Up until now I have never really paid attention about car insurance, not until a friend got involved in a car accident here in Camden, New Jersey and found out that she doesn’t have full coverage, how do I know that I have a good car insurance policy?

Valerie

Camden, NJ

For some people, it would take the harsh reality of being involved (worse, at-fault) in a car accident, and realizing they have not been carrying adequate auto insurance to cover for all the damages caused, before seriously taking and paying attention on their insurance policies. You don’t have to be like that though. Knowing very well the scopes and limitations of your insurance policy you have there in Camden, New Jersey will be to your advantage.

Minimum Liability Coverage
Make sure you have at least the minimum state required liability coverage amount. Liability insurance, if you didn’t know, pays for any financial obligations you may be required to pay injured people or to repair/ replace damaged property in the event you caused a car accident.

For New Jersey, the minimum coverage amounts would be 15/30/5 which means a total of $15,000 payable to the injured person per accident, total of $30,000 payable to all parties injured in the car crash and $5,000 to pay for property damages. We would encourage you to get higher since you can be sued for bigger amounts in a car crash.

You should also know if you can afford to pay the agreed upon deductible if you do file a claim. You would want to grab your copy of the insurance policy and make sure you understand the fine print. Doing so will already tell you if your insurance policy is good enough.

Is it true that driving a sports car can cause higher car insurance rates? I just got a new car, a Firebird (2 doors) here in Camden, New jersey and was wondering about the things I need to know to insure it properly, Thanks!

Arnold

Camden, NJ

Hi Arnold, it is a big possibility that you’re going to have higher car insurance rates for your sports car there in Camden, New Jersey. Car Insurance companies see sports cars as posing a higher risk, or would prove to cost them more to provide coverage. Sportscar are more expensive, making it very popular among car thieves. Sports Vehicles also have exceedingly faster speed limits than a regular car hence, the increased likelihood of getting involved car crashes. So the only way for insurance providers to protect their business will be to charge you far higher insurance rates.

Here’s a few things you should consider before getting car insurance for your sports car.

1.Try to find a niche car insurance provider. There are providers out there that specializes in sports car insurance so you may be able to get competitive rates than with a general auto insurance provider.

2.Maintain an excellent credit history. Keeping your credit history squeaky clean will show your insurance provider that you are a responsible payer and will be more inclined to treat you the same as a driver. His should keep your rates from hiking.

3.Be safe. Be a responsible and safe driver and maintain a good driving record. Investing in additional safety mechanisms against theft or collision will also qualify you for discounts in your car insurance.

How does car theft affect my car insurance and what can I do to prevent it? my friend’s new car got stolen here in Clifton, New Jersey and found out they’re insurance wont cover the total price of the vehicle. I don’t want the same thing to happen to me.

Amanda

Clifton, NJ

Car theft, its a nightmare! Plain and Simple. Car theft costs has amounted to Almost $8 billion dollars as of 2008 and it seems that the number of incidences will not go down any time soon. Not only does it cause a lot of emotional distress, car theft also wreaks havoc on your finances especially on your auto insurance. As a victim, you would have to deal with all the paperwork and file all police reports in order to get a claim and, hopefully, your insurance policy will reimburse you for the full amount of your stolen vehicle, barring any complications with the insurance company.

You would want to avoid this at all costs so here are a few things to remember on how to protect yourself against car theft, and your car insurance rates from climbing:

Add additional safety mechanisms – Shop around for after market vehicle security systems, its worth the investment, since most of the time the security features of even the newest models can be overcome by very experiences (and very determined) thieves.

Review your insurance policy – Just because you can say you have car insurance doesn’t mean it will actually cover you in the event of a vehicle theft. Read and understand the term of your policy and know exactly when and how your car is covered.

If your car there in Clifton, New Jersey does get stolen contact the police to file a report immediately. Also get in touch with your insurance agent as soon as possible.

I am very fond of having a collection of antique cars here in Elizabeth, New Jersey and all of them are insured. Is there a special type of car insurance that would give coverage for them?

Travis

Elizabeth, NJ

Since you are fond of having a collection of antique cars in Elizabeth, New Jersey, you have to know about collector auto insurance. If you drive your collectible cars less than 5,000 miles a year, you must consider buying collector car insurance. You may think that you’re already in great shape regarding your insurance because you already have regular insurance on your collectible cars. But if something happens and damages your precious cars, maybe at a car show, you would have a not so good time in your effort to file a claim.

The car insurance claims adjusters are already used to processing claims on regular automobiles and would not want to consider if you insist on having your special car repaired at a shop that understands antique cars, or why you would have to pay more that the regular rate for any parts or services necessary. Moreover, a regular car insurance policy would not guarantee the stated value of your antique car when it is lost or if you get involved in an accident.

My niece has been recently charged with DUI here in New Jersey. She’s very close to me and considers me as her second parent. Because of that, I want to help her as much as I could in getting her out of this mess. What are the crucial first steps following her arrest?

Irene

Paterson, New Jersey

One of the most crucial concerns for your niece to think about is preserving her driving privileges with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). She has to go through the paper work that the police officer gave her after her DUI arrest. She should find a paper license which allows her to drive for a certain amount of days from the date of issue. In the state of New Jersey, she’ll have 10 days after the arrest to file for a DMV administrative hearing which the details is listed on that piece of paper. This would extend her driving privileges until the hearing actually takes place.

After she has successfully scheduled her hearing, she’ll then want to consider defending herself from being convicted. To do that, she should strongly consider hiring an experienced New Jersey DUI lawyer and learning everything she can on the subject of DUI law and how it will affect her.

She may also want to get information on how to save considerable amounts of money on everything from auto insurance and court costs as well as enabling her to clear her DUI records. To do this, she can seek the advice of a legal expert who specializes in DUI.