Elephant Insurance - Listen to the Blog

How do tickets and violations affect my car insurance?

HOW DO TICKETS AND VIOLATIONS AFFECT MY CAR INSURANCE? [https://www.elephant.com/blog/how-do-tickets-and-violations-affect-my-car-insurance] There’s a lot of information out there about car insurance as it pertains to tickets and traffic violations. Some of it’s true; some of it is an exaggeration or pure misinformation [https://www.elephant.com/blog/the-mythbuster-machine-insurance-facts-you-should-know]. However, whether you get your information from a friend or family member, or an online search engine, it’s best to double-check your sources. At Elephant Insurance [https://www.elephant.com/blog/how-is-elephant-different-from-other-insurance-companies], we’ve done the homework for you. To help dispel any misconceptions or myths about tickets and violations, we’ve compiled the truth about common violations—and outlined quick facts about each. We’re also answering several popular questions we hear about driving records and insurance premiums as they relate to said violations. We hope you learn a thing or two and walk away as a confident, safe driver. * Types of Tickets and Violations [https://www.elephant.com/blog/how-do-tickets-and-violations-affect-my-car-insurance#types] * Will I see an impact on my insurance premium? [https://www.elephant.com/blog/how-do-tickets-and-violations-affect-my-car-insurance#will] * How long will a traffic violation stay on my insurance record? [https://www.elephant.com/blog/how-do-tickets-and-violations-affect-my-car-insurance#how] * How to improve your rate if you received a ticket [https://www.elephant.com/blog/how-do-tickets-and-violations-affect-my-car-insurance#improve] * Get a Car Insurance Quote [https://www.elephant.com/products/car-insurance/get-a-quote] * Elephant's Multi-Car Discount [https://www.elephant.com/products/car-insurance/discounts/multi-car-discount] * About Elephant Insurance [https://www.elephant.com/about] * Elephant Reviews [https://www.elephant.com/about/reviews] * Elephant's Blog - The Glovebox [https://www.elephant.com/blog] * Elephant Careers [https://www.elephant.com/careers] * Partner With Us [https://www.elephant.com/about/partnerships] * Elephant FAQs [https://www.elephant.com/faqs] * Elephant Terms of Use [https://www.elephant.com/terms-of-use] * Elephant Insurance Privacy & Security [https://www.elephant.com/privacy] * Elephant's Responsible Disclosure [https://www.elephant.com/responsible-disclosure]

10 safe driving scholarship options to apply to

10 safe driving scholarship options to apply to [https://www.elephant.com/blog/10-safe-driving-scholarship-options-to-apply-to] Nothing is more important than being a safe driver on the road. Distracted driving [https://www.elephant.com/blog/distracted-driving] and drunk driving have enormous consequences not only for you as a driver, but for your family and other people on the road. Because it impacts thousands of Americans every year, particularly teens who account for almost 10 percent [https://www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/distracted_driving/index.html] of distracted drivers in fatal car crashes, many organizations offer scholarships to help raise awareness of distracted driving and ways to prevent it. If you are a student preparing for college, already in college, or even a family member with a college student, consider checking out a national safe driving scholarship that aims to reduce or prevent distracted driving. We’ve compiled 10 below. * 1. Project Yellow Light [https://www.elephant.com/blog/10-safe-driving-scholarship-options-to-apply-to#1] * 2. Look Twice, Save a Life [https://www.elephant.com/blog/10-safe-driving-scholarship-options-to-apply-to#2] * 3. The Safe Driving Scholarship [https://www.elephant.com/blog/10-safe-driving-scholarship-options-to-apply-to#3] * 4. Create Real Impact Contest [https://www.elephant.com/blog/10-safe-driving-scholarship-options-to-apply-to#4] * 5. Getting Real About Distracted Driving [https://www.elephant.com/blog/10-safe-driving-scholarship-options-to-apply-to#5] * 6. Digital Responsibility’s Don’t Text and Drive Scholarship [https://www.elephant.com/blog/10-safe-driving-scholarship-options-to-apply-to#6] * 7. In the Driver’s Seat [https://www.elephant.com/blog/10-safe-driving-scholarship-options-to-apply-to#7] * 8. Safe Driver Scholarship [https://www.elephant.com/blog/10-safe-driving-scholarship-options-to-apply-to#8] * 9. Drunk Driving Prevention Scholarship [https://www.elephant.com/blog/10-safe-driving-scholarship-options-to-apply-to#9] * 10. Stand Up to Distracted Driving Scholarship [https://www.elephant.com/blog/10-safe-driving-scholarship-options-to-apply-to#10] * Get a Car Insurance Quote [https://www.elephant.com/products/car-insurance/get-a-quote] * Elephant's Multi-Car Discount [https://www.elephant.com/products/car-insurance/discounts/multi-car-discount] * About Elephant Insurance [https://www.elephant.com/about] * Elephant Reviews [https://www.elephant.com/about/reviews] * Elephant's Blog - The Glovebox [https://www.elephant.com/blog] * Elephant Careers [https://www.elephant.com/careers] * Partner With Us [https://www.elephant.com/about/partnerships] * Elephant FAQs [https://www.elephant.com/faqs] * Elephant Terms of Use [https://www.elephant.com/terms-of-use] * Elephant Insurance Privacy & Security [https://www.elephant.com/privacy] * Elephant's Responsible Disclosure [https://www.elephant.com/responsible-disclosure]

