Don’t Drive Past our Auto Insurance

Car insurance is about more than jingles and mascots.

A car accident can turn your whole world upside down. Whether it’s repair costs you didn’t budget for, a loss of ability to travel to work, or an injury that changes a loved one’s life forever… you want to know that if the worst happens, there will be someone there to try to make it right.

Everyone talks about saving money with car insurance, and our agents are trained to do that with every discount and bundle possible. But more importantly, we want to make sure that you have coverage that makes sense for your vehicles, your driving style, and your needs on the road.

Talk to a Pijar Insurance Inc. agent about protection that is smart for your family and lifestyle.

We have longstanding relationships with many insurance carriers, so we are prepared to assist you with your unique situation. Whether it’s standard automobile insurance, a separate policy for your motorcycle, or coverage for your work truck on the ranch or a classic Chevy, we will find the best coverage at a price that makes sense. We also cover camper trailers, dune buggies, and other unique wheeled vehicles.

Why do car rates seem to go up all the time?

Many people think that if they are good drivers, their rates should always be low. While good driving is definitely a factor that can lower rates, that’s not the whole story. The following factors all contribute to car insurance rates:

  1. How many auto claims happen in your area each year? The more claims, the “riskier” the area looks to an insurance carrier, which can raise prices.
  2. How many claims does your make/model/year of vehicle have nationwide?
  3. How bad is the average claim with that vehicle in terms of injuries and damage to others? A car with crumple zones is less likely to cause serious injuries to others than one with a solid steel frame.
  4. What do parts for your car cost? Safety features in a car are awesome, but most of them have expensive computers attached to them. The higher the part cost, the higher your monthly rates are likely to be.
  5. How available are parts for your car? If they stopped making your car 20 years ago, or if shipping delays have all your car’s fenders on a boat in Los Angeles harbor, you might see your rates increase because it’s harder to get the parts needed to do a repair.
  6. What are the road conditions like in your home area? Lots of potholes and construction can mean lots of incidental damages to cars.
  7. What is the wildlife like in your area? If you have lots of deer in the road at night, chances are you’ll see an increase in the cost of your insurance.
  8. What are the risk-factors of drivers in your household? Are there new drivers? Drivers with lots of speeding tickets? Drivers who’ve had their licenses revoked in the past?
  9. How much do you drive? The more you’re on the road, the greater a chance that you might have a claim. This can
  10. How big and crowded of a city is your home area? One of our agents moved from Florence to Holyoke, and saw his rates rise by $300. He then moved from Holyoke to Springfield, and his rates went up by $600!

Do You Qualify for Auto Insurance Discounts?

At Pijar Insurance Inc., we will help you find affordable auto insurance based on your family’s unique needs. You can lower your rate if you qualify for certain discounts:

  1. Defensive driving (clean driving record, driver’s ed for teens, defensive driver course for adults)
  2. Both auto and homeowner insurance from one company
  3. Insuring more than one vehicle
  4. Car safety features (airbags, alarms, anti-lock brakes, etc.)
  5. Teen driver who goes to school more than 100 miles away (is Junior headed to college in the fall?)
  6. Charity donations (some carriers give a discount if you donate to a specific charity.

Car Insurance Terms to Know:

It’s important to understand your car insurance coverage, even though it can seem complicated. Take a moment to review these key auto insurance terms.

Liability Insurance – Reimburses others for injury, damages or losses caused by your driving or your car. There are two types:

  1. Bodily Injury Liability –In a car crash where you’re at fault, bodily injury liability will provide compensation for pain and suffering, lost earnings and related expenses resulting from injury or death. This is key to keep injured parties from suing you directly to pay their medical bills.
  2. Property Damage Liability – This coverage will pay to repair or replace things you damage in an accident other than your own car. With the cost of cars going up every year, and with the computers inside cars getting more and more specialized, you don’t want to be opening your own wallet when a fender bender ends up doing thousands in damage to another car’s sensor package or camera system.

Collision Insurance – Covers the replacement or repair of your car, regardless of who is at fault in the accident, even if you are hit while parked or hit by an unknown car or object. If you have a car loan, you are required to have collision protection. On the other hand, if your older car’s value rises and falls based on the gas in its tank, you may consider dropping collision coverage.

Comprehensive Insurance – Protects against damage to your car that does not involve a collision. For example: fire, theft, hail, flood, windstorm, flying objects, or animals. It’s likely required if you’re paying a car loan, but unnecessary if you own an older car that’s not worth much. Comprehensive also covers glass damage for

Medical Payments Coverage –  Pays for physicians, hospital bills, continuing care, funeral costs and compensation for you and your passengers, regardless of who is at fault. If you have adequate health insurance, you may not need this optional coverage, but it can pay expenses your health insurance may not cover.

Uninsured and Underinsured Coverage – Covers you, and members of your household, for losses in an accident with a hit-and-run driver or a driver who has no car insurance or not enough car insurance. Some states do not require that you purchase it, but it is still a good coverage to have.

More questions about car insurance? Call us today at (800) 261-0471.