Owning a car in New York means that you are required to purchase coverage to protect against accidents that may occur. The car insurance that you need will depend on your current situation and budget, but there are a variety of options to help protect your asset and your finances.

Requirements of the State

The state requirements are limited to liability protection. You are required to carry coverage for bodily injuries, accidental death and property damage that may occur if you cause an accident.

Although the state does have liability protection laws, the standards are limited and it may not be enough to address your concerns. Furthermore, the coverage does not apply to your personal vehicle, so you may want to purchase additional coverage to pay for damages to your car if you get into an accident and it is determined that you caused the accident.

Rate Details

The premium that you can expect to pay for your coverage will depend on a variety of factors. Generally, the cost is determined by your personal information as well as the coverage that you select and the car that you are driving.

Your credit rating, driving history and current age can all contribute to the rates that you are offered. Furthermore, full coverage will usually cost more than liability protection, so the details of the policy that you select will also help determine the quotes that you are offered. In some cases, adding a discount to your account will also help reduce your rates, so you should ask about any discounts that may apply to the account.

There are a variety of details that determine the cost of coverage for a car. To learn more about protecting your car with appropriate coverage, contact us to talk to an agent.

When you are looking at auto insurance coverage that may be available to address your concerns and goals, it is important to understand the different options that are available. Auto liability insurance can include hired and non-owned policies that address a variety of different concerns when you are not the owner of a particular vehicle.

What is the Policy?

A hired and non-owned auto liability insurance policy is a type of plan that addresses specific concerns when you consistently borrow or rent a vehicle. The policy is designed to protect against liability concerns if you are involved in an accident while driving a car that you do not own. Depending on the situation and the number of days that you use the vehicle, you may or may not need to purchase a separate policy to address your specific liability concerns.

When to Purchase the Plan

As a general rule, it is best to purchase the plan if you rent a car for more than 10 days in a year or if you consistently borrow a vehicle from a friend or family member. While borrowing a car once or twice may not require additional coverage, using the car several times can mean that the owner’s policy will not cover you or may offer only limited protection.

If you are driving a company car, then you may also want to consider the plan as a solution to help pay for damages if you get into an accident.

When you do not own a car that you are driving, it is usually best to purchase a policy that is specifically designed to address all of your concerns regarding liability and damages to the vehicle. Contact us to speak to an agent for more details today.

You need auto insurance if you want to drive legally. Problem is, you have accidents and speeding tickets in your past. Your driving record is far from perfect. This means one thing: Your insurance premium will be higher.

Before deciding what to charge, auto insurers will take a careful look at your driving record, looking for past accidents and speeding violations. The reason? They’re searching for those drivers who are the riskiest, the ones most likely to get into future accidents.

These risky drivers cost insurers more money than do drivers with clean driving records. When drivers get into accidents, they often call on their insurance providers to cover the costs of repairing their cars and, at times, the damaged vehicles of other drivers. This cuts into the yearly profits that auto insurers make.

To cover themselves, auto insurers charge drivers with bad driving records higher premiums. This way, insurers still benefit financially from providing insurance to these risky motorists.

Where does this leave you? First, you have to be ready to pay a higher insurance premium. That’s simply the cost of having a checkered driving record. If you want to change this, start compiling a better driving record immediately. This means no more accidents and no more speeding tickets.

Secondly, shop around. This is the best way for motorists with spotty driving records to land the best insurance costs. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever for consumers to shop for auto insurance. You can instantly compare quotes from competing insurance companies online, a process that takes just minutes.

For instance, you can use this Web site to shop around for the lowest insurance rates. Simply enter your basic information and location and hit "return." You’ll soon see rates from several insurers. And some of these rates might be more affordable than you’d think.

If you want to drive along the highways or side streets of Albany, NY, you’ll need auto insurance. New York State law requires all drivers to carry adequate auto insurance.

But drivers with bad driving records might find it challenging to qualify for the right auto insurance policy.

