Auto insurance is designed to protect your assets if you have an accident. It is an agreement, a contract, between you and your insurance company. You pay the premium and the insurance company pays for your losses as specified in your policy. Getting an auto insurance quote for the right coverage is important.

Auto insurance can provide coverage for property damage, liability and medical expenses as well as things like towing and a rental car after an accident.

• Property damage coverage pays to cover your car for damage or theft.
• Liability covers your legal responsibility to others for bodily injury or property damage.
• Medical coverage pays the cost of treating injuries, rehabilitation, and possibly lost wages and funeral expenses.

An auto insurance policy is comprised of different forms of coverage. Most states do not require you to buy all of the coverages. Your lender will also have minimum requirements if you’re financing a car. You should always get a car insurance quote to get the best rate possible.

Most Washington auto policies are for six month terms although some companies offer 12 month policies. Some states, like Oregon, even allow a 1 month policy. At renewal the company adjusts your rate to take into account any rate changes approved by the state insurance commissioner and any change in your driving record or age. Changes to vehicles on the policy or marital status will adjust the rate mid-term. Anytime your status changes you should get a car insurance quote to see if another company can give you a cheaper price.

Mindy Payne
Farmers Insurance
1601 Columbia Park Trail
Richland, WA 99352

• (509) 735-5289

Unlike most auto insurance, where you buy insurance on your specific car(s), Broadform Named Operator Coverage provides insurance on a specific driver.

You pay one low price whether you own one car or four or more cars. You don’t even have to call your agent when you buy, sell, or trade cars, because no cars are listed on your policy.

Broadform Named Operator Coverage satisfies the state insurance requirement by covering bodily injury or property damage you cause to others while YOU are driving a car, whether you own the car or not.

Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury and Personal Injury Protection may also be purchased.

You cannot buy coverage for physical damage to your own vehicles.

An SR-22 filing can also be added to the Broadform Named Operator policy.

Most companies charge a 10-15% more for a Broadform Named Operator policy than they would for insuring a single car. You can call for an car insurance quote to an independent agent for this type of policy. The captive agents like State Farm, Farmers, and Allstate do not.

Reuters reports that Volkswagen’s American unit is working on incorporating an in-car navigation system into their cars using “Google Earth” mapping technology. The Google software would give drivers a bird’s eye view of the road ahead.

The two companies are working with the graphics chipmaker Nvidia Corp. to build an in-car navigation map system and a three-dimensional display so passengers can recognize where they are in relation to the surrounding topography.

The car manufacturer showed off the prototype car at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.

A spokesman for the automaker said there were no definite plans to use the technology inside cars. But the collaboration between the automaker and Google shows the progress the Web search leader is making expanding beyond the computer realm.

How much of a distraction will it add to be able to “play” with such a cool tool while you drive? Being able to see the buildings and the landmarks for reference is much easier than a regular flat map with a moving marker on it but will it also be a distraction?

Western States Insurance Agency
1100 Jadwin Ave., Suite 500
Richland, WA 99352

• (509) 946-6161
• (509) 946-0715 - fax

Formerly: Spencer-Kinney Insurance

Avery Insurance Services
Metlife Auto & Home
1846 Terminal Drive Suite 102 Richland, WA 99354

• (509) 943-8399
• (509) 946-5126 - Fax