What Are the Best Auto Insurance Policy Add-Ons?

Auto insurance add-ons can include perks like key replacement, roadside assistance, and gap insurance, which can save you money and time. However, some optional coverages are well worth the money, while others may not be. Our agents at Jim Boyce Insurance serve residents of Matthews, NC, and the surrounding area with customized auto insurance plans.

Roadside Assistance

Roadside assistance can save the day if you need expedient help while driving and get stuck on the road with a flat tire, dead battery, or lost your keys. Our insurance can help cover a portion or all of the cost of related expenses.

Windshield Repairs

This coverage pays to repair or replace a windshield damaged by a covered peril, like animals, hail, or vandalism. This option may be included in the primary policy if you opt for comprehensive coverage.

New Vehicle Replacement

Once you drive it off the lot, most cars depreciate in value. If you have a newer modeled vehicle, having replacement insurance in place is a wise move. Our insurers can have you back on the road fast with this optional coverage.

Rental Car Reimbursement

When your auto needs repair, and you need to rent a car after a covered accident, your add-on policy can help cover part or all of the cost of a rental car. It can also cover alternative transportation arrangements like public buses, trains, or ride-shares.

Gap Insurance Coverage

If you have received a loan on your auto and it is totaled, gap insurance can cover any remaining payments you owe the lender. With depreciation values in mind, this is a coverage that any car owner can appreciate.

Want More From Your Auto Insurance?

Contact our professional insurance agent in Matthews, NC, at Jim Boyce Insurance for advice about what auto add-ons might be right for you. Contact us online or by phone today.

Types of Auto Coverage

Auto insurance includes a category of policy types, including bodily injury, collision, comprehensive, roadside assistance, and property damage. You choose which types you want on your auto policy beyond the North Carolina state minimum coverage.

Jim Boyce Insurance serving Matthews, NC, offers comprehensive and complete auto insurance coverage. You can obtain a custom policy from us that includes precisely the coverage you want. Your options include:

  • Bodily injury: This type of policy covers your liability for injuries you cause as a result of an auto accident. The state requires it, but you can increase your amount of coverage. If an individual dies due to an accident you caused, this policy pays their family a death benefit.
  • Collision: A collision policy protect your vehicle by providing coverage for any type of collision that damages it. This means an accident you cause or a hit and run, etc. If you hit a mailbox or a fence, it covers the damage to your car. If a deer runs in front of your vehicle, this policy covers the damage.
  • Comprehensive: Comprehensive covers acts of nature, like hail damage, and acts of humans, such as vandalism, rioting, and theft.
  • Property Damage: This type of insurance covers property damage to other individuals’ vehicles or to structures. If you drive your vehicle into someone’s fence, the property damage policy covers their repairs.
  • Roadside Assistance: A roadside assistance policy serves you with help wherever you experience auto trouble. If you run out of gas, roadside assistance brings you fuel. If your tire goes flat, roadside assistance shows up and changes the flat tire.

Contact Jim Boyce Insurance

Contact Jim Boyce Insurance, serving Matthews, NC, today to create your custom auto policy. Let us help you insure your vehicle.

Does Auto Insurance Cover Hail Damage?

After your vehicle has been damaged by hail, you want to know how to fix the damage as quickly as possible. You may wonder if your insurance coverage will be any help. Each auto insurance policy is different, which means you need to read the details of your plan carefully.

Jim Boyce Insurance, which serves Matthews, NC, understands that you have a lot of questions about your vehicle’s damage. Here’s what you need to know.

Standard Plans Do Not Cover Hail

Typically, auto liability coverage is not enough to cover damage to your vehicle caused by the weather. Auto liability insurance is the standard requirement in most states, but it generally covers the costs of damage or injury to another party if you are responsible for causing an accident. Liability coverage does not cover damage to your own vehicle.

Comprehensive Coverage Is the Key

When you are trying to deal with the aftermath of a hail storm, it is comprehensive coverage that will provide help. If you have a comprehensive coverage policy, your damage may be taken care of. Your policy may allow you to ensure your vehicle looks as good as new.

Comprehensive plans cover a variety of weather damage in addition to the damage to your vehicle caused by animals and falling rocks. Even when your vehicle is not in motion, comprehensive insurance coverage can be beneficial.

Talk to an Auto Insurance Professional

If you are ready to get comprehensive coverage to cover damage to your vehicle even when you are not driving it, reach out to Jim Boyce Insurance today. Your Matthews, NC vehicle can get the coverage it needs for the most protection possible.

