When heavy rain strikes, you need to adjust your driving habits to mitigate the increased risk. Auto insurance can help cover you in the event of an emergency, but your auto insurance agent at Fortress Insurance Agency serving Overland Park KS and surrounding areas wants to help you avoid trouble to begin with.

Here are five tips to keep in mind:

1. Keep Windows Defrosted

You may have to turn on the heater or air conditioning inside the car temporarily, even if it’s a little bit uncomfortable. Rain often causes windows to fog up, reducing your visibility.

2. Keep Both Hands on the Steering Wheel

When driving in heavy rain, keep both hands on the wheel. This isn’t the time to fiddle with your phone or the radio. If you start hydroplaning, you want to be able to regain control of your vehicle instantly.

3. Don’t Drive Through Big Puddles

Heavy rainfall can create large puddles of water. Ordinarily, you may be able to safely drive through puddles. But sometimes, the water could make sinkholes that aren’t visible on the surface. You never know how deep those puddles are, and your car could sink or be damaged.

4. Keep Window Visibility Clear

If you have a car filled with luggage or other items, make sure you keep your window visibility clear. Never stack items so high that you can’t see out all of your side and rear windows.

5. Maintain a Longer Distance

Keep a longer distance between you and the car in front of you than you normally would in dry conditions. That way, if the car in front has a problem or you can’t stop as quickly as you thought, you’ll have extra stopping distance to prevent a collision.

Call Today To Discuss Your Options

To ensure that you have adequate auto insurance, contact Fortress Insurance Agency serving Overland Park, KS and surrounding areas for your car insurance needs.

If you own a vehicle, it’s important to always keep an auto insurance policy on it. It’s required by Kansas law that you have at least the minimum amount of required coverage types in your policy. Your insurance agent will know what you need and what else would be helpful to have in your auto policy.  When you need auto insurance, call us today at Fortress Insurance Agency in Overland Park, KS.

Required Coverage for Kansas Vehicles

There are several different types of coverage that are required for Kansas drivers to have. These come in various minimum amounts that are required, though drivers can add more coverage to the minimum amounts. In the state, bodily injury liability coverage is required. This includes one amount for one person who is injured and another amount for everyone injured in the accident.

There is also an amount required for property damage liability coverage. In addition, every driver must have an amount of bodily injury coverage for one person injured when an accident happens with an uninsured motorist. There is another amount required for everyone who is injured in that type of accident. There is also basic personal injury protection coverage that is required. This is an amount for each person who is injured in the accident from your own vehicle. 

Other Coverage

In addition to the required coverage, you may want to get comprehensive or collision insurance coverage. With collision insurance, the damage to your vehicle is covered. With comprehensive coverage, the vehicle is covered against a wide range of risks that it faces when it isn’t being driven. 

Get Auto Insurance in Kansas

When you own a vehicle in the state, you have to have an auto policy for it. To get a policy, call us at Fortress Insurance Agency in Overland Park, KS.

As a new driver, staying safe behind the wheel is essential. Here are some tips from us at Fortress Insurance Agency to help you stay safe on the road here in the Overland Park, KS area and everywhere.

Safe driving tips for new drivers

1. Always wear your seatbelt.

Wearing a seatbelt can drastically reduce your risk of injury in the event of an accident, so it’s important to always put it on before setting off. 

2. Avoid distractions while driving.

Turn off your phone and avoid eating or drinking while driving so that you can keep your full attention on the road. 

3. Obey all speed limits and traffic signals.

Not only is this important for safety reasons, but it can also save you from getting a ticket! 

4. Don’t drive when you’re feeling drowsy or fatigued.

Even if you feel like you could make it home, it’s not worth taking the risk – pull over in a safe place and take a nap until you’re feeling more alert and able to drive safely again. 

5. Check your mirrors often and practice defensive driving techniques.

By checking your mirrors regularly and being aware of other drivers around you, you can anticipate potential risks and take steps to avoid them safely. 

Get The Right Coverage For Your Needs

Following these tips will help keep you safe on the roads as a new driver! For more tips on how to stay safe while behind the wheel, or if you have any questions about your insurance coverage, please give us at Fortress Insurance Agency a call today. We are proud to serve the Overland Park, KS area and would be happy to answer all of your questions. 

As a matter of state law, collision and comprehensive coverage are optional. However, you will be required to purchase these two auto insurance coverages in some business situations. At Fortress Insurance Agency we typically recommend that our clients get these auto coverages. If you are a driver in Overland Park, KS who is still on the fence about whether or not you should get comprehensive coverage, it’s best that you get them.

Here are situations where collision and comprehensive coverage are needed and where having them would be very beneficial.

Getting Collision And Comprehensive Coverage

1. If You Have a Car Loan or Car Lease

Nearly all lenders will require you to get collision and comprehensive coverage if you have a car loan. Most car leasing companies also have the exact requirement. This is so that you don’t ditch your car loan or lease if the vehicle is totalled or stolen. After paying off your car loan, it’s best that you keep the collision and comprehensive coverage.

