Auto Insurance: Smart phones make showing proof of insurance more convenient.

   There are many among us who are familiar with needing to show proof of our automobile insurance, but for one reason or another we cannot find our ID card when needed. Yet today we all carry our smart phones or tablets wherever we go, and in most states an electronic version of your proof of auto insurance will satisfy the requirements for a proof of auto insurance coverage. It seems like such a trivial detail to remember to put our proof of insurance in an accessible location, but it is a detail that is often overlooked.

 

   New smart phones and insurance company apps have made keeping your necessary insurance documents conveniently accessible. Now whether you have been pulled over in a traffic stop or you are going to register a car, you can pull up a saved PDF of your proof of coverage and show proof instantly. We receive requests for duplicate auto insurance cards all the time. With the expansion of electronic forms becoming an acceptable proof of auto insurance; it has allowed us to better serve our clients by getting any necessary information passed to the correct party in a much more time efficient manner.
   I would recommend that in addition to your physical proof of insurance that is sent by your auto insurance carrier. You might want to request an electronic version to sent to your phone in order to have fall back in the event your insurance card gets misplaced or damaged.





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Homeowners Insurance: Adding an alarm system is a cost effective way to provide basic home protection.

   As insurance agents we are always looking for ways to add protection for clients. An alarm system installed in the home is a basic way to add some front line protection against burglary and fires, while also adding an overlooked discount on the homeowner's insurance policy. Most companies offer a discount on the homeowner's policy if a local or central station alarm system is installed. The discount for an active alarm system can vary depending on the insurance carrier and other discounts already in place, but in some cases the discount is substantial enough that it greatly underwrites the cost of the system.
   An alarm system can help mitigate some losses that could potentially be much worse. If a home break-in was to happen and an alarm system is in place, you might be able to limit the damage caused by the break-in, while removing the potential loss to your personal property inside the home. They are also helpful in alerting your fire protection service in the event that your home catches fire. Like a lot of things in life, if a home fire is caught early, the damage can be limited and may not result in a total loss to the home.
   There are many types of home alarms available to consumers today. They can range from local systems where a physical alarm is sounded if someone attempts entry or if a fire starts, to central station alarms where your local emergency responders are alerted in the event of a break-in, smoke, or fire.
    Please contact your insurance agent today to begin the discussion of how a home alarm system might be added, while learning about all the benefits available to you on your homeowner's insurance policy.

Kevin Butz
www.crawfordbutz.com

Home and Auto Insurance: Why insurance is the perfect medium to touch people's lives.

   Recently my wife and I had our fourth child, a daughter named Evelyn. Every time we have been pregnant we make an effort to go out a few times before the baby is born, which for us usually means sneaking out to an early movie or two. With this past pregnancy-induced movie binge we were able to catch the movie "Chef" starring Jon Favreau and Sofia Vergara. It is essentially a story about a successful chef who becomes fed up with having to satisfy the owner of his restaurant, and decides to strike out on his own. He comes to the realization that at his core he loves feeding people. He knows that when you feed someone well, you can literally feed their soul. Satisfying their need for a good meal can conjure feelings of comfort and satisfaction that very few experiences can replicate.
   It is with this same sentiment that the agents and CSRs of Crawford-Butz handle our client's needs. At our core we know that when client's insurance needs are handled with all the care, experience, and knowledge we have, we have done our client's a great service. We take great pride in being well informed on the current trends in the insurance industry. We then use this knowledge to help better protect our clients. Our driving purpose is looking for gaps in coverage and ensuring that our clients are satisfied in the event a claim situation does arise. We are fueled when a client relays their satisfaction with our service or the auto and home insurance coverage we have provided.  
   This has been the mission of Crawford-Butz since the firm was formed by Norbert Butz in 1961, and excellent service to our clients and writing company partners continues to be our greatest motivation.         

Auto Insurance: Keeping your auto insurance premiuim competitve by maximizing discounts and credits

   Every day we are bombarded with advertisements that claim you will be able to save money on auto insurance if you switch from company A to company B. While in some cases this is true, the advertisements do not tell you about the potential hassle and potential negative effects associated with switching companies. Insurance carriers try very hard to keep their clients, and with that effort they instituted certain credits and discounts that allow their clients to maximize the savings on their auto insurance premium.

   A well educated and professional auto insurance agent knows the various discounts and credits that a client is eligible for. The discounts available to an auto insurance client can change over the policy life of an insured, and it is very important to maintain a relationship with your auto insurance agent to keep them aware of any major life changes that could have an effect on the discounts available to you the insured.

   A few of the more obscure discounts and   credits available are as follows:

·         Child away at school (more than 100 miles) without a car

·         Multi-car discounts (very important for newly combined households)

·         Safe driver (accident or violation free)

·         Paid-in-full discounts

·         Electronic billing discounts

·         Longevity (the time you been with a carrier) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

   An annual or semiannual review of your auto insurance policy with your agent can help ensure that you are continuing to get the best possible auto insurance coverage for the best possible premium. As for myself and all of the agents at Crawford Butz & Associates, we love hearing from our clients and getting to know more about them. Every client’s situation is unique and the more we know about our auto insurance clients, the better we can serve them.

Making Smart Savings Choices

We are all looking for smart and easy ways to save money. Unfortunately, sometimes this includes changing insurance coverages to extremely low levels or eliminating coverage entirely. Before you make any drastic moves, read the money-savings tips below and give Crawford-Butz Insurance a call (314) 752-2500.

• Review all possible discounts and credits with your agent:  Most insurers offer a variety of policy credits and account discounts that can translate into significant savings — without endangering the level of protection you need for your home, autos and other valuable property. And often, if you purchase multiple policies through the same insurance company, you’ll receive further discounts. People who own motorcycles or boats and who complete approved safety courses can qualify for discounts, and families with teen drivers who earn good grades in school may qualify for auto policy discounts.

• Increase deductibles for cost savings: Only a small percentage of homeowners have claims in any given year, so you might consider increasing your deductible.

• Full payment on policy: Depending on your financial circumstances, you may be able to make lump-sum payments instead of partial premium payments, such as monthly or quarterly. Partial payments often include small transaction fees, so paying the full amount can eliminate those extra costs.

Saving money is important, but so is making sure that what you’ve got is protected. If you’re looking for ways to save, or want to review your coverages, give us a call!

Some information provided courtesy of Safeco Insurance.