AUTO INSURANCE

Minneapolis Personal Injury Lawyer

2010-11-01T03:15:00.000-07:00

Minneapolis Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal injury law can be a complex topic for common people to understand. There are many possible situations and permutations of the law, and you need to be educated in at least some aspects of it to know properly if you have a case. This FAQ can help answer some of your Minneapolis personal injury questions.

What is the definition of “personal injury?” for a Minneapolis personal Injury lawyer?

A personal injury is an injury that results in harm or death to a person. This also includes emotional pain, not just physical injuries.

What do you mean by "contingency fee?”

Usually when you hire a Minnesota personal injury lawyer, you will be charged on a contingency fee basis. This means you will not have to pay for the services unless your lawyer is able to win your case.

How do I know if I have a case?

The best thing you can do if you think you have a case is to contact a Minnesota personal injury lawyer as early as possible. Once they have all of the details and facts surrounding the case, they can make an informed decision.

Why do I need a lawyer? Can't I just go through my insurance company? You can do that, but a personal injury lawyer will be fighting to get you the best possible settlement, while an insurance company attempts to pay the least amount possible.

What does statute of limitations mean?

A statute of limitations gives you a maximum time from the incident until the time you have to present a case. There are different statute of limitations for different kinds of cases, but it's always best to start the ball rolling as soon as possible.

What is "recklessness?"

The definition of recklessness is when someone blatantly ignores the possible consequences of his/her actions, especially if harm comes to another person.

What is "negligence?"

Negligence means when people are simply careless with their actions. If you have been harmed because of this carelessness, it is possible for the negligent persons to be held responsible for their carelessness.

What is meant by "premise liability?"

Premise liability occurs when people do not keep their property in a state where it is safe for visitors. If you are injured because of this, they can be held responsible.

What is a defect?

If a manufacturer or company sells a product that is unsafe, or they do not sufficiently warn the public about possible hazards, they can be held liable for injuries that occur from people using that product.

This FAQ is just the beginning of understanding the law. If you think you have a case, the best thing you can do is to contact a Minneapolis personal injury lawyer today, and talk to them. They have the knowledge, training, and experience to help you understand the complex nuances of the law. They can also help you get the maximum possible compensation for any injury done to you.

Secured Loan Calculator

2010-10-31T07:18:00.000-07:00

Secured Loan Calculator

Using a Secured Loan Calculator When Car Buying:

When it comes to purchasing a car, there is one main question that you should ask yourself. How I am going to be able to finance it, this should be thought of before you even begin to consider the type of car you want. Usually car loans are arranged after we have chosen the vehicle. Car finance calculators will be helpful when you are trying to figure out what your car payments are going to be.

The first thing and the most important thing that you will want to take into effect is the Interest rate. Since credit facilities have different interest rates the amount of interest that you pay may vary greatly you will want to look around to find what suits you and to minimize costs of periodical payments on the loan. In order to do this you will need to Compare loan offers from banks, credit unions and car financing arms if you are able to get a loan with a 2% rate see if your financial institution can do better. You will also want to check about any fees and charges that you will be charged, and also if you can get any breaks on the fees if you pay the loan out early.

Secured on Unsecured Loans - Which to Chose?

When you arrange the loan with a loan calculator it will give you the option of choosing a secured or a personal unsecured loan. There are advantages and disadvantages to both of these. With a secured loan you will be able to get a cheaper interest rate, but you still have to repay the loan is you decide to sell it in the future, and most of these types of loans require you to carry full coverage insurance along with comprehensive and you may also have to carry gap insurance.

The disadvantage of a personal loan is that it you will usually have to pay higher interest rates on it.

If you wish to have any extra items considered on your financing loan, such as comprehensive and gap insurance keep in mind that if you decide to have the insurance tied into the financing loan that you will also have to pay taxes on it and it will have to paid off when the automobile is paid for, any amount of loan balance still due on your car when you are ready to trade it in, warranties for motor vehicle mechanical breakdown, and any additional car accessories. When filling out the finance application you may be able to have these considered and it may be possible to have them calculated into the payments. Although anything that you add to the financing application would have to be approved by the financing company.

