Limited Time Referral Incentive Program

How would you like to get paid for referring your friends and family to a Great Insurance agent that represents a great Insurance Company? For a limited time you can earn 20.00 for every policy ( No Limit!)  that you refer to me that results in a sold policy, that’s it! You refer them and I will take care of the rest. Sounds simple rite? Well it is! Follow the Instructions below and you will be on your way!

 

Here’s how to get started:

 

‎1) Register at http://refer.go.aaa.com/seastman before August 31, then refer your friends by entering their email address.

2) Follow the simple instructions on how to share your AAA experience with your friends and how you can earn $20 each time one of them buys a AAA auto or home insurance policy

3) When your friend or family member switches to AAA, we’ll automatically email you your $20 gift reward which you can redeem at: Amazon, Target.com, Walmart.com, Fandango, Itunes or you can make a donation to the American Red Cross, Susan G. Komen for the cure

Collector Car Insurance – Make sure your ride is properly covered

If you own a “classic” car, which could be considered anything over about 25 years old, you could save money on your car insurance by buying specialized classic car insurance.

There are two ways to find insurance for your older vehicles. The first is to check with your current insurance company to see if they have a rating classification for classic or antique autos. This rate will be significantly less than a pleasure use rate, but it may also come with some mileage or usage limitations.

The other way to insure your classic car is to use an insurance company that specializes in insuring restored vehicles. Their policies have unique coverages that may not be available with an ordinary car insurance policy. Here’s a breakdown of some of the categories of classic vehicles you might want special coverage for:

• Antique & Classic Cars – Consist of stock vehicles built from the turn of the century through approximately 1969. Examples include a 1957 Ford Thunderbird, 1901 Oldsmobile and a 1930 Model A.
• Exotic and Special Interest – These are rare or limited production vehicles such as specific models of Lamborghini, Ferrari and Dodge Vipers.
• Fire Trucks – Retired collectible vehicles such as fire trucks, semi-tractors and busses can be insured as classic vehicles.
• Lowriders – Cars modified with hydraulic or air bag suspension systems can often be insured as classic cars, but underwriting guidelines are strict.
• Military Vehicles – Vehicles such as a 1951 Willys Jeep or a 1941 QMC Amphibian can be insured as a classic vehicle.
• Modern Classics – These are vehicles of modern production that are considered collectible such as a 1976 Chevrolet Corvette, a 1978 AMC Pacer or a 1979 Trans Am T-Top.
• Motorcycles and Scooters – Motorcycles are becoming increasingly expensive and thus collectible. Examples of motorcycles insurable as collectibles are a 1948 Indian Chief and a 1952 Harley Panhead.
• Muscle Cars – Typically late 1960′s and early 1970′s U.S. models that include larger V-8 engines. Examples include a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, 1970 Dodge Charger and a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda.
• High Quality Replicas – The are home-built or professionally constructed replicas of older vehicles.
• Street Rods – Street rods include vehicles that have been extensively customized for performance. Examples include a 1932 Ford Highboy or a chopped 1951 Mercury Coupe with custom paint.
• Tractors – Collecting antique tractors is an enthusiastic hobby and they can be insured as classic vehicles.
• Trucks or Pick-ups – Older models of trucks can be insured as a classic vehicle just as a car can be. Examples include a 1922 Model T Truck, a 1951 Chevy Pickup or even a 1975 Ford Pickup.
• Vehicles Under Active Restoration – Even if you haven’t gotten the primer and paint complete, you can insure your classic while being restored.

Advantages of Classic Car Insurance

The typical classic car insurance policy offers better coverage at a reduced premium than a typical auto insurance policy. This is due to the fact that most classics are not driven as much or under the same circumstances as your regular vehicles. The policies may allow only a certain number of annual miles driven, but the return is a greatly reduced premium for insuring your classic car.

Typical benefits of the classic car insurance policy include:

• Lower premiums
• Agreed value coverage – this means your car is insured for a specific value that you will be paid in the event of a total loss
• No deductible – many classic car policies do not have a deductible, so you will not have to pay anything out-of-pocket in the case of a claim

I’m NOT your average Insurance Guy!

