Adjustments That You Should Consider for Your Auto Insurance Policy

An auto insurance policy should not be a static line of coverage. After all, your life changes; medical and liability expenses that can accompany an accident change too.
Considering changes to your life happen in the blink of an eye, you should make an effort annually to adjust your auto policy to ensure that it is as effective and accurate as you need it to be.

Annual Adjustments to Your Auto Policy You Should Consider

Average annual miles driven: Your insurance carrier requires an average of how many miles you drive per year in order to assess the risk you pose to them. Every year, make sure you report any major changes to them.

Take advantage of applicable discounts: You may receive discounts when you add anti-theft measures to your car, such as security alarms and wheel locking devices. You may also receive additional discounts for taking defensive driving classes. Prior to your annual renewal, consider which of these discounts you may qualify for and discuss them with your agent.

Add uninsured motorist rider: Without uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, you could be stuck with some major bills after an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist. If you don’t already have uninsured or underinsured motorist, then you need to consider adding it to your policy.

Adjust your limits: You know that you set limits for your risk exposure with your agent when you initially purchased your policy; but, when was the last time you reviewed your risk exposure with your agent? With the rising cost of medical care, as well as possible changes in your driving habits, you may need to increase your limits to help reduce your exposure. As you’re also aware, cars and other personal property are only getting more expensive; another important reason to keep a tight rein on your limits.

Change your deductibles: Your ability to support your deductible may change from year to year. In lean years, you may have fewer savings to commit to a deductible, and as you pay off debt you might find you have more disposable income to put toward that responsibility. Keeping your deductible at an accurate level for your budget will help to control your risk exposure and your premium.

The next time your auto policy is coming up for renewal, remember these tips and update your policy so that it works with your current life and not the one you had when you originally took out the policy. Call us today at 866-933-6691 for more information about which auto insurance policy is right for you or get a free Tampa auto insurance quote.

JG

Tampa Boat Insurance Coverage Fundamentals

The freedom of being out on the Tampa Bay water is incomparable for boat owners.  Whether you’re boating in a bay or the deep blue ocean, it feels as there are boundless possibilities. Don’t let this freedom allow you to forget about boat insurance. You have an obligation to your family as well as to other boaters to carry insurance that protects you and them from financial liabilities.

Here are some coverage and policy options to consider for when you decide to buy boat insurance, as not all policies are created equal.
Some things to consider include:

1. What nautical area do you need your insurance to cover?
2. Should you get coverage for oil spills? If your watercraft leaks oil then you are responsible for the cleanup costs even if you don’t have coverage.
3. Do you need coverage for the personal items on board?
4. Do you need coverage for equipment such as anchors, water skis and other unattached tools and recreational toys?

Next you need to clarify what you want covered in terms of value.
There are two choices here,

i. agreed value which is the amount you agree on -stated in the insurance policy, or

ii. actual value which is the actual value of your watercraft and may not be enough to replace it if there has been some deterioration.

How to keep your boat insurance policy affordable
Lastly, bear in mind that there are ways to lower your monthly premiums of your boat insurance. Official boat safety program training and certificates for such can be very useful in reducing your premiums. Similarly you can have the coast guard perform boat safety checks to reduce costs. Installing safety devices like a GPS and choosing a proper marina for docking your boat can also help.

Your boat insurance policy guarantees that you and your family will remain financially secure even after an expensive claim. It will also allow you to continue boating after a natural disaster or other insurable incident. Having the right policy will enhance that feeling freedom while you’re out on the water. Call us today to discuss your options for Tampa Boat Insurance at (813) 933-6691.

America's Fire Insurance History

The Great Fire of London in 1666 was responsible for the destruction of over 13,000 homes and 87 churches. This enormous blaze also caused the displacement of over 70,000 residents. While it was mostly poverty stricken residents who were affected by the fire itself, the disaster had some major fall out that affected the entire country economically. After the fire, the number of homeless people increased exponentially, businesses lost both customers and workers, and disputes arose over whose responsibility it was to pay for damages and rebuilding.

The Great Fire of London pointed out the need for some insurance to help individuals recover from this type of disaster. Many different fire insurance schemes were attempted after the disaster, but they weren’t particularly well thought out and eventually, they failed. Marine insurance was the only real functioning type of insurance at this time, and it was used as a model to develop a successful and functional fire insurance company in England in 1681.

