What To Do When You Get In a Car Accident

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When you find yourself in a car accident, everything can get hazy.  Whether you’re physically injured or not, the shock that occurs following something as frightening as a vehicle collision is enough to leave people feeling in an almost dream-like state.  Unfortunately, as a result, a lot of people wind up making mistakes throughout the process.  Since it’s such a delicate situation, it’s important that you do things right.

Since you can be so discombobulated as a reaction to the stress, it’s helpful to have a list of what you should do onhand.   Take a look at your handy step-by-step list of what you should do after getting in an accident. 

Check For Injuries

First thing is first, you’ll need to ensure that you don’t have any physical injuries.  Make sure that you check yourself and anyone else in your car for injuries.  If you realize that you or someone else in the car is hurt, put everything else on hold.  The most important thing is your well-being.  Dial emergency services immediately or ask someone nearby to do so.

Move Your Car

If you can, move your car out of the way of other vehicles and into safety.  Often people leave their cars in a hazardous place after a collision, and it winds up causing another accident.  If it’s not possible to move your car then ideally you should at least move yourself.

Call The Police

Even if your accident is nothing other than a fender bender, you should call the police to create an accident report.  An officer will interview everyone involved in the accident and write it all down.  They’ll chart out what occurred in the accident, providing documentation for the event.

When you make a claim with your insurance company, they’ll refer to the police report to help with the process.

Get The Other Drivers Information

It’s important that you get the contact information of the other driver.  Make sure that you get not only their name and phone number but also everything about their vehicle.  Take a photo of their license and license plate, as well as any damage to their car.

If they’re a responsible driver, they’ll have their insurance company and policy number with them to provide you with as well.

Don’t Incriminate Yourself

Often when people experience a traumatic event like a car accident, they assume it’s their fault, particularly if the other driver is angry.  Don’t apologize or admit fault whatsoever unless it was undoubtedly your fault.  However, as a general rule of thumb, you should avoid discussing details with the other driver.  Let your insurance handle it.

Call Your Insurance Company

Once you’ve done all of these steps, you can call your insurance company to notify them of the accident.  They’ll start a claim and tell you exactly what you need to do.

Conclusion

By having this list onhand, you’ll be sure to make sure that you don’t forget any critical steps.  That way, you can rest assured that you have the right information with you should anything happen while driving.

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A Guide To Life Insurance For Policy Holders Over Age 50

Health & Fitness

Life insurance is something back can be a complex issue for some individuals. This differs from other types of insurance because it is providing security for those people who are dependent on your income; in the event that you are gone and can no longer provide for them. Many people wonder about the different guidelines when it comes to purchasing life insurance. Two of the biggest influencers when it comes to getting a policy at 50 or above are the amount of people who are financially depending on you, and the amount of fiscal responsibility you hold for each of these individuals.

Those persons who may be fiscally dependent on you might include children, siblings, and your spouse. When you have multiple people who look to you for financial support, you can name multiple beneficiaries to your life insurance policy. This allows for each dependent to receive a specific amount; while alleviating any confusion about the matter during a hardship. Adding numerous beneficiaries to your life insurance also saves the policy holder from needing to purchase more than one policy.

There are also cases where a person may not have anyone who is financially dependent on them. In these situations, the life insurance policy holder may still want to bequeath a financial sum to a specific person. An example of this may be a person that is over 50 who has children that are adults. Those children may not be financially dependent on their parents, but the parents may want to leave them money in the case of their passing.

In order to initiate the life insurance policy over the age of 50, the policyholder must begin the underwriting process. This involves a physical exam, and an extensive health screening. Individuals who are over 50 and in good health normally go through this process with no issues. Those who are over 50 and have health problems may have to pay a higher premium. A good example of this would be a policyholder who smokes cigarettes versus a policyholder who does not smoke at all.

Figuring out the appropriate amount of life insurance is a key factor in building your policy. The higher the policy, the more it will cost. Life insurance agents normally are paid on commission; and may provide incentives for you to purchase more life insurance than you need. For this reason, it is a good idea to seek out a financial advisor who is not paid on commission. By taking this approach, the life insurance policy you choose to purchase will align with your overall financial circumstance.

Term life insurance is similar to other insurances in the aspect that premiums are paid annually. There are no specific cash amounts correlating with a policy that is considered term insurance. These types of policies takes the paid premium and adds it to the account that will be paid to the beneficiaries. Whole life insurance differs because the premium that is paid covers the expenses of the life insurance policy as well as puts money in a separate savings account.

This savings account can be used for the policyholder later in life; or added to the amount that the policy’s beneficiary will receive. Both types of life insurance have specific guidelines, so your overall goals and needs will influence which type of policy you choose to purchase. No matter what your plans are for selecting a life insurance policy, it is recommended to seek proper guidance and don’t delay.

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Are You Driving Down the Wrong Path in Life?

Finance

Each time you get behind the wheel, there is always the risk for an accident.

Even if you are the safest driver going, it just takes one wrong decision, being in the wrong place at the wrong time etc. to turn one’s life upside down.

What can complicate things even more is if someone decides to have a few drinks before getting behind the wheel of their vehicle. At that point, all bets are off as to what may happen.

That said could you be driving down the wrong path in life?

