How insurance companies determine auto rates

If an insurance company wants to change its rates, it must submit its request to the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. The filing must include enough statistical, financial, and other information to show the change is necessary. If the company can show the requested change is justified and we determine the proposed rates are not excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory, then according to state law, we must approve them.

How rates are determined
Insurance companies can rate all licensed drivers in the household — including your spouse and other members in your household, whether or not they are related by blood. This includes roommates. Insurance companies calculate auto insurance rates by starting with a dollar amount (base rate). Your base rate is adjusted according to certain factors such as your age, sex, marital status, driving pattern, claims history, geographical area, credit history and the make, model and year of your vehicle.

Your age: Statistics show that drivers under age 25 are involved in more accidents than adults between age 25 and 65. Companies generally consider them a higher risk. Families with younger drivers in the household may pay more for their insurance. Statistics also show that senior citizens present a higher-than-average risk to insurance companies.

Your sex: Insurance companies can discriminate on the basis of sex if that discrimination is based on statistical evidence, proving one sex is a higher risk. For example, young men — especially those under age 25 — are involved in more accidents and typically pay higher insurance rates.

Marital status: Statistically, married couples have fewer accidents than singles and generally pay lower rates.

Your vehicle: Generally, the more expensive your vehicle, the more you will pay for insurance. Also, because sports cars and high-performance cars are involved in more accidents, cost more to repair, and are stolen more often, they cost more to insure.

Your location: Statistical data for the area where you live may change your rates. For example, a higher or lower than average crime rate may increase or decrease the base rate for comprehensive coverage, while a higher or lower than average number of accidents in your area may increase or decrease the base rate for liability and collision coverages.

Driving patterns: The number of miles you drive per year can increase your rate.

Your driving record and your claims history: Insurance companies may charge you more if you’ve been involved in an accident or have been convicted of one or more traffic violations. Also, the more claims you file, the more likely your rates will increase.

Credit History: Washington state has one of the toughest laws restricting how insurance companies use credit history. But your insurer still may use information in your credit history to determine your insurance score. Your insurance score may raise or lower your premium.

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Reducing your rates of homeowner insurance

Every insurance company that provides homeowner coverage uses its own package of "special" discounts to market its products to particular types of customers. The following list contains suggestions on how to reduce your rates. Be sure to ask your agent about:

• Non-smoker discount – Some insurers offer a discount when all family members are nonsmokers.
• Long-time customers – Some insurers offer discounts to long-time customers with no claims history.
• Multiple policies – If you have your home, auto, liability, and other policies with the same company, it may offer a discount.
• Protection devices – If you have smoke detectors, burglar alarms, or automatic sprinkler systems, the company may offer a discount.

In addition to the discounts listed above, you may want to think about choosing a higher deductible to reduce your rates. If you have a lien holder, they may require a minimum deductible amount.

Prepare ahead to ease the claims process
Insurance is something you hope you never have to use, but if you should ever need to file a claim after experiencing a loss, the following suggestions can make the process easier:

• Written inventory – Create and regularly update a written inventory of your home’s contents.
• Video/photographic record – Videotape or photograph the contents of your home, and the exterior from different viewpoints and angles.
• Identify – Engrave or mark larger possessions to show ownership.
• Appraisals – Have someone appraise your jewelry, antiques, stamps, coins, and other valuable collectibles.
• Document security – Keep your insurance policy, home inventory, appraisals, photos and video records in a secure secondary location (such as your office or a safety deposit box). Update your records and documentation annually.

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Shopping for coverage Insurance

what things you should know to shopping coverage insurance ? How to determine how much coverage insurance you need:

Insurance companies use established formulas to help them decide the appropriate limits of dwelling and structure coverage insurance. These calculations take into consideration the same type of information used in real estate appraisals, such as:

• Construction materials
• Type of floor plan (two-story, split level,ranch, etc.)
• Total square footage
• Number and types of rooms
• Type of garage or carport
• Special features

Shopping for coverage Insurance. Your replacement cost of your home may not be similar to your local government’s assessed value for tax purposes or the current market value. They use different criteria to establish those values. Once you establish the appropriate coverage amount for your home, you should review this information annually. This will ensure your coverage maintains pace with inflation and other changes that affect the cost to repair or replace any damage to your home. Most policies automatically adjust your dwelling limit at renewal, so you may want to review it to make sure you have adequate coverage.

Shopping for coverage Insurance. Whenever you make changes to your home, such as additions or major improvements, notify your insurance company. This is important — it can affect the amount of coverage you will need to maintain full replacement cost coverage insurance should you have a loss after renovations or improvements. Talk to your agent before you make major improvements or renovations.

