29
Feb
PURCHASING AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE
Purchasing clothes, electrical equipment, toys, and other commodities from the internet is very common these days. People have so little time in a given day to go to the store to shop for items. As a result, the internet has become a way of life for people to shop while at home or work.
Not only are people purchasing commodities through the internet, but people are purchasing automobile insurance as well. The days of picking up the phone or meeting with an agent are over. Purchasing automobile insurance from the internet is easy and quick. However, are most people who purchase automobile insurance from the internet really getting a good deal? The answer is no!
We have found that most policies purchased from the internet have the least amount of coverage available to the person. The insurance carriers have designed their internet sites with the least amount of coverage to pop up automatically. People should be alerted to the fact that there are drop down screens to increase the coverage. For instance, when someone looks to purchase PIP (medical) coverage, the minimum amount of coverage, for instance $10,000, will appear. The person has to click on the down arrow to see additional coverage.
People must be aware that when you are involved in automobile accident, this PIP coverage becomes absolutely necessary and important.
New Jersey is a no fault state. So regardless of fault, your own automobile coverage pays for your medical bills when you are in an accident, NOT the defendant who caused the accident. If you have serious injuries or even simply whiplash, $10,000 of medical coverage will probably not be enough coverage to treat your injuries since it may take months to get better. If you need surgery, $10,000 guaranteed is not enough coverage. People are then forced to look to their health insurance for additional coverage. The problem becomes whether the person has health insurance or whether the doctors they are treating with participate in their health insurance plan. We have found that people who do not purchase enough PIP coverage neglect to get the proper or necessary care and may suffer from debilitating injuries following an automobile accident.
Purchasing automobile insurance is very important and sophisticated. Unless you have the knowledge about each aspect of the coverage, please call your agent or meet with them before purchasing automobile insurance. Ask questions about what each coverage aspect means and how it will affect you when you are in an accident. You will find that this meeting will be an eye opener since most people do not understand the interplay of, for example, PIP, the verbal threshold (also known as the limitation on lawsuit option), and underinsured motorist coverage. After speaking with the agent and asking these important questions, versus “give me your best rate”, you will know you have peace of mind that you have protected yourself and your family.