Steps to Buying GREAT Auto Insurance

Steps to Buying GREAT Auto Insurance

We’re car people.  From the accents and contours of a vehicle, to the drive and adrenaline of a fast car, we have a certain appreciation for the automotive machine.  As our passion, we’re great at finding a perfect fit for our customers.  When it comes to auto insurance, you want to be covered in the case you get into a fender bender.  So, in an effort to ease the burden, we’re providing 5 tips for finding the right coverage at the right price.  By doing some comparison shopping, you could save hundreds a year.  

Find the Right Coverage

Your first step should be to find a list of what is required in the state.  You can visit this link to find out: http://www.edmunds.com/auto-insurance/how-much-car-insurance-do-you-need.html this will provide the minimum of what is required. Once you have that, you should decide what insurance premium you need.  Your decision depends on your degree of comfort and a certain level of risk.  According to Edmunds:

“Experts recommend that if you have a lot of assets, you should get enough liability coverage to protect them. Let's say you have $50,000 of bodily injury liability coverage but $100,000 in personal assets. If you're at fault in an accident, attorneys for the other party could go after you for the $50,000 in medical bills that aren't covered by your policy.”

Also, you don’t have to buy collision and comprehensive damage, especially if your vehicle is older than 2000.

Check Your Driving Record

How many tickets have you had recently? By checking your state’s department of motor vehicles, you can have a better idea of how you stack up.  For example, if points you earned on your license are about to disappear, this will improve your driving record.  So, we would recommend you wait until that happens before you receive quotes.

Solicit Competitive Quotes

You will need:

o   Current Policy

o   License Number

o   Vehicle Registration

Check out insurance company websites and receive a quote.  It’s easy to type in your information and build a list of companies for comparative quotes.  Each quote takes about 15 minutes to complete, but shopping around can save you hundreds.  Think about the annual and monthly rates for different types of coverage, note the 800 number so you can get more direct answers, and pay close attention to the insurance company payment policy. 

These are just a few tips to get you started.  For more info visit your favorite insurance company website for details.

Safe Driving Tips for the Holidays

It’s an exciting and hectic time.  If you’ve been running around frantically, searching for the best gift, buying decorations, or trying to balance work and home life lately, you’re not alone.  The holidays are a time of love, compassion and the occasional MAYHEM.  While you’re out and about this time of year, take precaution.  Traffic is heavy this time of year and its important to still keep your driving skills up to par.  Here are some tips on maintaining your safety this holiday season.

Vehicle Maintenance

Get a tune up and make sure your car is prepared for travel if you’re taking a road trip.  This is CRUCIAL, especially regarding winter driving conditions.

Restrain Yourself Properly

This should be the norm.  Remember, the rear seat is the safest place for any children to ride.

Stay Alert and Energized

Take plenty of breaks and don’t push to meet unrealistic schedules like finishing all of your holiday shopping in a few hours.  If you feel yourself getting tired, pull over into a rest area or business, and get out and stretch.  If that doesn’t work, find a place to rest.  These crashes most often occur during the late night/early morning hours and the late afternoon hours to drivers who are sleepy.

Keep Speed Down

Hey, Ricky Bobby, give yourself plenty of time and distance to react to the traffic around you.  Let impatient and aggressive drivers pass you.

Choose a Designated Driver

There will be tons of intoxicated drivers on the roadways.  If you absolutely have to drive during this time of year always have a designated driver.

So, do you have any tips?  Feel free to comment below!

Drive safely this holiday season with our blog tips!

Learn how to stay safe during a flood

We at KTEAM Auto Sales care about the safety of our friends, family and clients.  We wanted to talk about protecting yourself if you should encounter a flood.  It is our hope that this weeks blog gives you some solid insight on what to do if you should find yourself driving in a flooded area.  Remember Safety First! 

Here are some facts that you may not have known about floods:

Driving Flood Facts

§  Call 311 if you are evacuating your home during a flood or receive flood damage

§  Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars causing loss of control and possible stalling.

§  A foot of water will float many vehicles.

§  Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles including sport utility vehicles (SUV’s) and pick-ups.

§   More people drown in their cars than anywhere else.

§  The road may be washed out below the water surface.

§  Your car may stall or get stuck in the water, and then get pushed off the road. Once off the road, cars often start to roll, making escape impossible.

Check both home owners and auto insurance policies to ensure that you are covered for any loss or damage.  Not all policies cover flood damage.

Never try to swim to safety if you can find a safe and secure structure that you can be protected until help arrives.

We never can predict the future but we can prevent most accidents.

Please remember to stay safe and if you should have any questions on safety features for your auto don’t hesitate to contact us. 888-596-2797

Weird driving laws that make you go "hmmmmmm."

Have you ever been pulled over when traveling in another state for something that was completely ludicrous?  As motorists we take for granted that the laws in all states are the same when it comes to driving. After doing some research we’ve found that there is a difference in some of these rights. We also found that not all laws are created equal and  some are downright strange.  However, It’s good for you to be aware that the states you possibly travel in have some interesting laws. Other than giving you a chuckle this might even prevent you from getting a penalty. This week our marketing at KTeam wanted to share some of these laws with you.  

• You can’t leave your keys in your vehicle in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Minnetonka City Ordinance 930.070 states that a person must stop the engine and remove all ignition keys from the vehicle.  So if you’re keys drop out of your pocket, you could face a fine.  
• Make sure that you don’t tie up your dog to the back of your truck in the state of California.  California VC Section 23117 Carrying an animal in truck.  The law only allows cross tethering along with a bunch of other perimeters when riding around in the back.
• Next time you’re vacationing in Hawaii avoid using your horn.  Section 15-19.27 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu specifically says, “The driver of a motor vehicle shall, when reasonably necessary to ensure safe operation, give audible warning with his or her horn; but shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway.” 
• Utah Motor traffic code 41-6a-804. states that you must signal continuously for 2 seconds before making a turn.  In some states that could be equivalent to an enormous amount of fines. 
• In Colorado your truck would be required to have Mud Flaps. Flaps must be installed and functioning at all times. Torn or damaged flaps must be replaced at the first reasonable and safe opportunity to exit the road.

As silly as these laws may seem, they along with many others should be known when traveling outside of your average driving area.  Any questions that you may have can be directed to DMV.org or contact the state you will be traveling in to be sure you know of the “not so usual” laws and regulations.  

If you have a question regarding your other travel needs please feel free to contact us soon.6-8400