Nocita Carter's Blog

Will I Be Able To Rent A Vehicle Using My Insurance Coverage After A Car Accident?

This would depend on if you selected rental coverage for your policy.  Of course, you must purchase this coverage prior to the accident occurring for it to be effective.  Most insurance companies offer this coverage for their Insureds.  In most instances there is a basic rental rate per day for this type of coverage up to a maximum number of days specified by your insurance policy.  For example, you may have rental coverage that pays a rate of twenty five dollars a day with a maximum of thirty days allowed for your rental vehicle coverage. You may want to find out from your insurance carrier if the rental rate is inclusive of the sales tax charged as a component of your rental billing. 

It is noted that if you rent a vehicle that exceeds the rental coverage amount you are allowed per day by your insurance carrier, you will be responsible for the difference.  In addition, keep in mind that most insurance companies will not pay for the CDW(collision deductible waiver) and fuel charge that rental companies may charge as additional items on the rental invoice.

If you are involved in an accident with a rental vehicle, you are responsible for paying your deductible for the repair of this vehicle as though it were your own vehicle if you have collision coverage and meet other conditions specified in your policy with your insurance carrier.  However, there may be some exceptions to this if you have violated the rental agreement by allowing a driver that is not listed on the rental contract to drive the rental vehicle.  This is the same as not having insurance, unless that particular driver has their own  insurance  policy to cover the rental vehicle if it is involved in an accident.  Don’t take that risk! Make sure that when you sign the rental contract that you list all individuals that you plan to drive the rental vehicle.  In addition, make sure that the drivers that use your rental vehicle are licensed so you can avoid any potential problems if the driver of your rental vehicle is involved in an accident. The consequences of not ensuring that the drivers listed on the rental contract can be very costly to you if an accident occurs.

It is also important to understand that if you are renting a large truck for moving purposes it may not be covered via your insurance policy.  In many instances trucks used for moving do not meet the weight specifications indicated in your policy to make your collision coverage applicable to an accident you may become involved in with this vehicle.  Review your policy regarding this information and consider discussing this with your  insurance  agent or carrier prior to renting a large truck for moving to find out whether or not there is coverage under your policy.  If it is determined that the moving truck is not covered, most facilities where you rent moving trucks have a special insurance policy that provides coverage if you were involved in a vehicle accident. You would be required to pay for the cost of this special insurance policy for the time you are renting the moving truck.

Keep yourself informed and apprised of important information concerning your rental vehicle coverage with your  insurance  carrier, you will be glad you did in the long run.

What Happens If I Have an Accident and The Other Person Does Not Have Insurance?

Hopefully when you obtained your vehicle insurance policy, you opted for Collision coverage and Uninsured Motorist Coverage protection.  In most instances when you apply for your vehicle insurance you are given the option to select Uninsured Motorist Coverage protection.  If you elect not to carry this coverage your insurance company may request that you sign a waiver indicating that you are denying this particular coverage as part of your vehicle insurance policy contract.

If your insurance carrier determines that the other driver caused the accident and has no insurance coverage of their own this person would be considered as uninsured. In most instances your collision coverage or Uninsured Motorist Property Damage coverage may take care of the damages sustained to your vehicle.  In addition, if you or passengers in your vehicle sustained injuries and you opted for Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage, you and your passengers will be able to have your injury claims handled by your insurance  carrier as well. 

 
The Uninsured Motorist protection for your policy, replaces the liability coverage the other party did not carry with a vehicle  insurance  carrier as required by their state’s liability insurance responsibility laws.  After your Uninsured Motorist claim is resolved, your insurance company will usually go after the responsible uninsured party for the damages paid out via your policy for the accident.

Rules To Consider When You Date

You’re probably wondering are there really rules when you date someone? The answer to this question is yes.  There are some things you should do when you’re on a date and some things you should not do when you’re dating someone.  So, are you wondering what the do’s and don’ts are when you go on a date? The following tips may assist you with staying on track with your date to avoid potential mishaps:

Tip One:

On your first date, meet in a public place until you get to know the person you’re dating.  Great places to meet are the following:  museum, coffee house, restaurant, park, etc…  I think you get the picture.

