Marriage is far more than the joining of two individuals into one couple. Not only are two people joining their personal lives when they marry, they are also combining their finances and expenses. Many people do not realize it, but getting married prompts many changes to their auto insurance rates?

Why does marriage affect insurance rates?

Insurance companies base their rates on data that results from lots of research. Insurance companies have found certain groups of people tend to be higher risks. These groups have higher insurance premiums. Conversely, groups that are less likely to have accidents have lower premiums. Married people fall into this group, so getting married will lower your car insurance costs.

Combining policies

Once a couple gets married they can choose to either combine policies or keep their policies separate. It is not always better to combine policies. If one of the spouses falls into one of the following categories, it is better to keep separate policies:

–       Having several accidents or a poor driving record

–       Driving a model that is pricey to insure

–       Driving a valuable or classic car

–       Traveling many more miles a day/month than the other spouse

Roommates

In situations where roommates are not married but will be using each other’s cars, it is necessary to list every licensed driver of the vehicle on the policy. It must be understood that this situation may increase the rate of the premium. If any driver is excluded from the policy, they may not drive the insured vehicle. If the vehicle is driven by an excluded individual and there is an accident, the damage will likely not be covered by the policy.

Multiple vehicle discounts

Married couples should always consider a multiple-vehicle discount if there is more than one car for the household. This type of insurance offers the same coverage but will usually cost less than insuring the cars separately. To be eligible for this type of discount, all vehicles must be insured with the same company and under the same policyholder’s name.

Car insurance after divorce

Just as car insurance changes when couples marry, they change with divorce as well. When a couple decides to go their separate ways, the party whose name is on the policy must remove the other name from it. It is also important to let the insurance company know about the following changes that may affect auto insurance rates:

–       Address

–       Financial situation

–       Household members

–       Mileage driven

Although car insurance is something most people do not think about until they need it, it does need some serious consideration when marital status is changed. If your living situation has changed in any way and you need to update your auto insurance, please contact Waitte’s Insurance Agency. We will be happy to help you!

 

Chances are you couldn’t wait to get your driver’s license when you turned 16. However, you probably never guessed that there would be so many steps you had to take before you could get on the road, or that even after receiving your license, you still have to navigate numerous laws and restrictions until you turn 18. Teen driving may be difficult, but this guide can help clarify a few questions you may have.

When is a teenager eligible to acquire their learner’s permit?

The minimum age to receive a learner’s permit in Connecticut is 16. You must have a learner’s permit before beginning to learn how to drive; you can apply for a permit by scheduling an appointment at your local DMV office.

What is required by Connecticut law in order to obtain a learner’s permit?

To receive your learner’s permit as a 16 or 17-year-old, you must first obtain parental consent, and collect the necessary paperwork that can serve as identification (for example, your birth certificate or U.S. Passport). Then, you can schedule and pay the $40 test fee for your DMV appointment online through the Connecticut DMV website. At your appointment, you must take and pass a vision test and a knowledge test, which determines your knowledge of Connecticut driving laws with 25 questions.

What are the restrictions for drivers with only a permit in the state of CT?

Restrictions on teen driving include limiting your passengers to parents, guardians, or qualified instructors while you are training to receive your license; you also may not use any cell phones (even if hands-free) while driving.

What training courses are required? What must a driver complete before becoming eligible for a driver’s license in CT?

A driver must complete 40 hours of practice driving and 30 hours of classroom training (or 22 hours of home training and an 8 hour Safe Driving Practices course). To fit these requirements, a driver may choose a commercial driving school, driving classes at his or her high school, or home driving lessons. Once at least 120 days of classroom training or 180 days of home training have passed, the driver is eligible to take the road test at the DMV and obtain a driver’s license.

What are the legal restrictions for teenage drivers up to the age of 18?

Before turning 18, teen drivers may not drive between the hours of 11 PM and 5 AM, unless it is for school, work, religious, or medical reasons. They must also use permanently installed seat belts, and may not use cell phones or hands-free devices while driving. For the first six months after receiving their license, drivers can only have parents, guardians, instructors, or people over 20 (who have held a driver’s license for at least 4 years) as passengers; for the second six months, this is expanded to include immediate family.

In addition to these restrictions for teenage drivers, Connecticut law requires drivers of all ages to purchase automobile liability insurance. Provide yourself peace of mind and contact Waitte’s Insurance Agency, Inc. to add your teenage driver to your current insurance policy.

So you’ve gotten into a car accident. You’re not alone. Each year, there are around 6 million crashes in the United States, from serious, fatality accidents to what may seem to be minor, non-incidents. According to the Association for Safe International Road Travel, accidents in the United States cost about $230.6 billion each year — about $820 per person.

Keeping unforeseen costs down is one of the main reasons for getting automotive insurance. In situations where there is significant property damage or medical injuries, auto insurance can help to cover the costs that might exceed what the individuals involved can afford. Sometimes, though, filing an auto insurance claim might cost you more in the long run, and it’s good to know whether that small bump in your door will cause a much larger bump in your premiums.

