Understanding the differences between transportation and auto insurance can be confusing, but ensuring you have the right coverage is essential. At Martin Insurance Team, serving the Evergreen Park, IL, area, we’re here to explain these distinctions.

Understanding Auto Insurance

Auto insurance is designed specifically for personal vehicles. It typically covers damages from accidents, theft, and other incidents involving your car. Policies often include liability coverage, collision, comprehensive, and medical payments. The goal is to protect you financially if you’re involved in an accident or your car is damaged.

What Is Transportation Insurance?

On the other hand, transportation insurance is more comprehensive and applies to businesses involved in transporting goods. This type of coverage is essential for companies that ship products, whether by land, sea, or air. It protects against loss or damage to goods during transit and covers a wide range of potential risks, from accidents to natural disasters.

Key Differences

The primary difference lies in their applications. Auto insurance is personal and vehicle-specific, while transportation insurance covers business-related transit activities. Transportation insurance is crucial to safeguard against potential losses if you’re running a shipping business.

Choosing the Right Coverage

Selecting the right type of insurance depends on your specific needs. For personal vehicle protection, auto insurance is the way to go. However, if your business involves shipping goods, you’ll need transportation insurance for comprehensive coverage.

At Martin Insurance Team, we provide insurance solutions to residents in the greater Evergreen Park, IL, region. We’re committed to helping you navigate your insurance options. Contact us today to learn more about the right coverage for your needs and ensure you’re fully protected.

Are you welcoming a new teen driver to the family? Martin Insurance Team understands. We serve drivers of all types in the Evergreen Park, IL, area, including those with teen drivers. It is important that young drivers get off to a safe start in their driving careers. Here are some tips to set them on the right path.

Discuss Economics

Now is a logical time to let them know that driving is a privilege—an expensive privilege. They should know that car payments, repairs, fuel, and auto insurance can be costly. Safe driving and proper maintenance can help keep those expenses in line.

Talk About the Dangers of Distracted Driving

While cell phones are a significant cause of distracted driving, other causes include putting on makeup, playing with the radio, and eating or drinking.

Incentives For Safe Driving

Create a plan that rewards your safe teen driver for every year of accident and citation-free driving.

What To Do in a Traffic Stop

Your teen driver should know what to expect in a traffic stop and how they should respond. Make sure they understand the importance of having proper paperwork and ID.

Encourage Defensive Driving

Remind teens to watch out for the other guy. They need to keep their emotions in check and avoid aggressive driving. Avoid engaging other drivers.

Insuring Your Teen Driver

Adding a teen driver to the family will likely significantly increase your car insurance premiums.

The Martin Insurance Team of Evergreen Park, IL, can help. We can help you explore discounts, such as those available for good students, bundling, and more. Contact us to discuss your options and to get a free quote. We look forward to assisting you.

At Martin Insurance Team, we want to help you protect your vehicles and keep them covered for the long term. If you’re in the Evergreen Park, IL area and looking for auto insurance, we’re here to help. Whether you’ve had your policy for years or it’s newer, making sure it’s updated is the best way to keep your vehicle safe and create peace of mind for you, as well.

By working with us, you can get the policy updates you need to keep your vehicle secure. It’s best to update that policy at least once every year. Of course, if you make changes to your vehicles or who drives them, you’ll also want to update your policy at that time. There’s no reason to settle for a policy you’re not sure about or don’t feel comfortable with when we can help you adjust your coverage or even switch to a different insurer.

We’ll provide you with quotes, review your policy, and talk with you about any concerns you have. Our agents are also happy to answer your questions so you can get all the details about any policy you’re considering. We want you to feel comfortable when you choose an insurance policy, and we know your vehicle is important to you. Getting the right coverage and all the information you need to make a knowledgeable decision is how you can enjoy your vehicle long-term.

Contact us at Martin Insurance Team today if you’re in the Evergreen Park, IL, area and looking to update or change your auto insurance policy. You don’t have to make changes alone or wonder whether you’ve picked out the right options to protect your car when you have us to help you get the right coverage today.

Being a car owner is common for those in the Evergreen Park, IL area. If you are going to buy a car here, you will have a convenient way to get around the community. Those who own a car will also need to ensure they are adequately insured. If you do not have proper insurance, you could face various repercussions and find yourself in trouble in various ways. 

Financial Challenges

One type of trouble you can find yourself in is a financial challenge. An auto insurance plan offers significant financial protection. This includes both for your vehicle, if you have comprehensive insurance, and for liability coverage. If you are not insured, you will still be held responsible for replacing your car and compensate other parties if you are at fault in an accident. This could create a significant financial strain. 

Legal Challenges

Beyond financial strain and stress, a lack of auto insurance can lead to legal challenges. No matter where you drive a car, you are required to carry liability insurance. If you are caught driving without it, you will be issued a ticket and can face other repercussions in the future. This can even include losing your license for a period of time if you are a repeat offender. 

When trying to get insurance for a car in the Evergreen Park, IL area, you always need to ensure you speak with someone you can trust and who can help you choose the right policy. Our professionals with the Martin Insurance Team are always available to help with this. Our Martin Insurance Team professionals will give you the support you need to create a plan that appropriately protects your vehicle. 

The shipping and transportation industry in the Evergreen Park, IL area is critical. This industry is responsible for shipping and transporting products worldwide to ensure everyone receives their needs. Those in this industry will find there is always continued demand but also risks. Many of these risks can be covered and reduced with insurance. For various reasons, someone here must get a full transportation insurance plan. 

