Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of our frequently asked questions. If you have any other
questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
| Can I make a payment online?
In many cases, yes. Click Here!
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| What to do about teen drivers??
Insuring teenagers is expensive because younger drivers are more likely to get into car accidents than older drivers with more experience. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics show that the leading cause of death among 15- to 20-year olds is vehicle collisions.
Consequently, insuring your teen driver comes with a high price tag – a premium increase of 44 percent if you have one car; 58 percent for two cars; and if you have a third vehicle, premiums can increase by 62 percent.
Having a separate auto insurance policy for your teen is an option but generally a more expensive one. The average car insurance policy for a teen driver can run $2,267, which is probably significantly more than the increase you might see on your existing policy.
4 strategies to reduce teen car insurance rates
For parents, teenagers behind the wheel of a car can be a scary thought, not only from a safety aspect but financially as well. Here are four strategies that can minimize your auto insurance premiums while insuring your teen driver has the proper insurance coverage.
- Enroll your teen in a driving safety school. Choose a program with a good reputation; your insurance company may have suggestions. Spend time with your teen drivers while they practice driving. Remember, it's ultimately your responsibility to evaluate how well your teen is doing and when he or she is ready for the road. As a bonus, your insurance company may offer a discount at course completion.
- If you're buying a car, buy the right one. There isn't one right car, but ideally you want a combination of safety and reasonable premiums. SUVs and luxury cars can be very expensive to insure and aren't necessarily safer in an accident. Also, new cars are generally more expensive to insure, so a used vehicle may be more cost-effective. Before committing to a vehicle, research online car insurance quotes and look for vehicles with excellent safety ratings.
- Look into student discounts. Find out if your insurance company offers discounts for student drivers who maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average or who participate in community service activities.
- Comparison shop for insurance. Look for all available student discounts to get the best deal you can when you insure your teen driver.
Once licensed, don't forget to add your teenager to your policy. Intentional misrepresentation could result in cancellation of your policy or refusal by your auto insurance company to pay a claim. Some companies may pay the claim and then back-charge you for the premiums, but don't take it for granted that they will.
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| How do I cover my windshield with insurance?
Repair of a broken windshield would be covered under the collision or comprehensive portion of your auto insurance policy, depending on what caused the break. Collision covers damage to your car caused by a traffic accident, and comprehensive covers damage caused by other factors, such as vandalism, natural disasters, collisions with animals and falling objects. Both types of coverage are optional and have a deductible.
However, some car insurance policies waive the comprehensive deductible for windshield repairs to encourage car owners to repair small chips inexpensively, rather than waiting until they develop into large cracks that require replacement of the entire windshield. Check your policy for details about the deductible.
What if a vandal smashes the windshield or a falling rock chips the glass and you don't have comprehensive? Then, you pay the full tab for the repairs.
Shop around for a qualified shop to do the work. You can get a list of recommended auto glass service providers from your insurance company.
Beware of overly aggressive windshield repair technicians who go door to door or set up booths at car washes and gas stations to solicit business. Some of those operators are legitimate, but some are not qualified, and some talk customers into windshield replacement when only small repairs are necessary.
Safety is important. The windshield is responsible for a large portion of the cabin's structural integrity, and must be installed correctly to ensure proper deployment of airbags.
Check whether the auto glass service provider uses original equipment manufacturer adhesives and glass, and look for companies that have committed to installations that meet standards set by the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standards Council.
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| If someone borrows my car, are they covered under my auto insurance?
As a general rule, auto insurance coverage follows the vehicle, not the driver. So if your car is involved in an accident, the car typically receives the full coverage provided by the auto insurance policy, regardless of who is driving.Auto insurance policies normally provide coverage for your car if it is driven by anyone to whom you lend your car.Your auto insurance company may require that certain conditions be met in order for other drivers to be covered under your policy. For example, anyone who drives your car must typically be a licensed driver. Additionally, most insurance companies require that anyone driving your car be doing so with your permission. This doesn't mean that you have to give explicit permission each time someone takes your car for a spin, but the person driving must have a reasonable belief that he or she is entitled to do so.Because these conditions can vary, it is important to check your policy carefully and make sure you understand any limitations that might apply before you allow others to drive your car.
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| What is there to consider when kids go away to school?
Sending your kid to college has implications for home, car and health insurance.
As long as your son lives on campus, your renters or homeowners covers the stuff he takes to college as part of the coverage for off-premises belongings. Still, it's a good idea to do an inventory of his possessions because the policy's coverage limit might be too low to cover pricey items, such as a laptop, flat-screen TV, iPod or sports equipment. Talk to your insurance agent about whether you need to purchase a personal property floater or endorsement to provide full coverage for everything.
