How an Auto Insurance Claim Works

If you’re one of the millions of drivers who have been paying auto insurance for years without ever getting into an accident, you may have wondered what it is you’re actually paying for. It’s not like many people are sitting around googling how auto insurance works. In fact, if you’re reading this right now you’re most likely here because you have a reason to make an auto insurance claim.

So knowing that insurance isn’t the most interesting thing in the world, we’ll keep this post succinct. If you need more information, we’re always here into help drivers in the Chandler, AZ area at San Marcos Insurance Group.

The first thing that happens in the claim process is the notification of an incident to the insurance company. This is typically done through a phone call from the driver to their insurance company. A claims report is filled out by the representative at the insurance company based on information given by the driver.

Next, the insurance company collects information on behalf of the driver. This can include things like police reports and claims reports from the insurance companies of other drivers involved in an accident.

The insurance company will use this information to determine fault. Their finding, however, doesn’t carry any more weight than the finding of one of the other driver’s insurance companies who may have a completely different opinion about the incident.

If conclusions differ between claim reports then one of several things can happen. If everyone agrees then the insured is paid based on their coverage amounts. When there is disagreement the insurance companies can negotiate between themselves, go to an arbitrator, or go to court.

It can be a complicated and sticky process. So if you want insurance that is on your side when you need it then contact us at San Marcos Insurance Group in Chandler, AZ.

How to Create an Emergency Kit for Your Car

At San Marcos Insurance Group, we value your safety. That’s why we’ve put together a guide to help you create an emergency kit for your car. Whether you get stranded in the heat of Chandler, AZ, get injured in an accident, or face any other type of peril on the road, an emergency kit can help get you through it. This list will give you some of the basics, but you should also take some time to sit down with your family and come up with items that are unique to you that you would need in an emergency. Your car emergency kit should include both items for your car and for you.

For your car:

  • Jumper cables

  • Flares

  • Ice scraper

  • Cat litter, ash, or sand

  • Spare tire

  • Empty gas can

For you:

  • Water

  • Non Perishable snacks and food

  • Blankets

  • Phone charger

  • First aid kit

  • Flashlight and batteries

  • Pocket knife

  • Maps

  • Cash

Other things to consider:

If you often travel with your pets, make sure you keep them in mind as well. Consider including their food, some extra water, and a leash or carrier as part of your kit. If you have babies or small children, you also may need to include: diapers, wipes, formula, and toys.

There are many other things you could include based on your family’s needs and habits, but this basic list will make sure you have the essentials. You never know when you could face an emergency in your car, so it’s always best to be prepared. Think about what you would need if you’re near Chandler, AZ, but also think about other areas and climates as well. The further you are from home, the more essential your emergency kit becomes. Another important way to be prepared is to have quality car insurance. Contact San Marcos Insurance Group today to talk about your existing policy or to get started with a new policy.

Choosing a Health Insurance Plan

Choosing a health insurance plan in Chandler, AZ can be complicated, since there is a lot to think about. If you aren’t able to get insurance through work, you should contact an agent at San Marcos Insurance Group to discuss plan options.

First compare the different types of health insurance plans. Common types include HMOs, PPOs, EPOS, and POS plans, and all come with positives and negatives. Determining your plan will help you determine what out-of-pocket costs you will be responsible for and the doctors you can see.

It’s impossible to be able to foresee every medial expense, but looking at the amount and types of treatment you have received in the past can help you make a better decision. If you want to be able to choose doctors, pick a PPO or EPO. If you are okay with seeing a primary care physician before a specialist, then choose an HMO or POS.

When deciding on plans, look at the health plan networks. In order to save on costs, you will want to see doctors that are in the network. If you have preferred doctors you want to keep seeing, look to see if they are in the plan you are considering. Larger networks are helpful in small areas, since you are more likely to see doctor locally who will accept your insurance.

Compare out-of-pocket costs. Look at the deductible, copays, and consinurance to get an idea of what you could be spending each year in order to choose the best plan for your family. Once you have narrowed down plans based on network and costs, look at benefits. This will help give you the coverage that is needed for your family. Plans are required to cover certain things, but some plans may provide better coverage for mental health or physical therapy. Ff you use these services you will want, it is a good idea to choose these plans.

Contact San Marcos Insurance Group, serving Chandler, AZ, to get a quote on health insurance.

 

Who Should I Choose As My Beneficiary?

No one wants to think about what life insurance but when you decide to purchase your policy, you will need to choose a beneficiary. In Chandler, AZ, the agents of San Marcos Insurance Group are available to discuss your needs and help you choose the right beneficiary who will be able to make sure the money is used the way you want it to be.