I DON’T:

Give “price quotes”

I DO:

Advise, Recommend, Explain, Review, and Propose Insurance coverage’s

I DON’T:

Have room in my book of Business for those shopping for price.

I DO:

Work with clients that are looking for a long-term Insurance agent that will play an active role in regards to their coverage’s, life changes and making sure that their policy is always current and up to date with the market.

I DON’T:

Care what you’ve heard from your brother-in-law’s uncle’s nephew about “The Way Insurance Works”

I DO:

Want to address all your concerns, especially the difficult concerns, upfront and early so there are no surprises at the end

I DON’T:

Cut corners, massage facts, or tell you what you WANT to hear over NEED to hear.

I DO:

Take my profession VERY serious, as I do not want to get a phone call from a client after the fact and have to answer for why they were not informed of all their options.

I DON’T:

Want you to ever feel like you are alone when it comes to insurance

I DO:

Want to build a relationship of trust and a commitment to communication when it comes to servicing your Insurance needs

I DON’T:

Want you to ever have to suffer poor service, fear of inadequate coverage, or unanswered questions

I DO:

Have a passion for helping families assure that their financial future will NOT be in jeopardy in the unfortunate event of an accident, and pride myself on providing service that is second to NONE!

I DO:

Think you should Contact Me today to begin our relationship and discuss your Insurance needs

I DO:

Think you should connect with me on Facebook to further our relationship

I DO:

Hope that you will expect more from your Insurance Professional than price quotes and certificates of insurance and demand a professional relationship and advice.

Insurance Coverage, Pay now or Pay Later!

I wanted to share a recent experience that I had with some clients, the names are changed to protect them. James & Jenny had recently given a family car to their coming of age daughter Melissa who was moving out on her own. When it was time for Melissa to purchase Insurance for her car she decided to go with a company that promised super low rates and sold her on a monthly payment rather than a proper policy, her coverage… State minimum 15,000/30,000 Bodily Injury 10,000 Property Damage.  All is well for a while but late one Sunday evening while coming home from a day at the lake with a car full of friends Melissa was hit head on by a drunk driver, severely injuring all occupants of the car. Two of the girls were airlifted to local trauma units and the others where taken by ambulance to local hospitals, 3 of the girls were treated for various injuries, nothing serious, however Melissa has gone through several operations to repair a shattered Ankle, a broken foot, a broken hand and a punctured liver. Due to the severity of her injuries she will require medical care for the next 4 to 6 months.  Thank God the injuries were not life threatening.

Now you can imagine between the medical bills, co-pays, Ambulance fees, damages to the vehicle, towing and storage costs that this unfortunate event will probably cost somewhere in the neighborhood of 500,000 to 750,000.  The drunk driver responsible for the accident had state minimum coverage so the Maximum the Insurance Company has to pay out is 30,000 which will only cover 7,500 per person. The burden of the rest of the financial responsibility will be left to Melissa, the passengers and their families to clean up the mess of an accident that was not their fault!

So, when you are choosing an Insurance company or policy, PLEASE do not make monthly payments your number one priority! Make sure that you are properly covered, and getting the best coverage for your money! Ask friends and family to refer you to someone that they trust to sit down with you and tell you what you NEED to hear so you can come to wise decision regarding your Insurance needs. There are ways to protect you and your passengers so that in the event you are severely injured in an accident that is NOT your fault you can rest assured knowing you will be covered!

What if I lease a car?

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If you lease a car, you still need to buy your own auto insurance policy. The auto dealer or bank that is financing the car will require you to buy collision and comprehensive coverage. You’ll need to buy these coverages in addition to the others that may be mandatory in your state, such as auto liability insurance.

• Collision covers the damage to the car from an accident with another automobile or object.
• Comprehensive covers a loss that is caused by something other than a collision with another car or object, such as a fire or theft or collision with a deer.

The leasing company may also require “gap” insurance. This refers to the fact that if you have an accident and your leased car is damaged beyond repair or “totaled,” there’s likely to be a difference between the amount that you still owe the auto dealer and the check you’ll get from your insurance company. That’s because the insurance company’s check is based on the car’s actual cash value which takes into account depreciation. The difference between the two amounts is known as the “gap.”
On a leased car, the cost of gap insurance is generally rolled into the lease payments. You don’t actually buy a gap policy. Generally, the auto dealer buys a master policy from an insurance company to cover all the cars it leases and charges you for a “gap waiver.” This means that if your leased car is totaled, you won’t have to pay the dealer the gap amount. Check with the auto dealer when leasing your car.
If you have an auto loan rather than a lease, you may want to buy gap insurance to protect yourself from having to come up with the gap amount if your car is totaled before you’ve finished paying for it. Ask your insurance agent about gap insurance or search the Internet. Gap insurance may not be available in some states.