What to do if your car is totaled

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CAR IS TOTALED [https://www.elephant.com/blog/what-to-do-if-your-car-is-totaled] Uh-oh…your car is totaled. Or is it? “Totaled” is a word that gets thrown around a lot when it comes to car accidents, but the term actually has a very specific definition. It is only used in insurance when the damage to the car falls under a particular set of circumstances set by your insurance. It’s not the driver’s responsibility to determine if the car is totaled. That falls onto the driver’s insurance adjuster and the car insurance [https://www.elephant.com/products/car-insurance] company. Being more informed about total losses and how insurance companies handle them can help drivers feel more prepared if their car ever suffers severe damage. What does “totaled” mean? So what does it actually mean, and when is a car considered “totaled?” Insurance companies typically designate vehicles as a total loss when the cost to fix the damage is more than the car’s value or if the car can’t be repaired at all for some reason or another. * Get a Car Insurance Quote [https://www.elephant.com/products/car-insurance/get-a-quote] * Elephant's Multi-Car Discount [https://www.elephant.com/products/car-insurance/discounts/multi-car-discount] * About Elephant Insurance [https://www.elephant.com/about] * Elephant Reviews [https://www.elephant.com/about/reviews] * Elephant's Blog - The Glovebox [https://www.elephant.com/blog] * Elephant Careers [https://www.elephant.com/careers] * Partner With Us [https://www.elephant.com/about/partnerships] * Elephant FAQs [https://www.elephant.com/faqs] * Elephant Terms of Use [https://www.elephant.com/terms-of-use] * Elephant Insurance Privacy & Security [https://www.elephant.com/privacy] * Elephant's Responsible Disclosure [https://www.elephant.com/responsible-disclosure]

Common driving myths debunked

When it comes to driving, we’ve all heard myths gathered over the years from relatives, friends, and beliefs in the public sphere. Whether it’s myths about car safety, maintenance [https://www.elephant.com/blog/common-car-how-tos], or trivial matters, such as whether it’s legal to drive barefoot or keep the light on in your car, you may have some misconceptions about your car and how you drive it. Let’s take a look at some of the most common driving myths and why they aren’t true. General myths Red cars are more likely to be pulled over You’ve no doubt heard this myth before, that the very bold color of a red car means you’re more likely to be pulled over by the police. The reality is that your driving habits get you noticed by law enforcement, not the color of your car [https://www.elephant.com/blog/how-does-your-vehicle-affect-your-car-insurance]. There’s really no evidence to support the claim that red cars are more likely to be stopped by police. You can only be pulled over for speeding if you go over 10 miles an hour The truth of the matter on speeding [https://www.elephant.com/blog/how-does-speeding-affect-car-crashes] is that any amount of speed over the posted limit is subject to ticketing. Police officers often operate at their own discretion on this issue, but there’s no acceptable number of miles over a speed limit to which you are immune from receiving a ticket. Common driving myths debunked [https://www.elephant.com/blog/common-driving-myths-debunked] * Get a Car Insurance Quote [https://www.elephant.com/products/car-insurance/get-a-quote] * Elephant's Multi-Car Discount [https://www.elephant.com/products/car-insurance/discounts/multi-car-discount] * About Elephant Insurance [https://www.elephant.com/about] * Elephant Reviews [https://www.elephant.com/about/reviews] * Elephant's Blog - The Glovebox [https://www.elephant.com/blog] * Elephant Careers [https://www.elephant.com/careers] * Partner With Us [https://www.elephant.com/about/partnerships] * Elephant FAQs [https://www.elephant.com/faqs] * Elephant Terms of Use [https://www.elephant.com/terms-of-use] * Elephant Insurance Privacy & Security [https://www.elephant.com/privacy] * Elephant's Responsible Disclosure [https://www.elephant.com/responsible-disclosure]

Paying out of pocket vs. filing a claim

Getting into a car accident is always a stressful situation. You’re worried about injuries, damage to your vehicle, and of course, money. How do you know if paying for repairs out of pocket will help you in the long run or make things more complicated? We’ve got you covered. Here are some questions to ask yourself when considering paying out of pocket after a car accident. Who else was involved in the accident? Single-vehicle accidents Car accidents don’t always involve other motorists; lousy weather conditions, distracted driving, or vehicle malfunction can lead to single-vehicle accidents. If you hit an inanimate object and your car is damaged, the first thing you should do is check your deductible. [https://www.elephant.com/blog/understanding-car-insurance-deductibles] For example, if you back into your mailbox and dent your fender, it may make more sense to pay for the repairs yourself and not file a claim with your insurance company. This is an easy case where paying out of pocket makes sense. But you may be asking yourself, what harm is there in filing a claim when it was a minor accident that wasn’t necessarily my fault? Well, liability is a tricky thing, and sometimes even when you’re not totally at-fault, an accident can cause your insurance rate to go up. [https://www.elephant.com/blog/will-my-rate-go-up-if-im-not-at-fault] PAYING OUT OF POCKET VS. FILING A CLAIM [https://www.elephant.com/blog/paying-out-of-pocket-vs-filing-a-claim] * Get a Car Insurance Quote [https://www.elephant.com/products/car-insurance/get-a-quote] * Elephant's Multi-Car Discount [https://www.elephant.com/products/car-insurance/discounts/multi-car-discount] * About Elephant Insurance [https://www.elephant.com/about] * Elephant Reviews [https://www.elephant.com/about/reviews] * Elephant's Blog - The Glovebox [https://www.elephant.com/blog] * Elephant Careers [https://www.elephant.com/careers] * Partner With Us [https://www.elephant.com/about/partnerships] * Elephant FAQs [https://www.elephant.com/faqs] * Elephant Terms of Use [https://www.elephant.com/terms-of-use] * Elephant Insurance Privacy & Security [https://www.elephant.com/privacy] * Elephant's Responsible Disclosure [https://www.elephant.com/responsible-disclosure]