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It can be shocking to be notified by an insurance company that you have not been approved to receive auto insurance coverage. This can be particularly devastating if you rely on your vehicle to get back and forth to work or to get your kids to school. Driving without insurance places significant risk on you and your family if you are caught driving without insurance or are involved in an accident.

Determine the Reason

Hopefully the insurance company will include the reasons for their denial in the notice they send to you. If not, you will probably have to submit a written request to obtain the reasons. You need to know this to make sure their decision was based on facts.

Verify the Facts

It is possible they used factors in their risk calculation that are not accurate or need explanation. For example, if you have a poor credit history because of financial difficulties you experienced while married but now you are divorced with little debt in your name, this may be a reason to ask for a review of their denial. Even if they based your denial on your driving record which you know is not perfect, you should still get a copy of your record to confirm its accuracy.

Appeal the Decision

You can ask to meet with or talk to a representative from the insurance company to go over the factors they used in their calculation. You will need to provide documentation for any information you plan to refute such as that mentioned above. Errors on your application can be easily corrected and your application resubmitted for consideration.

Apply to Other Providers

If they stand by their decision to deny you coverage, you have no choice but to apply to other companies for insurance. You should be prepared to address discrepancies you may have uncovered during the appeal process to the initial auto insurance provider. Keep your paperwork handy and include detailed explanations on your application. This is especially important if you are applying online for quotes. It may be better to actually speak to a live representative if you have several clarifications that need to be made to your application. Any actions on your part to improve your risk level should be documented including refresher driving classes.

Take Legal Action

Insurance companies have the right to deny applicants coverage for legitimate reasons which are primarily based on risk to the company if they insure you. The only time you have legal recourse is if you suspect the company of denying you coverage based on discriminatory business practices. To proceed with a legal case against them, you will need evidence of this behavior.

Contact the State

If you continue to be denied based on subsequent applications to different companies, you may have to apply to your state’s Assigned Risk Pool. This is a last resort for the hard to insure. Since it is legally required to be insured, your state must offer minimum coverage through local providers to drivers who are otherwise unable to get coverage.

Before the recession, there was a constant stream of people wanting business premises, so being a commercial landlord made good economic sense. As evidence of this, look at the popularity of the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Across the US, there are a number of significant players that own office blocks, regional malls, shopping centers, healthcare centers, and residential accommodation. Despite the recession, these investment vehicles have continued to bring in steady dividends. This level of performance has not been matched by the owners of individual properties on Main Street or for private letting as residential accommodation. Large numbers of properties on Main Street are shuttered and there’s no sign of any real demand to maintain rental income. Unless demand picks up, rents will continue to fall. With mortgages now more difficult to obtain, there’s better performance in the residential market as people need rented accommodation, but care must be taken when buying property. A significant number of homes are going through the foreclosure process and, if you have the capital, can be bought relatively cheaply in auction. So long as you have professional surveys to ensure the properties are physically sound, these acquisitions represent a good long-term investment, i.e. at some point, the property market will recover and values will rise. But if you bought at the top of the boom, you may be struggling to cover the financing costs out of revenue.

Insurance is obviously a key requirement as a commercial landlord. In this, remember you are not just protecting the physical structure of the buildings you rent out. There are other risks to consider. However, the insurance industry has been quick to draw a number of red lines so, if you are still at the planning stage, here are some of the factors to consider. Particularly when the buildings are to be used for manufacturing, there’s a real risk of damage to the fabric through the activities carried out on the premises. In any other property, there will be wear and tear. People are never as careful of rented property as they are of their own. If the public are allowed into the common parts, they can also be a source of damage. Insurers believe it’s for you to accept the slow deterioration of the property through general use. A proportion of the rent you collect should be set aside for routine maintenance, repairs and redecoration. But if the risk comes from the activities of one or more of those renting, you should impose an obligation on the renters to carry their own insurance so that there will be money available to repair any structural damage.

Look very carefully at the cover against more extreme weather events and beware exclusions against settlement that causes cracks or other structural problems that may lead to rot, corrosion, molds, insect infestations or similar damage. Business insurance for the commercial landlord is all about passing on the risks to other parties. So if a contractor produces faulty workmanship and this causes damage, you need this contractor to have good insurance to pay for repairs. If the property is vacant, give notice to your insurer and check the rules on what security measures you should put in place. If you think the standard business insurance inadequate, pay for additional cover.