If your son lives off campus, they'll need a separate renters insurance policy to cover his belongings.
Let the insurance company know if your child takes a family car to college. Insurers base premiums partly on where cars are garaged, and failing to report the change could jeopardize coverage. Also make sure the insurer still allows your son to be listed on your policy; most auto insurance companies let parents list children 18 and older on their policies as long as the kids are full-time college students.
If your child owns the title to the car, he or she should have their own car insurance policy and should inform the insurer about taking the vehicle to college.
Finally, your child can remain on your health insurance policy as a dependent up to age 26, but you might want to purchase a health plan through his college or university if he's leaving town and will be out of your plan's health network.
Make sure your child is listed on your policy, and notify the insurance company that he or she will be taking the car to school. Car Insurance rates are based on a variety of factors, including where vehicles are garaged. Your rates may go up or down, depending on where your child goes to school.
Before the child leaves, take the car in for a tuneup to ensure everything is in working order. Pack an emergency car kit, including a blanket, first aid kit, flashlight, batteries, flares, jumper cables, emergency contact phone numbers and insurance information. Consider purchasing roadside assistance if you don't already have it.
Talk to your college student about basic rules, such as not drinking and driving. Remind the child not to leave valuables in the car (such as a laptop, phone or mp3 player) and to park in well-lit, secure areas.
Most car insurance companies offer a discount for students who earn good grades, typically a B average or better. This will save you money and serve as another incentive for your student to hit the books.
Besides having implications for auto insurance, going away to college also raises questions about homeowners and health insurance. Check whether your child's school offers a health insurance plan if your student moves out of reach of your plan's network. Your home insurance will cover your child's belongings if he or she lives on campus. If your child lives off campus in an apartment, he or she will need a renters insurance policy to cover possessions.
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| What is a SR-22?
A SR-22 form, also known as a certificate of financial responsibility, is a form an insurance company files with the department of motor vehicles (DMV) to verify that your car insurance policy is in-force.
It is likely that you will be required to file an SR-22 form with your state's DMV if you cause an accident while driving without insurance or commit several other types of motor vehicle infractions, including:
Driving under the influence (DUI) conviction
Moving violations such as reckless driving
Getting too many points on your license
Serious moving violations such as reckless driving
Typically, a court or the state department of motor vehicles will notify you that a SR-22 is required. You should then notify your current insurance company that a financial responsibility filing is needed. SR-22 insurance is usually more costly than a standard car insurance policy.
Not all auto insurance companies want to deal with the complexity of filing SR-22 forms, which is why you may end up working with a different insurance company.
Once you've found an insurer and purchased SR-22 insurance, the insurer files the SR-22 on your behalf. There's typically a one-time fee (typically costing around $25) to put the SR-22 on file with the state department of motor vehicles.
If the policy lapses, the car insurance company files what's called an SR-26, which is a form that tells the state that you no longer have car insurance.
In eight states – Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Kentucky, Delaware, North Carolina, New York and New Mexico – SR-22s are not required.
If you move to Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Kentucky, Delaware or New Mexico, you must continue to meet all SR-22 insurance requirements of the state where the triggering offense was committed. In these situations, your auto insurance coverage must maintain the minimum liability limits of the state you previously resided in.
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| Do I need Gap Insurance for my Car?
The moment your new car leaves the dealership and hits the street, its value drops anywhere from 10 percent to 20 percent. If your vehicle is totaled in an accident or stolen, gap insurance covers the "gap" between what you still owe on your lease or auto loan and the amount the insurance company is willing to pay for the vehicle.
For example, say you buy a new car for $28,000 and the value depreciates by 15 percent when you drive it off the lot. If you were to get into a car accident a few days later – one bad enough to cause your vehicle to be totaled – your insurance company would pay $23,800. That amount represents the car's actual cash value, or value after depreciation.
However, you would still be responsible to pay what is owed on your auto loan. That leaves a gap of $4,200. With gap insurance in place, the difference between the amount owed on the loan and the actual cash value is covered.
Depreciation in the first year of vehicle ownership is high but decreases over time. In the fourth or fifth year of ownership, the gap between what you owe and the actual cash value of your car should be smaller, particularly if you've purchased a car that holds its value. Once the actual cash value exceeds the amount owed on the auto loan, you should drop gap insurance coverage. Until then gap insurance, which is relatively inexpensive, can offer financial protection if something happens to your new car.
Gap insurance generally is only available for new vehicles, although some companies allow you to purchase it on a car of any age. If your insurer offers it, it's typically more cost effective to add gap coverage to your auto policy, rather than purchasing it from a dealership or lease agent. Generally, you can only purchase gap coverage if your vehicle has both comp and collision coverage.
