Why did I get pulled over for a suspended license when I did not commit a traffic violation?

The answer is simple. Police officers scan license plates. When this happens, they are typically able to see if the person who registered the vehicle has a valid license. This means that you do not have to be committing a crime to find yourself pulled over by the police.

This is why it is so important to refrain from driving if your license is under suspension. You are only causing more issues for yourself including the need to hire an attorney for a new case. Additionally, if you have a case pending, it makes it more difficult for your attorney to get you the best outcome possible when new violations are added.

If your license was suspended and you need SR22 insurance enter your Zip Code in the top right for an online quote or call one of our licensed agents at (773) 725-9333. We will have you back on the road in no time!

When buying a homeowners, condo, or renters insurance policy you want to be sure that your personal property is insured for the right amount. Because after all, it doesn’t make much sense to pay the premium for an insurance policy that won’t pay to replace your property.

The Home Inventory Checklist

The Home Inventory Checklist is where you need to start. Using an online home inventory software is the easiest and most secure way to take a home inventory. The Insurance Information Institute offers a free version called Know Your Stuff. It is easy to use and all your information is accessible online from any computer. This is especially handy when, for instance, your house is destroyed and you need your home inventory list to file a claim. Follow these steps to create your home inventory then get your homeowners, condo, or renters insurance quote online or call (847) 487-5700 to speak with a licensed Public insurance agent.

1. Setup Your Account- enter information about yourself, your location, and your insurance company. Having this information available will leave you with one less thing to worry about when filing a claim



2. Add Rooms & Items- you can upload pictures, receipts, appraisals, value, purchase price, and assign a category to each item. Other information can be added as well.



3. Manage Items- after you have added all your items you can choose to see them by room, category, all at once, and even search for a specific item.



4. Real-Time Reports- you can create various reports to see the total replacement cost of your items, for a specific room, or by category like electronics.

The online software is great for viewing your entire home inventory and creating reports. However, walking back and forth to your computer while making the list can be tedious. But like most things in life, there’s an app for that! Add items and snap a picture on your phone while walking around your house. Everything is synced with your online account so your home inventory is always up to date! Pretty neat stuff.

Taking the time to create a complete home inventory will save you more time and stress than you can imagine when you need to file a claim. Use the information you gathered in your home inventory and request a homeowners, condo, or renters insurance quote online or call (847) 487-5700 to speak with a licensed Public insurance agent.

Here are the results of the 2012 Kelley’s Blue Book Total Cost of Ownership Awards.

Some of the costs of ownership are unavoidable, like fuel. However, Insurance is one thing you can control. Getting a quote is the easiest way to lower your total cost of ownership.

Related Articles

• Find the Best Deal on a New Car: Total Cost of Ownership
• Infographic: Total Cost of Ownership

A beautiful infographic by Kelley’s Blue Book showing the brands and cars that received top honors in their 2012 Total Cost of Ownership Awards.

Infographic by Kelley Blue Book

Paying too much for insurance can significantly increase your car’s total cost of ownership. Luckily, Public can help you keep insurance costs under control. Get a quote to see how you can lower your total cost of ownership.

Related Articles

• Find the Best Deal on a New Car: Total Cost of Ownership
• Total Cost of Ownership: KBB 2012 Awards

Some of us are drawn by the promise of better MPG’s. While others have realized that the black cloud of exhaust spewing out of your tail pipe is why your kids ask to be dropped off at the end of the block. Whatever the reason may be, you’ve finally decide it’s time to ditch your clunker and for a new ride. But when it comes to finding the best deal, low sticker prices, affordable financing options, and cash back guarantees are just the beginning of the story. You need to consider the Total Cost of Ownership.

Kelley’s Blue Book, the folks that tell you how much your car is worth, has put together a formula that calculates how much it costs to keep you car on the road for the 5 years following your purchase. This is called the Total Cost of Ownership and should be considered an important factor when deciding which car really has the best deal.

Kelley’s Blue Book defines these elements as:

• Insurance- Insurance costs assume a driver with a clean record, using the vehicle for personal use. Quoted coverage includes liability, physical damage protection and (where applicable) personal injury, based on the most-often-selected limits and deductibles.
• Depreciation- Derived from Kelley Blue Book’s residual values and updated every 60 days, depreciation represents the decrease in the vehicle’s value based on Fair Purchase Price (or MSRP if the Fair Purchase Price is unavailable), economic factors and historical data.
• Repairs- Repairs are based on the retail price of a zero-deductible extended-warranty service contract that covers the vehicle for its initial five-year term of ownership.
• Maintenance- Maintenance includes the costs of following the manufacturer’s recommended service schedule. This amount is based on national average labor costs of $84 per hour, plus replacement parts and service items purchased at the manufacturer’s suggested list prices.
• State Fees- State Fees include title and registration fees based on an average of new-car retail sales in all states, the vehicle’s Fair Purchase Price (or MSRP if Fair Purchase Price is unavailable) and an average state sales tax of 6.27 percent.
• Financing- Financing assumes a buyer with Tier I or II credit, a loan APR of 3.99% and 10% down payment based on Fair Purchase Price (or MSRP if Fair Purchase Price is unavailable) without any rebates or incentives.
• Fuel- Fuel Costs are calculated using U.S. EPA mileage data for each make, model and style, reflecting 45% highway driving and 55% city driving. Kelley Blue Book updates these costs every 60 days based on actual and forecasted fuel costs.

