Must Do During Hurricane

As Hurricane Irene approaches the East Coast, we have prepared a few helpful safety tips related to your car, which can play a key role in surviving such a natural disaster. 
People will be affected in a wide range of ways from this storm system from direct home damage and power loss, to the interruption of goods and services. The most important tip is knowing that extreme weather is no place for driving. Don’t drive in the storm. Risks such as hydroplaning and striking unexpected submerged objects in deep puddles are too real, and emergency services will have their hands full. Don’t add to their challenges. 
That said, here are some things to consider.

Fill the gas tank. If your county loses power for days, it may be essential to drive to shelter or travel to obtain services. In good weather, that is an easy task, but when millions of other people also need a hotel, the distance you must drive can be considerable. And in the end, you may end up sleeping in the car.
Install new windshield wipers, or at least freshen the existing ones by wiping with a paper towel moistened with window cleaner. In our tests, we have found that simple action can often add months of service.

Check the tire pressure, including the spare tire. When it is time to go, you don’t want a simple flat tire to hold you back. If debris litters the streets, the chance of a tire puncture is much greater.

Pack a go-bag. It is highly recommended that each family member prepare a go-bag. Likewise, you should have a go-bag in the car, with cash, water, food, clothes, and other living essentials in case you have the need to bolt. Should the house sustain significant damage, you can’t count on being able to retrieve everything that you might otherwise want for travel.

Maps. Have paper maps with you, including an evacuation route printed from your state government’s website. A GPS with traffic services can prove valuable, but of course, some traffic information may be compromised by power outages. (Connecticut, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia.)

Car charger. A cell phone can provide a vital lifeline to friends, family, and emergency services. Should the neighborhood lose power, make sure you have a charger in the car to power up your phone.

Check the windows. It seems simple, but it is important. Make sure the windows and sunroof are all closed tight.

Take pictures. This goes for the car, as well as the house. Snap a few before pictures in case you need to prove damage was caused by the storm.

Park the vehicle on high ground, removing the risk of flooding. A water-damaged car is an expensive, disappointing boat anchor.

Protect the garage. In the south, modern homes are built to hurricane codes, with structures and even garage doors engineered to withstand harsh storms. That is not the case for much of the region about to be introduced to Irene. Consider parking your car outside, tight against the garage door—sideways—to block high-speed winds and hopefully preserve the door’s integrity. Should true hurricane-force winds break through the garage door, the storm can do serious structural damage. With an attached garage, that damage can quickly translate to the house.

Insurance paperwork. If possible, keep a copy of the car insurance paperwork in a Ziplock within your go bag. Should the car be damaged, don’t delay calling the insurance company for days. Chances are, you’re not alone. The insurance phone lines will be clogged, and the local repair shops will quickly be booked up.

Evacution. If you decide to drive away from the storm, before the harsh winds arrives, drive safely. Don’t speed, especially in the rain. The faster you drive, the greater the risk of hydroplaning—when water causes a vehicle's tires to lift off the road surface. Stick to major roads. Avoid short cuts, as they are more likely to have problems, especially after the storm (trees down, flooding), and less likely to have emergency workers keeping the road clear. Try to limit the family to one car, so as to minimize road congestion. And stay away from flooded areas and downed power lines. 
With some quick preparation, your car can play a key role in weathering the storm. Good luck.

Save Cash On Your Insurance Rates

Saving money on car insurance is something that everyone in the world … especially right now want to do.  Did you know that it is actually one of the easiest things in the world to do?  Well, I did not until I actually did just a little bit of research.  Below, I am going to explore some of the ways that you can cut the costs on your car insurance premiums and make sure that you get the most of your policy!
One of the first things on my list is going to be do not … I repeat, do not modify your car or truck.  If you are thinking about it, it is going to, in the long run going to catch up with you in the form of a higher car insurance premium.  So make sure that you stay away from the modifying of your car as it will save you a whole lot of money!
The next thing that can save you a lot of money is not filing a claim with you car insurance company if the amount is five hundred and under – to be honest, you can save up to 30% on your car insurance premium by not filing small claims … that’s a lot right?  Stay tuned for more tips and tricks in how to save some cash on your car insurance premiums!

WHAT LEVEL OF AUTO INSURANCE DO YOU NEED?

The level of auto insurance that someone might need depends on the financial circumstances of the individual concerned and the cost of the car involved. Take for example someone who has a brand new $50,000 motor, it would be sheer folly to do anything other than take out one of the best auto insurance policies available and the cost of the auto insurance is likely to be insignificant when considering the overall annual cost of the car.

However, if you have a car that is nearing the end of its life, have a low cost car and previous claims or are a new driver then the cost of the auto insurance versus the benefits you might receive need to be given greater consideration. Comprehensive auto insurance premiums are likely to be disproportionately high for older vehicles, new drivers with low cost autos or drivers with accident history.

Whatever your circumstances you are legally obliged to take out a basic level of auto insurance that will cover you against third party claims and given the level of damages awarded seem to be increasing out of control then my advice would be to get the best possible third party liability auto insurance cover that you can afford.

The legal requirements for auto insurance does vary from state to state so you’ll need to clarify the level of cover you require when taking out auto insurance but only insuring to the legal minimum isn’t necessarily the best choice to make.

If you have a lot of money sunk into your car or your auto is leased then you really should take out comprehensive and collision auto insurance to cover you for things such as fire, theft, acts of god or collisions that are your own fault.

If you live in an area where cars are regularly vandalised you might want to consider comprehensive auto insurance when perhaps you wouldn’t have otherwise done so. The cost of your auto insurance will generally be higher if you live in such an area but that is something you have to weigh up against the cost of repair.

Personal Injury Protection is something that everyone should consider as this element of your auto insurance will cover medical costs associated.
Despite legal requirements some people still persist in driving around without auto insurance leaving the others with a need to insure against the uninsured motorist. Uninsured auto insurance will cover you for damages in the event of an accident with an uninsured motorist. Again, insurance that everyone should give serious consideration to given an auto accident could leave you unable to work or your family without any means to earn.

If you want a more comprehensive auto insurance policy but want to limit the cost then you could look at opting for a higher level of deductibles. Deductibles are the amount you would have to pay before you could make a claim against your auto insurance policy and generally, the higher level you agree to the lower your auto insurance premiums.

source: http://autoinsurance.tucivita.com/what-level-of-auto-insurance-do-you-need/