Tip Two:

Be on time for your date.  Remember first impressions make lasting impressions.  If you’re not able to meet your date on time let your date know in advance to avoid potential problems.

Tip Three:

Dress to impress and look your very best.

Tip Four: 

Relax and be yourself.  Be sure to maintain honesty and truthfulness with the person you  date.

Tip Five:

Be sure to put your cell phone away while you’re on your date.  You will also want to avoid answering your cell phone and texting.  Consider putting your cell phone on vibrate to avoid distractions.

Tip Six:

Avoid being rude and getting intoxicated while on your date.  Remember first impressions are lasting impressions.

Tip Seven:

Try to have fun and enjoy yourself with your date.

Tip Eight:

If you determine that you’re not interested in the person you date, just let them know truthfully, respectfully and gently about how you feel.

Tip Nine:

You may want to consider not giving out too much personal information about yourself during your initial date.  Take your time, slow it down and get to know the person you  date.

Tip Ten:

Stay safe while you date.  Remember your safety is very important.  If you’re not comfortable with something while you’re on a date just don’t do it.

Tip Eleven:

If you find out the person you date is married it’s time for you to walk away.  You will probably save yourself unnecessary grief and sorrow in the long run by doing this.

Tip Twelve:

Remember to compliment your date.  That’s right, both women and men love compliments on their appearance from the person they date. 

So, as you can see there are some rules you may want to consider when you date.  You’re now armed with information that can help you along the way in your quest to  date  that special someone.

Looking To Improve Your Family Finances?

Alice was at home reviewing the monthly household bills on her desk.  She and her husband Mark had been living in their home for six years and they were the proud parents of three lovely children.  Alice was worried because for the past few months her family seemed to struggle with keeping their finances on track.  As she reviewed the household bills she wondered to herself how she and her husband could go about improving their family finances.  Well Alice you may want to consider some of these tips to assist your family with improving your finances:

Tip One:

Consider having a meeting with your entire family to discus your family finances.  Discuss your family’s financial goals when you meet.  Try to have each member of your family become an active participant in improving your family’s finances.  Keep in mind each member of your family has an important role in keeping your family on track to improving your family’s finances.  The earlier your children start learning about finances the more educated and knowledgeable they will become about handling their own personal finances for the future.

Tip Two: 

Schedule bi-weekly or monthly meetings with your family to keep everyone abreast of how all of you are doing to improve your family finances.  Be open to new ideas and adjustments that may be needed to improve your family finances along the way.  This will assist your family in accomplishing the financial goals you have established for yourselves.

Tip Three:

Try writing down all of your family expenses and income for a couple of months to see where your money goes.  This may assist you with tracking your expenses to determine if changes are needed to your  family budget.

Tip Four:

Before you buy an item consider your family first.  Make sure the item you are thinking about purchasing is something that your family really needs and you have already budgeted for this particular expenditure.  Remember to also determine whether or not the purchase you are considering is really a need instead of something you want.

Tip Five:

Consider teaching your children the importance of saving their money, planning and budgeting for items they are looking to purchase.

Tip Six:

Make sure that your spouse or significant other is aware of where important documents are kept, location and information on all financial accounts, safety deposit box location, employment information, etc…  You both want to ensure that you are fully prepared to handle personal and family affairs if a traumatic event occurs such as a death or some type of permanent disability.  A traumatic event could be worse without having knowledge of important information you may need to know in case of a traumatic situation.  Just ensure that you both are prepared just in case this happens to you.

So, Alice is ready to get started in discussing the  family finances  with her husband Mark and their children.  She believes that by using these tips her family will be well on their way to improving their family financial goals.

 

Thinking About Buying Auto Insurance?

 

Are you in the process of buying a vehicle? Planning on switching your auto insurance to another company? Know a family member or friend that is looking to purchase auto insurance? Or, maybe you’re thinking about buying auto insurance for yourself? If you have answered yes to any of these questions then you may want to consider these tips before purchasing vehicle insurance:

 

Tip One:

Review your driving history for any prior tickets you may have by securing a copy of your driving record via your local department of motor vehicles.  Keep in mind that when you apply for auto insurance your driving record will be reviewed by your prospective insurance carrier.  In addition, in many instances your credit report will be reviewed as well.  After this information is checked by the insurance company a determination will be made as to whether or not they will insure you and if so, you will be advised of the amount for your insurance premium.

