It’s not uncommon for motorists to be involved in accidents involving only their own vehicle. In Pennsylvania alone, there were approximately 759 single vehicle fatalities in 2012 according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, most single-car accidents in Bethlehem, PA and the surrounding area are relatively minor, with no injuries and equally minor cosmetic or nonexistent damage to the car itself.

No matter how minor the accident, you should report it to your insurance agent as soon as possible. It’s also important to take written notes as well as pictures (if possible) of the accident scene, as memories can fade and having concrete evidence could be a big help during the claims process.

One reason to report car accident to insurance straight away is to take advantage of your collision insurance coverage and its ability to cover the costs of repairing or replacing your vehicle. However, if the estimated cost of damage is lower than the deductible, then you may be better off paying for the repairs out of your own pocket.

Another reason is that most auto insurance policies feature a clause requiring the insured to report any and all accidents, but such clauses are often hard to enforce. Local, county and state law enforcement officials may also require you to submit a collision report for accidents with either bodily injury or a set amount of property damage to any one person’s vehicle or other property. This information may be passed on to your insurer depending on the circumstances.

The longer you wait to report a car accident to your insurer, the less likely you’ll be compensated for any damages. As your independent agent, we can help you report collisions and other events involving your vehicle quickly and accurately. We can also help you realize big savings on the latest auto insurance plans available.

You got into a car accident and incurred injuries and medical bills. Now that you’re patched up, you’re wondering what aspects of your car insurance actually covered the bills. If you get into an accident with someone who holds insurance, their liability coverage takes care of your injuries and medical bills, although it doesn’t cover additional expenses while you’re out of work. Personal injury coverage, on the other hand, is an addition to your automobile insurance policy that you get specifically to cover medical bills, costs associated with personal injury, and lost wages. Personal injury coverage includes all of this under one policy rider, instead of requiring you to pay separately for personal injury and medical bill coverage. 17 states require automobile insurance to include personal injury coverage as part of the state minimum insurance.

Some advantages to adding personal injury coverage to your automobile insurance include protection against uninsured drivers, dealing with an inability to work due to an accident, and covering any gaps in medical bill payments from the other driver’s insurance. Other related items that this coverage pays for includes childcare costs, maintenance services, and medical travel expenses. Having the peace of mind that an accident isn’t going to turn your life upside down due to your missing work makes this coverage worth it.

It also doesn’t matter who was at fault for the accident. If you have personal injury protection, it covers you no matter what the accident situation was. Not all states offer personal injury protection specifically, but you can also find it under the name auto medical payments coverage.

Because recreational vehicles require special expertise, it is important that they are repaired at an authorized facility. If you bring your recreational vehicle to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, you might have to transport your vehicle out of the state in order to have it serviced by qualified professionals. Keep these tips in mind if you need to contact your insurance company for help moving your vehicle to another state.

How Your Recreational Vehicle Policy Works

If you are in an accident, you will need to move your recreational vehicle to a repair shop so that an appraiser can complete an estimate on the cost of the damages. Because recreational vehicle require special expertise to repair, many insurance companies will assist with cost of transporting your vehicle to a manufacturer, even if it is out of state. However, it is important to keep in mind that your insurance company might settle for a qualified facility that is closest to the scene of the accident.

How an Independent Agent Can Help

An independent auto insurance agent can help you determine which insurance companies will provide the best coverage for your recreational vehicle in the case of an accident. Though it’s overlooked, the transportation fees of moving your vehicle to the manufacturer is an expense that can really add up. Also, if your recreational vehicle was manufactured in another state, yet your insurance company will only reimburse you to move it to the closest qualified facility, you might still be left to pay the tab if you have a preference for taking your vehicle to the manufacturer.

An independent agent can help you determine which companies will meet your preferences and provide the best coverage for moving your vehicle in the case of an accident. Contact us today to find the best policy for your recreational vehicle.

If you are visiting Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for an extended period of time, you might be interested in purchasing a vehicle just for your trip and then reselling it before you leave. While you can certainly find good deals on used cars, finding insurance might be a trickier proposition. Before you purchase a car for your vacation, keep the following points in mind.

Insuring a Car if You Are From Another State

If you are visiting Pennsylvania from another state, there are some challenges you will face in insuring a vehicle that you buy just for your vacation. First, you will need to register your vehicle locally before you can operate it. Second, you might have difficulty finding an insurance agent that will allow you to insure the vehicle without a valid state license.

Additionally, when you are purchasing insurance to drive in the Bethlehem areas, you will need to make sure that the insurance policy that you do purchase is compliant with Pennsylvania insurance laws. The downside is that the insurance laws in Pennsylvania might be more expensive to comply with than the requirements in your home state.