2. When Your Car Requires Significant Repairs

You likely think that you don’t need collision or comprehensive coverage because you can always afford to do minor repairs to your car. However, if your vehicle is severely damaged during an accident, the cost of repairing it would be significant. If you have these two auto coverages, you can avoid paying for the expensive repairs out of your pocket since your car insurer will pay for it.

3. When Your Car Is Totalled or Stolen

Your car can be severely damaged through vandalism, an accident, or a natural disaster to the extent it can’t be repaired; thus, it will be totaled. Additionally, when your car is stolen, you might never be able to recover it. If you don’t have collision and comprehensive coverage, you will have to purchase a new car with your money. However, if you have these two policies, the insurer will compensate you, and you can buy a new vehicle.

Get Auto Insurance Today

Contact Fortress Insurance Agency for auto insurance deals in Overland Park, KS, and surrounding areas.

The appropriate amount of car insurance needed depends on many factors, including your state of residence, the value of your vehicle, and how much insurance you can afford. When shopping for car insurance, you’ll want to purchase as much liability coverage as you can comfortably afford, which will likely be substantially greater than the minimum requirements in Kansas. Liability for auto insurance consists of two main parts: bodily and property.

Bodily injury covers medical bills and other costs associated with injuring another person, while the property is for damage to third-party property such as a home, vehicle, or shed. If you are at fault in an accident, your insurance company will cover expenses for third parties up to your policy limits; thus, the more insurance you can purchase, the more likely you won’t have to pay anything out of pocket. 

In addition to liability insurance, you’ll also have the option to purchase comprehensive and collision coverage. Comprehensive insurance pays for damage to your vehicle that isn’t caused by an accident and could include theft, vandalism, fire, and hail damage. Conversely, collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle caused by an accident. If you purchased your car with a loan, your lender would likely require that you carry collision coverage. You’ll have the option to purchase different deductible amounts, likely ranging from $200 to $1000. A deductible is what you are first required to pay towards the cost of repairs before your insurance company agrees to payout. 

If you are shopping for auto insurance in Overland Park, KS, let the friendly and professional team at Fortress Insurance Agency assist. We can answer all your questions and customize a policy that meets or exceeds your needs. 

At Fortress Insurance Agency, we have helped many Overland Park, KS area residents understand their auto insurance policy. If you’re new to car ownership, it is essential to read this information to understand better your level of coverage and what kind of policies you may need.

Basic Insurance Coverage 

When buying auto insurance, you pay a premium every month that helps create a specific coverage level. And your limitations or deductibles indicate how much you have to pay before your policy goes into effect. Your primary coverage option includes:

• Liability coverage for bodily injury or property damage 
• Supplementary payments related to your accident’s legal state 
• Expenses to repair your vehicle 
• Comprehensive coverage that pays beyond collision situations 

However, your policy may also include many other additional coverage types that you can tweak to get the help that you need. Understanding your options here will help to ensure that you choose the best coverage option for your needs as a person. 

Additional Options 

Adding extra policy coverage to your insurance helps to protect you against common problems that may otherwise affect you. Just a few additional options that you can add to your policy include:

• Medical payment coverage for you and your family 
• Uninsured policies to protect from other drivers 
• Underinsured coverage to protect against other drivers 
• Operational losses if your policy is for a business vehicle 

Often, these extra coverage options must be added to your policy. Your premiums and deductibles may go up or down, depending on your insurance company. Make sure you balance your needs in a way that makes sense for you. 

Get the Coverage You Deserve 

If you need a high-quality auto insurance policy, please contact Fortress Insurance Agency to learn more. We serve the Overland Park, KS area and will do what we can to help you here.

Before you hit the road in Kansas, it is important you know exactly what auto insurance you are required to carry. Every state has different requirements when it comes to the type and amount of insurance you must have. Ignorance of the law won’t protect you if you are stopped and don’t have the necessary converge. You can count on your local independent insurance agent to make sure you have the insurance mandated by the state of Kansas. In Overland Park, KS, that is Fortress Insurance Agency. We have years of experience meeting the varied needs of our customers. 

Kansas is a no-fault state, and that changes the requirements for auto insurance. In addition to liability coverage, you must have personal injury protection and uninsured/underinsured coverage. This may cost a little more, but it is valuable protection, so worth the cost. The liability requirement is 25/50/25, which means $25,000 for injuries to one person in a crash, with a total of $50,000 for all injuries in the crash. The second $25,000 is for damage done to the property, including the other vehicle. The PIP coverage includes required coverage for various expenses, including disability, medical, and burial expenses, which your insurance agent can explain. The uninsured/underinsured coverage matches the liability coverage. 

After you have the insurance required by the state of Kansas mandated auto insurance, if you have an auto loan, you will need to meet the lender’s requirement, which means purchasing collision and comprehensive coverage to protect the car they own a portion of. Once you have the title to the vehicle, you may choose to dispense with this additional coverage. However, that is not always the best choice, especially if the vehicle’s cash value is more than $3,000. Paying for any repairs or replacement of your vehicle may be a financial hardship. 

Contact Fortress Insurance Agency in Overland Park, KS for your auto insurance needs.