Insurance News

It's official, we are now a GEICO agent!

Bill Rowlen — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 02:17:00 GMT

We are excited to announce a major upgrade to the carriers we offer our customers! We have officially partnered with GEICO and can now offer you their excellent coverage and competitive rates. This partnership is great news for anyone looking for a dedicated GEICO agent in Overland Park, KS!

As an independent insurance agency, we are committed to finding you the best possible insurance coverage at the most affordable price.

Adding GEICO to our lineup means:

More Options: We now offer an even wider range of insurance products to compare and customize for your specific needs.
Competitive Rates: Get access to GEICO's famously low rates, right here with your local, trusted agent.
Local Support: You get the benefits of a national carrier's great policies combined with the personalized, local service of a dedicated GEICO agent in Overland Park, KS

Whether you're looking for auto, home, renter, or umbrella insurance, let your local GEICO agent in Overland Park, KS, provide you with a quote today!

Read the full article at www.fhins.com

Should I buy the insurance from the rental car company?

Bill Rowlen — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 18:19:00 GMT

One of the more common questions we receive is “should I buy the insurance from the rental car company”? Unfortunately, there’s not a simple answer to this but we’ll try to explain the options and provide some education and guidance.

Does my existing auto policy cover a rental vehicle?

Yes, with some exceptions. A rental vehicle is treated like a temporary replacement vehicle for your own car. Your same personal auto insurance limits and deductibles would apply to the rental vehicle. For example, if you have a $500 collision deductible, that same amount would apply if you were in an accident with the rental vehicle just as if it was your own car. If you hit another vehicle and cause damage to another party, the same liability limits on your personal auto insurance would also apply.

What are some “gotcha’s” in the rental car contract that would not be covered by any personal auto insurance policy?

Rental companies may hold the renter liable for a “diminution of value” charge when a rental car is damaged. This represents the reduction in a vehicle’s market value due to its having been in an accident. Also, with some types of damage, rental companies simply sell the damaged car for salvage. They then charge the renter the difference between the market value on the day of rental (“before”) and the amount the car brought at the salvage auction (“after”). Even if your personal insurance covers damage to a car, rental car companies may also charge the renter for the time the vehicle is not being rented (loss of use).

What is a Loss Damage Waiver (the thing they try to sell you at the counter)?

The upsell the person at the rental car counter hits you with is called a Loss Damage Waiver or LDW. It’s not insurance and is simply a contract that releases you from responsibility for certain damage (for a fee of course). With the waiver, the renter will not be liable for any damage to the vehicle. He or she will not be charged for repairs to the vehicle, for diminution in value, for before-and-after assessments or for loss of use. The renter can walk away from all responsibility for damage to the vehicle if they have not engaged in any prohibited use. All rental car waivers have a clause voiding the waiver if the renter improperly operates the vehicle at the time of the accident. The downside to the Loss Damage Waiver is the cost can sometimes be as much as the rental car itself.

Wouldn’t I have coverage from my credit card company?

Only some credit cards provide any coverage for a rental car and even then, coverage is generally not Primary Coverage. That means you would need to use your auto insurance first before claiming anything from the credit card company. It’s not a great option and is generally misunderstood. Unless the coverage is through a specific program like the one offered by American Express, it’s not a good idea to rely on this credit card benefit.

So, should I take the “insurance” option the person at the counter is trying to sell me?

Our best recommendation is to confirm with your agent that your personal auto insurance limits will apply to a rental vehicle (it should with the exceptions we discussed). Evaluate the cost of the Loss Damage Waiver to see if it’s worth it for you on this journey. If you are on a bucket list trip across the country, it may be worth it to not have to worry about turning a claim in to your insurance carrier if there is an issue or to not worry about the “gotcha’s” in the rental car contract that no personal auto policy would cover.

Read the full article at www.fhins.com

Three things you can do immediately to save money on your auto insurance

Bill Rowlen — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 17:55:00 GMT

With inflation and auto insurance costs on the rise, many families are looking for ways to keep their insurance costs under control. The following are three immediate ways that may be available to save some money on your auto insurance without having to reduce your coverage or change your deductibles.

Switch to a “paid-in-full” billing plan

Most insurance companies now have a fairly substantial “paid-in-full” discount which is worth considering if you can pay for the entire policy term up front. Many of our agency customers prefer to pay for the entire year ahead on a credit card to earn “reward points” from their card of choice. That allows them to earn reward points or cash back incentives as well as take advantage of billing discounts. With some companies, the discount percentage is as high as 15%!

Take advantage of digital discounts

Most insurance companies will offer a number of different billing options when it comes to paying your insurance policies. There could be a significant discount available for changing to automatic, electronic payments instead of sending a paper check into your insurance company. Some insurance companies also offer up to a 5% discount just for opting in to electronic delivery of your policy documents instead of paper!

Digital Auto Insurance Driving Programs

Most insurance companies on the market today have discount programs available on auto policies under the category of telematics. A telematics program is a way to earn a larger discount on your auto insurance policy in exchange for electronically sharing some of your driving behavior. The idea behind these programs is if you are a safe driver, then you should qualify for a better rate on your insurance. Telematics programs are completely optional and may not be a fit for everyone. They are however one of many options to help manage your overall insurance costs. Insurance companies with these programs may offer up to a 10% discount just for participating and signing up!

Working with families as their trusted insurance advisor is what we do every day. Connect with us for an insurance review and to see how we can save you money on your auto insurance.

Read the full article at www.fhins.com

What does my credit score have to do with my insurance rate?

Bill Rowlen — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 16:20:00 GMT

One of the concepts we try to educate our customers on are all the factors that insurance companies use to develop a rate for their insurance policies. Factors that may be used include your loss history, driving record, type of vehicle, location and something called an “Insurance Score”. In this article, we’ll talk about what makes up the Insurance Score and how your credit history impacts it. Once you are armed with some knowledge on the subject, an Independent Insurance Agent may be able to help you compare rates on the marketplace and save you some money on your portfolio.

What is an insurance score?

An insurance score is a rating used by insurance companies to determine the probability of an individual or family filing a claim. Over the years, insurance companies realized that customers with exceptionally good credit filed fewer claims and customers with below average credit filed more claims. Insurance companies developed the Insurance Score based on this concept. There are some other factors such as claims history that go into developing an Insurance Score, but the value is largely based on either an individual or blended credit rating.

Will applying for an insurance policy impact my credit rating?

The simple answer is No. Insurance applications are considered a “soft inquiry” which do not show up for lenders.

Does my insurance company or agent know my credit rating and details of my credit history?

No, they are never shown an actual credit rating or any details of your credit report. The only thing they may see is an Insurance Score market rating which is only based on your credit score number. The Insurance Score is one of the many variables that insurance companies use to develop a rate.

If I improve my credit score, will my insurance rate improve?

The general answer to that is most likely, yes. Since an Insurance Score is based on a credit rating, improving the same factors that improve a credit score will also improve your Insurance Score and therefore your rate.

What else can my Independent Insurance Agent do to help with my rate now?

An individual’s Insurance Score may fluctuate slightly from year to year and may even improve across larger periods of time. Our agency routinely checks your insurance score against your current carrier to see if it can help improve your current rate. We have helped hundreds of our customers navigate this process over the years. Most insurance companies will not increase a customer’s rate with a lowered score, but they will lower the premium or rate with an improved score.

Working with families as their trusted insurance advisor is what we do every day. Connect with us for an insurance review to make sure you are receiving the best rate possible.

Read the full article at www.fhins.com