Factors that affect underwriting:
All insurance companies set underwriting and rating guidelines. They use these guidelines to determine whether to offer you coverage and how much to charge you. The factors that affect underwriting may include, but are not limited to:

• Property information – This includes your street address, the year your house was built, number of living units, type of construction material, type of foundation, living space square footage, number of rooms, age of the roof, roofing materials, and the age of heating, plumbing, and electrical systems.
• Community fire protection – These factors include the distance from your home to the nearest fire department and fire hydrant, and the fire department’s response time.
• Prior insurance – Insurance companies look at your prior insurance history. For example, if you own an uninsured property for several years, and then decide to insure it, you will have a more difficult time getting insurance. Insurance companies believe this shows a lack of responsibility by the homeowner.
• Claims and occurrence history – Your insurance company may ask you to disclose both claims and occurrences from the past. A claim is a loss you reported to the company for coverage. An occurrence is either a loss you did not report, or if you did report it, it did not result in an opened or processed claim. Insurance companies believe this represents the potential for loss, and may ask you about such events.
• Stability – Your insurance company will ask you for information, such as your occupation and how long you have worked for your current employer.
• Credit information – Your insurance company may ask you to provide information about any bankruptcy, judgments, or credit problems. They may also obtain your credit history from one of the national credit reporting companies.

Your insurance company may also require an inspection of the property. Once the policy is issued, they may require a reinspection prior to a renewal.

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Homeowners Insurance

What is Homeowners Insurance?

Homeowners Insurance provides you with the coverage in case of a disaster. In the event of a disaster your homeowners insurance will provide you with financial protection. A homeowners insurance policy insures the home in which you live along with the possessions you keep in it.

Home Insurance is a Package Policy

Homeowners insurance is purchased in a package policy. A package policy means that it covers both damage to your property and your liability or legal responsibility for any injuries and property damage you or a member of your household cause to other people. Homeowners insurance also covers damage caused by household pets.

A homeowner's insurance policy covers most disasters, however there are some exceptions such as floods, earthquakes and poor maintenance (Also known as wear and tear). If you want coverage for floods or earthquakes, you will have to purchase separate policies. However, maintenance related problems are the homeowner's responsibility to take care of. In fact, keeping up with the maintenance of your home will help to reduce the likelihood of a loss in the future. A good example of this is the replacement of a roof that is showing signs of wear.

Overall it is very important to have homeowners insurance coverage that suits your specific needs. You never know when a loss is going to occur and you are going to need the money to fix it. Take Hurricane Katrina for example; there were many of people that were without homes because they didn't have flood insurance. That is why it is very important that you get the proper coverage.

Remember that standard homeowner's policies do not cover flooding so you will have to purchase that separate through your homeowner's insurance agent. Discuss all of the possible exposures with your agent, broker, or insurance company.

Replacement Cost

Replacement cost coverage is available for the structure of your home; This allows you to repair the home to the state that it was before the damage took place. Actual cash value coverage is replacement cost less depreciation. The older your possessions are, the less you will recover from the homeowners insurance company.

Renters Insurance

Not only is insurance coverage available for homeowners it is also available for the people who rent apartments or houses. If you rent a house and you have a renters insurance policy, you will be covered in the event of a loss. The coverage for a renter is relatively inexpensive and will cover your property, your liability, and loss of use of the home due to a covered loss.

Coverage Types

The standard homeowner's insurance policy includes four different types of coverage.

1. The coverage for the structure of your home is offered by the homeowner's insurance company. This means that they will repair or rebuild your home in the event of a covered loss.
2. The coverage for your personal belongings that you have in your home is also covered by the homeowner's insurance company. This means in the event of a claim that is covered by your insurance policy, your personal belongings will be able to be replaced. Note: It is a good idea to carry replacement cost coverage for your contents. This way, your items are not depreciated if there is a loss. With replacement cost coverage, your property can be replaced with items of like kind and quality.
3. Liability protection covers you in case of a law suit against bodily injury or property damage that you are your family members caused to another party.
4. Additional living expenses if you are temporarily unable to live in your home because of an insured disaster.

There can be more to a home insurance policy and there are limitations for certain types of property. It is best to discuss these options with a representative at the time your are applying for coverage.

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Why Do you Need of Home Insurance?

Home insurance, or homeowners insurance, is an insurance policy that combines various personal insurance protections which can include losses occurring to one's home, its contents, loss of its use (additional living expenses), loss of other personal possessions of the homeowner, as well as liability insurance for accidents that may happen at the home.The home insurance policy is usually a term contracta contract that is in effect for a fixed period of time. The payment the insured makes to the insurer is called the premium. The insured must pay the insurer the premium each term.

Most insurers charge a lower premium if it appears less likely the home will be damaged or destroyed: for example, if the house is situated next to a fire station, or if the house is equipped with fire sprinklers and fire alarms. Perpetual insurance, which is type of home insurance without a fixed term, can also be obtained in certain areas.It is important to do your bit for security if you are looking for a competitively priced policy.

If your home is an area prone to subsidence, the increased level of risk means that your premiums or excesses will be higher. However, even if your property has been affected by subsidence you should still be able to insure your property as long as any repair work has been carried out successfully by professionals. Home Insurance Benefits With Privilege Home Insurance you can be sure that you'll have the cover you require at a really competitive price.

Cover outside the homeIf you move somewhere else for a while, like to university accommodation, we'll cover the belongings you take with you.If you take out Personal Possessions Cover, your belongings are covered wherever you happen to be in the UK.We cover your belongings whenever you move home.We cover your garden's contents too.

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