Finally, make sure you read the fine print so that you don't duplicate coverage or find yourself caught short when it comes to time to file a claim. If you leased a vehicle, gap coverage may already be included in the lease agreement. If you purchase gap insurance on a financed car, review the details of the gap coverage your insurer offers. Some car insurance companies cap or limit coverage to a specific dollar amount or percentage of the actual cash value.
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| What Deductible do I choose?
If your car overturns or collides with a car or another object, collision coverage pays for the damage to your vehicle or the cost to replace it, if it cannot be repaired. Collision coverage includes a deductible, such $250 or $500. This means that you are responsible for paying the amount of the deductible in any loss, before the insurance company is responsible for payment. For example, if the cost to repair your car is $1,500 and you have a $500 deductible, your company will pay $1,000 toward the repair costs. You are responsible for paying the first $500 to the body shop when the work is completed.
Collision coverage may also apply to a rental car when you are on vacation. Check with your company before you rent, so that you can decide whether you need to purchase additional coverage.
Choosing a higher deductible ($500 or $1,000) will help you save money. But, it's a trade-off between saving money on your annual premium and having to pay the deductible if you have a loss. Here's a way to think about it. If you choose a $500 deductible instead of $250, you may save $60 a year in insurance premiums. So, if you don't have a loss for 5 years, that's a total savings of $300. However, if you have a loss during the 3rd year and you have to pay the higher deductible of $500, you haven't saved anything. Our advice? Compare how much you can save by checking the price for a few different deductibles when you get a quote. Some companies offer big savings for higher deductibles, while others don't.
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| Why are you running credit on me for a Quote?
Insurers in most states consider your credit history when setting car insurance premiums. Even if you've never filed an auto insurance claim, your premium could go up if your credit rating goes down.
Insurance companies use information from credit reporting agencies to calculate an insurance risk score. You may think your financial habits have nothing to do with insurance, but insurers say people with solid credit are less likely to get into an accident or file a claim than people with shaky credit or no credit history.
Some consumer advocates have cried foul, saying it's unfair for insurers to use credit information as a factor in setting premiums. But the practice remains legal in most states.
First, order copies of your credit reports from the major credit reporting bureaus. You're entitled to free copies from each of the credit bureaus once a year. Check to make sure the information is accurate. If you find mistakes on any of the reports, follow the credit bureau's instructions to dispute the information and get it corrected.
Second, do whatever you can to improve your credit. Pay your bills on time, catch up on any late credit card payments and pay down your credit card balances. Using too much of your available credit – maxing out all your credit cards – raises a red flag. If you don't have any credit history, apply for credit to show you can use it responsibly.
What about a Quick Quote or an Insurance Company that will write a policy without credit being run or considered?
We don't usually offer quick quotes for our standard lines auto insurance. The reason many people want an estimate is so that they don't have to provide personal information - but that's almost always the information companies use to set rates! Also, an estimate is just as likely to go up as it is to go down, so you can't tell what you'll really save until you've entered all your information. Completing a quote request takes less than 10 minutes, and will be worth the time and effort when you see what you can save.
In some situations, we may start off by showing you our best guess before we ask you for more information. However, an estimate won't help you compare quotes, because the details - who you are, what you drive and information about your claims and driving history - are what make the difference.
We do offer auto insurance coverage that does not run credit.
You can get a quote or buy online here. (Internet Explorer Only)
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| Does it matter that my insurance services are through a good agency? Why?
Yes.
There are 2 dynamics to insurance that a policy holder benefits from by having a excellent agency vs. an average agency. We look at our clients as family and we want to keep a big family. So we must take care of our family. We are one of the few agencies that target the lowest premium PER LINE OF COVERAGE. In other words: we will not cut coverage to beat your current premium, as an active client or as a new prospect.
Many Insurance Companies
Excellent Experienced Caring Dependable Agents
Four Way Insurance is an independent insurance agency that is operated by agents who care about about people. Sometimes you may get our voice-mail when calling our phone. Why? Grace and Anita are spending time with clients in the office. Leave us a message and we will follow up ASAP. Please just give us a call back number, your name, and what it is that we can do you for you. If you are trying to reach Brad for a quote on your business insurance, speak with Grace or Anita to set an appointment over the phone, at your place of business, or our office.
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| How many offices do you have?
We only have 1 Office Location
7909 US Highway 70
Bartlett
Incorrect Addresses on Google Search
5948 Mount Moriah Rd
Memphis
3225 Kirby Whitten Suite 101
Bartlett
5948 Mount Moriah Rd
Memphis
5948 Mount Moriah Rd
Memphis
5948 Mount Moriah Rd
Memphis
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