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You can buy insurance through your local insurance agent and through insurance companies that sell through their own employees, over the phone, by mail and over the Internet. Consult your state insurance department, the yellow pages of your phone book, and friends or relatives for the names of insurance companies doing business in your state.

In most states, there are dozens, sometimes hundreds of companies to choose from, depending on the type of insurance you're looking for. You can go to our Find an Insurance Company tool for help.

Almost every state requires you to buy a minimum amount of liability coverage. Chances are that you will need more liability insurance than the state requires because accidents cost more than the minimum limits. If you’re found legally responsible for bills that are more than your insurance covers, you will have to pay the difference out of your own pocket. These costs could wipe you out!

When you’re considering buying life insurance, it’s important to choose an agent or broker who can help you. Buying life insurance can be complicated or confusing. The key to buying the right amount and the right type of policy at a good rate is a good agent or broker.

There are ways to save money when buying life insurance, but they don’t always entail paying a lower premium immediately. As your top priority, look for a policy that meets your needs. Buying the wrong benefits for a low premium is a waste, not a saving. Beyond that, here are some ways to maximize your life insurance dollars.

There are many factors that influence the price you pay for auto insurance. The average American driver spends about $700 a year. Your premium may be higher or lower, depending on these factors.

There are many insurance companies, so choosing between them can be a challenge. Here are the main points to keep in mind when selecting an insurance company:

There are many factors an insurance company uses to determine the price of your policy:

• The square footage of the house and any additional structures.
• Building costs in your area.
• Your home's construction, materials and features.
• Amount of crime in your neighborhood.

The likelihood of damage from natural disasters, such as hurricanes and hail storms.

The proximity of your home to a fire hydrant (or other source of water) and to a fire station, whether your community has a professional or volunteer fire service and other factors that can affect the time it takes to put out fires.

The condition of the plumbing, heating and electrical system.
If you rent your home or own a condo or co-op, your insurer will not consider the size of the dwelling or building costs. However, the insurance company will take into account factors that make damage to your possessions more likely.

Your agent will ask you what make and model cars you own, roughly how many miles you drive each year, and what kind of liability coverage you will need. The agent will also want to know how many people drive the cars, how old the drivers are, where you live, and driving records of each household member.

Quite possibly. Here are 10 reasons to own life insurance after your kids have left home:

The last thing you want to happen after you die is for your beneficiaries to be unable to locate and submit a claim on your life insurance. To prevent this, you should have copies of your life insurance records in at least two places. This is to make it less likely that you’ll lose them (to fire, flood, accidental discarding, etc.) and more likely that, after your death, your beneficiaries will find them.

There may be several reasons why you can’t get insurance through traditional private insurance companies.  Find out what your options are to make sure you get the right coverage.

The price you pay for your homeowners insurance can vary by hundreds of dollars, depending on the size of your house and the insurance company you buy your policy from. Here are some ways to save money.

As soon as your teenager begins to drive, notify your insurance agent that there will be an additional driver in the house. Since teenagers are inexperienced drivers, they tend to get into a lot of accidents. This will, unfortunately, be reflected in higher insurance rates. If you have a daughter, you can expect your insurance to go up as much as 50 percent. A son will increase your car insurance by as much as 100 percent. Consider also raising liability limits or buying an umbrella liability policy for additional protection.

You should review all of your insurance needs at least once a year. If you have a major life change, you should contact your insurance agent or company representative. The change in your life may have a significant impact on your insurance needs. 

If unexpected expenses come up and you can’t pay your life insurance premium, you should know the possible consequences. The effect depends on the type of policy and coverage you have and the policy terms and conditions.

If you are ever sued, your standard homeowners or auto policy will provide you with some liability coverage, paying for judgements against you and your attorney's fees, up to a limit set in the policy. However, in our litigious society, you may want to have an extra layer of liability protection. That's what a personal umbrella liability policy provides.

Your agent will ask you what kind of home you own or rent, roughly how much your possessions are worth, and what kind of liability coverage you will need. The agent will also want to know how many people live in your household, what pets you own, and the general condition of your house. You should also tell him if you own any particularly valuable items that might need special coverage called a floater.

If you live in a home that is considered "high-risk" or plan to move to a high-risk location, you may have difficulty obtaining an insurance policy.

What constitutes high-risk? Read on!

Many drivers don't think about their insurance coverage until after they have an accident and call their insurance company to file a claim to help pay for car repairs, a rental car and other expenses.