While it may be possible to get a car loan on an older car, if you use the wrong financing company you may be penalized for it, usually most financing companies will only insure cars that are less than 7 years old. If the car is older than 7 years you may not even be able to get a loan or you may have less time to make payments on it. Any new car is financed largely on the amount of the interest rate and also the amount borrowed, and by using a loan calculator you will be able to determine if you are going to be able to make the monthly payments.

By accessing the web not only will you be able to save money on the car, but you will also have the added benefit of knowing what you will have to repay before you even go to a dealership, a bank or anyone else that may be able to finance a car. if you have ever used a calculator before then you know in order for it to work you must put information into it, this is the same method used for a loan calculator.

There are other reasons to use a loan calculator other than for figuring out what the monthly repayment will be, one of these include, being able to get a deferred payment plan, what this will mean to you is that instead of making the first payment the first month after you get the loan, you will be able to start payments in the second month. I have had this happen to me and it is more helpful then what most people think that it is.

You may also be able to balloon the payment, so instead of paying it off while you own it you can save the money to pay for it at the end of the financing period, the disadvantage to this though is it can cause your interest rates to increase.

You will also be able to structure payments around your other bills, thus allowing you the chance to make sure that you will be able to make the payments on it.

Auto Insurance

2010-10-31T04:37:00.000-07:00

Avoide Auto Insurance Fraud

One of the biggest fraud problems in America is auto insurance fraud. Unfortunately many people are staging auto accidents to collect on the insurance money. You could find yourself in the middle of a large problem if someone in another vehicle purposefully hits your car in order to collect on the insurance money. Here are the common auto insurance fraud scams to watch out for:
    * Car accidents
    * Owner give-ups
    * 30-day specials
    * Export fraud
    * Phantom vehicles

If you find yourself the victim of auto insurance fraud, you do have legal rights. Most auto insurance protects you if you are the victim and will provide you with a legal defense. In order to determine if you are a victim of auto insurance fraud, you need to understand the common auto insurance fraud scams in detail.

Beginning with car accidents, there are 3 main types of car accident scams. First there is the swoop and squat. The swoop and squat will involve 3 cars, usually 2 that are driven by the criminals and the last one is driven by an unknowing victim. The "squat" vehicle driver will position themselves in front of the victim. Then the person who is driving the "swoop" vehicle will intentionally pull ahead of the squat vehicle and cut them off, causing the driver to slam on his brakes and stop short. The unknowing victim usually cannot react quick enough and rear ends the squat vehicle. The swoop vehicle drives off and no one knows who really caused the accident. The victim will tell the police about the swoop vehicle, but of course this car is nowhere to be found and the victim will end up paying for all the damages and any personal injury claims.

The second type of car accident scam is known as the side swipe. Most of these accidents will occur at a busy intersection with dual left hand turn lanes. The criminal will intentionally position their car in the outer left turn lane. The unknowing victim will get in the other turn lane and the criminal will intentionally "drift" their car into yours, making it look like you drove into their lane.

The last type of car accident scam in known as the "panic stop". The panic stop typically involves numerous passengers in a late model car. The criminal will position their car in front of the victim. The passengers in the criminal's car will watch the victim for any signs of distraction, such as talking on a cell phone, looking down to change the radio, etc. Once they notice you are distracted, they signal the criminal to slam on his brakes. The unknowing victim will not have enough reaction time and will slam into the car. When the victim will explain to the police that the criminal simply slammed on their brakes for no reason, their complaint will not go too far and the victim will be forced to pay for all the damages and injuries that are reported. As with any driving behavior, the only way to avoid being in an auto accident scam is to be observant and keep a good distance from the vehicle in front of you.

Owner give-ups are another common auto insurance fraud scheme. The owner of the vehicle will lie about the theft of their vehicle by burning it, submerging it, or abandoning it. If the police are unable to locate the vehicle, the owner will be able to collect on the insurance money.

