Is Your Car Insurance Giving You a False Sense of Security?

At Brew City Insurance it is our mission to offer customers a truly exceptional insurance buying experience. We provide our customers with the knowledge to choose the best possible insurance products that fulfill their wants and needs. Our friendly, knowledgeable and professional staff will help inspire, problem-solve, and best of all EDUCATE our customers so they can choose the coverage that best fits at a reasonable price.

Car insurance might be giving you a false sense of security. It can cover damage from accidents, vandalism and even meteor strikes. But no matter how good your car insurance policy is, it might not do everything you think it does.

Here are just a few possible issues, along with tips on what to do about them.

1. Custom parts and equipment

If your car is damaged or stolen, auto insurance won’t cover custom parts and equipment that you (not the dealer) added to the vehicle. That can include:

• Technology, such as stereo equipment, TVs, DVD players and in-vehicle communication systems.
• Custom seats, interiors.
• Aesthetic enhancements, such as custom rims, grilles, paint and spoilers.
• Performance enhancements, such as high-performance exhaust systems.
• Wheelchair lifts and other modifications to assist drivers and passengers with disabilities.

What to do?

Call your independent agent. Many insurers offer an inexpensive coverage for optional customized parts and equipment policy.

2. Loss of personal belongings in your car

Comprehensive auto insurance covers your car if it’s stolen or vandalized, but not the items you leave inside. After a break-in your comprehensive coverage would pay to repair your broken window — minus the deductible — but wouldn’t reimburse you for your stolen personal items.

Your best bet is to prevent theft by always locking your car and putting any belongings, especially nav systems, cell phones, computers, and other valuables, in the trunk or out of site, the National Insurance Crime Bureau advises.

What to do?

Your homeowners (or renters) insurance may cover items stolen from your car, provided you file a police report. If the value of the items is less than your deductible, you’ll have to pay the full cost of replacement. Also there are several companies that will cover full glass with NO deductible for a minuscule charge.

3. Bad drivers in the household

Members of your household with bad driving records can raise your car insurance rates. If your family member lives with you and has a less than stellar driving record, your rates can go up. You may even be denied coverage.

Some companies will not let you exclude members of the same household from an auto policy. While other companies will if there is proof that particular person has their own insurance.

What to do?

Ask your independent insurance agent for advice. You’ll likely need to list all members of your household who have driver’s licenses, including roommates, on your policy.

4. Can you pay your car loan if your vehicle is totaled?

Having collision and comprehensive insurance doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in the clear if you total a financed car. In that case, the insurance company will issue a check for the car’s market value (also known as “actual cash value”), minus your deductible. Because of depreciation, the payout could be lower than the amount you owe on the car loan. This is most likely if you made a small down payment and have made three years or fewer of payments on the loan.

What to do?

Gap insurance pays the difference between your insurance claim check and the outstanding loan balance. You can buy a policy through your independent insurance agent.

You might be required to have gap insurance if you lease a car. The car dealer usually provides the coverage, and the cost is included in your lease.

5. Delivering pizzas and other business uses

Standard personal auto insurance covers your commute, but not business uses. Delivering products and transporting people for hire — driving for Uber, for example — are excluded under standard personal policies.

That means your insurer can decline to cover any damage you cause or receive while using your car for business. At worst, your policy might be canceled, even if you only use your car for business part of the time.

What to do?

If you use your car for work, ask your employer when and how much coverage you receive under the company’s policy. If your employer’s insurance doesn’t cover your car, or if you’re self-employed, ask your insurance agent about commercial auto coverage.

In Wisconsin ride-sharing outfits such as Uber and Lyft DO NOT provide drivers commercial coverage. There are a few companies that will cover ride-share drivers. Contact your local independent agent to find one that works for you.

Want to know what your insurance covers?

Brew City Insurance is a great place to start.

Come in to Brew City Insurance for a no-obligation insurance review.

We will make sure you and all your family are safe all year long.

Brew City Insurance Agency Inc. is located at:

2937 S Chicago Ave. in South Milwaukee between Pick N Save and Walgreens.

Stop in today and see what we can do for you!

Or call 414-762-6600 and we can quote you right over the phone.

We have several companies to choose from.

Visit our web page at - http://www.brewcityinsurance.com,

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