Finding auto insurance won’t be a big challenge. Auto insurers will be glad to provide insurance even to those drives with bad driving records. But finding an affordable auto insurance will prove difficult. If you have accidents or speeding tickets on your driving record, you might be surprised at how much insurers will charge to provide you with the auto insurance required of New York motorists.

There’s a reason for this: Drivers with bad records are riskier for auto insurers. That’s because they are more likely to get into accidents that require insurance companies to pay out damages. To protect themselves from this financial risk, auto insurers charge drivers with bad records extra dollars.

This doesn’t mean, though, that bad drivers have to settle for overpriced auto insurance. Today, it’s easier than ever for drivers to shop for the right insurance policy. Credit for this goes to the Internet. Today, motorists can quickly compare auto-insurance rates from several policies, all from the comfort of their computers.

This is a change. In the past, consumers would have to call individual insurers, ask about their rates and provide their own information. It was an inefficient way for drivers to shop for the lowest insurance rates.

The shopping process today, though, takes just seconds, even for consumers with bad driving records. Consumes, for instance, can instantly compare insurance rates at this Web site. Just by entering their basic information, they can view rates from several competing insurers.

This is especially important for drivers with accidents or speeding tickets in their past. There is no better way for such drivers to land the lowest possible rates.

Renting a car can be an important part of getting around when you are visiting an area for business or a vacation. The problem is that you may not be sure what your rental car insurance covers and the options that may be available after an accident.

Your Car Insurance

In some cases, your personal car insurance on a vehicle that you own will still cover you against some basic liability concerns related to renting a car. You may need to inform your insurance provider about your plans to rent a car before you actually rent, but many insurers will offer some basic coverage for the situation.

Rental Insurance

Rental car insurance may be available as an additional policy or a basic policy if your personal auto insurance does not cover rental vehicles. The insurance may be provided by the rental car company or you can seek a private policy through a different insurance provider if you feel that the rental car company is charging too much.

The insurance will usually cover the basic liability concerns, but you will want to read the policy thoroughly to determine if additional coverage is available for collisions and repairs.

Buying Additional Protection

If you are not comfortable with the amount of coverage that is available, then you may want to purchase additional protection in the form of collision coverage. The coverage will help pay for the damages to the vehicle after an accident so that you can avoid unnecessary hassles.

Depending on your policy and the options that you are considering, the solutions that may be available after an accident in a rental vehicle can vary. Contact us to talk to an independent agent to learn more about your coverage options.

When it comes to auto insurance for young adults, the insurance rates are normally higher because young drivers are at a much greater risk of becoming involved in accidents. This becomes clear when you review the accident statistics in Albany, New York and other states across the country.

Auto insurance for young people is more costly

There’s no question that auto insurance can be a major expense for many young adults even if they’re working. You asked if it’s legal to keep a young, independent child on your policy. Your son or daughter can probably remain on your policy provided that your child is still living at home. Rather than taking out an individual policy for your teen, it’s usually cheaper to keep him, or her covered on the family policy if possible.

As your independent agent, we can help you. Before adding a child to your family insurance policy, you need some solid and informed advice about your own liability prior to changing the policy. Depending on the laws in New York State as well as how the policy is currently structured, there are potential liability issues for every family member listed on your policy in the event of an accident caused by your child. This is why it’s very important for you to contact us in order to speak with your independent agent in our Albany community so that you are fully informed.

State laws rule with auto insurance

Whether a family lives in Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, or Albany, it’s the state laws along with the provisions in your policy that govern the rules and regulations. It’s easy to find the best coverage for your budget in minutes by comparing insurance quotes with NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency online.

Hitting an animal passing on the road can be more than bothersome; it can be expensive. The cost of repairing your vehicle may be covered by your auto insurance in Albany, New York, but only if your current policy provides protection against damage from animals. If you hit an animal while driving through a forest, then the options available to help pay for the damages may vary.

Type of Insurance

Before it is possible to determine the details of your policy, it is important to consider the type of coverage you purchased. If you purchased a basic liability plan, then you may not be covered for damages caused by an animal that was hit by your car.

A comprehensive plan may or may not provide protection against animal passing accidents. Every insurer is different, so the details of your current plan may vary.