 

Tip Two: 

Shop around and compare vehicle insurance rates from different companies.  You may want to also ask your family or friends for a recommendation concerning their auto insurance companies. 

Check to see if the  insurance  company offers discounts such as; multi car discount, good driving record discount, non smoker discount, good grade discount for a student, and any other discounts while you’re shopping around for vehicle insurance.

 

Tip Three:

Consider getting higher deductibles for your collision and comprehensive coverages in order to reduce your overall vehicle insurance rate. 

If you have an older vehicle you may want to consider eliminating collision and comprehensive coverage for that vehicle and only carry liability insurance coverage as required by your state.  Talk to your insurance company concerning the best options for your insurance needs in reference to vehicle coverages.

 

Tip Four:

Many auto insurance companies offer the following options to pay your insurance:  monthly, semi-monthly, quarterly and annually. Discuss with your insurance carrier the payment option that best fits your needs and budget. 

Tip Five: 

Once you’ve decided on an auto insurance company make sure to read your entire policy to ensure that you have the insurance coverage that you need for your vehicle.  In addition, make sure that you understand your policy after reading it and if you do not understand your insurance policy, consider discussing your concerns or questions with your insurance  company before you sign your documents.

You do not want any surprises later on down the line if you happen to have a vehicle accident and find out that coverage you thought you had via your policy you do not have at all.  So, read your policy in full and make sure you understand the vehicle coverages you have before you take that important leap of getting vehicle insurance, you’ll be glad you did in the long run.

Tip Six:

Be sure to maintain a good driving record and credit history.  It is noted that the majority of insurance companies review this information especially at the time your policy is up for renewal to determine if you are still insurable and if so the amount of money you will be paying for your insurance. 

As you research vehicle insurance companies to determine the company that will fit your needs, you may want to consider using some of these tips to assist you with your quest in selecting the insurance  company that is right for you.

Looking To Get Organized?

 

Do you have clothes piling up in your home? Unopened mail overflowing on your kitchen counter? Household cleaning left undone? Other items cluttering your home? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you may be looking to get yourself organized.  You’re possibly saying to yourself that sounds great, but, you’re really not sure how to do this.  Well, you may want to consider these  tips  to get you started with getting yourself organized:

 

Tip One: 

Make organizing simple and easy by creating a daily To Do List.  It is recommended that you consider writing or typing your To Do List on a regular daily planner calendar or consider an electronic daily calendar.  This will be helpful in assisting you in staying on track with your tasks and chores that you want to achieve on a daily basis. 

 

Tip Two:

It is recommended that you create your daily To Do List on a weekly basis.  For example, if you wanted to start your daily list to run Monday through Sunday, just be sure to create your new To Do List for the following week either the Saturday or Sunday prior to your current To Do List ending.  Just ensure that your daily list is easy for you to create and is flexible to your needs.

The daily list that you create can be based on things you need to do at your home, chores errands, etc…, that you want to accomplish on a daily basis. Just try to be as accurate as possible in creating your To Do List.  You will find that as you continue to create your daily list, this will reinforce your efforts to stay organized.  In the long run it will be easier for you stay on track of your daily chores and tasks.

Tip Three:

Follow through on completing the tasks and goals you have set for yourself on your daily list.  You may want to consider checking off the items on your list as you have completed them as reinforcement of your accomplishment for that particular day.  If you find that you are unable to complete a task or chore for a certain day, then you may want to consider readjusting your weekly schedule to reschedule this item on another day.  Just be sure that you allow yourself some flexibility for needed changes in your To Do List in order for you go stay on track with your organizing goals.

Tip Four:

Schedule certain chores or tasks that you do consistently on a weekly basis on certain days of the week that you may think are the most likely days these items can be accomplished.  For instance, you may want to schedule your grocery shopping and laundry days for the same day each week.  It is likely that you complete certain chores and tasks on a weekly basis. 

Tip Five:

You may want to consider doing proactive maintenance at your home.  This means to clean and pick-up items in your home on a daily basis.  It’s so much easier in the long run for you to keep things tidy and organized at your home if you consistently stay in the habit of doing this.  By the way this also includes going through your mail on a regular basis to reduce clutter in and around your home.  In the long run you will be glad that you incorporated this method as part of keeping yourself organized. 

