Car Insurance In Mississippi

Reader’s Question:

My girlfriend’s place here in Mississippi is often flooded when it rains hard and I’m worried that if I fetch her, my car would break down. In case this happens, would my insurance coverage pay for the damages in my car?

Bob

Jackson, MS

One of the factors that determine what your auto insurance premium should be is the risk that there is in the environment where you “regularly” go to or park your vehicle. If you and your girlfriend go out together before you got your car insurance, you may have to inform your car insurance agent about it. You have to know that small details like this matter much to insurance companies since it puts your vehicle to a situation wherein you may make a claim because your vehicle might suffer damages. However, normally, insurance companies cover claims like yours only if you have what they call a “comprehensive coverage.” This means that your insurance covers your vehicle for losses that may result from incidents other than collision. Such incidents may include falling objects, explosion or missiles, fire, earthquake, storms and hails, theft, malicious mischief, riot or civil commotion, collision with animals, and in your case flooding. In case any of these happens to your car while it is under a comprehensive coverage, the insurance company would pay you an amount equivalent to how much you need to get your car fixed. However, if your insurance company arrives in the decision of “totaling” your car, it would pay you your car’s cash value instead. Of course, the company would have to take into consideration your car’s depreciation and thus deduct it to what you declared as its initial actual value.

Car Insurance Company Mississippi

Reader’s Question:

Would it be okay to shop around for a new auto insurance company while an auto accident that I figured in is still being processed? I mean, accidents tend to affect insurance premiums adversely. The accident was not my fault, by the way. My name is Mary and I live in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Mary

Gulfport, MS

I know what you mean. I totally get it. I know that insurance companies tend to give you steeper premiums if your insurance history lists an auto accident even if you were not at fault. The thing is, if you do that, it could be considered as an attempt to defraud the company. So, if they notice the hazy order of events in your insurance application, you could be in bigger trouble.

There are instances, however, where insurance agents are not able to find recent accident records or choose to ignore it. Usually within a year or so, the insurance history black eye won’t be noticed. If they don’t see it, it’s not going to be your fault and your premium will not be affected. There is a chance you can fly under the radar, so to speak. So, the next best step that you can do after the accident if you plan to change insurance companies would be to shop around and hope that the flying under the radar thing happens. If it does, you may be safe for a year or so. Just be careful with it, though. If they find out about it after a year, they may declare that you left it out on purpose and deny any of your claims, citing violation of disclosure laws. Check your local office in Gulfport, Mississippi, and find what you can about this disclosure law just to be sure.