When it is Advised NOT to File a Claim:

 – When you can cover the damage repairs yourself

It’s a good idea to double-check your deductible if you don’t already know what you’ve set. If you have a high-deductible policy, it may be better, in the long run, to pay the costs yourself, rather than filing an insurance claim. For example, if you have a $1,000 deductible, and your repairs are only going to cost about $1,300, paying the entire $1,300 out of pocket will keep the price at $1,300. If you file a claim, however, even in situations with little to no monetary impact on your policy, the mere act of filing a claim could cause a spike in your policy.

– When you’ve caused little to no damage to someone else’s vehicle

Sometimes a bump is just a bump. If you’ve barely tapped another vehicle, yes, it’s still good to talk to the other party and assess the damage if there was any. However, if both parties agree there was no damage, filing a claim could be a costly phone call. It is still advisable to file a police report, though, so that both sides are covered in the event that legal action needs to take place down the line.

– When you’ve been in a one-car accident with no injuries, or with medical expenses that you can cover yourself

Many people have accidently backed into items, with little to no damage, and the only injury being to their pride. In these situations, even if you did sustain some injuries, as long as the expenses don’t exceed your ability to pay, it’s better to cover the costs yourself and avoid filing an insurance claim.

– When someone has hit you with little damage, and they agree to pay for the cost of repairs

If you trust that the person who was at fault will indeed pay for the repairs, both parties could benefit from not filing an insurance claim. Even if you weren’t the party responsible for the accident, filing a claim could still increase your rates. WARNING: It is NOT advised to entrust a total stranger to pay for any repairs caused in an accident.

Do Your Homework

Before you decide whether or not you should file a claim, it’s important to remember that when there is more than one party involved, calling to get a police report is important to prevent any contradictory stories from coming out in the future. Also, keep in mind that insurance laws and requirements vary from state to state, and from company to company. Understand your policy requirement, consider the long-term implications of not filing a claim, and you could see some significant cost savings.

In some circumstances, not filing an auto insurance claim is unavoidable. Personal injuries and extensive vehicle damage are prime reasons for why insurance is so crucial to have as a licensed driver. If you need to file a claim or would simply like to review your current auto insurance policy, contact Waitte’s Insurance by clicking here.

We see the same story in the news almost on a daily basis now;  another traffic accident caused by distracted driving. More specifically, increasing numbers of drivers and passengers are being injured or killed due to someone driving while texting or talking on cell phones. Why is it so difficult for some to put away their cell phones while driving?

Smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives.  The number of smartphones in use rose dramatically from 21% of Americans in 2011 to 46% in 2012, according to the Pew Research Center (webmd.com). With this increase and consistency of smartphone use, Americans are seemingly becoming dependent on their devices to communicate, entertain, and even organize their personal affairs and daily routines. In fact, many experts have come to the conclusion that smartphone use has become an obsession, compulsion, or even an addiction for some people.

Of course, a larger number of smartphones in use (and the need to stay connected) means a greater instance of smartphone abuse. The majority of the time the abuse is merely an annoyance or an inconvenience;  people talking on their phones at the restaurant, texters who walk around with their heads down, not watching where they are going. Unfortunately, smartphone abuse does not end there.

The number of drivers distracted by smartphones on American roads is disturbing.  As many as 660,000 Americans may be driving while distracted at any time during a typical day (edgarsnyder.com).   With so many Americans driving while distracted, it shouldn’t be too surprising that 330,000 injuries occur yearly, a result of 1.6 million distracted driving crashes; and these numbers continue to rise every year.

Teens Driving While Distracted:

Distracted driving numbers for teen drivers are even more staggering: In 2013, 21% of teenage driving fatalities were caused by smartphone distraction. Teens are four times more likely to be involved in distracted driving crashes or near-crashes.

Whether it is a teen or an adult, distracted drivers have made our roadways less safe for all of us.  As responsible drivers, it is our duty to keep our eyes, and our attention focused on the road ahead. At 55 miles per hour, a vehicle travels 100 yards in the 5 seconds it takes for you to simply look down at a text; making it nearly impossible to react in time to avoid an unforeseen circumstance such as a deer in the middle of the road.

If you’ve gotten into the habit of constantly checking your phone when you’ve gotten an alert, try making an effort to store your phone in an unreachable place while driving until you have arrived at your destination so the temptation to check it is gone. It is also advised to pre-set your GPS or navigational system prior to departing for your trip to avoid the need to do so while driving. Pre-setting your desired radio station or asking a passenger to operate the radio controls is also recommended when behind the wheel.

Whether we see it as an epidemic or not, the death and injury numbers associated with distracted driving caused by smartphone use are sobering. Our lives can be so full of pitfalls and dangers, doesn’t it make sense to eliminate such an obvious distraction where you can?  Be considerate to yourselves, your families, and the drivers around you by not driving distracted.  No call, text, tweet, or Facebook post is worth a life.

When it comes to car insurance, a driver’s premium is influenced by a number of factors that can vary from state to state.  Your driving record, which consists of your history of traffic tickets, accident claims, and arrests for intoxicated driving is a major factor in determining your cost out-of-pocket each month. Learn the top factors that insurance companies use to calculate your car insurance premium in Connecticut by clicking here.