Insurance Options for Leased or Financed Vehicles in Bremerton, Washington

Insurance Options for Leased or Financed Vehicles

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Insurance Options for Leased or Financed Vehicles in Bremerton, WashingtonYou have many coverage options when it comes to purchasing auto insurance. Some people choose to have the state minimum requirements, while others want more coverage protection.

If you are looking to lease or finance your next vehicle, it is important to understand what you most likely will need.

State minimum requirements include two coverages:

Bodily injury & property damage: this coverage only protects others if you are involved in an at-fault accident. This coverage will pay for damage you caused to a person’s property & if your at-fault accident caused an injury to anyone outside your vehicle and often a passenger in your vehicle.

Bodily injury & property damage coverage does not provide any coverage for your injuries or damages caused to your vehicle. State minimum requirements vary by state so depending on where you live, additional coverage may be required besides just bodily injury & property damage.

If you are leasing or financing a vehicle, you most likely will be required to carry more than just state minimum requirements on your auto insurance policy.

If you currently have state minimum requirements on your auto insurance policy but want to lease or finance a vehicle, your auto insurance premium will typically increase in cost since you need to purchase more coverage.

Additional auto insurance coverage that tends to be required when you lease or finance a vehicle:

Comprehensive coverage: this coverage can help pay to repair or replace your vehicle if it is vandalized, or damaged from a fire, wind, fallen tree, flood, lightning, or other covered weather-related incidents. It can also pay for damages caused by hitting an animal or if your car is stolen.

Collision coverage: If you cause an at-fault accident where your vehicle is damaged, this coverage can help pay for repairs or the replacement of your vehicle should it be deemed a total loss. This could include colliding with another vehicle, a guardrail, or fence.

Depending on who you lease or finance your vehicle through, you may have specific policy limit requirements you need to purchase. For example, bodily injury limits may need to be $100,000/person and $300,000/accident. To make things easier for you, ask your lease or finance company what liability limits you need to purchase. This will allow an insurance agent to provide you with the most accurate auto insurance quote.

Other coverages we recommend:

There are additional coverages that can help protect you if you get into an accident. Uninsured motorist coverage, medical payments, personal injury protection, and more. If you call us for a quote, we will explain all of your options.

Call Our Agency When it’s Time to Shop for Auto Insurance

A local insurance agent is one of the best ways to find affordable auto insurance. Especially if you currently have state minimum auto insurance, we will shop all of our insurance carriers to find the best rate.

We also have access to car insurance discounts, which will help lower your monthly or yearly premium. Call, email, or fill out a quote form on our website to get a free auto insurance quote.

Prepping your home in the event you lose power or a natural disaster strikes - in Bremerton, Washington

Five Things You Should Always Have on Hand 24/7 in Your Home & Vehicle

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Prepping your home in the event you lose power or a natural disaster strikes - in Bremerton, WashingtonWe all know the importance of being prepared, but what percentage of us actually do the prep work? A good way to ask yourself if you are prepared is to assess what you have on hand now. If a disaster struck today or if you lost power for several hours to days, would you be prepared? If the answer is no, use this list to start preparing yourself this week. January can be a great time of year to start a new habit!

Checklist for home –

  • Non-perishable food: canned goods, noodles, bars, cereal, dried fruit, nut butter, crackers and other items with a longer shelf life are important to have on hand. If you currently use an electronic can opener, be sure to have a manual can opener too. You should have enough food supply for several days. Check on your inventory every six months. Also, make sure everything you have for an emergency your family will eat.
  • Water: Water isn’t just essential for drinking, but can be used for brushing your teeth, cooking food, and washing your hands. Keep one gallon of water on hand per person minimum. A several-day supply is even better.
  • Flashlights: when your power is out, flashlights are essential. Be sure to have a few on hand. A variety of flashlights are handy – traditional and lantern style. Be sure to have extra batteries stored away too.
  • First Aid Kit: you can get a variety of sizes and features with many first aid kits. Even without planning for a power outage or natural disaster, this is a good one to have in your home or car.
  • Battery-powered generators or gas generators: An ideal item to have for a natural disaster is a power generator. This allows you to run lights, refrigerators and change your cell phones. This technology has come a long way recently so be sure to look at the options available and get one with enough power to suit your needs.
  • Bonus items: filtered masks to protect you from contaminated air and an emergency whistle.

Your home should require more emergency items on hand. It is important to keep your vehicle stocked with essentials in the event you get into a car accident, experience a flat tire or your car breaks down, as well as items for cold weather.

Checklist for your vehicle –

  • Reflective triangle
  • Flashlight
  • Ice Scraper
  • Cell Phone Charger
  • Blanket
  • Bonus: jumper cables & first aid kit

All of these items can prepare you if you have a flat tire, need roadside assistance, and aid with bad weather.

While we hope you never have to experience a natural disaster or accident, we hope you are always prepared. If you have questions about your home or auto insurance, call our agency. We can review your coverage to ensure you have the protection you need.

New Years Eve Party Tips in Bremerton, Washington

New Year’s Eve Party Tips & Things to Consider in the New Year

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New Years Eve Party Tips in Bremerton, WashingtonMany people prefer to host a New Year’s Eve party instead of going out to celebrate. If you plan to gather with friends and family at your house, there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to being a host.

Watch how much alcohol you are serving your guests

Not only should you be aware of how much you are serving your guests, but you should also be aware of who is driving home. It’s always best to have a designated driver if your guests plan to leave your home the same night as the party. If you over-serve alcohol & a guest drives home & gets into a car accident, you could be found liable for the damages. Instead of risking an accident, call an Uber, Lyft, or local taxi service to ensure they get home safely.

Do you have any tripping hazards or icy walkways?

Did you know you could be liable if someone injures themselves on your property? If someone trips over an object outside or slips on your walkway, you could be responsible to pay for any medical bills that may accrue from the injury.

Is it time to review your insurance policies in the New Year?

If you have experienced life changes, reach out to your insurance carrier about reviewing your current insurance coverage. Life changes should be a good time to review or update your policy.

For example, if you recently remodeled your home, be sure to relay this to your agent. This is important for your home insurance policy. If your home ever experiences significant damage, your home may not be covered at the correct amount if you failed to tell your insurance carrier of major remodeling updates.

If you find yourself driving less, you may want to make an update to your auto insurance policy. Teen drivers can also impact your auto insurance coverage. If your teen is going to start driving in 2023, talk to your agent about getting your teen added to your policy.

Life insurance also should be updated if you are getting married, divorced, having children, retiring, etc. There may be certain years where you want more insurance coverage or certain years where you need less coverage. Our agents are here to provide you with professional advice so you have the right coverage at the right time for your unique situation.

Lastly, if your insurance premiums have increased significantly, reach out to us. While insurance premiums have been up across the board this year, we may still be able to help match you with a different carrier at a more affordable price. We’ll shop all our carriers & can provide you with options to choose from.

Wishing you and your family the happiest New Year.