You may be wondering what to do now that you were cited for speeding. It is not necessary to immediately contact your car insurance company although it is not a bad idea to give them a heads up if you have a decent relationship with them. The ticket alone may not impact your coverage, but when it is combined with other factors it can lead to higher rates.

Type of Car

Sports cars are often targeted by police who are on the lookout for speeders. For this and other reasons, drivers of these cars probably already have higher than average premiums. Adding speeding tickets to the mix is guaranteed to result in increased rates.

Speed

How much you were driving over the speed limit is important. If your ticket is for a speed that exceeds the limit by a small amount, it is possible that your insurance provider may view it as a minor infraction and not penalize you for it. This is particularly true as long as it is a random occurrence. However, speeds in excessive of 20mph over the limit cannot be overlooked. Speeding in school or construction zones will be viewed as especially reckless.

Accidents

Speeding that contributes to the cause of an accident will result in higher rates and possible loss of coverage. Drivers who speed in poor driving conditions and are then involved in an accident, with or without another vehicle, are seen as high-risk drivers by insurance companies and are rated accordingly.

Other Tickets

If you have more than one speeding ticket, you raise your chances of receiving an increase in your premiums. The documented speed on each ticket contributes to the insurance company’s decision. Not only do you lose any safe driving discount you may have received, you are now rated as a high-risk driver. The more tickets you receive in a short amount of time, the more likely your insurance provider will simply cancel your coverage because of the risk you pose to them.

Rate Increases

Rates do not increase overnight. Just because you do not see an immediate change in your premiums, do not assume you are scot-free. It may just take a few months for the ticket to catch up with you or your insurance company may wait until your annual renewal. Your insurance provider will have a policy in place that details how this is handled. Rate increases that result from speeding tickets stay in affect for up to three years, which is the amount of time the ticket stays flagged on your driving record.

The greatest potential impact of a speeding ticket is that your car insurance coverage is dropped entirely. And if you are dropped by one carrier, it may be difficult to get another one to accept you as a customer. When you do get a new policy, you should expect to pay substantially higher premiums.

Whether you are a frequent flyer or not, you want the lowest possible airfare rates possible. Nobody wants to spend a penny more than necessary. This makes cheap flights exceedingly popular. And popularity breeds scarcity. Fortunately, you can still find ways to save money on your airfare. The following tips can help you on your money-saving journey.

Buy Tickets In Advance during Peak Travel Times

You simply cannot get around this – if you must travel during these times, you will need to purchase tickets at least three weeks in advance to get the best rates. The closer you get to your departure date, the more you will pay for your ticket. The time of your flight has equal impact on your ticket price as the actual date. Flights outside of commuting hours are cheaper as are weekday flights compared to those on the weekend.

Wait Until the Last Minute to Book Your Flight

This is an excellent way to save money as long as you do not do this on a holiday weekend or other peak times for travelers. Airlines are more than willing to sell unused seats at cheap prices. But be prepared to fly because these tend to be truly last minute deals. Many travelers live by these last-minute discounts while others find it too stressful to rely on a future that does not guarantee you will get the tickets you need.

Comparison Shop Online for Low Airfare Rates

A trend that continues to increase in popularity, shopping online for the best deals is one of the fastest ways to save money on airfare. It has never been easier to search for plane tickets online. Review multiple ticket sites to make sure prices and seating are comparable. Then settle on one site to begin comparing purchase prices for cheap flights from the different airlines. Take into consideration layovers and transfers so you know exactly what you are getting for your ticket price. Some sites even allow you to bid on a ticket price. Not everyone has the time or patience for this – many simply prefer to comparison shop and buy their ticket.

The biggest challenge you face is to know exactly when to buy your ticket. Cheap flights are constantly available but you do not want to spend your time waiting for the very best deal possible. Be happy with the discounts you receive.

