Rental Car Insurance St. Louis, MO

Do I Need to Purchase Rental Car Insurance?

/in /by

Rental Car Insurance St. Louis, MOWhen you are on vacation renting a car, you will most likely be asked if you want to purchase insurance for the car. Sometimes purchasing that insurance policy is needed, but other times you may already be covered with your own auto insurance policy. Some individuals even have insurance benefits through their credit cards.

Auto Insurance

Do you need to buy their rental car insurance coverage? Before going on vacation, reach out to your licensed agent with questions regarding your auto policy. An auto insurance policy can be unique to the driver. Many times, if you have collision, comprehensive and liability coverage on your auto policy, this would cover your rental car too as a temporary replacement vehicle. If you find you’re only covered for a specific amount, contact your credit card company to see if they can fill the gap.

Rental car insurance options can include: liability, personal accident, collision damage, personal effects coverage. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Liability: Insurance coverage if you damage another car, property and medical bills for the other party if you’re found liable for the accident.

Personal Accident: Coverage for accidental death, medical expenses and ambulatory costs of you and your household members in the vehicle.

Collision Damage: Coverage to repair the rental car in the event you are involved in an accident.

Personal Effects: Insurance that covers personal items lost or damaged such as cell phones, purses and computers.

Roadside Assistance: Coverage for roadside incidents such as lost keys, lockouts, fuel outages and flat tires.

Always check with your licensed agent to review your policy BEFORE going on your vacation to ensure you know what coverage options you may or may not need. Furthermore, be sure to understand the terms and conditions of the insurance policy you’re purchasing if you decide to buy coverage from the rental agency.

Knowing the details of your insurance policy can help you fully understand your coverage, give you peace of mind, as well as save you money. Contact us if you need explanation on your policy.

8 Scenarios That Would Warrant an Umbrella Insurance Policy

/in , /by

Personal Umbrella Policy in St. Louis, MOThere are many scenarios that would warrant the need for an umbrella insurance policy. We outline a few of them here.

Example #1: Your teenage daughter is babysitting the neighbor kids and leaves the house for a moment to run to the store. When she returns, one of the children is badly injured and requires surgery. The child’s medical bills exceed $300,000. The parents of the children sue you to cover the medical bills.

Example #2: Your son dislikes his gym class as well as the teacher. He goes on social media and writes some very reproachful comments about the teacher that leave him in a bad light. The teacher sues and is awarded $500,000.

Example #3: Your 17 year old child decides to pick up some friends and go “cruising” in your car. He loses control of the vehicle while showing off how fast the minivan is. Each child is critically injured. Your umbrella policy helps cover the medical bills.

Example #4: You invite friends over to your home to celebrate the 4th of July. You provide all the entertainment, food and refreshments, including alcohol. One friend who is known for drinking too much, does just that, gets in his car and drives home getting in a terrible car accident that kills one person. The family sues you and you’re found to be liable for serving the friend too much alcohol.

Example #5: Your rental property’s deck is rotted and your tenant falls through it badly injuring their leg and requiring reconstructive surgery. A jury awards the tenant $750,000 for damages.

Example #6: You host a wedding on your property and rent a bouncy house. The house is not staked down and blows away in the wind with children inside of it. The kids are fine, but you’re sued for negligence. The families of the children are awarded $100,000 each for mental and post-traumatic stress.

Example #7: Your dog gets out viciously attacks the neighbors show dog. The dog can no longer show because it has scars and a limp. You’re sued for loss of income and a jury awards the dog owner $450,000.

Example #8: You’re the “cool mom” and agree to buy your kids and their friends alcohol if they promise to stay at the house. One of the friends leaves the house and is killed in an accident. He is found to be intoxicated. The parents of the child sue you for providing them with alcohol. A jury awards $2 million.

There are countless situations that can occur and exhaust your current liability limits on your home or auto insurance policy. The good news is that umbrella insurance policies are relatively inexpensive. Contact an agent at our office for your personalized umbrella insurance quote today.

Motorcycle Insurance in St. Louis, MO

What Every Motorcycle Rider Should Know

/in , /by

Motorcycle Insurance in St. Louis, MOThe key to staying safe riding your motorcycle is to be prepared and understand how to avoid risks. Motorcyclists are at a higher risk being on the road compared to a vehicle. Keep these things in mind to dramatically lower your risk for injury.