Tip Six:

Consider setting up a filing system to organize your paperwork at home.  You may find by organizing your documents that you may be able to access information more quickly and easier. 

Stay persistent, consistent and on track of keeping yourself organized.  Ensure that the organizing system you have established for yourself is easy, flexible and user friendly in order for you to continue keeping yourself  organized  to accomplish your goals.

Do You Really Want To Let Your Friend Or Relative Drive Your Vehicle?

Yes that’s right you may want to really think about this question.  Slow down, breathe, relax and count to ten.  Breathe, relax, take a few minutes and really think about how you will answer this question.  Ask yourself does your vehicle insurance cover your friend or relative if you allow that person to use your vehicle? Are you still hesitant about how to answer this question? Then you may want to consider what occurred in the following scenario:

Jason was relaxing on a warm summer day at his home when he heard a knock at his door.  He looked out his window and there was his favorite aunt standing on his front door step. Jason opened up his front door excited to see his Aunt Sally.  After speaking to his aunt for a few minutes she asked him if she could borrow his vehicle to go to their local mall.  His aunt had explained to him that her vehicle was in for repair and she needed to run to the mall to pick up a pair shoes before her evening dinner date.  Jason agreed to allow his aunt to use his vehicle for her errand.  He gave her the keys to his vehicle without a second thought and she headed off for the mall and Jason resumed his relaxation and enjoyment of the beautiful summer day.

After a couple of hours Jason was awaken from a deep afternoon nap by the loud ringing of his telephone.  He answered his phone and to his astonishment his Aunt Sally was screaming into the telephone to tell him that she was just in an accident  with his brand new Corvette that he had loaned her to go to the mall.  His aunt told him that the accident happened when she made her left turn to exit the mall parking lot.  Jason was in a state of shock, he just could not believe what had just occurred.  He tried to stay calm while giving his aunt his vehicle insurance information to provide to the police and the other person involved in the accident.  Jason tried to console his aunt who was very apologetic for wrecking his vehicle by telling her that his insurance would be able to pay for the damages she caused.

Jason concluded his telephone conversation with his aunt and called his insurance company.  After speaking with his insurance company while filing his claim, he discovered that there was no insurance coverage for his vehicle.  His claims adjuster told him that since his Aunt Sally was driving his vehicle and she was not listed on his policy as a driver that there was no coverage being provided for damages sustained in this accident. 

He found out that his vehicle policy excludes coverage for any driver not listed on his vehicle policy from driving his vehicle.  There was a clause in Jason’s policy wherein permissive drivers were not allowed to drive his vehicle. It did not matter that Jason gave his aunt permission to use his vehicle this was not allowed by his  insurance policy.  Unfortunately for Jason, he would have no coverage for his Corvette or the other person’s vehicle damaged in the accident with his aunt.

After hearing this awful news from his insurance company Jason was upset because he thought he had full coverage to cover him and anyone else that he allowed to drive his vehicle.  He then reviewed his vehicle policy and discovered after reading the fine print that he in fact was not allowed to let anyone else drive his vehicle and if he did there would be no insurance coverage for his vehicle or the other vehicle(s) involved in an accident with his vehicle. 

Jason thought to himself, what in the world was he thinking when he loaned out his vehicle to his aunt.  Unfortunately for Jason, he was stuck paying for the repair for his own vehicle and the other party’s vehicle involved in the accident with his aunt.  In addition, he also found out later from his Aunt Sally that she did not carry insurance  coverage on her own personal vehicle so there would be no possible insurance recovery for the accident via her policy. 

Wow, Jason learned a costly lesson about loaning out his vehicle.  So, before you consider loaning your vehicle to a relative or friend, make sure your vehicle policy covers them and they have the same amount of coverage that you have when you are driving your vehicle. 

Review your vehicle policy and contact your insurance carrier before you make a decision to loan out your vehicle if you are unsure of how your policy protects you if you loan out your vehicle to a relative or friend.  You will be glad you made this decision in the long run and you may be able to avoid being in Jason’s shoes.

How Can I Dispute A Debt That Does Not Belong To Me?

