My Car Caught On Fire and My Auto Insurance is Claim Was Denied?

Reader’s Question:

I have full coverage on my car in Kentucky and a few weeks ago my car was caught on fire however when the claims adjuster checked my vehicle in a few days he said that all of my aftermarket parts such as amplifier, CD, etc. made hot leads to the battery and that is where the fire originated which was according to the fire department so the claim will be denied?

James

Louisville, KY

Insurance carriers in Louisville, Kentucky vary on their guidelines with regards to aftermarket parts or the customizing of automobiles. Usually your auto insurance carrier would need to be informed about the performance parts beforehand for these to be covered under your car insurance policy. Most insurance providers want to do an endorsement for these non-factory parts to be covered under your car insurance policy.

You will have to speak to your car claims adjuster regarding the custom parts to check if those will be covered.If you have the receipts, it will be useful if your car insurance carrier will permit your car insurance claim. Keep in mind to always let your insurance carrier be informed about any addition to your car so you will be sure your car insurance policy will cover these parts.

You can always shop around for auto insurance company in  Kentucky that will permit customized parts and get auto insurance quote for your vehicle.

Kentucky Auto Insurance Companies – Is Your Personal Information Safe?

Reader’s Question:

I was contacted by an insurance carrier in Owensboro and they told me that they compared their car insurance rates to our insurance carrier and they said they offer better car insurance rates. They said they were looking at our insurance policy and said we could get a better deal with them. How is it possible that they have access to our auto insurance information?

Desiree

Owensboro, KY

Normally a competing insurance company is not permitted to have access to your current insurance policy. For marketing, typically an insurer will look at your current registered cars and try to rate it with that. Competing insurance carriers/agents can access general information about you like your age, where you live, tax status, etc., however they should not have access to your actual car insurance policy without your permission. They are in violation of insurance privacy regulations if they do.

Most likely the insurance carrier that called you was using a marketing strategy to get your business. As for comparing their car insurance rates with your insurance carriers rates overall, that is possible since some insurers do publish sample insurance rate quotes. For instance, you live in Owensboro Kentucky, here the Kentucky Department of Insurance (DOI) provides a consumer guide that lists insurance carriers authorized to sell auto/homeowners/renters insurance in KY and those insurers have provided rate comparisons for certain situations.

If you believe that the insurance company that contacted you truly did have a copy of your car insurance policy then you can have the KY DOI, the insurance regulator for the state, investigate the issue and you can file a formal complaint with this state agency.

Can My Car Be Registered To My Parents and I Pay For Auto Insurance Policy?

Reader’s Question:

Can I have the title of the vehicle under my name and have the car insurance under my mother’s insurance policy in Covington, KY?

Thomas

Covington, KY

Insurance carriers in Covington, KY have different guidelines so you will have to know for sure if your father’s insurance would permit this type of set up for car insurance. One must have insurable interest in order to insure a car. If you want your mother to insure your vehicle, instead of yourself, then many insurance providers would not permit this since she does not have insurable interest in the car.

If you live in the same household as your mother and want to add the vehicle to her current insurance policy this may be permitted, again it will depend upon what her insurance carrier’s underwriting guidelines are. If instead you live outside of her household and thus the vehicle is garaged at a different address then it is unlikely that an insurance carrier would allow her to insure the vehicle under her insurance policy.

Ways To Get Cheaper Car Insurance Rates

Q: I always end up spending a lot of time every month paying my bills, and I’ve noticed how big a burden car insurance is. Can I get cheaper insurance, or is that out of possibility?

A: Since you waste a lot of time paying bills, there is one thing you can do which will make it easier for you to get all of your bills taken care of in a smaller amount of time, and which will also aid you in receiving cheap car insurance. Actually, there are two ways. Way one would be for you to try and pay all of your car insurance at once each time you renew. If you pay monthly, an installment fee is added on to your premiums. By bypassing the installments, you can save around fifty dollars.

Way two would be for you to get your insurance from a company which provides multiple kinds of insurance. If you get your health, life, home owners or renters, and auto insurance all with one company, you can not only combine the premium to make it more manageable, but you can also get a discount for compressing multiple insurance lines into one policy.

1.  Raising your deductible amount is the fastest and easiest way to lower your rates!

2. Ask for discounts – teachers – good grades for students – AARP -Credit union membership and even some banks offer clubs/memberships

3. Improve your credit score – most insurance carriers look at your credit history and adjust rates accordingly.  Pay your bills on time!