Tag Archives: Investment

How to Shop for Auto Insurance

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When you set out to buy a car, you generally take time to consider your needs and your budget. These same considerations are equally as important when shopping for auto insurance. We are inundated by car insurance advertisements every day; it’s difficult to know which one is really the best for you and your family. Start your search by finding out your state’s insurance requirements, which can range anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000 per accident. Choosing the amount of coverage you need is the most important factor. Once you decide which type of coverage you need, you can easily compare policies online to find an agency that offers affordable car insurance in West Palm Beach, or in your area.

Three Types of Auto Insurance
Liability insurance is the least expensive option and usually covers damage you have caused in an accident. It’s designed to take care of damage to the other car or injury to the people involved in an accident; it usually doesn’t cover damage to you or your vehicle.
Collision insurance covers any repairs needed after an accident. In order to make sure the costs of your repairs will be taken care of, get a list of approved repair shops from your agency.
Comprehensive coverage pays for damage from theft, floods, vandalism, and damage caused by events other than collisions. Some comprehensive plans also cover damage caused by uninsured drivers.
If you have taken out a loan on your car, your lender may have rules about the type of coverage you need; most lenders require comprehensive coverage. If you own your car outright, you can decide which kind of coverage is best for you, as long as you are in compliance with state laws.

Tips for Choosing the Best Car Insurance
Whether you are purchasing your first auto insurance policy or reviewing your current policy, take time to compare several agencies. It’s recommended that you check your rates annually. You can choose to get personalized quotes from agents, or save time by using online comparison tools.
Pick an insurance agency with good ratings. If you’re dealing with a reputable company, they will most likely post customer reviews online. Look for comments regarding claims, payments, and customer service. Another great resource is your state’s department of insurance website. Most states publish a report stating how many complaints a car insurance company has received.
Choosing the right deductible can save you money. A higher deductible will reduce your overall premium, but will cost you more if you have an accident. A lower deductible means less out of pocket at the time of the accident, but higher premiums along the way. If you have a good driving record and don’t have accidents on your record, you may want to consider the higher deductible.
Taking advantage of all possible discounts is the best way to make auto insurance more affordable. Most insurance companies offer discounts for older drivers, married drivers, and safe driving records. You can also save money by purchasing a car with anti-theft protection and anti-lock brake systems. You may be offered discounts for bundling your auto and home owners insurance; however, you should check the cost together and separately before you make your decision.
Ask the insurance company which options they offer for future savings. Some companies have programs that reduce your deductible for each year of safe driving, or you may have the option to keep your deductible the same after your first accident.

A New Innovation in Luggage Tracking

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Even if you have comprehensive travel insurance, losing your bags is not something you like to think about when on holiday. Apart from the expense, a lost bag can be a huge inconvenience and can indeed spoil a holiday in its entirety if it is not found and reunited with its owner quickly and efficiently. While comprehensive travel insurance can help with reclaiming the value of the bag and its contents, it cannot help with the potential stress and hassle a lost bag can lead to.
While human error in baggage handling is inevitable, an innovation is currently being tested to minimise the risk of a bag getting lost completely.

Tracking Luggage Electronically

Rimowa is a German luggage manufacturer and one that has been working with Lufthansa to develop the first digital electric tag that can help keep track of luggage. Fully integrated, this high tech initiative serves to make travelling with hold bags more comfortable, safer and quicker.

Currently, the most common way of tracking luggage is to fix one half of a paper luggage tag to it, and attach the other half to the owner’s passport. Both have the same barcode that can help when reuniting a bag with its rightful owner. The new, more efficient electronic tags, however, will soon be in operation for Lufthansa passengers.

How Does it Work?

The beauty of the electronic tag is its convenience. Passengers traveling with Lufthansa will soon be able to download the Lufthansa App and use the Rimowa electronic tag to check in luggage from home, while travelling to the airport, or in fact from anywhere they like. All it takes is one click and the wonder of Bluetooth to transfer the data from the electronic boarding pass that is held on the phone to the item of luggage that is fitted with the electronic tag.

As soon as the luggage is checked in, the data will show up on the data component that has been assimilated into the relevant bag. Using this convenient system also means that passengers only need to head to the Baggage Drop Off counter in the airport, thus avoiding any lengthy queues.

The tag is the same size as the paper tags in use today and the vital information that is specific to the bag is protected just in case it comes into contact with humidity, extreme temperatures or an impact of some sort.

So far it is only Lufthansa that is planning to provide this service, but other airlines are sure to take their lead.

When Can We Expect the Product to be Launched?

The plan is for the Rimowa electronic tag to be launched early next year. Currently there is a test phase being carried out, so should that be evaluated as a success, then the proposed launch date should be honoured.

Even if you plan to get on board with this initiative in the future, comprehensive travel insurance is still a must when making any trip, be it for business or pleasure.

Patrick Chong is the Managing Director of InsureMore, an award-winning team of specialists in single trip and annual comprehensive travel insurance. Besides offering great deals on travel insurance, Patrick also collects and shares the best free travel competitions to help his clients get the most out of their holidays.