With Permission © Insurance Information Institute, Inc. – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED –

Things to keep in mind when shopping for Auto Insurance.

 

• Inquire about discounts (such as multi-car, airbags, anti-theft device, etc.) and/or surcharges the company applies.  All companies will not offer the same type of plans, nor have the same underwriting rules (eligibility/acceptability guidelines). Therefore, it is critical to ask for this information.
• Make sure you know the length of the policy term. This can be one month, six months (semi-annual) or one year (annual), depending on the insurance company.
• Many companies have their own payment (installment) plans which allow you to pay the premium over a period of time for a service fee. If you decide to buy a policy on an installment plan, find out the applicable finance or service charges. If you use a premium finance company to pay for your insurance, the monthly payments may be easier, but the total of payments will be larger. Moreover, if the policy is cancelled, the insurance company must remit all return premiums to the finance company, who will apply them to your account.
• Check to see if you are responsible for paying any up front fees.  Sometimes insurance companies charge policy issuance fees.   Once the policy is issued, this fee is generally fully earned.  If the policy is canceled later, the fee will not be returned.
• Ask about higher deductibles. By requesting higher deductibles on comprehensive and collision coverage, you can lower your costs.   However, remember that the deductible you choose is what you are responsible for paying up front in the event you file a claim against your automobile insurance policy.
• Should you drop comprehensive and/or collision coverage on an older car? It may not be cost-effective to have comprehensive or collision coverage on cars worth less than $1,000 because any claim you make would not substantially exceed the annual premium cost and deductible amounts.
• A broker’s fee must be agreed upon in advance.  If you choose a broker to place your coverage, ask about the broker’s fees.  These fees should be disclosed and agreed upon before finalizing the insurance transaction.  Remember, broker’s fees are in writing, not filed with the state, and are fully negotiable.  If the policy is canceled for any reason, the broker’s fee is generally not refunded.
• Review the territorial provisions of your policy with respect to driving in Canada and Mexico. Generally, Mexico does not recognize liability insurance issued in California.  If you are involved in an accident in Mexico, you are subject to Mexican legal requirements.  Therefore, it is strongly recommended that Mexican insurance be purchased prior to entering that country. Some California issued policies do extend limited physical damage (comprehensive and collision) coverage on vehicles for a limited distance while operating in Mexico.
• Most automobile insurance policies provide coverage for other licensed drivers to drive your vehicle on an occasional basis.  As coverage can extend differently to you as compared with an occasional driver, it is critical to read and understand your policy terms and provisions before allowing others to drive your vehicle. Check with your agent/broker or company for the details. It is a common practice for insurance companies to exclude a driver from your policy for a variety of legitimate reasons under the law.  Such driver exclusions must be stated in the policy or by endorsement.  Your coverage is not valid while a specifically excluded driver is allowed to drive your vehicle.  Be aware of all policy driver restrictions.
• If you anticipate acquiring a new, replacement, or additional vehicle, contact your agent/broker or company prior to taking possession.   It is necessary to determine what coverage will be extended and what coverage will have to be added to your existing policy.  If the new vehicle is financed, also check with the lender for their insurance requirements.
• When renting a vehicle, the automobile rental companies hold the renter responsible under the rental agreement for damage to their vehicle. They normally offer a Damage Waiver at an additional cost.  This is not insurance, but a contractual agreement between the renter and rental company.   Therefore, if a waiver is not purchased, review your own automobile policy to determine if any extension of coverage applies.  Also, determine how the liability coverage afforded by your policy applies in the event you are at fault in an accident with the rented vehicle.
• Personal effects and equipment such as cellular telephones, compact discs, tape players, and recorders that are not permanently installed in the vehicle by the manufacturer generally are not covered, unless specifically declared and added to the policy.