Finance and Business

Before we say anything we would like to make a statement. Don’t panic when you are about to file a claim. There is nothing stressful about this procedure so you should not take it as a curse. Take it step by step with it when the time comes. This is how to do it:

1. First of all you have to set the record straight and decide when you need to file a claim. For that you will have to contact you insurer or insurance company and ask them about the claim and how you could do it. You need to try to keep the number of the claim entries as low as possible as it totally affects your rates. We don’t guarantee you low rates after you have already given your record twenty entries. It should not make a difference to you – if you are guilty in the accident or if you are not, you should consider one simple thing – payment. Then just give yourself a question and try to answer it – “will I be able to pay the damages myself?”
If you know you are financially stable and you could easily pay a hundred of dollars for some reparations – it is good, but if the answer is negative – then file a claim because it seems like there is no other solution.

2. You should know not to lie about details. Give as much accurate information as you possibly can. If there are witnesses and they could help your case – ask them to make a report too. The more information you will be able to provide – the easier it will be for you to go with the claim and to cover the damages. If the company finds our about a little you that was put into your claim to ease the case – it can result you with a decline.

3. If you just had an accident and you need to file a claim – do it as soon as possible. Please remember that it doesn’t matter if you were wrong or right – the insurance company starts acting only after you applied so the sooner you do it the better for you and your accident case, especially if some injuries and losses are a part of the situation.

4. Don’t get surprised if you get a call from some other insurance provider. You may be contacted by another party’s insurance company in order to establish the details and see your point of view. Please be wise when you talk to the other insurer. Don’t give out too many details if you know they won’t benefit you. Rite down the name of the person you communicate with. If there are some complications or misjudgment you will have to provide the name of the person that contacted you. Read the rest of this entry »

Wherever you look, the news about recalls is headlining with Toyota leading the pack with the highest profile problems. Indeed, the US lawmakers have begun a formal investigation into the problem of the sticking accelerator pedal. This is not a simple issue of a manufacturer with a faulty vehicle. The problem is the US is supposed to have a formal system in place to ensure that only safe vehicles are allowed on the roads. To this end, the Department of Transport established the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as its agent to collect information about traffic accidents. If patterns emerge, the NHTSA is supposed to liaise with the manufacturer to get prompt action to repair the problem. The insurance industry is also supposed to send data to the agency. Because insurers are handling claims on a daily basis, they should be the first to know whether there are design faults causing accidents. Indeed, State Farm is on record as saying it notified the NHTSA of unintended acceleration problems in Toyotas in 2007. If that is confirmed and other insurance companies also sent in reports of the same problem, the lawmakers will want to know why the NHTSA failed to take any action. When Toyota learnt of the problems is also going to be a key issue.

Ignoring the obvious damage to the brand, the other question for all of us is what will happen to the premium rates on the models recalled. There is a simple answer: nothing in the short term. There is also a more complicated answer. The premium rates for any given make and model of vehicle are set by looking at the accident statistics over the years the vehicles have been on the road. These are already set and will not change significantly. The other factors include the cost of replacement parts which will also not change significantly. So, in principle, there is no reason for premium rates to change. Except there are two important left to discuss. The first is good news and bad news. The good news is that premiums are likely to fall. The bad news is that premiums will fall because resale values will fall as the brand is damaged. When you total your vehicle, you get the value at the time of the accident. If the motor trade mark down the resale value, you will get less. If the payout by the insurers falls, the premiums will be reduced to reflect this saving. The second issue affects your liability if you are involved in an accident. You now know of several problems with different makes and models. If your vehicle is called in for modification or repair, go immediately. If you neglect to go and are then involved in an accident because of the problem, you are partially at fault and your payout from the insurance company will be reduced. Your only remedy will be to claim from Toyota itself. This will be expensive and may only recover a part of your losses. Read the rest of this entry »