What Is Full Coverage Car Insurance?

A lot people use the term full coverage when describing the amount of car insurance they desire. I have found that full coverage can mean different things to different people. Let’s review what full coverage car insurance looks like.Quick caveat: Every situation is different and as an insured, you assume some financial risk with the use of deductibles and different policy limits, but with that said, here are the main coverage’s to consider for full coverage:

Car Insurance Claim

Liability

This is what the State of Washington requires you to have. If you cause an accident and people are hurt, you could be held legally responsible for medical costs for everyone involved. The state minimums are 25,000 per person/$50,000 per occurrence with $10,000 property damage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

Washington State requires that drivers have insurance, but not everyone obeys the law. If a driver with minimum or no insurance runs into you, you could be left paying the bill. Uninsured motorist fills in that gap.

Medical Payments/PIP

This coverage can help pay for some of your medical costs or funeral expenses if you or anyone in your vehicle is injured in an accident. This coverage also applies if you are a pedestrian struck by a car.

Collision

Collision coverage pays for damage to your car if you collide with another car or something else such as a tree or building. Typically, a deductible paid by the insured applies. The lower your deductible is, the more expensive your premium, and vice versa.

Comprehensive

Comprehensive coverage generally pays for damage to your car cause by something other than a collision, such as theft, storm damage or a rock chip to a windshield. Hitting an animal like a deer is also covered by Comprehensive.

Rental Car

Rental car coverage is triggered by a collision accident. We often are asked if rental car kicks in when someone’s car breaks down, but unfortunately it is not.

Towing

Towing is an important but often over-looked coverage. It is very inexpensive to add to your policy, and it covers not only towing, but refueling, jump-stars, tire changes and lockouts. So to summarize, it is important to review your car insurance policy at least annually to make sure you have all the coverage’s you thought you had. The last thing you want is to hit a deer and find out that it is not covered because you declined comprehensive.

To learn more about full coverage car insurance or to get a quote please call Matt Elwood at 360-452-9200 or visit his Allstate Agency Website at www.allstate.com/mattelwood

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Port Angeles Realtor Dan Gase

Dan Gase

As a local insurance agent, I like to align myself with other successful professionals in related industries in order to better serve my clients. It is important to have a great network of people that are experienced, trustworthy and proven in their fields. I know that I can confidently refer my clients and they will be handled with care.

Dan Gase

Meet Dan Gase. Mr. Gase is the former President and co-owner of Coldwell Banker Uptown Realty in Port Angeles, Washington. Dan has over 35 years of experience in many different facets of real estate including financing, construction, consulting, managing and of course, selling. Dan now specializes in the purchase and sale of Clallam County real estate.

I recently sat down with him to learn about where the opportunities currently exist in our local market. He said the biggest opportunity right now is for first time home buyers and those looking for rental investments. Given the fact that the average price for residential sales in Port Angeles in 2011 was $176,831 compared with $263,195 in 2007, makes it a true buyer’s market.

New website

Dan recently launched his new website DanGase.com. There you will find tools for buyers and sellers, featured listings, testimonials and more local information. In addition, a new Facebook page has been created to inform the public about upcoming open house events and promote properties he has on the market.

Community

To list all the civic and professional organizations that Dan has been a part of is too much for this article so I want to highlight the one Dan is most passionate about, Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County. Dan feels they truly do great work for the community and is actively involved. If you would like to learn more, please visit www.vhocc.org

Bottom line is if you are looking to buy or sell real estate in Clallam County, check with Dan Gase and you will be glad you did. Of course, when you buy that new home from Dan, one of the many things you will need when is great Homeowners insurance so please remember to contact me for a quote.

Knowledge is power

Sign up for Matt's monthly insurance newsletter and he will share with you how to better protect your family, save more money and achieve financial security.

How to Get Insurance When Moving to Port Angeles, Washington

Matt Elwood, Agency Owner

You have finally decided to leave the rat race and move to the beautiful Olympic Peninsula. One of the many things on your to-do list may be to get new home and auto insurance, especially if you are coming from out of state. How do you go about doing that?

When changing insurance agents, there are some important things to remember. These apply if you are moving from a different state, a different insurance company, or you just want to go through a different agent in the company you are currently with. If you follow these tips, it will make the process of changing agents much easier.

First of all, contact your new agent before your current policy expires. A lapse of even one day can drastically impact your new rates and might even prevent you from being able to have a new policy. This is especially true for car insurance.

It is also helpful to have your current insurance in front of you so you know what coverages you have. It makes it easier to get an accurate quote if you know what you want.

Keep in mind that if you’re moving from one state to another, your insurance will probably be different. Even if you stay with the same company. Every state is different regarding premiums and discounts. There are also certain coverages that differ from state to state. And required state minimums also vary.