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Finding the Best Legal Team When Required

If you do run afoul of the law, what do you plan to do regarding getting legal help to fight your case?

In some cases, you may have no choice other than to have a public defender appointed to your cause.

In many other instances, you might be able to afford the lawyer of your choice, a decision that you should never take for granted.

If you were accused of DWI in Houston, where do you start?

For many defendants, finding the right legal help oftentimes comes down to asking the opinions of family and friends, along with turning to the Internet to see who comes most highly recommended.

In the event you do work your way over to the Internet for legal help, make sure you look at both lawyer websites and their social media initiatives.

For the former, check the “about us” section of each and every website.

Look to see how long the lawyer has been in business, what is practice areas prove to be, what kind of success to failure rate he or she may tout, and if they offer free consultations etc.

Social Aspect Growing in the Legal Field

When it comes to legal representatives on social media, more and more lawyers are finding social networking to their liking.

Take a bit of time to see where they are most active, be it LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ etc.

From there, you can receive a better feel for how they interact with the public, including those they either have or might defend.

If the conversations indicate the clients were happy with the services; that is certainly a plus in considering that lawyer for your needs. In the event the opposite is true, it is important to think about whether or not you really want that lawyer backing you in a courtroom.

Make Your Own Smart Choices

Not that they are bad people, but avoiding lawyers altogether is oftentimes under your control.

If you have an itch to drink and drive, you should not be out on the roads in the first place.

As all too many drivers (and passengers for that matter) have unfortunately discovered over time, it just takes a fleeting moment and bad judgment to change the lives of one or more people forever.

If you feel the need to always drink when going out in public (establishments, homes of other people etc.), you are best-served when you find a ride home, especially when you think you had one too many to drink.

Finally, always watch out for friends and family when you are out celebrating with them.

Something as simple as a Happy Hour drink or two after work can turn tragic if someone you are with doesn’t know when to call it a night. If you see such a scenario unfolding, do your best to convince him or her that they are better off letting someone else drive them home, even if it means retrieving their vehicle the next day.

While you may go your entire life without ever dealing with a lawyer and/or setting foot in a courtroom, the odds are more in favor of you doing one or both things.

That said choosing the best lawyer to deal with your DWI case is not something you just casually do.

He or she can oftentimes make the difference between you getting off rather easily given the circumstances and finding your life spiraling out of control.

When faced with a DWI, make sure you appreciate the seriousness of the charge, meaning who you select as your legal representative is equally important.

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What You Need to Know Before Purchasing Life Insurance

Finance

Life insurance is a tough thing to think about. But something that everyone should have for sound financial planning. It is essential to protecting your family and your estate should something happen to you. A non working spouse should be insured as well, as help the surviving spouse would have to hire help should something happen. Purchasing insurance can seem as daunting as thinking about it, though, so doing a little research beforehand is usually a good idea.

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Where to go

As you begin your insurance research, it’s important to take a look at some reputable companies and their websites. Most companies that you’d want to work with have a thorough website that can help you know what you need. For instance, a site like the one the Leibel Insurance Group has is full of relevant information that will be helpful even before you’ve decide what you want or who you want to work with.

It’s a good idea to take a look at these sites and find out what they offer and what pertains to you. If you’re not even sure how to find sites, ask some of your friends and family. You want someone strong in the community with a good reputation who will not only help get what you is fitting for you and your lifestyle, but be there if and when your family needs them.

You can also research some blogs pertaining to life insurance, and you can find those through your search engine or by checking out some social media sites. Experts can offer some great advice, and online it’s free!

What to think about

No one really wants to think about life insurance, but it’s something you need have to provide for your loved ones should something happen to you. It’s important to weigh things like coverage and policies before purchasing. Here are a few items regarding insurance to consider…

  • Decide what and how much coverage you need. Think about your contribution to the family income and current debts and expenses you have. What will be sufficient should something happen? What about your spouse, what kind of insurance should he or she carry?
  • What can you afford? Make sure that you can afford what you’re thinking of purchasing. Sure, it will be an expense but make it an affordable one.
  • Think about your needs. Different policies cover different things. And while you’re at it, do you need more than just life insurance. Sometimes it’s smart to have all your insurance needs with one company. Other times you can save money by going to different agents, and some agents specialize in one thing or another.
  • Review your policy every few years. Once you’ve purchased a policy, it doesn’t mean you can stick in the back of your mind and forget about it. Things change and your policy needs to change with it. Everything from promotions to inflation to dependents will affect your policy needs so a review every so often is important.

When looking for an agent and/or company

Choosing an insurance company is a personal decision. Often with work you don’t have much choice when it comes to certain insurance, but when you’re choosing on your own, you get to make the choice. It’s smart to look around and decide what works well for you. Some people love a big name company and feel secure with it, others prefer a smaller company that makes them feel like an individual

You also want a company, no matter what size, that has a history of good ratings and excellent customer service. Make sure there aren’t any major complaints against the company, and if there are, why and what was done. You want someone who will see that everything is smooth should something happen. Also, when you talk to any agents, make sure they are doing what you want, not convincing you to do what they want.

Purchasing Life Insurance

As hard as it is to think about, you’ve got to do it. You won’t want to leave your family in debt or in financial struggle should something happen to you. Life insurance can offer not only financial security, but also a piece of mind.

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