In 1732, an insurance company in the United States issued the first fire insurance policy, but it still didn’t really catch on. Benjamin Franklin was a giant proponent of fire insurance and, in 1752 he created Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire, a company that refused to offer fire insurance to owners of buildings that were high risk. Unfortunately, that included wooden houses, which left an enormous portion of the population without protection.

Continue reading "America's Fire Insurance History" or contact us at (813) 933-6691 to learn more about Tampa home insurance.

What to Do If You Have Been in an Auto Accident

Auto accidents are unexpected and even the most careful drivers may be involved. The sad truth is that most of us will be involved in an auto accident at some point in our lives. Even if you are not injured, there are certain things that you should and should not do.

Stay At the Scene

If you are in an accident involving bodily injury or substantial damage to property, do not leave the accident scene until the police tell you to do so.  If you are unsure whether the damage or injury is “substantial”, stay there and let the police decide.  Leaving the scene of an accident can result in driver’s license sanctions and even criminal charges.

If you are on the roadway, turn your flashers on, or use flares to warn approaching traffic.

Do not Admit Fault

Even if you think you are at fault, do not admit liability.  There may be factors you are not aware of that played a role in the accident which could determine the other driver was more at fault than you. Therefore, avoid discussing who is at fault in the accident.

Obtain Relevant Information

In any accident, you should obtain the following information:

• The other driver: Name, address, driver’s license number, insurance information and license plate number.
• Witnesses: Names, addresses, and telephone numbers.
• Police officers:  Ask the police officer(s) who investigate the traffic scene to provide you with a business card and an “incident number”. 
• The accident:  If possible take notes about how the accident occurred, such as the direction of travel of the vehicles involved and what the cars were doing at the time of the collision.
• The location:  You may wish to take notes about and/or pictures where the accident happened; speed limits, the road conditions, the weather, traffic control devices and the lighting.

Continue reading "What to Do If You Have Been in an Auto Accident" or contact us at (813) 933-6691 to learn more about Tampa auto insurance.

What is a Certificate of Insurance?

Insurance of all kinds is generally intangible. Whether you are talking about auto insurance, life insurance, home insurance or flood insurance--you can’t hold insurance and you can’t sense it. Upon entering a car or premise, you won’t even know insurance is “present” unless someone tells you.

Generally, it doesn’t matter that you can’t touch, feel or sense an insurance policy. As the insured you pay your premium when it is due and you know that, should disaster strike, your policy will be useful. You have proof of your payments and somewhere, where you store your most important documents, a copy of a policy.

But there are times when you need some sort of physical proof that you are insured and if you don’t have a policy or if you need something with a current date proving that you are still consistently paying your premium, it is then that a certificate of insurance is a useful tool.

The Certificate of Insurance

A certificate of insurance is a document issued by an insurer that discloses details about your insurance coverage. It can disclose the owner of the policy’s information, information about the insured property or person (for life insurance policy) as well as the amount of insurance and the incidents that are covered.

Continue reading "What is a Certificate of Insurance?"
or contact us at (813) 933-6691 to learn more about Tampa Insurance.

Understanding Health Insurance Terms - Tampa, Florida

The overall idea of health insurance is easy to comprehend but behind is a complex product that you should understand in order to get the best product for you.

Health Insurance Terminology

Benefit: Health insurance benefits are financial terms and parameters of the services that are covered under your health insurance policy.

COBRA: The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) ensures group health insurance participants that they can continue receiving coverage under a group policy for a limited period of time after leaving the group. The COBRA act also protects dependents in the event that the group member dies or divorces them. This is exclusively helpful to individuals who are uninsurable or highly rated as a result of pre-existing conditions.

Coinsurance: Coinsurance is a percentage that the insured pays after the deductible has been met and does not generally exceed 20% of the cost of the procedure, treatment or visit.

Copayment: After your deductible has been reached, or in an insurance policy with no deductible, there is a flat fee that you must pay for the services you receive each time you receive them. This is called copayment.

Deductible: The deductible is the amount of money you must pay before your insurance company will begin paying any benefit.

Exclusions: The exclusions are any medical condition, illness or injury whose medical expenses are not included for coverage under the plan and that sometimes are referred to as riders.

Explanation of Benefits (EOB): Your insurance company will send you an accounting of all the procedures you had, the cost of the procedures and the amount the insurer paid for them under your policy. This is called EOB.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): The HIPAA governs the electronic privacy standards of health insurers and guarantees insurability after COBRA coverage ends as long as there has been continuous creditable coverage without a break of 63 days or longer (this number can vary depending on your state of residence).

