How Much Vehicle Coverage Do You Really Need?

Posted on June 22, 2019August 30, 2023 by Shield Insurance Agency

Shield Insurance Blog | Vehicle Coverage | Auto Insurance | Start A Quote Today

This is a question that I have been asked often and while I can list all the amazing coverages offered to you, the answer really depends on your personal needs and assets.

Let’s start with PLPD coverage only. As most people know, PLPD (Personal Liability, Property Damage) is the minimum coverage needed to drive your vehicle on the road legally. Yet, what a lot of people don’t realize is that PLPD has so many different coverage options on its own.

The dreaded state minimum requirement for Bodily Injury Liability Limits is $20,000 per person up to $40,000 per accident.

If someone else were to be injured in an auto accident that was your fault (or worse, a whole family with multiple kids), that is the coverage you have to offer. That doesn’t mean that the injured person can stop suing you for money after $20,000 or $40,000, it just means that you are on your own to pay anything over that. So you could be paying tens to hundreds of thousands out of your own pocket!

The saddest thing about this incredibly LOW coverage is that better coverage is CHEAP!!! I have seen someone with 1 vehicle & 1 driver have the state minimum and to upgrade to $100,000 per person up to $300,000 per accident was only $25 more for a whole 6-month policy. That’s less than $5 extra a month for more than QUADRUPLE the coverage!

Vehicle Coverage

Then there’s Full Coverage, which means comprehensive (~acts of God coverage) and collision coverage added to PLPD. This is where it all depends on where you are at financially and what your vehicle is worth.

My husband and I do not have loans on our vehicles. Mine is an old beater van that isn’t worth much. According to Kelley Blue Book, (www.kbb.com) the actual cash value is only $1,500. Based on this, it wasn’t worth paying the higher premium for full coverage when that is all the money I would get if it was a total loss in an accident.

Now, my husband’s truck, on the other hand, is worth closer to $6000 actual cash value, and if that truck were to be totaled tomorrow, I would not have a spare $6000 to throw at another vehicle. If I did have enough cash handy to purchase a new/used vehicle tomorrow, I would take off the full coverage (but I don’t) so that truck will stay on full coverage until I do.

It was worth my time and effort to figure out what our vehicles were worth, that way I am insured correctly and not paying more premium than I should!

submitted by Melissa

Halloween Driving Tips For Safety

Posted on June 22, 2019August 29, 2021 by Shield Insurance Agency

Halloween Driving Tips

At a glance: Help protect trick-or-treaters by following these Halloween driving tips, or on the night your community hosts Halloween activities.

Be especially careful between 4 and 8 p.m., when most severe vehicle/young pedestrian collisions happen.

Drive slowly, and don’t pass stopped vehicles. The driver might be dropping off children.
Park your mobile phone. Avoid distractions by waiting until you’ve stopped to call, text, or surf.
Watch for children darting into the street. Kids can cross the street anywhere, and most young pedestrian deaths happen at spots other than intersections.
Yield to young pedestrians. Children might not stop, either because they don’t see your vehicle approaching or don’t know how to safely cross the street.
Communicate with other drivers. Always use your turn signals. And if you have to pull over to drop off or pick up your kids, turn on your hazard lights.

And, to keep your own trick-or-treaters safe on Halloween:

Teach them how to safely cross streets. They should look both ways and cross only at corners and crosswalks.

Consider indoor community Halloween programs for younger kids. Some communities also offer to help you inspect your kids’ treats to make sure they’re safe to eat.

Brighten them up. Give them flashlights and glow sticks, and/or use reflective tape on their costumes, so drivers can see them.

BROUGHT to you by PROGRESSIVE

If In An Auto Accident: Who ya gonna call? Where ya gonna tow?

Posted on June 22, 2019February 14, 2025 by Shield Insurance Agency

Auto Accident | Shield Insurance Agency Blog | Start A Quote Today!

What would you do?

Have you ever thought about who you want to fix your car and who you want to tow it if you were in an auto accident?

77% of auto accidents occur within 15 miles of your house. So, it would be a good idea to figure out who you want working on your vehicle before the accident happens instead of trying to figure it out while on the side of the road. If you have full coverage, many insurance companies will have a preferred vendor list. However, you’re going to have the freedom to choose any reputable repair shop.

This is especially important if you don’t have full coverage and/or no towing coverage. You wouldn’t want to pay for your broken car towed home then end up with another bill to tow it to a repair shop.

— Joe