Review Your Policy

If you have a comprehensive plan, then review your policy thoroughly to determine the full extent of your coverage. Read the policy and pay attention to clauses and exceptions. The clauses and exceptions will help identify if there are any problems that may result in a denial of your claim. Insurers may exclude specific animals or specific situations from the policy, so the exceptions may play a role in determining your exact coverage.

Find out what is covered and then make a claim. Since insurers have different details and plans, the options that you may have can vary.

It is important to obtain the right auto insurance for your specific needs, including the potential to hit animals when you are driving in a forested area. Contact NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency to talk to an independent agent to learn more about your auto policy options.

We’ve all been there–you’re signing on the dotted line for your rental car and you’re staring at that one extra form, the one that says "auto insurance," and wondering if you should take it or not. Visions flash through your head of every way this car could be damaged and how much the car company could sue you for when it’s all said and done. Many a driver caves in at this point and signs the insurance form, but it turns out that this is often not the right decision.

If you’re driving in Albany, New York or elsewhere in the United States and you have collision insurance, it will probably cover you in a rental car. Of course, you’ll want to check with your agent and be sure before you rent, but it is usually the case. Even if you don’t have collision insurance or your auto insurance doesn’t cover a rental car, chances are you will be paying for the rental with a credit card and that credit card may have rental car insurance, too. Again, it would be wise to check and be sure with your credit card company before renting. Only if a rental car is not covered by your auto insurance or your credit card should you pay the extra money to buy rental car insurance.

Whether in rental cars or your own personal automobile, you do not want to travel without auto insurance. If you live in Saratoga Springs, Albany, Schenectady or anywhere in New York, you can find the best deal on auto insurance by contacting NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency. As your independent agent, we can get you live comparative quotes on auto insurance to get you the best deal possible.

Auto insurance policies in Albany, New York focus on the drivers of the vehicle, not the passengers. Any passengers in the vehicle are usually covered under a policy, even if they are not listed as potential drivers. Although the details of any policy may vary slightly, passengers are usually given a certain amount of medical coverage in case an accident occurs and they are injured.

People Listed in a Policy

In most cases, passengers are not listed on policies because they are not operating the vehicle. The only people listed with the company are the individuals who drive the car. That means children, friends and other individuals in the back seat or passenger seat are protected under a basic plan.

Amount of Protection

The details of a specific plan and the amount of protection provided may vary. The best way to determine how much protection is available for children and guests in the vehicle is by looking through the details of your current plan. The plan will tell when there are exceptions, how much protection to expect and the amount of medical coverage that is available.

Read through the policy to determine the exact amount of protection each individual is offered as well as the maximum amount that is available for an accident. Even a basic plan will have some protection for the driver and passengers of a vehicle.

An auto insurance policy will usually offer protection for every individual in the car, even if they are not old enough to drive or are not listed as potential drivers under the policy. To learn more about the type of situations that are covered, contact us to talk to an independent agent.

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a serious offense. It puts lives at risk and is a primary cause of accidents each year. When an adult child is charged with a DUI, it is important to notify the auto insurance company about the charges.

Liability and Risks

A key reason that it is important to notify the insurer in Albany, New York is the amount of risk involved. If the company is not informed that a 22-year-old son was charged with drinking and driving, then they are legally allowed to refuse payment if an accident occurs in the future.

Refusing to inform the insurer may result in losing the policy. In general, it is better to explain the situation than to take the risk that the insurer will drop the policy in the future.

Changes to the Policy

After informing the insurer about the situation, the cost of coverage and the details in the policy may change. The risks increase when a driver under the plan is charged with a DUI because it means that the driver is more likely to get into an accident. The car may not be covered if the accident is caused by a similar incident.

If the charges are dropped or the young adult is proven innocent, then it may be possible to retain the same coverage and plan.

It is tempting to avoid the situation when a young adult makes a mistake, but the consequences of avoiding the situation may result in more severe complications in the future. To learn more about the possible solutions that are available after a DUI charge, contact us to talk to an independent agent today.