Choosing Your Beneficiary

When you first start to think about choosing a beneficiary, you want to choose someone who is both reliable and committed to following through with your wishes. Your beneficiary will be responsible for paying off any debts you have left behind. They will also be responsible for taking care of your family’s needs. They can set up trust funds for minor children or work with your attorney to ensure that money is allocated for the health needs of a family member.

Who Is the Best Choice

In most cases, the beneficiary of any type of life insurance policy is the spouse or a family member. If there is a double indemnity clause and the amount of money is significant, you may want to choose an attorney or financial advisor as your beneficiary to make sure everything is handled according to your wishes.

In Chandler, AZ, the agents of San Marcos Insurance Group are always available to answer questions and let you know what type of policies will best serve your purpose. Call and schedule an evaluation so that you can get the type of policy you want in place and protect your family from financial disaster. Don’t wait! Talk to one of the agents today and get the process started!

Why Commercial Insurance is Necessary in Chandler, Arizona

Arizona is one of the most competitive states in the nation in terms of business. It is also a state that is relatively heavily regulated. If you want to be able to scale without fines, then you must remain in compliance with all commercial insurance requirements in the state.

The right policy will protect your business from unexpected emergencies and serve as a shield against state regulators. Here are the characteristics of a good commercial insurance policy for Chandler and surrounding areas.

  • Commercial automobile insurance – If you use a car in your business, you need a separate protection outside of your personal auto insurance. This is true even if you are not in the commercial transportation industry. Commercial auto will include comprehensive, collision and liability insurance as well as medical payments.
  • Business general liability – Legalities are always increasing in the world of business, and umbrella policies do not cover specific business-related expenses. In order to protect your business, you will need a liability policy that specifically covers your company.
  • Worker’s Compensation – This is one of the most important kinds of insurance policies that you can have on your business. It is especially important if you are dealing with large amounts of inventory or warehousing. Worker’s Compensation policies will cover any unfortunate incidents that occur on your premises with your employees.

The San Marcos Insurance Group serves the business community in and around Chandler, AZ with commercial insurance. When you are ready to protect your business and stay in compliance with state law, give the dedicated experts at the San Marcos Insurance Group a call or an email to help with your policy.

Will a Dog Breed Affect My Homeowners Insurance?

Are you a homeowner? Do you keep a dog as your favorite pet? Have you ever asked yourself how it affects your home insurance? Well, you may already be aware of various factors that affect your homeowner’s insurance policy quotes, but you might not have thought of your dog as one of them. However, the truth of the matter is that keeping a dog as your pet affects your home insurance quotes and in some cases, it can even prevent you from being insured.  

Believe it or not, dog bites account for approximately one-third of all the insurance payment in Chandler AZ and all over the United States. This is the primary reason why some home insurance policy providers such as San Marcos Insurance Group will discriminate against some homeowners when it comes to underwriting homeowners insurance policies.

How Does the Dog Breed Affect Your Homeowners Insurance Policy?

You need to remember the fact that your policy covers any damage caused by you or one of your family members to third parties. Your dog is considered as one of your family members, and the insurance policy may be partly liable for the cost of claims raised against you when your dog bites someone. Keep in mind that some there are certain times when your dog might get too aggressive no matter how well it is trained. Furthermore, some dog breeds tend to have strong jaws that could cause severe harm to a person if the dog is provoked.

Which Dog Breeds Are Mostly Blacklisted by Insurance Companies?

While some dog breeds will affect your home insurance policy by driving up premiums, others are entirely blacklisted, and no provider will be willing to insure you if you have such a dog breed. You may not be offered coverage if you own any of the following dog breeds:

  • Chow-chows
  • German shepherd
  • Mastiffs
  • Any wolf hybrid
  • Akitas
  • Rottweilers
  • Pit bull-type breeds
  • Dobermans

Are you a homeowner in Chandler, AZ? Contact San Marcos Insurance Group today for a customer-friendly home insurance policy.

Does Auto Insurance Cover Friends Driving My Car?

What happens when your teenager, friend, or other family borrow your car to run some errands? You probably through the car keys at them and wish them a nice ride. However, have you ever take a minute to think about what might happen if they are involved in an accident while riding your vehicle? Will your insurance policy from San Marcos Insurance Group cover them? Therefore, before you blindly allow other people to drive your car, it is good to think about the other issues involved. Knowing what your auto insurance will cover and what it won’t cover is critical when it comes to friends or family members driving your vehicle.

Does My Car Insurance Cover Other People?

Car owners in Chandler, AZ commonly ask this question, and it is a genuine question that requires explanation. To better understand this query, you need to understand the various types of auto policies and what they cover. While some insurance policies cover the driver, others are specifically meant to cover the vehicle.

