Car Insurance Myths

At Auto Group Collision, we are here to help our customers with their car insurance claims. The better you understand how to protect and care for your vehicle, the more effectively you can do so, which is why it’s essential for you to have accurate information. This is particularly important when selecting car insurance. The auto insurance market is plagued by myths and misconceptions, which make it harder for drivers to weigh all the financial factors and cover their cars effectively. The following are some of the most common car coverage myths, which you must debunk before you try to select a policy:

MYTH: MINIMUM COVERAGE WILL BE ENOUGH FOR MY CAR INSURANCE.
FACT: MINIMUM COVERAGE PROBABLY WON’T COME CLOSE TO MEETING ALL YOUR NEEDS.

Drivers often assume they only need to get the minimum level of coverage required by law. But such coverage fails to protect you from a whole host of threats to your car. Most standard insurance policies don’t reimburse you if your vehicle is stolen; they also don’t cover damage from fire, floods, hail, tree limbs, or vandalism. All of these problems present a serious threat to both your car and your finances, so getting a comprehensive policy that covers all of them is likely a good investment.

Besides not protecting your car from a variety of serious sources of damage, minimum insurance policies fail to cover commercial driving. Thus if you plan to use your car for business purposes, you should purchase an insurance plan that includes commercial coverage. Supplementary business coverage is especially important if you let employees, contractors, or other business personnel use your car. Make sure your policy covers them, and check their driving records on a regular basis.

MYTH: YOUR CREDIT RATING DOESN’T AFFECT YOUR CAR INSURANCE RATES.
FACT: INSURERS TAKE CREDIT RATINGS INTO ACCOUNT IN MOST STATES.

Most states, including Pennsylvania, allow auto insurers to look at your credit rating when determining your rates. All things being equal, car insurance costs a thousand dollars more per year for someone with poor credit than for someone with excellent credit. Thus if you can improve your credit score, you will achieve quick, tangible savings on auto insurance.

MYTH: THE COLOR OF YOUR CAR AFFECTS THE COST OF CAR INSURANCE, WITH RED CARS BEING THE MOST EXPENSIVE TO COVER.
FACT: COLOR AND COVERAGE COST HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ONE ANOTHER.

Insurance companies base the cost of your premiums on your age, your driving and credit history, and the vehicle’s make, model, age, engine size, and body type. More expensive cars also cost more to insure, and your premiums may go up if you frequently get into accidents or your vehicle becomes a popular target for thieves. But your choice of paint color has nothing to do with how much you’ll pay.

MYTH: WHEN YOU BUY A NEW CAR, IT WILL BE COVERED AUTOMATICALLY AS YOU DRIVE IT OFF THE LOT.
FACT: DIFFERENT INSURERS HAVE DIFFERENT POLICIES FOR COVERING NEW CARS.

It’s true that many auto insurers offer automatic coverage for new cars. Typically, they will provide the same coverage for the new car as the highest level of coverage you have for another vehicle you own. But not all policies do this, so you should always check your insurance agreement rather than taking automatic coverage for granted. And if you don’t already own a car, you have to buy insurance well before you drive your car off the lot or it won’t be covered.

MYTH: IF I STILL HAVE A LOAN ON MY CAR, MY INSURER WILL PAY IT OFF IF THE VEHICLE IS TOTALED.
FACT: IT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE OF THE LOAN AND THE VALUE OF YOUR CAR.

In the event of a catastrophic accident, most insurance policies will reimburse you for the full market value of your car, which is the amount it was worth when you bought it minus any value it has lost through depreciation. But if you owe more than that on the vehicle, you’ll have to pay off the difference yourself. Say your car’s fair market value is $10,000; if you have an $8,000 loan, you’re covered, but if the loan is $12,000, you will need to pay $2,000. The only exception is if you purchase GAP coverage, which reimburses you for the difference between the car’s fair market value and the loan.

MYTH: TO KEEP MY INSURANCE PREMIUMS LOW, I SHOULDN’T REPORT ACCIDENTS WHEN THEY HAPPEN.
FACT: IF YOU DON’T REPORT AN ACCIDENT, THE OTHER DRIVER WILL.

If you get into a crash with another car, you might think that your insurer can’t raise your premiums if they don’t know about it. But when the other driver reports the accident and demands compensation for injuries or auto damage, their insurer will contact yours to demand this compensation. Likewise, if a traffic cop gives you a ticket for the crash, that will go on your driving record, thereby driving your premiums up. So not only do you end up paying more anyway, but you make yourself look like a dishonest and risky driver. It is thus always better to report your accidents immediately.

Auto Group Collision in Brooklyn, NY is Here to Assist with Your Car Insurance Claims

Since 2004 Auto Group Collision has been providing the people of Brooklyn and surrounding areas with the highest quality of collision repair and auto body repair service. We established a trusted collision center that takes customer from the initial estimate to the completion of repair to getting you back into your car and in the driver’s seat while working closely with your insurance company.

Dealing with an automobile collision is traumatic enough without having to worry about filing insurance claims.  We know that each insurance company has its own procedures, and we’re here to assist you with the insurance company transactions.  We provide the information they require regarding the collision repairs, as we guide you through the entire process of dealing with all the paperwork.

We accept all insurance estimates and work with all insurance companies.  Auto Body Collision wants you to be a satisfied policy holder, so we’ve established relationships with all the region’s major insurance companies.  Working directly with your insurance company, we’re able to start repairs immediately while also often helping speed up the insurance adjuster’s inspection and approval.

As soon as the work is approved, the parts are ordered. To expedite the work, when parts are received they are put into a bin, which only holds parts for one particular job. This type of care and orderliness insures your vehicle is repaired using only authorized parts.

Auto Body Collision works with your insurance company, estimating damage, handling your claim, and negotiating with the insurance company to make sure your repairs are done properly and swiftly.

Has your car been in a collision or minor fender bender? If your vehicle has received body, frame or paint damage, call Auto Group Collision at (718) 449-4616 and see how we can help! Contact us now to for a FREE ESTIMATE!