Freight and Cargo Coverage

One reason to have transportation insurance is to receive freight and cargo insurance. When you ship products, the underlying value can be significant. You could be held responsible if these items are damaged or stolen in transit. A proper transportation insurance plan will offer freight and cargo insurance, which will help protect the items you are transporting.

Excess Liability Insurance

It is also a good idea to have transportation insurance to ensure you are covered for other forms of liability. As you move products across the country, you will recognize that accidents can happen. You can be held liable if this damages other property or causes employee injuries. You will mitigate these risks when adequately covered with a transportation insurance plan.  

Transportation insurance is critical for many in the Evergreen Park, IL area. When you are ready to start shopping for a new plan here, you should call our professionals with the Martin Insurance Team. When working with the Martin Insurance Team, you will get any help you need to build a proper policy that will meet your needs and ensure you are appropriately covered. 

Custom motorcycles are a labor of love, reflecting your unique style and personality. Protecting these one-of-a-kind machines requires specialized insurance coverage. Here at Martin Insurance Team, providing motorcycle insurance to customers in the Evergreen Park, IL region, we want to teach you how to insure your custom motorcycle to ensure it stays safe on the road.

Assess Your Bike’s Value

Before securing insurance, determine the value of your custom motorcycle. Consider factors like custom parts, upgrades, and any sentimental value. This assessment will help you choose the proper coverage.

Choose the Right Coverage

Standard motorcycle insurance may not adequately cover your custom bike. Look for policies that offer "agreed value" or "stated value" coverage. These policies allow you to set a value for your motorcycle, ensuring you’re compensated appropriately in case of a total loss.

Document Customizations

Thoroughly document all customizations, modifications, and upgrades made to your motorcycle. Keep records of receipts, invoices, and photographs. This documentation will serve as crucial evidence when filing a claim.

Shop Around for Quotes

Insurance premiums for custom motorcycles can vary widely. Don’t settle for the first quote you receive. Shop around and compare rates from different insurers. Be sure to inquire about discounts for safety features and anti-theft devices.

Custom motorcycles deserve custom insurance. Assess your bike’s value, choose the right coverage, and document customizations meticulously. If you’re in the market for new motorcycle insurance in the greater Evergreen Park, IL area, regardless of whether it’s for a custom or standard motorcycle, the insurance agents at Martin Insurance Team would love to help you find the policy that is best suited for your needs. Call or email us to start the process of finding you a new motorcycle insurance policy. 

Who doesn’t love backyard barbecues, swimming pools, and playing in the park? Summer is four months of freedom from cold weather, accidents on slushy roads, and being bundled up in layers of clothes and coats. On the other hand, the heat causes severe and costly problems to your car. Here’s what Evergreen Park, IL’s Martin Insurance Team wants you to look out for with your auto.

Heat Doesn’t Always Make Things Expand

Did you know that heat will thin the motor oil in your car? As it circulates through the engine, it thins, leaving not enough oil to reach all the corners of your engine.

Did you also know that the heat causes your tires’ air pressure to increase? This could mean a blowout, which in turn could mean a wreck.

Here are other ways summer heat affects your auto.

Battery Trouble

The chemical processes inside a car battery are delayed in the summer heat. This means the battery won’t hold a charge even if it generates enough power. Additionally, battery fluids evaporate faster in summer. Check your battery regularly in all seasons.

The A/C

While it doesn’t impede the car’s operation, it does make the summer heat more bearable. If you find your a/c sluggish or not putting out enough cold air, by all means, get it checked. 

Windshield

You wouldn’t think the windshield would matter in the heat of August, but it definitely does. Anything can cause a crack to start, such as a stone or something flying through a bad storm. The problem comes when the heat causes that crack to expand. Get any windshield problems fixed immediately for safety.

We usually consider storms and icy winter roads when considering what could happen to our auto. Call or stop in Evergreen Park, IL to ask Martin Insurance Team for more information.

Auto insurance is mandatory in Illinois. All drivers must have a policy that meets or exceeds the state’s minimum liability coverage requirements. If you’re currently looking for an auto insurance policy in Evergreen Park, IL (or Florida in the Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, and Naples areas), be sure to contact us at Martin Insurance Team to learn more. In the meantime, check out how much auto insurance you’re required to attain in Illinois:

• Bodily Injury Liability: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. This coverage pays for injuries or death to another person if a driver is at fault in an accident.
• Property Damage Liability: $20,000 per accident. This coverage pays for damage to another person’s property that occurs in an accident where a driver is at fault. Usually, this means damage to another vehicle, but it can also cover buildings, utility poles, fences, and other structures.
• Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. This coverage pays for injuries to drivers and their passengers if they are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver who is at fault.

In addition to these minimums, Illinois requires at least $15,000 in uninsured motorist property damage coverage with a $250 deductible for hit-and-run accidents.

While these are the legal minimums, it’s often recommended that you carry more than the required amount of insurance to protect yourself financially. This is especially true for drivers with significant assets that could be at risk in a lawsuit.

Optional coverages that you might consider include collision coverage, which pays for damage to your own vehicle in an accident; comprehensive coverage, which pays for damage to your car from things like theft and natural disasters; and medical payments coverage, which pays for medical or funeral expenses for you or others riding in your vehicle regardless of who is at fault in an accident.

And remember, if you’re currently looking for an auto insurance policy in Evergreen Park, IL (or Florida in the Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, and Naples areas), be sure to contact us at Martin Insurance Team today!