Understanding Anchorage Insurance
The Last Frontier boasts bountiful wildlife and exciting outdoor activities, but Alaska‘s bravado is scarce if not completely absent when it comes to insurance costs. Alaska tips the scales with above average auto and homeowners insurance premiums compared to the rest of the United States. Specifically, the average auto insurance premium in 2007 for Alaskans was $923 with the U.S. average being $795, and the average homeowners premium that same year was $861 with the U.S. average being $822, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Getting a grip on your Anchorage insurance needs is the first step in finding the quality coverage you desire.
Anchoring Your Home
Residents who live in a city that experiences weather conditions like Anchorage may require special provisions to their homeowners insurance. Just because your homeowners insurance policy says it covers all perils doesn’t mean your home is protected from natural disasters like floods, earthquakes and landslides. Americans have focused much of their attention on California when it comes to earthquakes, but it’s actually Alaska that has the most earthquakes in the United States. There are as many as 100 earthquakes daily in Alaska, boasting three of the 10 largest earthquakes ever recorded in the world, and 10 of the 15 largest earthquakes recorded in the United States, according to the Alaska Earthquake Information Center. Floods and landslides are commonplace after a high-magnitude earthquake which can completely destroy homes. Quality homeowners insurance will usually protect your home from fire, water damage, hail and wind damage, but given Alaska’s earthquake history it’s a good idea to consider additional Anchorage insurance quotes.
Driving in Anchorage
According to the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, more than half of the state’s traffic accidents occurred in Anchorage in 2007. Not surprising seeing as about 40 percent of the state’s population is in The City of Lights and Flowers. It goes to show, auto insurance in Anchorage is fundamental. Rest assured that carrying the state’s minimum auto insurance requirement of $50,000/$100,000 or bodily injury or death and $25,000 for property damage will legally safeguard you, but this minimum coverage won’t cut it if you barrel into a moose on your way to a Wild game. Supplementing your Anchorage insurance with collision and comprehensive coverage will protect you from the beastly expenses in repairing or replacing your car whereas the minimum liability coverage does not.
Location, Location, Location
Finding affordable Anchorage insurance quotes can be as tricky as spotting Denali on a winter night. And these statistics can tell you one thing for certain: location matters. Your insurance premiums may not be the least expensive in the United States, but going without coverage in Alaska is about as risky as braving the seacoast mudflats. But you can find discounts when searching for Anchorage insurance quotes by combining policies and adding protective features to your car and home. Using a free service like NetQuote will take away some of the burden of seeking an affordable insurance policy.