Austin    
     INSURANCE GROUP

1. MAKE SURE YOUR AGENT HAS THE CORRECT RATING INFORMATION.
Many agents just copy another agent's work when they prepare their quotes. The sad thing about doing that is...and let me make this perfectly clear... THIS IS NEVER THE WAY A PROFESSIONAL AGENT OPERATES!

A true insurance professional is going to make sure you are fairly rated by asking you such things as your vehicle's identification number (to be sure the rating symbol assigned is correct), how many tickets you've had, how many accidents you've had regardless of fault, what actual town you live in (not your mailing address...but your street address), the name of everyone living in your household, everyone's drivers license number, and everyone's social security number (for a credit score).

All of these questions have a bearing on your rate and to assume that the prior agent you were insured with got all that information correct and that the insurance company didn't transpose any numbers or incorrectly select any rating choices is, quite frankly, not a very professional way to do business.

2. MAKE SURE, IF THE AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY IS USING CREDIT, THEY ARE USING AN UP-TO-DATE CREDIT REPORT.
Anybody can get a small glitch on their credit from time to time. If that has happened to you, you should insist that your agent recalculate your rates when your credit score improves. NOTE: Some Texas insurance companies in Texas do not rate based on your credit, therefore, this will not always apply. But it sure doesn't hurt to make sure you're getting the benefit of your improved credit just in case it will.

Get a CLUE!
Access your CLUE report via the Internet at Choicetrust.com

3. MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY UNWISE COVERAGES ON YOUR POLICY.
Some coverages are a poor buying decision due to the small amount that can be paid out under them... especially when you consider the huge potential increase in monthly premium you might have to pay because you used the coverage.

Let me explain. There is an inexpensive endorsement that is frequently included on auto insurance policies, but it could end up costing you a bundle. It is the "Towing and Labor" endorsement. It reimburses you up to a specified amount (as little as $40 per claim) for any towing or for the services of a mechanic to get your covered auto to a garage if it will not run.

The unfortunate result of collecting under this endorsement is that some insurance companies consider each of these $40 payments to be equivalent to a major accident when evaluating clients they want to keep. They are "claims counter" underwriters, and believe that small claims eventually lead to big ones. And they don't want to be the one insuring you when the "big one" hits.

So when they are trying to decide who they want to let go after an unprofitable year, your name will be right at the top of that company's "hit list."

And once you are non-renewed by a company, you go into a totally new rating class...one that is much more expensive. I think anybody would agree that receiving a $40 payment on a towing claim that results in you being forced to get insurance with another company whose rates are $100's per year higher is not a good buying decision regardless of how cheap the endorsement is.

4. MAKE SURE YOU ARE GETTING ALL THE INSURANCE DISCOUNTS YOU ARE ENTITLED TO.
Often agents don't ask enough questions to properly determine all the discounts you are eligible for. These negligent agents are easy to spot. They will usually attempt to copy your present policy, they will not ask you if you have an auto alarm, if you have taken defensive driving, or if you are buying your home, and will often fail to determine how long you have gone claim free. These missed discounts can often cost you a bundle.

You've spent a lifetime building your dreams. Trust them to a company that understands the emotion behind the possession. Whether it's your favorite automobile, your weekend boat, a family heirloom, or the fantasy home you built from the ground up, Austin Insurance Group recognizes your most valuable assets are more than just items on a balance sheet. They are extensions of you and your imagination. One of the companies that we trust is Safeco auto insurance. If the unthinkable happens, Safeco does more than hand you a check—they work to make it right. To find out more about how Safeco Insurance can help you, get an instant auto insurance quote online at Buy Safeco Insurance Now or get an instant quote from multiple carriers here.

5. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AS LARGE A DEDUCTIBLE AS YOU CAN STAND.
If you have not had an auto or home insurance claim in years, why not raise your deductible, which is the portion of any claim you pay for damage before the insurance company pays anything. By raising your deductible, you can often save enough in a year or two to completely self-insure the difference in the deductibles.

Once you have saved an amount equal to the difference in the deductibles you will be saving money even if you have a claim. Simply determine your annual savings with the larger deductible and divide that amount into the difference between the deductibles. The result will be the number of years you will have to go claim-free to break even claims-wise.

For example if you go from a $250 to a $500 deductible on your auto insurance, the difference in the deductibles is $250. The difference between the premiums for these two deductibles is $135 per year. If you divide $135 into $250 you see that in less than 2 years you will save more than the difference in the deductibles. And after that, the savings is all profit for you.

We are always amazed that agents don't tell their clients about this. Often agents don't ask enough questions to properly determine all the discounts you are eligible for. These negligent agents are easy to spot. They will usually attempt to copy your present policy, they will not ask you if you have an auto alarm, if you have taken defensive driving, or if you are buying your home, and will often fail to determine how long you have gone claim free. These missed discounts can often cost you a bundle.

If you are not currently experiencing this level of concern for your financial well-being, why not try someone different for a change...someone who will get you covered correctly the first time at a very competitive price with a stable and sound company.

6. MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT CARRYING ANY DUPLICATE COVERAGES.
Many agents, when they copy other agent's policies, just blindly include a coverage that is a duplication of another coverage on their policy. This duplicated coverage is "Uninsured Motorists Property Damage." It pays for damage to your car ONLY if it is caused by an uninsured or underinsured motorist, or a hit and run driver, and it has a $250 deductible.

However, if you have "Collision" coverage, it already pays for damage to your car, regardless of whether it is caused by you or someone else, whether they are insured or not (assuming you didn't damage your car intentionally). The only additional benefit would be a lower deductible (if your deductible is above $250), and some coverage for a rental car.

If your deductible is set correctly for accidents you cause (see number 5 above), why wouldn't it be set correctly if someone else caused the accident? And if you have rental reimbursement coverage, which pays for a rental car anytime your car is out of service due to a covered loss, why would you need this more limited form of the same thing?

Even if the coverage is inexpensive, why would you want to pay for something you already have covered someplace else? I would rather see the money in your pocket instead of the insurance company's. Wouldn't you?

7. MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR AUTO AND HOME INSURANCE WITH THE SAME COMPANY, OR AT LEAST THE SAME AGENCY.
By doing so you will typically realize a reduction in rates on both policies. While comparing, look at the combined auto and home insurance rates to determine which agency provides you with the best overall price.

8. MAKE SURE YOU DO BUSINESS WITH AN AGENT THAT DOES AN ANNUAL REVIEW TO KEEP YOUR COVERAGE UP TO DATE.
Some agents write their client's policies and forget about them. By doing this, they fail to adequately address life's changing conditions.

For example, suppose you sold a car you were carrying liability only on, and forgot to call your agent to get it removed. Or suppose you have some accidents or claims coming off your record that could qualify you for a much lower starting rate? If your agent doesn't regularly call you to verify these things, you could continue to pay hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars for coverage you could never collect under...year after year after year...or pay more than you have to for the same coverage.

Just remember...it's the professional agent's responsibility to help you keep your coverages up to date...NOT JUST YOURS! We, here at Austin Insurance Group believe you deserve to have an agent that will handle your policy as if the premium was coming out of his own pocket. You deserve an agent that won't just take you for granted or forget about you after the sale. If you are not currently experiencing this level of concern for your financial well-being, why not try someone different for a change...someone who will get you covered correctly the first time at a very competitive price with a stable and sound company. It could mean more money in your pocket and greater peace of mind if you have a loss.

Why not give us a contact our office right now to review your current policy. You and your pocketbook will be glad you did.

Austin Insurance Group - 1-800-929-3166