Usage-Based Auto Insurance Could Save You Money

Before we get started, I feel it’s only fair to offer a full disclosure: I despise insurance. I feel like it’s nothing more than a glorified practice in legalized highway robbery. Just so we’re clear.

That isn’t to say that having insurance isn’t helpful; I’ve had to use benefits from my insurance on more than one occasion, and it was nice to be covered when the time came. The hoops you have to jump through, however, and the impact that filing a claim has on your rates hardly seems worth it unless it’s a major, major crisis.

If you like the security of having insurance coverage, that’s great. What really gets my goat is being required by the government to have it, but I digress. I suppose it’s necessary to mandate auto insurance in order to protect other drivers on the road. It still doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Getting Affordable Auto Insurance

f there’s one thing that irritates me more than the government telling me I have to do something, it’s the government sticking its big nose into my private business. If I want to purchase 1985 Mustang Parts online, I don’t think it’s any concern of the government as to my motivation behind it. Again, I digress.

This time, it’s not really the government who’s doing the poking and prodding. It’s the insurance companies themselves. In what I suppose is an effort to be more competitive, some insurance companies are now offering the opportunity to qualify for even lower rates based on usage. There’s a huge catch, though.

In order to get usage-based rates, the company has to know how you’re using your vehicle. This means that you’ll have to agree to install some type of tracking device in your car so that the company can keep tabs on how you behave behind the wheel. It may sound like a great deal if you’re a good driver… until you really start to think about it.

License to Spy

The tracking device doesn’t just monitor how fast you’re going at any given time. It also tracks where you go, how many miles you drove to get there, and even what time you do all this driving. You’ll also have to submit yourself for monitoring on how hard you apply the brakes and how quickly you accelerate.

For some, the potential 30% savings from allowing this tracking may seem worth the total invasion of privacy. For me, well, I’ll just stick with what I have. It’s hard enough to have some semblance of privacy these days as it is, without willingly handing over a license to spy to my insurance company. It isn’t that I have anything to hide; I just don’t like the feeling of knowing someone’s analyzing every move I make. 

Michelle is an aspiring writer with a passion for blogging. She enjoys writing about a vast variety of topics and loves that blogging gives her the opportunity to publicly voice her thoughts and share advice with an unlimited audience.

Posted on 10:49 / 0 comments / Read More

The Difference between a Dream Vacation and a Nightmare

Joy and David had been saving for years to take a Caribbean cruise on their 25th wedding anniversary. Imagine their disappointment when Joy slipped on a patch of ice and fractured her hip the day before they were to leave!

Because they had purchased cancellation travel insurance, though, they didn’t lose any of the money they had put down in advance. They rescheduled their vacation for the following year. By then, Joy’s hip had healed and they had a wonderful time. 

Whether you’re planning to travel to a Delaware casino or an ancient Roman temple, vacations can be expensive. Travel insurance, a type of short-term insurance that covers emergencies and unforeseen expenses related to your trip, is available to help you protect your investment. There are several types of travel insurance. 

Cancellation 

Cancellation insurance, the type of insurance that protected David and Joy’s investment, refunds part or all of the expenses you have paid in advance if you are unable to travel for a covered reason. Most policies will reimburse you if you suffer an unexpected illness or injury. Some will also reimburse you if your traveling companion must cancel for medical reasons, or if there is a medical emergency or a death within your immediate family.

Policies differ on whether or not they will pay if you cannot travel due to a natural disaster or an act of war.

Medical

Medical insurance for travelers pays some or all of the costs of medical care if you are injured or become ill while traveling. 

Medical insurance is vital if you are vacationing abroad, because most health plans, including Medicare, won’t pay for treatment you receive in a foreign country. It’s also a good idea to purchase a medical plan with an evacuation clause that will cover the cost of medical transportation if you need to be returned home for care.

Most medical travel plans do not cover pre-existing conditions or injuries received while engaging in high-risk activities such as bungee jumping, deep-sea diving or mountain climbing. 

Loss, Damage or Theft

There are several different kinds of policies available to protect you against loss, damage or theft. It’s important to read the policy closely and understand what is and isn’t covered before you make the decision to buy. For instance, some policies will pay if a valuable item is stolen from your person, but not if it is stolen from checked luggage.

A long-awaited vacation should be filled with fun, not with worries and “what ifs.” Travel insurance can protect you financially and ease your concerns so that you can relax and enjoy your time away from home. To find the best plan for you, talk to your travel agent or your insurance agent. You can also find and purchase travel insurance policies online. If you go this route, take some time to compare different policies and select the one that best meets your travel needs.    

Michelle is an aspiring writer with a passion for blogging. She enjoys writing about a vast variety of topics and loves that blogging gives her the opportunity to publically voice her thoughts and share advice with an unlimited audience.

Posted on 10:41 / 0 comments / Read More