Refine Your Skills

If you’re new to riding, look to take a riding course from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation in your area. This class can teach you the basics. Or, if you’re an experienced rider, you can learn more advanced techniques.

Practice Makes Progress

After taking a Motorcycle Safety riding course, be sure to get out there and ride! Racking up miles will help you become a better rider. Set a short term goal of riding 1,000 miles before a specific date.

Wear the Right Clothing & Footwear

Especially if you’re new to riding, you need to wear the proper attire in case you go down. Look to buy leather or textile protective gear (jacket, pants, gloves). It helps when your clothing is breathable when you’re riding in the hot summer days.

Shoes with good traction are essential to staying safe on the road. A non-slip bottom boot or shoe is ideal. They should also be over-the-ankle to give extra protection.

Ride More Defensive Than You Drive a Car

Many drivers don’t see motorcycles or simply make judgement errors because of your size. Be sure to pay more attention to your surroundings when you’re riding. Pay attention to everything including street corners and intersections, but also parking lots, alleys and anywhere where a vehicle is trying to enter into moving traffic. Also, look far ahead when you’re riding. For example, say a car is pulled over or construction is coming up. Sure, you may see it, but does the car next to you? Lastly, avoid the blind spot of all cars. Ride up ahead of them or far enough before in case they need to suddenly switch lanes.

Besides being aware of your surroundings, it’s important to look for pot holes or bumps in the road. While a car can handle these without a problem, being on a motorcycle is a different story. If you can’t avoid them, slow down as much as you can.

Do a Quick Inspection

Before hopping on your bike, be sure to check a few areas. Check the chain, belt, and brakes. Inspect your tires for proper pressure. Also check to make sure your lights and directional signals are working properly.

While we’d love to sit in your sidecar to help you ride safely, we have work to do saving great people like you money on their motorcycle insurance. As an independent agent, we have access to some of the top insurance carriers in the country. Contact us for a quote or policy review.

Insurance Agent St. Louis, MO

5 Reasons to Have a Local Independent Insurance Agent in St. Louis, MO

/in , , , , , , , , /by

Insurance Agent St. Louis, MOThere are many ways to shop for car insurance, home insurance and more. With the advancement of technology, not only do you have more ways to shop, but you can do it on your own time. However, insurance is a complicated product. It isn’t as easy as going to a site like Amazon or Ebay and selecting what color you want. Local independent agents offer more, and in most cases, pricing will not be cheaper if you decide to purchase online. Several reasons to purchase insurance locally include:

  1. Insurance agents are discount detectives. Insurance agents WANT to help you save money. By choosing a local independent agent in St. Louis, MO, you not only are getting a local professional, but the best rates available to you. Agents know that price is important when shopping for insurance, so they will work to win your business.
  2. Multiple companies to choose from. Because they’re independent insurance agent, they represent many companies, not just one like a captive Allstate or Farmer’s agent. If you call an 800# to get your insurance, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Call a local independent insurance agent and get quoted through multiple companies all at once, in the same time it takes you to get just one quote by calling a direct writer like Geico.
  3. Can change companies as you change. Buy a home or get married? Maybe the company you’re with now isn’t the best solution for you anymore. The great thing about having an independent insurance agent on your side is they can move you to a company that better fits your new situation. Maybe bundling your home and auto insurance make better sense with another carrier.
  4. Understanding Coverage… how many of you can explain the differences in: Comprehensive, Bodily Injury, UMBI, UMPD, PIP, Medpay or how much fungus coverage you get on your homeowner’s policy? It is so important to have a local insurance agent because they can help you understand these things and counsel you on what options are best for you.
  5. One-Stop-Shopping.  Home, Auto, Life, Health, Motorcycle, Business, Farm, Commercial and more, all at one place! Your independent insurance agent can help you with all of your insurance needs so you don’t need to remember where each product is.

So, if you’re looking for insurance, give the licensed staff at Goetz Insurance Agency, LLC in St. Louis, MO a call! They can help you insure everything from your home & auto to your business and life!