Unfortunately, many insured drivers are surprised to find out that their auto insurance does not automatically cover the cost of a replacement rental car after an accident. Since the average car is in the repair shop for two weeks after an accident, it can cost as much as $500 to rent a replacement car. But, some insured drivers pay little or nothing to rent a car because of an inexpensive but often overlooked option known as rental reimbursement.

To begin the claims process:

• Get several copies of the death certificate.
  
  
• Call your insurance agent. He or she can help you fill out the necessary forms and act as an intermediary with the insurance company. (Don’t keep life insurance policies in your safe deposit box. In most states, safe deposit boxes are sealed temporarily upon the death of the owner, which can delay the settlement. ) If you don’t have an insurance agent, or don’t know who the deceased's agent was, contact the company directly.

Your insurance company can't require you to use only certain kinds of auto repair parts. However, if the insurance company's rates are based on a certain type of part and you want something different, it can ask you to pay the difference if the part you want is more expensive.

Don’t just automatically send a check to your insurance company. Take the time to review your coverage and call your agent with any questions or concerns that you may have regarding your homeowners insurance.

If you are ever sued, your standard homeowners or auto policy will provide you with some liability coverage, paying for judgements against you and your attorney's fees, up to a limit set in the policy. However, in our litigious society, you may want to have an extra layer of liability protection. That's what a personal umbrella liability policy provides.

It's important to file your claim as soon as possible after an accident.  Make sure you understand what your insurance company needs in order to file your claim properly.

If a family member dies and you are unable to locate his or her life insurance policies, there is, unfortunately, no national or statewide database of all life insurance policies that you can consult. However, you can try to determine:

• which insurance company might have issued the policy
  
• which agent or broker might have sold or serviced the policy
  
• whether the deceased might have had insurance through an employer, union or trade association, or other group to which he/she belonged.

For more information on life insurance, you can contact:

• American Council of Life Insurers
  1001 Pennsylvania Avenue
  N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004-2599
  202-624-2000
  
• Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education
  

There are several steps you can take if you are having trouble settling your claim.  It is important for you to understand what resources are available to you and how to deal with them.

If someone has become injured on your property or if a violent storm destroys your home, you will need to file a claim with your insurance company. Remember, a homeowners policy is a contract between you and your insurance company. And there are rules and procedures that you and your insurer must follow. Read your insurance policy to see what your responsibilities are.

An adjuster will inspect the damage to your home and offer you a certain sum of money for repairs. The first check you get from your insurance company is often an advance against the total settlement amount. It is not the final payment.

You may be reluctant to file a claim because you fear that your premium will go up or your insurance will be canceled. Practices vary from company to company. In general, an insurer will increase your premium by specific percentages for each chargeable claim made against your policy above a specific dollar amount. A chargeable claim is one the insurer considers primarily your fault. The percentages and ceilings vary from company to company. These increases generally stay on your premium for three years following the claim.

There are several standard guidelines for determining the value of your car for insurance purposes. You and your insurer can refer to one of the Blue Books, which list the depreciated value of all new and used cars. One Blue Book is published by the National Association of Automobile Dealers ( http://www.nada.com ). The other is published by Kelley Blue Book of Irvine California ( http://www.kbb.com ).

The settlement amount depends on which type of policy you have. Having inadequate insurance can affect the amount of compensation you get.

If you are unsatisfied with how your insurance company is handling your claim, you have several options available to you to help get your issues resolved.

Your insurance company provides an adjuster at no charge to you. Adjusters who have no relationship with your insurance company and charge a fee for their services also may contact you. These are known as public adjusters. You may use a public adjuster to help you in settling your claim.

As a policyholder, you have certain rights. Every state has laws protecting consumers. Your policy is a legal contract between you and your insurer. It defines your rights and obligations as well as the rights and obligations of the insurance company.

If you have any questions regarding your rights under the policy, talk to your insurance agent or company representative. You may also contact your state insurance department, state attorney general's office, or your state's consumer affairs department.

Your insurance company can't require you to use only certain kinds of auto repair parts. However, if the insurance company's rates are based on a certain type of part and you want something different, it can ask you to pay the difference if the part you want is more expensive.

If your home was destroyed by a hurricane, wildfire or other disaster, be cautious.  Unfortunately, there are dishonest service providers that prey on disaster victims. They know that people who have lost their homes and valuables may not be thinking clearly. If you have suffered this type of loss, don’t make any rash decisions. Talk to your insurance agent, who may recommend service providers in your area.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are approximately 4.7 million dog bites per year. These bites cost the property/casualty insurance industry roughly $320 million in 2003.