 

Jennifer completed a credit application at a local vehicle dealership near her home.  She is ecstatic that she has saved enough money for a down payment to purchase her first vehicle. It took Jennifer several months to save the money she needed to purchase a vehicle to solve her transportation dilemma.  She commuted several hours daily on a bus to work and school and now she had the opportunity to cut her commute time significantly by securing a vehicle of her own. 

 

After Jennifer completed her credit application for her vehicle loan, the finance manager ordered her credit report and provided Jennifer with the outcome of her credit history.  The finance manager told Jennifer about a delinquent credit card that appeared on her credit report.  Jennifer was unaware of the credit card that was listed on her report.  In fact, this credit card did not even belong to her.  Unfortunately this credit card created a negative impact to her overall credit rating making it difficult for her to obtain financing for the vehicle she wanted to purchase.

 

Jennifer left the car dealership furious and upset that she was turned down for her vehicle loan because of the credit card that appeared erroneously on her credit report.  She decided that she would dispute the credit card charge listed on her report, but, she was unsure how she would go about doing this.  Well Jennifer, you may want to consider using these tips to dispute the credit card listed on your credit report:

 

Tip One:

Call the credit card company or creditor listed on your credit report and dispute the credit charges.  During your telephone conversation with the company representative secure their name, and mailing address for the company.

 

Tip Two:

Send a certified letter to the credit company confirming the telephone conversation you had with their representative and that you are disputing the charges applied to your credit.  Request that the creditor send you written information concerning the charges applied to your credit and the name of the original creditor.  Be sure to ask the creditor to remove the erroneous charge from all your credit reports and provide confirmation of when they anticipate this will be done to restore your credit. 

 

In the interim while you’re awaiting a written response from the creditor on this disputed credit charge listed on your credit report, the creditor or debt collector must report your dispute to the credit bureaus.  Keep in mind that it may take some time for the creditor to investigate your disputed credit charge.  Just be sure to follow-up with the creditor if you believe it is taking too long for a response to your request.

 

  

Tip Three:

Review all three of your credit reports (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian) to monitor any erroneous charges that may appear.  Follow-up with creditors on charges that do not belong to you to have this information investigated for removal from you credit reports.  You may want to consider ordering a copy of your credit reports annually for free at annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228.

 

Tip Four:

Continue to follow-up with the creditor on your dispute until the matter is resolved and your credit is restored.  Ensure that this information has been updated with all three credit bureaus to reflect your updated credit standing.

 

Tip Five:

If you continue to have problems with the creditor in getting your credit issue resolved you may want to consider contacting a non profit credit counseling service or legal counsel.

 

Tip Six:

Make sure you do not pay for debt that does not belong to you.  This may negatively impact your overall credit for several years.

 

Jennifer was now ready and armed with information to proceed with disputing the credit card listed on her credit report.  She felt confident that she would be able to get her credit issue resolved in order for her to purchase a vehicle.

Going On A Blind Date?

Kim was at home relaxing after working earlier during the day at her job.  She decided to playback her telephone messages on her answering machine.  As she was listening to her messages she came across a message from Gerald.  Gerald was a guy that Kim had been chatting with via an internet dating website for the past five months.  She had never met Gerald in person. 

She replayed Gerald’s telephone message several times trying to decide what she should do.  Gerald seemed like a nice guy, but Kim was not sure if she should go on a blind date with him.  He had left a message wanting to know if she would go out with him.  After thinking about Gerald’s message, Kim decided to return Gerald’s call and agree to go on a blind date with him.  Kim wondered how the two of them would go about getting the ball rolling for their date.  Well Kim, you and Gerald may want to consider some of the following tips for your blind date:

Tip One: 

Plan to meet your blind date at a public place such as; a restaurant, coffee shop, museum, art gallery, etc…  Just make your first date simple and easy with no strings attached.

Tip Two: 

Make a great impression on your blind date by dressing appropriately for your date.  That’s right, dress to impress.  You may only get one chance to make a lasting impression for your date, so do your best.  

Tip Three: 

Just be the person you really are.  Meaning the real you is the person your date  would like to see and hear. Keep in mind most people are looking for honesty, truth and realness in relationships. The person you date should know who you really are so there are no surprises later on down the line if the person you date becomes a permanent mate.