Insuring a Car if You Are an International Tourist

If you are a driver from another country, insuring a vehicle that you purchase in the United States will be especially difficult. Most insurance companies will require that you have a valid driver’s licence from within the United States before your insurance application can be processed. If you are from another country, it is important to recieve advice from an independent agent who can help you locate the insurance companies that will work with tourists from out of the country.

How an Independent Agent Can Help

Despite the pitfalls of purchasing an auto for your vacation, there might be reasons that you would prefer to obtain your own vehicle rather than rent a car. If you contact us, we can make obtaining insurance during your vacation a smoother process by helping you determine the best course of action for insurance for your vehicle.

Teaching a driver with a learner’s permit in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to drive will require insurance for that individual. If you want them to drive your car, then you will also need to add the individual to your policy. Fortunately, it is not hard to add a driver to your auto insurance policy.

Evaluate the Situation

Even though it is possible to add an individual to any auto policy, it may not be necessary if you are only taking the individual out for a one-time excursion. A driver who is not actively operating the car on a regular basis will still be covered under your policy if you take him or her out once.

If you plan to teach the individual to drive from the foundation, then you will want to add him or her to your policy, even if you do not live in the same house. Any individual who drives your car regularly must be added to the existing coverage plan.

Contact the Insurer

The only way to add a learner driver to your current insurance plan is by informing your insurer about the situation. Tell your insurer that you want to add the individual to your plan and then provide any details that are requested. The insurer will need to know the name, age and other details before they can provide coverage.

It is possible to add a new driver to your current policy if you are planning to teach the person how to drive. You should expect your premium to increase, though the exact rate will vary between insurers. When your insurance plan is no longer appropriate or when you cannot add a new driver to the plan, working with an independent agent can help. Contact us to talk to an agent for more details.

You may find differences in auto insurance requirements based on the purchase of a new or old car. The requirements depend more on a vehicle loan and the value over your area of residence. Keep these factors in mind when you are looking at vehicles in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

New Car

Most auto buyers take out some type of loan to buy a new car. The lender will likely require you to insure the vehicle for at least the loan amount. You will need to have theft and collision coverage for the value of the vehicle. If your car is stolen or totaled, the lender is covered. This also protects you from being responsible for a loan on a vehicle you no longer have.

Even if you purchase a new auto without a loan, you should protect your investment. If you do not have insurance, you face a full loss if your car is stolen or destroyed in a collision.

Used Car

You are not required to obtain a different type of insurance if you purchase a used vehicle for cash. If you do obtain a loan, the lender will require the same insurance as a new car. However, even without a loan, some additional insurance may be beneficial to you. Unless you purchase a very old car for a few hundred dollars, you want to protect your investment.

Older vehicles can be insured against total loss, the amount you would receive is based on the value of the vehicle at the time of loss. Do look at the additional cost of this insurance, your deductible and the value of your car. If you car is worth $2000 and you have a $500 deductible, the extra insurance may be worth it to you.

All drivers, including those in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, need to have the state minimum liability coverage. As an independent agent, we can help you determine the right auto insurance coverage for your unique situation. Contact us today for the information you need to make the right insurance decision.

The issue of deductibles can be tricky for many drivers in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. While we often think that our expenses will be completely reimbursed if we are not at fault for an accident, this is typically not the case. If you were in an accident, and you had to pay a deductible, here are a few things to tips to keep in mind before you contact your auto insurance company.

How Deductible Works

A deductible on your insurance policy refers to the amount of money that you are expected to chip in after you have been in an accident. Before your auto insurance company will assist you in covering your expenses, you must pay the minimum threshold of the deductible. For example, if you have a $500 deductible and an accident causes $2000 worth of damages, you will be expected to pay the deductible before the insurance company pays the additional $1500 for your damages.

What to Expect After a No-Fault Accident

Even if you do not cause an accident, you will be expected to pay the deductible before your insurance company will chip in and help cover your expenses. While this can be a frustrating policy, insurance companies keep this approach is place to provide an incentive for responsible driving behavior. The common belief is that if the policyholder and the insurance company share mutual responsibility for the expense of an accident, then covered drivers will be more vigilant in doing everything they can to avoid dangerous driving situations.

How An Independent Agent Can Help

Because there is little wiggle room when it comes to paying deductibles, it is important to make sure that you have reasonable deductibles from the start. Even if you are a safe driver, accidents caused by others could cost you. If you contact us today, an independent agent can help you obtain reasonable deductibles and help you keep your costs low in the case of an accident.