In general, your car insurance policy will cover the vehicle and not the driver. However, there will always be exceptions to cover the driver as well. If the driver you are lending your car is licensed and insured, he/she might be covered by your or his/her insurance policy. Typically, the liability coverage covers only you and no one else. The good thing about liability coverage is that it will still cover you when you drive other people’s cars. The opposite is also true. This means that if your friend has liability coverage and they get behind the wheels of your vehicle, they will still be covered.

The collision and comprehensive coverage will always cover your car in Chandler, AZ no matter who was driving it at the time of the accident. These two types of policies are usually linked to your vehicle and not the driver.

Contact San Marcos Insurance Group today for your auto insurance policy.

When to Consider Home Insurance

Your home is likely one of the biggest purchases you have ever made in your life. You have put a lot of money into this investment and you want to have a lot of memories over the years in it. Because of these two key reasons, here at San Marcos Insurance Group serving Chandler, AZ, we will always recommend that you have home insurance on your home. However, you may be wondering when you should get home insurance or how long after purchasing you should get some. 

When it comes down to it, you want to have home insurance on your home as soon as you possibly can. You never know when something bad will happen to your home or what they situation may be. You do not want to play that guessing game or run the risk of not having coverage when something bad does happen. The est time to get home insurance is to get it when you purchase your home. However, if you already have a home but do not have any home insurance, you want to get it as soon as you possibly can so you can have the coverage that you need on your home. 

Home insurance is a critical component of owning a home and making sure it is protected no matter what. The last thing you want is something to happen to your biggest investment of your life. if you need to get a home insurance policy, be sure to reach out to us here at San Marcos Insurance Group, serving Chandler, AZ, today. We can work with you to make sure that you get the right amount of coverage as well as a policy that meets your budget needs as well. We can even take a look at your current policy to make sure you have the right coverage.

Will Pre-Existing Conditions Ruin My Health Insurance?,

In the past, pre-existing conditions could seriously complicate your health insurance coverage. These days, things have changed for the better. So if you live in Chandler, AZ and need help, let us at San Marcos Insurance Group show you the way.

Pre-Existing Conditions Shouldn’t Affect Your Policy

Under the ACA, pre-existing conditions cannot affect whether you are accepted or even influence your premiums. In fact, it is against the law for your provider to even attempt to do either of these things. In this way, more people can have health insurance and you can get your issues treated without suffering from excessively expensive policies.

When Your Policy Could Be Affected

There are a few instances in which a provider may deny you because of pre-existing conditions. These are generally very rare and only occur in situations that are obviously improper. For example, people who try to buy a short-term plan to save themselves money by covering a specific problem may be denied if they have pre-existing conditions. This idea was put in place to protect companies from fraud.

What if a Provider Does Increase Premiums or Deny Coverage?

If you somehow find an insurance provider that denies your coverage or increases your premiums because of pre-existing conditions, you have found a provider that is committing a crime. You need to report them to the proper authorities and find another insurance dealer who is going to have your back when it comes time to pay for your coverage.

Let Us Help You

So if you live in Chandler, AZ and have pre-existing conditions that you are worried will complicate your insurance, please don’t hesitate to contact us at San Marcos Insurance Group. Our specialists will take a look at your case and find a policy that is fair for you and which won’t cost you an arm and a leg to buy.

How Are Life Insurance Needs Calculated?

One of the best ways to offer protection to your loved ones in the event of your untimely death is life insurance. Life insurance is designed to give them the financial security they need to cover expenses and living costs in the years to come. Having a loss of income can devastate those who aren’t protected by a quality life insurance policy. Find out how to calculate your insurance needs with a few basic tips.

Calculating Life Insurance Needs

The rule of thumb for figuring out your life insurance coverage amounts is to add up all of the financial expenses, including tuition costs, for the next ten years. This will ensure that all of the bills such as mortgage payments are covered and give your family or loved ones the time they need to recover. If you are unsure of all of the costs that should be factored in, you can consult a licensed life insurance agent, and they will give you the information you need to get a figure that will protect everyone after your passing.

Finding The Right Insurance Company

Finding the right life insurance provider is just as important as finding the right coverage. You want to choose a company that offers superior customer service and can educate its consumers on the fine print in the contract. An excellent company that serves the residents in and around the Chandler, AZ area is San Marcos Insurance Group. They have highly skilled agents that can help you discover coverage options designed to fit your lifestyle and protect your family from financial losses as a result of untimely death.

If you live in or around the Chandler, AZ area and would like more information about life insurance options, call or stop by San Marcos Insurance Group to speak with a friendly agent.