If you’re like most people shopping for a new car, safety ranks high among things you're looking for. Every new car must meet certain federal safety standards, but that doesn’t mean that all cars are equally safe. There are still important safety differences, and some vehicles are safer than others. Many automakers offer safety features beyond the required federal minimums.

Much of the country periodically experiences severe and sustained cold weather, with snowfalls interspersed with periods of melting and freezing. This can inflict considerable damage on homes.

Here are some tips and steps you can take to make insurance losses less likely during extended severe weather.

Americans enjoy more than three billion barbecues each year. But barbecuing can be dangerous, even deadly, if you are not careful.  The following tips can make your grilling experience safer.

Burglars won't find your home an "easy mark" if they are forced to work in the light, if they have to take a lot of time breaking in, or if they can't break in without making a lot of noise. Research shows that if it takes more than four or five minutes to break into a home, the burglar will go elsewhere.

Each year, approximately 75,000 people are injured seriously enough by lawnmowers to require emergency room medical treatment. Only a small percentage of the injuries are caused by mechanical failure; most are the result of human error.   Here are some tips to follow before and while mowing your lawn.

Knowing what to do if you are involved in an accident can save lives and also make the claims process easier.

If you are in an accident or your car breaks down, safety should be your first concern. Getting out of the car at a busy intersection or on a highway to change a tire or check damage from a fender bender is probably one of the worst things you can do. The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) recommends the following precautions when your car breaks down:

Every year about 43,000 people are injured in and around swimming pools and more than 600 people drown in home or public pools. Half of the pool fatalities occur in the yards of single-family homes.  Here are some pool safety tips you should follow.

If you have children it's important to make sure they are secured properly when you drive with them. They are almost always safer when riding in the back, in a car seat that is appropriate to their age and weight.  Using a car seat correctly can prevent injuries, but wrong usage is very common. Even a small mistake in how the seat is used can cause serious injury in a crash.

Drivers who are distracted by talking on a cell phone or dialing numbers while they are driving are causing more and more accidents. Some municipalities have banned using cell phones while driving because it has caused such a major problem.

When it comes to keeping your home mold-free, a strong offense is definitely your best defense. To prevent mold, eliminate moisture from your home and be on the lookout for signs of possible growth, such as musty smells or watermarks on walls and ceilings.

The National Bike Registry estimates that one million bicycles are stolen each year in the U.S. and only a small percentage of them are ever recovered. The annual cost to American families is more than $200 million.  The following tips can help lower the risk of having your bike stolen.

Increasingly crowded highways and traffic backups cause many drivers to lose control and become extremely aggressive.

If you encounter aggressive drivers, don’t challenge them, and stay as far away as possible. You may want to take down the license plate number and report their behavior to police so they won’t hurt themselves or someone else.

People 55 years or older are less likely to drive aggressively or too fast. That’s the reason that most insurance companies offer discounts to drivers over 55.

Still, older drivers are more likely to have impaired hearing and slower reflexes, or to be using prescription drugs that might slow down their reaction time. Older drivers’ eyesight deteriorates, so they need more light to see, are more sensitive to glare and have a narrower peripheral field of vision. So if you are having problems driving at night or in difficult conditions, use common sense and try to avoid driving when it is dangerous. If you drive when you are not physically able to do so safely, your insurance company may not renew your coverage. You may also want to take a defensive driving class designed for seniors. Inform your insurer that you have taken the class and you may be eligible for a discount on your insurance premium.

If you plan to remodel your home, make sure that the house, the contractor and the subcontractors have adequate insurance coverage.   Also make sure to follow these tips so you are covered in the case of accident, injury or loss.

Ice, snow and wind can have devastating consequences on your home. The time to winterize is when the leaves begin to turn and not when the snow begins to fall.  Homeowners should take the following precautions to ensure they are prepared for winter weather.

Thousands of unsuspecting motorists are carjacked every year.  Educate yourself on how to minimize the threat of carjacking or theft by following the steps outlined in this article.

Driving in bad weather is a major cause of accidents. When you are driving, particularly on a long trip, make sure to stay tuned to radio reports about weather conditions. If you hear that an ice storm, hurricane, tornado, flood, hail or other severe weather is expected on the route you are taking or at your intended destination, change your travel plans. Whatever reason you have for going where you are going cannot be as important as saving your life.

If you are already in an area that is being hit by bad weather, don’t try to drive your way out of it. Seek shelter for both you and your car and wait for the storm to pass.