In today’s risky world, having some kind of insurance is pretty much accepted as compulsory- you need it to drive a car, or buy a home. However, for smaller items or fields that don’t require it, it’s not always clear whether insurance is worth the investment or not. This article contains some hints and ideas for helping you make sense of insurance and will suggest what schemes would best suit you.
When purchasing insurance, whether it be for your home, your automobile, or even on a pet, try to see if the company offers any sort of bundling discount. A lot of times if you have several different policies, say renter’s insurance and auto insurance, you will get discounted on both. For apartment dwellers usually renter’s insurance is mandatory, so asking this question is tantamount to guaranteed savings. By way of conclusion, bundle and save money!
Be wary of any non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements presented to you during an insurance claim. You may unknowingly sign away your maximum benefits allowed to you. Be sure to consult with a lawyer first to ensure that what you are signing is legitimate and fair for all parties.
Get lower insurance rates by paying for your insurance annually or twice a year instead of monthly. Most insurance providers give a good discount for paying up-front. Additionally, many insurance providers charge a monthly fee of $2-$3 in addition to higher rates for monthly payment, so your savings can really add up when you pay in advance.
If you want insurance companies to deal fairly with you, then you must do the same for them. You might be tempted to pump up your claim or say you lost more than you did, but if you do this, you will add fuel to their concerns about claimant fraud and they are less likely to deal with you in an honest way. It’s the Golden Rule, once again: report your loss fairly and honestly, with all the details needed, and accept what appears to be fair value (if in fact that is what you’re offered).
In order to get the best rates on insurance, it often pays to combine all of your polices under one company. However, don’t automatically assume this would be the cheapest route to go. Sometimes the multi-policy discount is less than it would be to have separate policies with different companies.
The bigger the deductible, the lower your insurance costs will be. Just keep the amount of the deductible in a savings account in case of a claim. Many claims fall below the deductible amount, so neither you or the company has to bother with the claims process, saving everyone time and keeping the cost of the policy low.
In summary, to make the most of your insurance, you need to make sure you’re educated about what exactly the insurance is covering and under what circumstances you will and won’t be able to claim. This article has given you some helpful pointers about what to look for and think about when taking out insurance and should help you avoid some unnecessary pitfalls.