Tip Four: 

Get your conversation started with topics you think may be interesting to you and your blind date.  For example, you could talk about current news events, hobbies, entertainment or sports.  This is a good way for the both of you to break the ice on your date.

Tip Five: 

Let a family member or friends know who, when and where you’re going on your blind date for your safety.  Keep in mind you do not know the person you’re going on a date with and your safety should be a primary goal when you date.

Tip Six: 

Enjoy yourself, relax and have fun with your date. Kim was now confident she had some ideas on how she and Gerald would handle their blind date. 

By using some of these tips Kim felt she would enjoy her date and hopefully if everything went well on her blind date she would be well on her way to more dates  with Gerald.   

How Do I Manage My Money As A College Student?

 

Many college students face this question on a daily basis.  There are many college students that are on a tight budget and are unsure of how they will be able to make their money spread to cover their expenses while their attending school. 

 

So, you’re probably wondering how can I manage my money as a college student? Well, you can consider using some of these tips to help you manage your money while you’re attending college:

 

Tip One:

Consider setting up a budget that includes all of your income such as:  college scholarships, grants, student loans, monies received from parents, relatives, friends; earnings you may receive from a job, etc…. 

You will also want to add all of your expenses to your budget which may include the following:  tuition, housing fees, college book expenses, utility bills, internet and phone expenses, food, laundry, etc… Try to break down your budget based on how you attend college on either a semester or quarterly basis.

 

Tip Two:

Track your spending.  It’s important to stay abreast of how you’re spending your money to make any adjustments you may need to make along the way.  Remember those lattes, pizzas, extra snacks and miscellaneous expenses could really add up over time.

 

Tip Three:

Monitor and watch the spending on your credit cards if you have any.  Use credit cards and credit sparingly.  Keep in mind you don’t need to max out your credit lines just because you can.  It’s probably a good idea when you use your credit card to be prepared to pay it off as soon as possible after incurring the expense to your credit.

 

Tip Four:

Consider purchasing your college books online instead of your college bookstore.  That’s right, compare prices.  You may find that it is much cheaper purchasing your text books online.  Check to see if your college textbooks are available at Amazon, Ebay’s Half.com or other college textbook online store websites.  Just make sure you have secured the title of your college  textbook, author name and edition you will be using for your college classes.

 

You may want to consider looking at purchasing used college textbooks to save you money as well while you’re going to school.  In many cases you can find college textbooks that are used and in great condition that may save you lots of money in the long run instead of purchasing a brand new book. There may also be an option for you to rent your college textbooks as well.  This is becoming a new avenue for college students these days, so consider checking into this online or via your school.  Just be sure to determine whether or not it will be cheaper for you to rent your book or just purchase a used college textbook that you can either keep or sale back via your school or the online textbook store you purchased your book from or elsewhere.

 

Tip Five: 

Keep an emergency fund by saving your change.  Yes by saving your change this can assist you with having an emergency fund if something important comes up and you need extra money.  The easiest way to have an emergency fund on a tight college budget is by saving your change. 

 

Tip Six:

Pay your bills timely and consider setting up a payment calendar to notate when your bills are due.  By paying your bills timely this will assist you in building and maintaining your credit while you’re attending college.  You will probably find that by having a payment calendar this may provide you with visual reinforcement of when your bills are due.  Consider using either a paper or electronic calendar.

 

Tip Seven:

Be sure to use your student id to get all the discounts you’re entitled to as a college student.  You will be surprised at the amount of money you can save as a student.  By the way, don’t be afraid to ask if a student discount is offered at the places you go.

 

Tip Eight:

If you’re having difficulty meeting your college expenses don’t be afraid to ask for help from your parents, relatives, friends or your college financial aid department.  It’s better to ask for help then not to ask.  You will never know what help may be available to you if you don’t ask for it. 

 

Tip Nine:

Make sure to add into your budget a little room for some fun money.  That’s right, everyone needs to have a little fun and enjoy themselves sometime by taking in a movie, dinner, concert, etc… I think you get the picture, just have some fun.

 

These are some of the ways you can consider managing your money as a college student. So, go ahead and get started today with managing your college money, you will probably be glad you did in the long run.