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO): Health insurance ‘works’ because there is a network of medical facilities and doctors willing to perform services at the predetermined insurance company’s rate and to bill the insurance company for payment. When you have an HMO plan, you have a restricted network that you can visit for treatment. If you visit anyone outside that network there will be no insurance benefit paid against your claim and any out-of-pocket expenses will not be considered as part of your deductible.

Pre-existing conditions: If you were diagnosed with a chronic illness or injury before you became insured, this is considered a pre-existing condition. In group insurance, pre-existing conditions can be excluded in most states if you had a 63-day or longer gap in creditable coverage. Individual policies can exclude pre-existing conditions in most states whether or not there has been a gap in coverage. Some pre-existing conditions can even render the consumer uninsurable.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO): A PPO is similar to an HMO, but they offer a minimal benefit if you decide to visit a healthcare provider or facility outside the network of medical facilities and doctors.

To learn more about Health Insurance contact us today (813) 933-6691 or get a quote.

Tampa Auto Insurance

Auto Insurance

Why do you need auto insurance?

It's really all about protecting yourself financially.

• If you're in an accident or your car is stolen, it costs money, often a lot of money, to fix or replace it.
• If you or any passengers are injured in an accident, medical costs can be extremely expensive.
• If you or your car is responsible for damage or injury to others, you may be sued for much more than you're worth.
• Not only is having insurance a prudent financial decision, many states require you to have at least some coverage. 

Questions to ask your agent

Your Independent Agent is an advocate for finding auto insurance that meets your specific needs. Here are a few things to consider as you prepare for the discussion:

• How much can you afford to pay if you get in an accident? (To keep premiums low you may want to have a higher deductible and be willing to pay more for repairs.)
• What is the insurance company's level of service and ability to pay claims?
• What discounts are available? (Ask about good driver, multiple policy and student discounts.)
• What's the procedure for filing and settling a claim? (Ask who to call and what happens after you file a claim.) 

Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a major city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709.

The current location of Tampa was once inhabited by various indigenous cultures, most recently the Tocobaga. It was spotted by Spanish explorers in the early 16th century, but there were no permanent American or European settlements in the area until 1824, when the US Army established a frontier outpost called Fort Brooke at the site of today's Tampa Convention Center. The village of Tampa began as a small group of pioneers who settled near the fort for protection from the Seminole population in the area.

Today, Tampa is a part of the metropolitan area most commonly referred to as the Tampa Bay Area. For U.S. Census purposes, Tampa is part of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida MSA. The four-county area is composed of roughly 2.7 million residents, making it the second largest metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the state, and the fourth largest in the Southeastern United States, behind Miami, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. The Greater Tampa Bay area has just over 4 million residents and generally includes the Tampa and Sarasota metro areas. The Tampa Bay Partnership and U.S. Census data showed an average annual growth of 2.47 percent, or a gain of approximately 97,000 residents per year. Between 2000 and 2006, the Greater Tampa Bay Market experienced a combined growth rate of 14.8 percent, growing from 3.4 million to 3.9 million and hitting the 4 million people mark on April 1, 2007.

Tampa has a number of sports teams, such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL, the Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League, and the FC Tampa Bay Rowdies in North American Soccer League (2010). The Tampa Bay Rays in Major League Baseball, are actually based in neighboring St. Petersburg, Florida.


In 2008, Tampa was ranked as the 5th best outdoor city by Forbes. A 2004 survey by the NYU newspaper Washington Square News ranked Tampa as a top city for "twenty-somethings." Tampa is ranked as a "high sufficiency" world city by Loughborough University and is one category away from becoming a Gamma world city. According to Loughborough, Tampa now ranks alongside other world cities such as Phoenix, Cologne, and Osaka. In recent years Tampa has seen a notable upsurge in high-market demand from consumers, signaling more wealth concentrated in the area. Tampa has been tapped to host the 2012 Republican National Convention.


(Source: Wikipedia.org)


As a result of the agency representing the best insurance companies operating in the state of Florida, the agency finds itself in a position to be able to offer excellent insurance coverages, in addition to the most competitive pricing. We are confident you will find that Adcock-Adcock Insurance Agency will provide you with a level of service that you could expect from a family owned insurance agency, while providing you with pricing equal to, or better than, the national companies. Call us today to get a free Tampa Auto Insurance quote.