One of the new “games” to play in reputation management is to suggest your business is in some way friendly to the environment. An increasing percentage of the population believes you run a better business if it is more sustainable and “green”. In this, there’s actually an ironic benefit. Business insurance companies also believe you should run your business in ways that reduce risk. This means keeping all your policies, processes and procedures under review to ensure they are safe. If you find ways to reduce the risk of claims, the insurer will respond with discounts. So, for example, your business may benefit if both the public access and the employee-only parts of your premises are redesigned in a more environmentally friendly way. If you use paint that does not fume and has reduced levels of toxicity, this reduces any risk of allergic reactions and illnesses.

Using natural light wherever possible, fitting LED lights and generally using power-efficient equipment reduces heat and the risk of fire. It also makes the premises more comfortable and popular with customers. Ask your insurer whether there are incentives to upgrade the building by fitting energy-efficient systems. If you comply with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, the Insurance Information Institute reports that, as from 2010, there are more than twenty insurers offering up to 10% discount on premium rates. One of the factors you might want to consider is the use of solar or wind power. Ignoring the capital cost to produce enough electricity to allow you to “go off the grid”, one of the main worries is the risk of outages. Some insurers are now offering specialized business interruption coverage to boost confidence.

When it comes to the vehicles used in the business, some of the commercial auto insurers offer discounts if you buy or lease hybrids. Even though you may not be impressed by the claimed threats of global warming or climate change, the insurance industry is firmly on the side of reducing emissions. The better the fuel-economy of your fleet, the lower the premium rates are likely to be. Similarly, the idea of pay-as-you-go will both save you money on the premium rates if you reduce milage to the absolute minimum and persuade your employees to drive more safely. The more safely and efficiently you run the fleet, the lower the premium payments. It also makes an excellent add-on to your marketing to show how much you care about the environment and that you are committed to reducing America’s dependence on imported oil. If you build environmental factors into your current risk management system, there’s a real chance of improving your bottom line, negotiating discounts on your business insurance rates, and giving yourself some marketing copy that will enhance your reputation with green customers. In this instance, there’s no reason why your skepticism about climate issues and other environmental factors should stand in the way of improved profits. Talk this through your your business insurance advisor to find out what your state’s insurance industry has on offer if you do decide to become more eco-friendly.

It can be shocking to be notified by an insurance company that you have not been approved to receive auto insurance coverage. This can be particularly devastating if you rely on your vehicle to get back and forth to work or to get your kids to school. Driving without insurance places significant risk on you and your family if you are caught driving without insurance or are involved in an accident.

Determine the Reason

Hopefully the insurance company will include the reasons for their denial in the notice they send to you. If not, you will probably have to submit a written request to obtain the reasons. You need to know this to make sure their decision was based on facts.

Verify the Facts

It is possible they used factors in their risk calculation that are not accurate or need explanation. For example, if you have a poor credit history because of financial difficulties you experienced while married but now you are divorced with little debt in your name, this may be a reason to ask for a review of their denial. Even if they based your denial on your driving record which you know is not perfect, you should still get a copy of your record to confirm its accuracy.

Appeal the Decision

You can ask to meet with or talk to a representative from the insurance company to go over the factors they used in their calculation. You will need to provide documentation for any information you plan to refute such as that mentioned above. Errors on your application can be easily corrected and your application resubmitted for consideration.

Apply to Other Providers

If they stand by their decision to deny you coverage, you have no choice but to apply to other companies for insurance. You should be prepared to address discrepancies you may have uncovered during the appeal process to the initial insurance provider. Keep your paperwork handy and include detailed explanations on your application. This is especially important if you are applying online for quotes. It may be better to actually speak to a live representative if you have several clarifications that need to be made to your application. Any actions on your part to improve your risk level should be documented including refresher driving classes.

Take Legal Action

auto insurance comapnies have the right to deny applicants coverage for legitimate reasons which are primarily based on risk to the company if they insure you. The only time you have legal recourse is if you suspect the company of denying you coverage based on discriminatory business practices. To proceed with a legal case against them, you will need evidence of this behavior.

Contact the State

If you continue to be denied based on subsequent applications to different companies, you may have to apply to your state’s Assigned Risk Pool. This is a last resort for the hard to insure. Since it is legally required to be insured, your state must offer minimum coverage through local providers to drivers who are otherwise unable to get coverage.