Month: July 2013

Before an insurance company can cancel or decide not to renew your auto insurance policy that you bought through an independent agent in Coppell, Texas, they must provide a valid reason and proper notice. The Texas Department of Insurance has a Consumer’s Bill of Rights that helps protect you against unreasonable practices by your car insurance provider.

Under Texas law, once your initial auto insurance policy has been in effect for 60 days, your policy can not be canceled by your carrier without a legitimate reason. Legitimate reasons include such things as not paying your premium when it is due, filing a fraudulent claim or having your registration and/or driver’s license suspended or revoked. Your car insurance can not be canceled just because you had an accident.

While your insurer has certain restriction for when they can cancel a policy, you are free to cancel your policy at any time and for any reason. You are entitled to a refund of any excessive premium you paid. Your insurer can not keep the money that was intended to pay for coverage for the whole year, once you no longer have that coverage.

It is illegal for an insurance company to cancel your policy without mailing you written notice of their intentions at least 10 days prior to the date of cancelation. If your insurance carrier decides not to renew your coverage or reduce your coverage when your renewal date comes up, they must give you at least 30 days notice, or you can force them to renew your coverage if you so choose. If you are denied coverage, you also have the right to ask for a written explanation of exactly why your carrier took such action.

No one likes to open up the mail and find a letter saying that their insurance is going to be canceled. If it should happen to you, don’t panic. Give us a call and an independent agent can help you find a new company to provide you with the auto insurance you need before you lose coverage on your current policy.

If you have auto insurance and are found guilty of drunk driving in Coppell, Texas, you must contact your independent agent at once. When the insurance company knows you have this DUI on your driving record they will increase your policy rate. Some companies will raise your rate at least 30 percent and others will raise your rate 100 percent or more.

DUI charges are considered intolerable crimes. Most states will tack on several points to your driving record and when this happens, your rate will increase over 300 percent. A DUI will place you in a special group known as high risk drivers. Do not become upset with your independent agent, because they have nothing to do with the outcome of your DUI.

When your insurance company finds out about the DUI, the company could cancel your policy when it comes up for renewal. Any rewards or benefits that you once received through your company is going to be lost. If this happens, you will have to research companies that insure high-risk drivers.

Your state will determine how long you are a high-risk driver, three years or more is a normal sentence. This one DUI could remain on your driver’s record for up to 10 years. Along with this comes higher rates.

It takes five to ten years to drop a DUI, you will then be required to carry a driver’s responsibility with you when your license is reinstated. The state of Texas determines the minimum rate on your car policy. Texas will then verify that you have the coverage you need. This driver’s responsibility must be carried with you for another three to five years. Do not cancel your high rate car policy, because Texas will suspend your license and registration.

It is important you give your independent agent in Coppell, Texas a call as soon as possible. We are here to help you. It is important that you give us a call so that we can give you specific details for your circumstances.

You may believe that original equipment manufacturer parts are always better to use instead of aftermarket parts when you need to repair your car. Opinion is divided over whether or not aftermarket parts are just as good, or sometimes even better, than the same parts that were installed in your car when it rolled off the assembly line. Regardless of the various opinions, you always have a right to use OEM parts if your car has been in an accident.

If you have an insured loss as a result of an auto accident in Coppell, Texas, your insurance company may or may not pay for original equipment manufacturer parts. You must ask your independent agent before you sign-up for a new auto insurance policy if it specifically will pay for OEM replacement parts if you need to file a claim.

Insurance companies vary in the type of parts they will allow you to use to get your car repaired. They are required to at least use replacement parts that will restore your vehicle to the same condition as it was before the accident. Some policies specifically state that they will pay for OEM parts after an insured loss, while others may say they will only pay for some types of OEM parts.

The main reason that insurance companies like to use aftermarket parts instead of OEM parts is that they can cost up to 60 percent less and those savings help them keep premiums low for all drivers they insure. In some cases, you may have to pay a higher premium if you want a guarantee that you will receive OEM parts for repairs after an accident.

If you are looking to find an insurance company that will let you use OEM parts and not charge you a crazy premium for the privilege, give us a call and an independent agent will research the different auto insurers. With just a little research, he or she will get you an affordable car policy that will meet your needs.