Online Insurance Logo Click here to find your agent      
 
 

Online Insurance Headlines

Online Insurance Headlines and Articles

     Your one stop news source, this page offers up to date articles for insurance agents and the general public.  Find out more about everything from insurance coverage to maintaining a more efficient home.  We have also included an archive of monthly bulletins from Lawchek® which cover both legal issues and computer topics.  Enjoy!

Is there something more you would like to see in our coverage?  Any comments or suggestions may be e-mailed to webmaster@onlineinsurance.com.

Custom Search
Online Insurance Articles

Understanding Your Homeowners Insurance
Many of us obtain our homeowners insurance when we purchase our home.  After this initial purchase, we do not give this insurance another thought.  It is not until the roof is damaged during a violent thunderstorm, a major appliance fails and floods our basement, or the neighbor's kid slips and fractures their wrist in our living room that we dust off the policy and ask ourselves, "Am I covered for this?"  Don't wait until damage or an accident happens to discover what your insurance policy covers.  Instead, you should have a good idea of what you are covered for and what is not included.  Every year you should assess if your coverage should increase or if there is any optional coverage you may want to add.  The purpose of this article is to point out some general characteristics of homeowners insurance and help in determining if you have the right coverage.  Obviously this cannot substitute for a consultation with your insurance provider, but it will give you a better idea of what questions to ask.
For the complete article about Homeowners Insurance, click here.


Is online insurance right for you?
The Internet is a powerful tool for the savvy online consumer.  You can review products, compare prices, research companies and purchase almost anything.  Following this trend is the increase availability of insurance online.  Insurance companies are providing coverage information, quotes and even contracts online.  This includes automobile, homeowners, life, medical and even pet insurance.  Insurance has traditionally been a high customer service field with direct human contact with your insurance agent.  Because of the change in customer contact, the migration towards providing insurance online has not always been a smooth one.  Instead companies are finding some tools work and others only cause frustration or confusion.  Indeed, the availability of insurance online is still fluctuating and developing... 

Researching and obtaining insurance online is much easier today.  Many websites now offer comparison tools that will provide quotes and coverage information (Click here for more info).  Keep in mind if you choose a carrier from these searches, you will then be contracting with that carrier for your insurance, not the original site.  This will either be done by forwarding you to the carrier's website or the comparison site will forward your information to the insurance company and they will then contact you.  Many insurers still prefer to have a representative call you and discuss your coverage over the phone. Although not the same as meeting with a personal insurance agent, it allows them to make certain you understand the coverage provided.  Also, because buying insurance online is new, many companies believe that individualized customer care is still the best way to get your business and a follow up call still provides some of this customer service.
For the complete article on Insurance Online, click here.


What do you do after a flood?
Experience is sometimes an unforgiving instructor. At Online Insurance, we learned about devastation caused by flood waters firsthand when Cedar Rapids, IA was hit by a massive flood June 13, 2008.  Online Insurance is parented by enlighten technologies, inc.™, which includes many other businesses such as LAWCHEK®, LawyersListings, and HouseList. Our headquarters in downtown Cedar Rapids was inundated with water after the Cedar River crested at 31.1 feet (19.1 feet over flood stage) to overtake 1,300 blocks of the city.* The first floor was completely lost and when the water reached 4 feet on the upper level, it was destroyed, as well. After a slow road to recovery, and upon reflection, we've written an article about what to do if a flood hits your home or business. We hope our readers never have to use the practical advice in this article.
For the complete article about what to do if your business or home is flooded, click here.


Do you know what precautions to take for safe winter driving?
Whether or not you've been informed by a little groundhog to expect an additional six weeks of winter, you probably view winter as a tough season all around.  Most of us, at one time or another, have experienced firsthand or saw news coverage of winter storms bringing cities and counties to a virtual standstill.  Whether you live in a winter weather state or are just visiting, snow and other winter weather can drastically effect your ability to get around and keep to your plans.  Learning some basic driving safety measures and coping tips can help alleviate some of the aggravation.  Although varying by state, understanding winter related laws or ways laws are interpreted to include winter conditions is vital to enjoying a safe winter.  In this article you'll find safety information that we hope will be useful and that will keep you safe and warm this winter.
To learn some safe driving tips and keep your premiums low, click here.


