A recent study found that the average difference between the highest and lowest costs for car insurance in Nebraska was 51 percent depending on location.

Although Nebraska car insurance minimums are pretty cheap, and the state ranks at about the 7th cheapest state to purchase auto insurance, many Nebraska residents may have difficulties getting the cheapest insurance rates based on where they live in the state.

Nebraska has a bodily injury liability of $25,000, medical of $50,000, and a property damage liability of $25,000.

According to the study, drivers in Omaha pay the highest insurance premiums, while Lincoln residents take advantage of the lowest car insurance rates.

“Surcharges and discounts for living in certain parts of the state fluctuate so much because insurers generally rely on their own internal claims data to determine policyholders' risk,” said an analysis by the San Francisco Chronicle. “Because of the variability in location-based pricing, Nebraskans and drivers in other parts of the country should comparison-shop in order to find the insurers who view their areas most favorably.”

On Aug. 12, California lawmakers passed AB 1597, a bill extending and strengthening the state’s "Low Cost Auto Insurance Program." The bill, according to advocacy group, Consumer Watchdog, “offers an affordable bare bones car insurance policy to low-income motorists with no taxpayer cost.” The organization is urging Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign the bill into law. The bill passed with bipartisan support.

Douglas Heller, executive director of Consumer Watchdog contended that "the low cost auto insurance program is a win-win solution offering real help to low-income Californians without costing the public a dime."

The program offers low-income drivers in the state with a good driving record a basic car insurance policy for less than $400 a year. The policy covers up to $20,000 per accident, including $10,000 in bodily injury per person, and $3,000 in property damage.

To qualify for the program, drivers must be California residents with an annual income of less than $27,075 or $55,125 for a family of four, and the insured vehicle must be worth less than $20,000. In addition, the driver must be at least 19 years old, and have no more than one point on his or her driving record.

Under current law, policyholders’ premiums cover all the claims paid out through the program, keeping it self-sustaining. However, the bill, sponsored by the California Department of Insurance, would ensure that the program remains available to residents for five more years.

According to Consumer Watchdog, roughly 55,000 Californians have purchased car insurance through the program. And it now has about 12,000 policyholders. Over the past three years, the program has paid out more than $8 million in claims related to more than 3,000 automobile accidents.

Advocates contended that without the program, most of those accidents likely would have involved uninsured motorists. They also said that despite the thousands covered by the program, it remains underutilized because not enough people are aware of the program.

Heller asserted that "by signing this bill, Governor Schwarzenegger will allow those who are struggling in this brutal economy to afford car insurance and keep the roads safer."

—Chris Meehan

An auto accident can cost you far more money and hassle than just the price to repair your car. If you were injured in the collision, chances are you had to miss at least a day or two of work in order to be checked out by doctors. What you may not know is that if the accident was not your fault, you can recoup your lost wages from the other party’s insurance company, but it may take a bit of negotiation and effort to do this.

Some insurance companies offer a lost wage reimbursement option on their policies, and if you pay for this, then you don’t need to go any further; your own insurance will pay you for time missed at work. If you hadn’t paid for this coverage, then you’ll have to deal with the other party’s insurance adjuster. Since insurance companies generally want to pay out as little as possible, they may have confusing processes in place to try to avoid compensating you for lost wages.

If you opt to go through a lawyer to handle your claim, you’ll want to make sure that your lawyer knows that you are attempting to recover lost wages in addition to money for car repairs. You may be entitled to lost wage reimbursement even if your workplace already paid you for sick leave. Keep in mind that this reimbursement should be the full amount of your salary from the time you missed at work, and not your salary minus what your work paid you in sick leave time.

When you visit a doctor for your injuries, make sure they make detailed notes of your injuries and explain why you must miss work during this time period. If possible, it is best to have one doctor’s visit for each week of work you missed, so that the other person’s insurance company cannot claim you were malingering. You’ll want documentation from your work, too, showing what your gross wages would have been, and that you could not perform your duties because of injury.

If you are off work for several weeks, you are probably entitled to pain and suffering compensation. This is normally three times the amount of your medical bills. Often you will have to make several calls to the other insurance company’s adjuster, so have your documentation ready, and don’t be shy about hounding them until you receive the compensation you deserve!

—Seth Berger

If you’ve been unlucky enough to have been the victim of an accident, you probably feel very lost trying to deal with injuries, car repair, missed time at work, and having to deal with the other person’s insurance company on top of everything else. In order to get properly compensated, you’ll have to deal with that company’s adjuster, and you’ll have to work hard to get all of the money to which you’re entitled.

Adjusters try to settle claims quickly, before you’ve had time to fully assess your injuries, damage to your car, and other factors that could raise the value of your claim. Any initial offer the other insurance company makes is likely to be quite low.

Take your time in preparing your documents to give to the adjuster. Make sure that your doctor’s notes on your injuries are as detailed as possible, since the adjuster may try to claim that injuries in the accident are actually related to pre-accident conditions. Instead of arguing over medical bills with the adjuster, simply say that your doctor’s documentation speaks for itself. These notes should include prescriptions filled, and the severity of your pain, as well as any limitations in motion; these can be important in getting you pain and suffering compensation. Documentation from your employer stating that you could not perform your normal job duties can be crucial for recovering lost wages, too.

If you spend plenty of time compiling detailed documentation of your injuries and car repair costs, most adjusters will realize you know what you are talking about, and offer you a fair reimbursement. If you feel you are being short-changed, you may have to hire a lawyer. Although you’ll have to pay the lawyer with settlement money, sometimes this is the only way to receive a fair compensation for your claim. Remember that you must remain firm with adjusters, and don’t be afraid to call often and assert yourself before settling on a claim amount, because once you accept their offer, you won’t be able to renegotiate the amount.

—Seth Berger

There’s no escaping the fact that finding a new job isn’t easy these days. Fortunately, for the person looking to find a new career, there are a few industries that have managed to keep their heads above water.

With people still driving daily, the auto insurance industry has kept its reliability in the job market. But how does one go about landing a position in this competitive field? The answer is simple for Colorado residents: enroll in the new Agent Learning Center and register for classes to become a certified insurance agent.

Colorado Casualty, a Liberty Mutual Agency Markets regional company, introduced its comprehensive online Agent Learning Center earlier this summer in June. Designed to alleviate the time and financial constraints that agencies face in developing new producers and staff, the Agent Learning Center is a training and development resource for agency partners to grow their businesses.

The convenience of online class work offers a self-paced program, which is great news for anyone that falls on either end of the learning curve. Students enrolled in the program will have access to an expanding catalog of professional development courses, including general insurance topics, sales, product, office productivity, consultative selling, and agency management. This is all accessible with the click of a mouse from anywhere the internet is available.

The 30-week program is a blended learning approach that combines online instruction, webinars, and in-agency mentoring with classroom training. The program is supported by AICPCU materials and graduates receive the Insurance Institute of America’s Accredited Advisor in Insurance (AAI) designation.

“We’re giving our agencies the resources they need to grow, increase productivity and ensure successful producer development,” said Keith Braxton, president and chief executive officer of Colorado Casualty. “We’ve combined flexibility and affordability with broader learning options to make the Agent Learning Center the ‘go to’ learning source for them.”

—AJ Register