30-Day specials are another auto insurance fraud scheme. If a care is in need of extensive repair, the owner of the vehicle will hide the car for 30 days, enough time for the insurance company to settle the claim. Then, once the claim has been paid, the vehicle is often found abandoned somewhere.

Export Fraud is a quick and easy way for criminals to make money. They will secure a loan for a new vehicle and obtain an insurance policy for the new car. Then, they will report the vehicle stolen to the police. The criminal will actually ship the car overseas illegally and sell it on the black market. They will collect the insurance money on the car, and receive money for selling it illegally.

The last form of auto insurance fraud is called "phantom vehicles." The criminal will create a phony title or registration to secure insurance on a fake car. Of course they can report this vehicle stolen and collect on the insurance money.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau is working hard to crack down on theses criminals, but they are still out there. Due to criminals like this, the insurance rates can increase for everyone else. Because of these crimes, auto insurance companies have tightened their insurance screening process. Several auto insurance companies will now check your credit report as well as your driving record and criminal history before they will consider insuring you.

Many auto makers are also taking steps to decrease the likelihood of auto insurance fraud. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) have helped to reduce the number of stolen cars sold on the black market. Modern laser cut keys have helped to reduce the number of luxury vehicles stolen and auto security systems are protecting the average car as well. While many criminals are able to disconnect security alarm systems, it may give you enough time to get back to your car before the thief can drive away in it.

A reduction in insurance fraud would benefit not only the insurance company, but the policy holders as well. The insurance industry experts state that "fraud accounts for 10% of claims - something like $100 billion." Insurance companies themselves claim they spend at least $650 million annually just in fraud detection, not to mention the losses. If the insurance companies can find a method to eliminate insurance fraud, the rates will be reduced for policyholders. Fighting insurance fraud is expensive and labor intensive; this is why several auto insurance companies are asking their existing policy holders to petition congress for stricter penalties for insurance fraud.
Several states have taken steps toward reducing insurance fraud. Recently Florida made it a second-degree felony to stage a car accident in order to collect on the insurance money or to make a personal injury claim. The maximum sentence (if convicted) is 15 years. Other states are offering rewards to anyone who has information about auto insurance fraud criminals or underground organizations.

The database company, LexisNexis is now marketing a new program called "Rate Evasion Evaluation". This service will generate a risk score to insurance companies about their clients based on insurance applications, personal information, and vehicle registrations.

If you have become a victim of insurance fraud, you will not only have to pay for all the damages of the accident, you may face legal charges as well. Your premiums will increase with your auto insurance provider and it make take a long time before they are reduced. There are steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of auto insurance fraud.

First, be prepared at all times. Because you know the difference between each of the common auto insurance fraud scams, you know what to watch out for. Being aware of your surroundings is one of the first steps to protecting yourself. Watch for drivers who are following you, or watching your driving habits.

Second, don't follow the car in front of you too closely. This is hard to do for many people, especially if they are in a rush to get somewhere. It is important to keep at least 3 seconds back from the car in front of you. This leaves you with plenty of room to stop if the car in front of you tries to pull a panic stop.

Third, when you are turning with a double left or right turn signal, do not allow your car to veer out of its lane. Watch the car next to you, and allow them a little room if you notice they begin to veer.

Fourth, if you are involved in an auto accident, be sure to record everything. Take pictures of the scene and inform the police officer of everything that happened at the time you were involved in the accident.

Fifth, when you report your claim to your insurance company, be sure to inform them if something seemed suspicious. Many criminals are experienced and if you report a panic stop, the insurance company may be able to check their records and pull up a driving history report on the other party. If they notice this is not the first accident they have been involved in, they can inform the police who will launch an investigation.

Overall, just use your common sense when you are driving. If you must talk on your cell phone, pull over. Being distracted is one of the main causes for auto accidents and knowing that criminals are watching your behavior may just give you a second thought at picking up that cell phone in the car.

