When you buy car insurance your initial main goal is to have piece of mind. The second goal you are looking at is actually getting a claim paid when something unfortunate actually happens. Chances are that you will need to claim at least once in the time of your driving career. Some issues to think about...
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Contributory negligence. Will your insurer deny your claim based on your own negligence. Not many of us really understand the legal concept of negligence, compared to that of the ordinary term. In very simple terms you are always negligent because you are actually there, and this will always be the case in any car accident. According to your state and local laws there is a percentage that any driver is always to blame, no matter the case.
Medical claims. Some amazing cases in the world against insurance companies lead them to take drastic measures. There was one case in the USA where a girl got pregnant in a car and then the family claimed under their car insurance for maternity leave and other post-natal issues due to the fact she got pregnant while in the car. With people attempting and making claims like this it is easier to understand why our premiums increase and you can find your insurance company defensive.
Drawn out legal battles. Remember that in many car accident cases you could be drawn into long and draining legal battles, and this may not be covered in your insurance. There are too many stories where an actual pay-out has taken a long time because the pay-out is dependant on a court case. This is a very big consideration for anyone getting insured. You need to think about all the information included in your car insurance quotes.
Fine print. How many times have you heard of a claim not being paid because of a clause in the fine print. Many modern companies do not include fine print in their contracts, and there are reasons why there is fine print – because they don't want you to read it. And that will also probably be the reason why they do not want to pay your claim. Be VERY wary of any fine print, and if you see it you know that IT IS something you MUST read.
Quick settlements. Note that many insurance organisations will often offer quick settlements. Understand that they are in the business of making money, and if you are offered a quick settlement that seems to easy, you must consider why. Some people have been caught out because they accepted these quick settlements and deprived themselves from what they were really entitled to.
The moral of this story is that your insurance should not be bought on price alone. Remember you pay premiums for privileges, and you should look at more than just cost. The best way to find out regarding any company, is their reputation and to look at their payout history and find the most objective information as possible.
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