Questions To Ask An Agent About Auto Insurance

Choosing the right auto insurance policy is not the easiest task, especially if it is your first car and you have never done it before. Therefore, you need a knowledgable and qualified insurance agent you can rely on to help you determine what kind of coverage you need. Jim Boyce Insurance serving Matthews, NC has prepared the list of questions you should ask an insurance agent when choosing auto insurance: 

Do I have enough liability coverage?

Liability coverage is the minimum required by the state. The best way to figure out whether it is enough for you or not is to ask your insurance agent. In some cases, the minimum coverage is more than enough, while in others additional coverage is needed. 

What happens if I am involved in a car accident?

Many policyholders mistakenly believe that their vehicles will be completely repaired or replaced after a collision. However, your policy may not include collision coverage. That is why it is important to ask this question. 

If my car is totaled, how much will my insurance pay me? 

Make sure to discuss the following: will you receive agreed upon value or actual cash value? Agreed upon value is the full insured amount agreed upon without depreciation. The actual cash value is the amount that is equal to the replacement cost minus depreciation. It is important to know this difference and talk about it with your insurance agent. 

If you are a car owner living in Matthews, NC or any other surrounding town and you are looking for a trustworthy insurance company to buy auto insurance, here is a great option for you. Jim Boyce Insurance is a reliable company that offers personalized and comprehensive service and has been serving clients since 1973. Our experienced insurance agents are ready to answer the above-mentioned questions and help you find a perfect policy. Therefore, do not hesitate to give us a call. 

Additional auto coverage available beyond basic

In North Carolina, basic auto liability coverage is mandatory. Drivers are required to carry a minimum of $30,000 in bodily injury insurance per person with a total of $60,000 for everyone involved in an accident and an additional $25,000 for damage to property. While this coverage is adequate if you don’t have a lot of assets, it may be woefully inadequate if you are involved in a major collision. In Matthews, NC the knowledgeable staff at Jim Boyce Insurance can answer any questions that you may have about what coverage is best for you.

Additional liability

If you own a home or have assets, you may want to have a higher level of liability insurance to protect your current and future assets. 

Collision

If you have an auto loan or lease, collision insurance may be required by the lender or lessor. If you would have trouble repairing or replacing your auto on your own, collision coverage is something that you should consider. It will pay for repairs or replacement if your vehicle is damaged in an accident where you are at fault. 

Comprehensive

Comprehensive insurance is often referred to as non-collision coverage. Lots of things that can damage or totally destroy your car can happen without another vehicle being involved. Deer have a nasty habit of jumping into the road in front of cars. This can result in catastrophic damage. Glass coverage is one of the most used parts of comprehensive insurance, a wayward stone can cause a chip or a crack that can impair your ability to drive. These may not sound that terrifying but if you have to pay for the repair out of pocket because you don’t have insurance coverage, it can result in a financial crisis.

If you live in the Matthews, NC area why not stop by Jim Boyce Insurance for a no-obligation quote or to discuss the coverage options that might be right for you. 

  

 

Tips To Make Sure Your Car Is Ready For A Long Trip

The agents of Jim Boyce Insurance are dedicated to serving clients who live in or around the Charlotte, NC area. They are always available to answer questions or offer suggestions to clients who are looking for tips on how to update their insurance or keep their family and vehicle safe when they travel.

Schedule A Maintenance Check/Tune-up

If you are planning on taking a long road trip, you want your car to be in operating at its best. Having the oil changed and all of the fluids checked will make sure your car runs as it should. During a full maintenance check and tune-up, the mechanic will also check your lights, windshield wipers, and any other systems to ensure they are functioning properly. They may change out your wiper blades if they are worn and even fill your windshield washer fluid. Checking your tires is also on the list.

Put Together An Emergency Kit

It’s always a good idea to have an emergency kit in the trunk of your car. This can include a blanket, flashlight, bottled water, jumper cables, first aid kit, and any other items your family may need if they are forced to stop for a long period of time due to an accident or other emergencies. 

If you live in the Charlotte, NC area, call and schedule an appointment with the agents of Jim Boyce Insurance today! If you are planning on taking a trip, an agent can make sure you are ready to go with an updated insurance policy and a list of suggestions that will help to keep your family safe and secure while you’re on the road.

Is Flooding Covered on Your Basic Auto Policy?

There are a large number of things that are covered on your auto policy, there are also a large number of things that are not covered on your basic policy. The real key is to find out just what is covered. If you live in the Charlotte, NC area the agents with Jim Boyce Insurance can help you find out just what your policy covers.

For starters, almost no auto policy that is a basic policy is going to cover hurricane damage. The reason for this is that hurricanes are a relatively localized event. They do not happen in rural Idaho for instance so they would not need to be added to a basic policy that applies to car all over the country. If you are experiencing hurricanes, you are going to need to alter your coverage to reflect that.

