Thursday, February 13, 2014
 
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Get your insurance coverage in order for 2014

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[February 13, 2014]  CHICAGO — Illinois Department of Insurance Director Andrew Boron suggests reviewing your insurance coverage each year. The department shares some tips to help consumers review their insurance.

"Policyholders should review their homeowners or renters, health, and auto insurance policies to make sure everything is up-to-date and properly covered for their situation," Boron said. "Consult with your insurance agent to determine if you need to make changes. And if you need to change, shop around to determine the best coverage for you and your family."

Homeowners, renters insurance — This is a great time to update your home inventory. Remember to add any new gifts to your home inventory, too. Include details and take a photo of each item. Most basic home insurance policies have standard limits for big-ticket items like electronics, art, jewelry or sporting equipment. You may need special coverage, so check with your agent as soon as possible to discuss necessary changes for your policy.

Auto insurance — State law (625 ILCS 5/7-601) requires all motor vehicle owners to have minimum amounts of auto liability insurance. The Department of Insurance does not regulate private passenger auto rates in Illinois, but with more than 200 companies writing auto insurance in Illinois, the staff encourages consumers to shop and compare. Information is on the department's website at http://insurance.illinois.gov/
AutoInsurance/shopping_auto_ins.asp
.

Auto insurance companies generally weigh the following factors to determine auto rates:

  • Age, gender and marital status.

  • Coverage limits and deductible.

  • Credit history and driving record.

  • Type of vehicle.

  • Use of vehicle, how far you drive to work and annual mileage.

  • Where you live and household driving information.

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Health insurance — Many families go through an open enrollment process for their health insurance at work or through Medicare, which means you may have new insurance cards and paperwork coming in the mail. Check provider lists to verify that visits to your doctors and specialists are still covered by your policy, because in-network or preferred provider lists can change from year to year. And read through your documents and take note of copays for in-network and out-of-network providers, to avoid costly surprises later. Individuals and families who do not have health coverage may shop at GetCoveredIllinois.gov or call 866-311-1119.

Consumers with questions or concerns about their health, auto, life and homeowners insurance may call the department's Consumer Assistance Division at 866-445-5364 or visit the website at http://insurance.illinois.gov/.

[Text from Illinois Department of Insurance file received from the Illinois Office of Communication and Information]
 


 

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