Make Your Home Energy Efficient
The old days of harsh bleach and chemicals used to clean the house are slowly fading out.  Along with this trend is a desire of many consumers to adopt more environmentally friendly products for their home.  This can be anything from the new countertops and floors to the groceries purchased at the local supermarket.  In addition to what you bring in (and take out) of your home, the maintenance of your home is another way to become more green.  According to the energysavers.gov website, "Americans spend more than $160 billion a year to heat, cool, light, and live" in their homes.  Every option may not be appealing and some may find their budget does not allow for all of the products available.  However, a few home improvements and informed purchases can save you money in the long run and also provide a healthier home for your family and the planet.
To learn more about improving your homes efficiency, click here.

Agents - Is video conferencing your customer service solution?
Live Help (by enlighten™) is similar to the online help desk service being utilized on many commercial websites, including Target, BestBuy, and Wal-Mart, and it has proven to be a very effective tool in communicating with clients and improving customer satisfaction. A recent article on ClickZ, entitled ‘Customer Service Is Even More Important Now,’ states “Customers want convenience. This means letting them contact you through whatever channels they want. This might mean the telephone, but other channels may be more preferable, such as live chat or e-mail. Investing in 24/7 live chat…if analytics bear out, is a must.” (See http://www.clickz.com/3633004.) With more and more people accessing the Internet to conduct research and communicate with one another, staying current with your avenues of online insurance customer service not only makes sense, it’s a necessity.
To read more about Live Help (by enlighten™), click here.


Agents - How important is a name in promoting your insurance business online?
Initial skeptics may have doubted the longevity of the internet.  In the early years of growth, many businesses utilized a webpage like an online business card that listed little more than their contact information.  Uncertain of how to brand this new resource, businesses often struggled with creating a domain name.  Many URLs which included acronyms or catch phrases appeared as company names now competed across state and even country lines.  Today, the benefit of maintaining a strong online presence is no longer in question.  Indeed, the internet provides consumers 24/7 access to even the smallest of businesses.  Insurance agents and companies are no exception and are recently discovering the high cost of cross branding their brick and mortar business with their online presence.
To find out more about how insurance domain names are impacting your bottom line, click here.

Other Featured Online Insurance Articles

  • How does HOME SECURITY keep you safe?
    More Info
  • Should you start a NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH?
    More Info
  • Is your home PET FRIENDLY?
    More Info
  • How can you make your SUMMER SAFE?
    More Info
  • How can you make your WINTER SAFE?
    More Info
  • What FOOD SAFETY precautions should you take when preparing your holiday feast?
    More Info
Have a suggestion for an article?  Are you an agent who would like to submit an article?  It's easy!  Just contact us at webmaster@onlineinsurance.com.

Headlines

Fresh Content.net

Fresh Content.net

Lawchek® Bulletins

Domain Name Disputes
Discussion about why Domain Name Disputes arise, how are they settled, and who handles the cases.

Whose Unclaimed Assets Are They, Anyway?
Billions of dollars in unclaimed funds and property lay dormant in the United States. YOU could be entitled.

Privacy on the Internet
A look at what rights to Privacy is available to Internet Users and the types of privacy protection available.

The Freedom of Information Act
Find out where to go, where to look and who to contact to access information under the FOIA.

Is Your State Internet Friendly?
An overview of state court cases and codes available online.

Shopping Online
A cheat sheet for all of your holiday shopping.  Also includes contacts for the Better Business Bureau.

 

 

 

 

 

Online Insurance articles
produced by

enlighten technologies logo

 
| Home | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Contact |

This site produced by enlighten technologies™.
COPYRIGHT © 1994 - 2012 enlighten technologies™