Another factor that affects if flood damage is covered or not is how exactly the damage occurred; a good example of this is if you leave your window down and it is raining versus your car engine being bogged down by water that rose suddenly. The insurance company will take the time to investigate the damage and see just what caused it and if it was, in fact, avoidable or not.

The first step with flood damage is to get your car dried out immediately. The faster it gets dried out, the less damage there is overall. If you get your car dried out quickly you can avoid a total loss and work on just getting the existing damage repaired. If you live in the Charlotte, NC area, the agents with Jim Boyce Insurance can help answer all your questions and get your policy set up to cover all possible issues that might arise.

Getting a New Auto Insurance Policy After Totaling a Vehicle

When accidents happen, you may find yourself frustrated with the long process of getting back on the road. At Jim Boyce Insurance, our team of experienced auto insurance agents are available to help you to learn if you can get back into an auto insurance policy and what you can expect going forward. When a vehicle is totaled, that means the insurer decided the vehicle was too expensive to repair. The company may or may not help you replace that vehicle. However, you’ll need a new auto insurance plan for it.

What to Consider About Your New Plan

The new auto insurance policy you select will need to represent the new vehicle. You do not have to have the same plan, the same type of insurance, or the same coverage levels. However, you may notice a few bumps in the road to the process depending on the circumstances of your accident.

If you were found liable for the auto accident, that means that your insurance company may have had to pay a significant amount to total the vehicle and to cover any damage that occurred to other people’s vehicles or property. In some cases, this can lead to an increased level of risk to the insurer from providing you with a new policy. That may mean you will have a higher premium cost. You can often find policies that are affordable. And, in some cases, you may have restrictions such as an SR-22 put in place by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

What Should You Do?

The first step is always to get a new quote for auto insurance. Our team at Jim Boyce Insurance provides residents in Charlotte, NC and the surrounding area with comprehensive policies to meet most needs.

 

Is Your Auto Insurance Working For You?

Auto insurance is in place not to cause trouble for drivers but rather to protect them from the event of an accident. As such, it is important that your auto insurance policy work for you not against you. For those in Charlotte, NC for instance, insurance needs are different than for people in other locations making it important to get the perfect policy.

The first step to finding out if your policy is working for you or not is to take a look at your premiums, all the premiums that you have paid since you took out the policy, not just those that you are currently paying. This helps you to determine how much your policy has gone up in price, how much your policy has changed since you took it out, and any other fees that may have been associated with it. This is going to give you a good look at how much you are paying and if the policy is still worth the amount that you are paying each month.

The next step is to take a look at how many claims you have made against your policy. If you have had the policy for ten years for example and have never had a claim but the price has still gone up exponentially every year, you may want to think about switching agencies and getting a lower rate. Agencies often raise premiums for those that do not have claims to help compensate for those that have made claims.

The last thing you want to do is consider any perks that the agency you are working with offers. Do they have cash back, safe driver discounts, and more? This is again going to help you determine if the policy is worth the price that you are paying. For those in Charlotte, NC talking with an agent can help you determine what policy and coverage you need.  

3 Ways to Prevent Road Rage

Whether you are in the car with your family or driving alone, it’s important that you block the urge for road rage. Driving recklessly increases your chances of getting into an automobile accident, which can threaten your lives. Our team at Jim Boyce Insurance recommends that you following these easy driving techniques to prevent road rage.

Always Make Excuses for the Other Driver

With a focus on getting your family to your destination safely, you shouldn’t engage other drivers who may be driving recklessly. To avoid engagement, you can mentally make excuses for these drivers. For instance, you can consider their honking as a way of telling you hello. You can also consider a driver who cuts you off in a hurry. The goal of making excuses instead of engaging allows prevents you from becoming excited, which protects your family in the end.

Pull Over if You Are Being TailGated

Tailgating is the act of driving too close to a car you are following. If someone is tailgating you, there is pressure for you to drive faster. You can avoid the urge to speed by simply pulling over. Pulling over allows the driver who is in a hurry to pass you safely and without incidence.

Plan Your Trip

Another way you can avoid road rage is by building enough travel time into your schedule. Since many people who have road rage are typically running late, with more time, you won’t have the urge. Additionally, planning your trip to work or an outing with your family will allow you to save gas because you won’t have to speed.

In addition to offering road rage prevention tips, our team at Jim Boyce Insurance offers a suite of auto insurance products. If you are in the market for insurance, or you simply want to compare rates, please give a member of our team a call.