FAQ

In most cases, yes, as long as they have the permission or reasonable belief from the insured that they can use the vehicle. The insured is the person named on the insurance policy and their spouse if applicable.

There are some exclusion’s; so you would need to look at your particular insurance policy to make sure. Remember, everyone in your household must be listed on your insurance policy if they have a license. For example, if a girlfriend you live with uses your car, she may not be covered if you did not list her on your insurance policy. On the other hand, if you live separately, she could use your car with your permission and be covered.

When it comes to paying your bill, Gallant Insurance offers several options. Payments can be made:

• Automatically from your credit card or financial institution
• Online
• Over the phone
• By U.S. mail

Together, collision and other than collision or comprehensive coverages (other than collision and comprehensive mean the same thing) are what people refer to as “full coverage.”Both coverages provide reimbursement for physical damage to YOUR vehicle, not someone else’s. Collision generally means physical damage to your automobile due to impact with another vehicle or object. This could mean another vehicle, a guardrail, a rock in the road, etc.

Other than collision/comprehensive generally means physical damage to your automobile due to the following types of losses: fire, theft, vandalism, explosion, earthquake, windstorm, hail, water or flood, riot or civil commotion, contact with a bird or animal, breakage of glass. Common types of other than collision/comprehensive losses are windshield breakage/damage, hitting a deer, and vandalism.

Whether you should purchase/keep or drop full coverage on your vehicle includes additional considerations. As always, should you have any questions about coverage or how it applies, please don’t hesitate to contact Gallant Insurance, Inc.

The next time you’re on the freeway, think about this: Approximately one of every seven U.S. drivers on the road has no automobile insurance. That’s the most recent estimate from the Insurance Research Council, which noted that the five states with the highest percentage of uninsured drivers were Florida, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Tennessee. With that many people driving without coverage, it’s more important than ever for you to be insured. But how much car insurance do you need to have?

If you’re like many people, you might be in an economic pinch these days. Your inclination might be to get the minimum insurance coverage required by law in your state. The trouble with minimum coverage is that it might not fully protect you — or your assets — if you’re at fault in an accident. It’s a better idea to carry more than the minimum coverage unless you are driving an older car with little value and have no assets to protect.

Even though each state, except for New Hampshire, has minimum requirements for bodily injury liability, it is probably in your best interest to purchase higher limits. If someone else is injured and you’re at fault, the minimum liability coverage may not cover the other motorist’s medical expenses, in which case he or she will most likely come after your assets. Insurance experts generally recommended that you purchase 250/500/ limits of bodily injury liability (meaning $250,000 for one person in an accident and $500,000 for all people injured in one accident).

That depends on the state you live in. Most states have stringent laws about having car insurance and if you don’t choose to follow these laws by not purchasing car insurance, there can be tough penalties and fines. You can probably count on losing your driver’s license and getting your car impounded and then you will be charged with breaking the law and that will be on your police record. Also, if you cause an accident, on top of the above-mentioned things you will still have to pay for the damage to the other vehicle and people who may have been hurt, which can easily run into thousands of dollars.

Generally, your personal auto insurance should extend to a rental car. A rental car most likely would be covered by Collision coverage or Liability coverage, depending on the state in which your policy is issued, because you’re temporarily driving it and you don’t own it. Basically, your policy will treat a rental like your primary vehicle while you’re in possession of it.

If you’re looking for more coverage, you may want to consider purchasing the additional insurance offered by a rental car company.

Please contact your insurance agent to confirm what your policy will cover you for while renting a car.

The easiest way is to create a video. Using your phone, record and describe items as you walk through your house. Or, you can take pictures and create a home inventory checklist.

YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE AN INVENTORY PRIOR TO A LOSS.

It is a good idea to have an inventory to help recall what you had prior to the loss. Here are a few tips for completing and storing your inventory:

• Add brand names and descriptions where you can, especially on large-ticket items.
• Keep any receipts you have with the list to make the claims process easier.
• Store your video or photo inventory offsite so you won’t lose it if your house is damaged.
• Update your personal property records when you purchase new furnishings and valuables.

There are a number of apps available now to keep track of your inventory should you ever need it.

Your furniture and appliances, clothing, sports or hobby equipment, and electronic goods are all regarded as personal property. Like many people in New Hampshire, you may own much more than you realize.

Comparing the value of your belongings to the “contents” limit listed in your policy helps you make sure you have enough insurance to replace them if they are lost, stolen or destroyed as a result of a covered loss.

If that’s not enough to make you consider doing an inventory, having one also makes filing a claim easier.

Talk to us at Gallant Insurance, Inc. to assist you in analyzing your insurance needs and help you decide how to most effectively protect your personal property.

Ask us about full value coverage, which will pay for the replacement value of your personal belongings. A standard policy typically covers personal property only up to its actual cash value, determined by taking the replacement cost and deducting depreciation, which can be substantial.

Remember, your homeowners policy covers valuable items such as jewelry, art and antiques, only up to set dollar amounts. If the cost of replacing them exceeds these limits, you may want to purchase scheduled personal property coverage.

There are several ways to file a claim.

• If it is an emergency call 911 and stay calm
• You can call our 24-hour emergency number at 603.384.3865
• You can call the carriers direct emergency number. This can be found on the back of your insurance card, on your policy or online