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Answers to common insurance questions.
Browse the most common questions we hear from clients. If you do not see what you need, send us a question below and our office can help point you in the right direction.
Common questions
Browse the answers below.
Expand any question for a quick explanation. If your situation is unique, contact our office for guidance.
How can I reduce my premium?
Take the Improv Defensive Driving Course! Bundle your policies to maximize discounts. Students may qualify for good student savings, and clean driving and claims histories can unlock additional discounts over time.
Why is my policy so expensive?
Insurance pricing changes as carriers respond to claims trends, repair costs, construction costs, medical inflation, vehicle technology, and individual driving or claims history. Even when your own situation has not changed much, broader market conditions can still affect premiums.
What is the difference between Comprehensive and Collision coverage?
These are optional physical damage coverages often included when people refer to “full coverage.” If your vehicle is financed or leased, your lender will usually require both.
- Comprehensive generally responds to losses such as theft, fire, vandalism, falling objects, and certain glass damage.
- Collision generally responds to damage from an impact with another vehicle or object, regardless of fault.
Deductibles and optional glass coverage can change what you pay out of pocket, so it is worth reviewing the policy details with your agent.
I am looking to change carriers. What is the easiest way to obtain quotes?
The easiest approach is to work with an independent agency that can compare multiple carriers for you. Having a current declarations page and basic driver information ready will make the process faster and help ensure accurate comparisons.
If you shop on your own, be sure to compare the actual coverage terms, deductibles, and policy limits, not just the premium.
I received a letter from my mortgage company. What should I do?
Mortgage companies and lienholders often request proof of coverage when a policy is new or when their records change. In most cases, send the letter to your agent or send your most recent declarations page to the mortgage company so they can update their file.
How do I take a car off my policy?
In most cases, you should first return the license plates to the DMV. The plate receipt, often called an "FS-6," is commonly required before a carrier will remove the vehicle from the policy. Removing coverage without the proper DMV receipt can create DMV issues or fines.
Will my policy pay for my rental car?
Usually only when the rental is tied to a covered claim and you carry the appropriate rental reimbursement coverage. Routine repair or maintenance visits typically do not qualify, so those rentals are often out-of-pocket.
Do I have to pay anything to get my windshield fixed?
That depends on whether the vehicle carries Comprehensive coverage and whether full glass coverage is included. If full glass is included, many repairs or replacements may have little or no out-of-pocket cost. Without that coverage, your deductible or the full repair bill may apply.
Why was I asked to provide proof of garaging?
Carriers sometimes request proof of garaging to confirm where a vehicle is regularly kept. Common examples include recent utility bills, a lease agreement, a recent pay stub, or government-issued identification showing the address.
Do you represent churches in New York State, and can you discuss options?
Yes. Our office works with carriers such as Utica National, U.S. Liability, and Philadelphia Insurance Company, among others.
We can discuss liability, property, and other specialized insurance considerations for religious organizations and help you review the options that best fit your needs.
My kid just got her license. Do I need to add her to my policy?
TLDR;Yes, it's cheaper for the household and help's you sleep at night!
We're going to be real here. You'll have to do a little homework yourself, but here's the gist of it...
If you read your auto policy you'll most likely find that your relatives are covered and there isn't much elaboration after that. Being deliberately vague is the point. It grants broader coverage so when your cousin visits for the weekend, they can use your car without needing to be added to your policy. Your car and cousin are both covered if there is an accident, although you may need to prove your cousin doesn't actually live with you.
So, is your child covered if they get into an accident while not listed as a driver on your policy? Yes, so long as you are not deliberately avoiding them being listed on your policy.
What does that mean? Well, two things:
- 1. You are committing insurance fraud if a company already knows about a driver and you declare them no longer in the household or operating any vehicles, when in fact they're still in the household and/or operating a vehicle.
- 2. You are committing insurance fraud if you obtain a new policy without listing all drivers and household members.
There is no coverage in cases of insurance fraud!
However, it is absolutely in you and your childs best interest to be added to your policy as soon as possible and there are several strategies to reducing the overall cost of adding a new driver to your policy.
- 1. New Driver, Old Car. Your child will get into an accident within the first 3 years of operating a vehicle. The cost of repairing minor damage on new vehicles has reached thousands of dollars. Add your child as the driver on a safe, older vehicle that doesn't require collision coverage.
- 2. Defensive Driving Course. This discount is one of the easiest and most effective ways at reducing your premium and it lasts for three years. Your child should take it and so should you!
- 3. Good Student Discount. Many insurance companies offer a discount for having an A/B grade average.
- 4. Away at School. Add your child as a driver on your policy while they are away at school without a vehicle. This is a good time to begin building insurance history so they'll have cheaper rate after graduation.
- 5. Multi Vehicle/Policy Discounts. You'll want to add your child and vehicle on your policy to pick up the multi-vehicle discount, along with any additional discounts you have. Not to mention benefiting from your higher liability limits!
Drivers without any insurance history, even adults, default to the most conservative ratings and there isn't any way around this. When it's all said and done, in the long-term, it's actually cheaper for the household to make this change sooner than later.
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