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Posts tagged ‘Insurance’

Buying Boat Insurance

Those of you who own boat will want to make sure you get watercraft coverage.  Often times, people don’t realize that they need this type of coverage for their boats.  There are many boat owners that don’t even realize this type of insurance is even available.

You need boat insurance if you own a boat, it’s that simple.  Before you buy boat insurance, here are some things you simply must know.

–  Many states now require that you carry watercraft liability coverage.  What this coverage does, is protect you against any damage that you cause to other people or their property with your boat.  This insurance will also cover you for vandalism, theft, fire, stranding, sinking, and even collision.  You should always call your insurance agent and see what’s required with your state and what policies they cover.

–  There is also optional coverage that you should really consider.  One type of coverage that you should strongly consider is Wreckage Removal.  In most areas, the removal of sunken or wrecked boats is required by law, and the responsibility of the owner to pay for the removal, which can easily be very expensive.

Wreckage Removal coverage will pay these costs for you.  You should also consider adding coverage that will pay for repairs and mechanical failure as well, along with towing charges – should you ever need to be towed back to the shore.

–  Not all insurance companies cover everyone who operates the boat.  This is something you should always ask about, find out who is covered when operating the boat.  There are several companies that will only cover the owner of the boat.  Make sure that the insurance agent defines who is covered when operating the boat.

–  When you shop for boat insurance, call your current company first, then check with other companies to see what type of rates they offer as well.  Always remember that insurance agencies are in competition with each other, and they’ll work with you to get you to join them.  Let one know about a better rate that you’ve been quoted and see if they’ll go one better.

Before you shop for boat insurance, think about the investment you have made with your boat.  Boats are not cheap, replacing or repairing them isn’t cheap either.  Therefore, you should always make sure you get the coverage you need to protect you against anything that happens with your boat.

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Finding a Bargain on a New Vehicle

We have all heard that depressing statement that a new vehicle depreciates in value the second you pull away from the dealership. I used to think that was an exaggeration until my friend got into a wreck in her Dodge Durango a week after she purchased it. The insurance wouldn’t give her enough to cover buying a new one even though she was not at fault in the accident. She had to get an attorney and eventually she was able to get a new vehicle to replace it, but not without quite a circus taking place around the issue for a couple of months.

Buying a new vehicle is one expense that you have to consider very carefully. Those monthly payments can sure take a chunk out of your disposable income. You also have to consider the cost of license plates, insurance, gas, and regular maintenance on the vehicle. To help you find the very best bargains on the new vehicle of your choice you will want to conduct some research before you start negotiations with the salesman.

There are a variety of ways to find out the book value on a particular vehicle. You can go to www.NADA.com or www.KellyBlueBook.com. You can get a very detailed price by listing the make of the vehicle, the various accessories it offers, and the mileage. This information will help you find the lowest price you can expect to purchase that vehicle for.

Next, take a close look at your credit report so you know exactly what interest rate you can expect on a new vehicle. This way you don’t waste your time haggling with the sales. See what they offer you for a price and financing before you bring your information into play. If they match or beat it then great. If they want to give you higher price or interest rate, present your researched information. If they won’t sell you the vehicle for that price with that interest rate then go somewhere else.

October is a very good time of year to start considering the purchase of a new vehicle. This is because they want to start clearing out vehicles on the lot to make room for the next year’s models that will soon be arriving. Since many vehicle dealerships don’t see much in the way of sales over winter due to the cold and the holiday season, they are more likely to present you with the deal of the century to make the sale.

If you see other sales around the holidays they may be a good time to save money as well. The key to making sure it is a bargain is to make sure the cost hasn’t been inflated or your interest rated jacked up a percent or two to cover the promotional cost of the vehicle. Too many people get caught up in what they see on the windshield of a vehicle rather than looking at the big picture.

New vehicles often end up with a scratch or a dent on them soon after you buy them. While this can be very upsetting you really can’t do much about it. Someone leaving their shopping cart in the parking lot of the store can result in the wind running it into your vehicle. You can find great deals of new vehicles that have some body damage such as small scratches and even hail damage from a recent storm. In most cases you will save several times what it costs you to repair the damage.

To motivate customers to make a purchase of a new vehicle instead of just looking many dealerships offer incentives like 0% financing and cash back. Make sure you find out all the details of such promotions as they may be a good way to save money or they may cost you more in the long run. Take the time to calculate all the possible scenarios so that you get the bargain you were after with your new vehicle purchase.