If you are relocating to the Olympic Peninsula area and need a new insurance agent, please contact Matt Elwood of Elwood Benefits at 360-452-9200.

Knowledge is power

Sign up for Matt's monthly insurance newsletter and he will share with you how to better protect your family, save more money and achieve financial security.

Los Angeles Real Estate Agent Eric Smilay of Smilay Properties

Eric Smilay

I want to give some publicity to a great friend and recent father, Eric Smilay of Smilay Properties. Eric is the one who got me excited about digital marketing and having an overall web presence. He was using Twitter and his website for business long before I even knew what Twitter was.

Eric has been selling real estate in Los Angeles since 2005. The great thing about Eric is that not only has he survived this challenging real estate market, he has thrived in it. He has done so by staying positive, utilizing several marketing channels and working extremely hard. His beautiful wife recently gave birth to their first child. Minutes after the delivery, Eric was on the phone negotiating a deal. Now that is dedication!

I have a special connection with Eric because we grew up together playing basketball in Port Angeles, WA. We both relocated to Southern California to attend college and remained close friends while we launched our careers. It has been cool to see Eric’s professional growth along the way. Eric is a true entrepreneur and has a natural ability to close business deals.

Smilay Properties

Eric is constantly juggling several listings throughout the city, but his area of expertise and passion is in the Hollywood area. If you are looking to buy or sell real estate in Los Angeles, let Eric earn your business and you won’t be disappointed.

Eric can be reached on his cell phone at 310-600-9172 or by email at smilayproperties@gmail.com. You can also follow Eric’s Twitter feed @esmilay where he regularly posts up-to-date listings in the Los Angeles Real Estate market.

Knowledge is power

Sign up for Matt's monthly insurance newsletter and he will share with you how to better protect your family, save more money and achieve financial security.

Auto Insurance Discounts For Single People

Saving money on your car insurance

Being single definitely has its financial advantages, but you may be missing out on some car insurance discounts that your married friends currently enjoy. Here are 3 discounts that you can take advantage of on your own.

Premier Plus Discount

The Premier Plus discount is available to you for being accident free for the past 5 years as well as maintaining prior insurance with a standard carrier for the past 3 years. The lesson here is that being a responsible driver and maintaining your insurance with no lapses in coverage is a smart thing to do. The amount of discount varies with your rating group and coverage type.

Good Payer Discount

The Good Payer discount is definitely one to take advantage of. This discount gives you 5% for paying your bills on time. In the state of Washington that is defined as having no cancellation bills sent to you in the past 12 months. It may vary from state to state so check with you agent.

EZ Pay Discount

Here is another easy one. The EZ Pay discount is another 5% if you elect to pay via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) at the time you buy your policy. However, if you remove the EFT, the discount will be removed at your next policy removal.

These are just a few of the discounts available on your auto insurance. Next time you speak with your agent, make sure you are getting all the possible discounts you qualify for. If you would like a free car insurance quote along with a review of your discounts, please contact me at 360-452-9200

Want more information? Please visit my official Allstate Agency Website to get more information on the Allstate products and services I can offer in Port Angeles, Sequim or anywhere Washington State.

Auto Insurance Discounts For Families

Save on your insurance by bundling!

Are you looking for ways to save money on your family budget? Car insurance discounts are a great place to start. There are several discounts available, but here are 3 great ones for your family to take advantage of if you are not already.

Multiple Policy Discount

You have probably heard it a thousand times on television or radio, but bundling your insurance policies with one company can save you a lot of money. The multiple policy discount is recognized by having your auto insurance along with your homeowners insurance, renters insurance or condo insurance policy together. You can save several hundred dollars a year by doing this.

Auto and Life Discount

Allstate recently announced their new Auto/Life discount in the state of Washington for their preferred auto line. By having your life insurance with Allstate and/or Lincoln Benefit Life, you can receive a 2.5% discount on the next renewal of your auto insurance. Hey, it all adds up!

Good Student Discount

Do you have kids in high school or college? If so, it pays for them to have good grades. If your student is under the age of 25, a full-time student, unmarried with a grade average of B or better or in the top 20% if their class, you qualify for a discount on your auto insurance. The amount of the discount depends on what policy and coverage you have so check with your local agent.

These are just a few of the discounts available on your auto insurance. Next time you speak with your agent, make sure you are getting all the possible discounts you qualify for. If you would like a free car insurance quote along with a review of your discounts, please contact me at 360-452-9200

Want more information? Please visit my official Allstate Agency Website to get more information on the Allstate products and services I can offer in Port Angeles, Sequim or anywhere Washington State.