Fraud Problems

* GEICO

This is the special investigations unit for Geico, one of the leading car insurance companies. This site talks about what they are doing to crack down on auto insurance fraud and how you can help.

* Insurance fraud

Wikipedia.org talks about insurance fraud in general. They provide specific information about auto insurance fraud and what criminals are doing to collect on insurance money at your expense and what you can do to protect yourself

Protecting against Fraud

* Auto Insurance Facts

This web site provides you with the facts about auto insurance fraud. It discusses how criminals commit auto insurance fraud, how this impacts you, and what you can do to stop auto insurance fraud.

* Fraud statistics

The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud is fighting to end auto insurance fraud. From this web site you can learn recent statistics pertaining to insurance fraud and learn what you can do to stop insurance fraud.

* Fraud Protection

This is another great article discussing auto insurance fraud. It provides excellent information on the different types of auto insurance fraud criminals are currently using and what you can do to avoid becoming a victim.

Fighting Insurance Fraud

* Fighting Insurance Fraud

The industry seems to be more serious about cracking down. Now if only the public would take heed.

* Your Automotive Insurance Questions Answered

Farmers Insurance is trying to crack down on the auto insurance fraud schemes that are being used. This web site discusses how auto insurance fraud is a rising problem and what you can do to help stop it.

* Auto Insurance Fraud and Car Theft

This web site discusses car theft and auto insurance fraud. It provides information you should know about car thieves and how they are manipulating the auto insurance industry and what you can do to protect your car.

USA Auto Insurance

2010-10-31T04:26:00.000-07:00

About USA Auto Insurance

USAA Auto Insurance—United Services Automobile Association—began in the 1920's when a group of U.S. Army officers came together to insure each other's vehicles. Today, USAA is a Fortune 500 financial services company that serves military members, veterans and their families with their insurance, banking and other financial needs.

USAA's auto insurance

Has a great reputation for customer service and the financial stability of the company. In J.D. Power and Associates most recent study of the auto insurance industry, they noted USAA's car insurance “also achieves a high level of customer satisfaction.” BusinessWeek magazine ranked USAA three years in a row as one of its top “Customer Service Champs.” Most recently, USAA made the Ward Group's 2009 50 Top-Performing Insurance Companies—a distinction USAA has held since the list began in 1991.

USAA's Property and Casualty Insurance Group—the umbrella under which USAA's auto insurance falls boasts the following ratings from the top three ratings agencies:

    * A.M. Best Company: A++ (Superior, highest of 16 possible ratings)
    * Moody's Investors Service: Aaa (Exceptional, highest of 21 possible ratings)
    * Standard & Poor's : AAA (Extremely Strong, highest of 21 possible ratings)

USAA: Low-Cost Auto Insurance

USAA also has a reputation for low-cost auto insurance. USAA's website offers free auto insurance quotes
, which car insurance consumers can use for comparison shopping. The website also notes the results of a nationwide survey of new customers, taken between 2007 and 2008, where four out of five new customers reported that their premiums for USAA auto insurnace were less than what they had paid with their previous insurance companies.

Of course, as with all types of auto insurance, insurance premiums can differ based on the driver's location, the make and model of car, the driver's record and other factors. But USAA offers motorists a number of savings and discounts on their automobile insurance
, including discounts based on taking driver training, mileage driven each year, insuring multiple vehicles with usaa, and even $50 off the first premium for new customers who request a quote and buy their auto insurance online.

Another financial advantage USAA offers its customers is that the company is not a corporation but rather it runs as an inter-insurance exchange. This is similar to how credit unions are organized; that is, customers are actually members who are insuring each other and they, in theory, own a share of the company. Under the law in Texas, where USAA's headquarters are located, each member's liability is limited to what he or she pays in insurance premiums. As a result, profits are shared among members.

USAA Auto Insurance: Great Value

The auto insurance industry is highly competitive, which is good for the consumer. Even in such a competitive industry, USAA auto insurance stands out as a great value. If you qualify to join USAA, you would do well to consider using them for your auto insurance needs.