the driver, your vehicle you would like to purchase insurance for, and the type and amount of insurance to be added to the policy. Knowing this information beforehand will help the answering process go very quickly. To help the you prepare, we’ll go over a few things that will be asked.

Information about you will probably be the easiest to obtain, especially if it’s you who is answering the questions and not another person. We need to know things like your name, age, address, and most importantly your driving history. For the vehicle, we’ll need the VIN, estimated annual mileage, and possibly the condition of the vehicle. The coverage that is wanted will be in addition to what is required by the state. There is a list of options the applicant can highlight and include the amount you would like to purchase as well. For more information about what these options entail, you can search through more of our articles found on this site.

Once the answers have been entered and the entire application submitted, the driver will be given a list of quotes from insurers. That’s right, the driver answers one set of questions and in return is given a number of quotes. We claim this is the fastest and easiest way to gather quotes, especially when compared to contacting each individual insurer, asking each representative the same question, and then moving on to the next company. You can compare the prices and the companies on the list and if desired, purchase a policy directly from the quote page. This process is also less intimidating that traditional methods of speaking with representatives who can sometimes be pushy.

How To Save Money
The best way to save money on a car insurance policy is by taking advantage of the discounts that are offered by Farm Bureau Insurance, after you’ve made sure your coverage is adequate. Driving an insurance friendly vehicle will also help Michigan drivers save on their insurance. Getting smart and sometimes creative can help your premiums stay low, which is important so every driver can afford a good car insurance policy.

Now that you know what is needed for Michigan auto insurance, where to find it and how to save on the premium, there is no excuse about not having car insurance. Because it’s a state law that all drivers have insurance, you should do everything possible to get that insurance and try to make it fit into your budget. The Steve Bedgood Agency is committed to helping people get there by seeing them one-to-one and giving them the personal attention they deserve.

Where our office is, in Muskegon, Michigan, when people ask for PL & PD they are normally asking for a lower cost policy. This is normally because either the vehicle is older and the client doesn’t feel they want to pay the extra cost for physical damage coverage or they just simply can’t afford the extra expense.

In Michigan, a “No Fault” state, the only way to get physical damage coverage is to buy it. If you are in an accident in Michigan, each car’s insurer pays to fix their client’s car if they’ve purchased the coverage.

Put another way, if you only have PL & PD (Personal Liability and Property Damage) your car will not be repaired buy either insurance company no matter who is at fault.

“So what good s that kind of coverage?” you might ask. I’m glad you asked.

First, you have  Bodily Injury coverage. This provides coverage for you if you are at fault in an accident and you injure someone to the point that they become dead, disabled, disfigured or loses in income in excess of $4000.00 per month. You can choose anywhere from $20,000 to $1,000,000 coverage on this. I wouldn’t recommend any less than $300,000.  Without the physical damage on the policy this should be affordable for most people.

A second type of coverage provided by PL & PD is Property Damage. If you run your vehicle into a building, guard rail, pole or some other property that belongs to someone else, they can file a claim with your insurance company and save you the expense of having to make restitution for the damage.

A third type of coverage is PIP. (Personal Injury Protection) In Michigan, insurance companies must pay 100% of medical expenses if you personally are injured. This can have a value of thousands of dollars.

With PL & PD you can also choose to have Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage. This allows a person in your car protection in case you are not at fault in an accident but the person who hits you has either no insurance or the minimum required by law. If you or your passenger are awarded money for a settlement ( for becoming dead, disabled, disfigured or loses in income in excess of $4000.00 per month) from the “at fault” party, but they have no money or too little coverage to cover what you are awarded, this coverage can really save the day.

The reason the law makes a basic policy like PL &PD mandatory is that it helps make sure each driver can take responsibility for their actions. It makes sure people don’t have to suffer financial loss as a result of our actions. Even the hospital, if we didn’t have insurance would have to wait until a person fully recovered and gets back to work, catches up all their other bills and then paid them back at a small amount per month. With PIP coverage they can be paid in a timely manner and you don’t have a stack of medical bills waiting for you when you get home.

Hopefully, this makes you feel a little better and a little more responsible. You really are helping yourself and society at large by owning PL & PD coverage.

Please call me at (231) 744-9099 or visit our site at www.muskegonautoinsurance.net

Muskegon residents should know what type of car insurance coverage they need to carry to comply with state law before purchasing a policy. There are different coverage types that are required in addition to the amount that needs to be purchased. Beyond those requirements are other alternatives that can be added to the policy according to the needs or desires of the policyholder. Finally, I’ll explain the easiest way to purchase insurance for a vehicle that can get the best quotes.

MI State Auto Insurance Requirements
State law says that every driver in Michigan must carry the correct type of financial responsibility to legally operate a vehicle on public roads. The most common form of financial responsibility is purchasing an auto insurance policy. There are many, many companies throughout the state that offer a variety of policies at different prices for motorists to choose and purchase.

Like many other states, Michigan requires their drivers to carry bodily injury liability and property damage liability in a 20/40/10 minimum amount. This means that the insurer will pay up to $20,000 for the bodily injuries of the other driver and passengers per person and up to $40,000 for the bodily injuries combined. This coverage also will help cover court costs. The 10 in the 20/40/10 refers to the $10,000 that will be covered in property damage, and the insurer will pay for those repairs up to $10,000. These are only the minimal amounts required and it is recommended by experts for drivers to carry a 250/500/1000 policy for bodily injury and property damage liabilities.

Michigan also requires drivers to carry two additional coverage types in their minimal insurance policy, personal protection insurance and personal injury protection. Personal protection insurance is in the amount of up to $1 million and pays for damages caused to other people’s property. It is similar to property damage but check with the individual provider to get the exact terms of coverage. Personal injury protection pays up to a certain amount for the medical bills and any lost wages for up to three years. It covers medical expenses of the policyholder, members of the policy and any passengers of the accident no matter who caused the accident. This coverage can be used in addition to the coverage of a healthcare policy. Personal injury protection is a great coverage for drivers who carpool regularly since passengers are covered under it.

Additional Coverage Options
There are other coverage types that can be added to the minimum state requirements to ensure full coverage on the vehicle. Comprehensive and collision are very popular types to add to a policy. Comprehensive insurance covers damage done to a vehicle that was caused by something other than a typical on the road vehicle accident. This can include weather related causes of damage such as hitting a deer, strong winds or hail. Collision covers damage no matter who caused it. So, when in an accident that was the policyholder’s fault, their state required liabilities will go towards the other driver’s repairs and medical bills, and the collision coverage will go towards the policyholder’s vehicle for repairs.

Other options include protection for the policyholder from drivers who do not have auto insurance or who have a small amount of it and cannot pay for the full repair bill. Uninsured and underinsured motorist liabilities would be used in this situation, and it would be the policyholder’s insurer who pays for these damages incurred by the other driver who has insufficient insurance or no insurance at all. This coverage is actually required in other states.

A few other additional options would be the towing coverage and the rental car coverage. Each of these are for the policyholder’s convenience. The towing coverage allows for a tow truck to haul the policyholder’s insured vehicle away from the scene of the accident to a body shop, and the rental car coverage forces the insurance company to pay for the rental car fees that occur when the policyholder’s vehicle is being repaired. Most often these are covered up to a certain amount and are not just a blanket amount covering however much the policyholder feels necessary. For example, some insurers only cover up to $25 a day or up to $50 a day with certain rental car coverage options. These optional types of coverage are not always included when you ask for “Full Coverage”.
Find out which other options we offer by contacting me at www.muskegonautoinsurance.net or call me at (231) 744-9099. I’ll help you to get the best coverage for your budget.