Many people don’t seek out their auto insurance paperwork until there’s already a problem: an accident, a burglary, a notice from the other driver’s insurance company. Don’t wait until then to dig through your glove box and email inbox. A few minutes of organization now can save you hours of headaches later. And it’s easier than you think.
Know What You Actually Need to Keep
Your declarations page, insurance cards, claims history, and any communication you’ve had with your insurance company through Wai Cheng Insurance Inc., serving Bay Area, CA, are important. Keep a record of your vehicle’s VIN, license plate number, and any aftermarket alterations that may influence coverage. If you’ve filed a claim in the past, save that documentation as well. You never know when you might need to file another one.
Keep a Copy Where You Can Actually Reach It
Your glove compartment should contain an up-to date proof of insurance card. However, that should not be the only copy in your possession. Cars are stolen, cards are lost, phones lose their charge at the worst time possible. Keep a digital copy in the cloud as well as a hard copy at home.
Set a Yearly Reminder to Clean House
Policies renew. Rates change. Files get cluttered quickly. Make it a point once a year to go through your files and purge old policies, expired cards, outdated declarations pages, paid claims from years ago. Maintain a folder (either electronic or paper) that contains only documentation of your current coverages.
An accident is stressful enough without a scavenger hunt for paperwork on top of it. Taking twenty minutes now to organize your auto insurance files means one less thing to worry about later. Reach out to Wai Cheng Insurance Inc., serving Bay Area, CA, today if you need a copy of your policy or want help figuring out what to keep.