They allow you to compare up to 5 cars and you click on “see breakdown” under the cars graph for specific details. You’ll find that Insurance can be a significant expense in the total cost of ownership. Public can help you keep those costs to a minimum. Get a Quote from Public then head over to Kelley’s Blue Book to see how our quote and your car stack up.

Related Articles

• Infographic: Total Cost of Ownership
• Total Cost of Ownership: KBB 2012 Awards

Rental reimbursement coverage on insurance policies is often misunderstood. If you have rental coverage on your insurance policy it will not provide physical damage (Comp/Collision) coverage while you are driving the rental car. For example, if you get into an accident while on vacation, rental coverage will not pay for the damage caused to your rental car.

Rental reimbursement coverage is intended to reimburse you for the cost of renting a car while your car (the one insured on your policy) is being repaired. In this scenario, the rental car is considered a Temporary Substitute. If you have physical damage (Comp/Collision) coverage on your policy, it will apply to the rental car only if you are driving it as a Temporary Substitute.

Liability coverage typically transfers to the rental car no matter what the situation. This means that cost of injury and damage you cause to another person and their vehicle, while driving the rental car, will usually be covered by your insurance policy. We recommended that you contact your insurance company’s underwriting department to verify coverage.

The best way to avoid paying extra rental car insurance at a rental car company (Hertz, Avis, etc.) is to use a credit card that provides this coverage. We have found that American Express provides the best coverage plan. Here is some more information on rental car damage coverage provided by your credit card.

Rental Reimbursement Coverage is very inexpensive to add to your policy and will save you money while your car is in the shop. To see how affordable rental coverage can be call your agent or get a Quote online today.

I hope this helps to clarify a bit!

-Jon Halvorsen

1. Get a comparative quote

The first thing you should do is get a quote from an independent agent and compare that with your current insurance rate. If you get a quote directly from a company like Geico, they will only provide you with one rate. On the other hand, an independent insurance agent like Public will compare quotes from over 20 different companies to find you the lowest rate. A quote only takes a few minutes and it will save you time.

2. Drop unnecessary or duplicate coverage

If you are insuring an older vehicle, comprehensive and collision coverage may not be worth the additional cost. This is especially true if the value of your car is less than your annual premium for comprehensive and collision. In this case it may cost you more to insure the car than to replace it.

3. Increase you deductible

Your insurance deductible is the amount you have to pay before your insurance kicks in when you file a claim. Increasing your deductible can lower your premium significantly. However, you should only do this if you can afford to pay the increased deductible amount in the event of a crash. Here’s an example of the risk involved with this option:

Say you increase your deductible from $500 to $1000 for comprehensive and collision coverage. This may save you $100, but if you get in a crash you now have to pay $1000 instead of $500 to repair you car. In this case, the small savings in the short-run is over shadowed by the increased cost to repair you car in the event of an accident. (Actual savings vary, so contact your agent for the exact amount)

4. Combine you home and auto insurance

Placing your homeowners insurance and auto insurance with the same company will almost always qualify you for a discount. Give your agent a call to discuss the best way to combine your coverage.

5. Make sure you are getting all the available discounts

Discounts can be a huge money saver when it comes to car insurance. Make sure you specifically ask your agent if you qualify for any other discounts. Even if you are in the middle of your policy it can’t hurt to check especially if there have been any changes like:

• New car alarm system
• Completed a defensive driving course
• You got good grades on your report card (great job!)
• Changed jobs
• Drive less miles daily than when you started your policy
• Purchased home, motorcycle, life or any other insurance policy
• Any other change (Companies are always coming out with new discounts that you may qualify for without even knowing)

If any of these apply to you stop reading this article and call you agent right now. We’ll be here when you get back.

6. Don’t let your coverage lapse

A lapse in coverage, sometime called a gap, means that you let your insurance policy cancel. This will make a renewal discount unavailable to you, which is like leaving money on the table. The longer you are continuously insured the more you will save each time you renew your policy.

7. Drive a low profile car

Certain cars any more likely than others to be stolen and therefore cost more to insure. Check out our list of the Top 10 Most Stolen Cars and avoid them if possible. On the other hand, certain car just cost less to insure. Here is a list of the Top 20 Cheapest Cars to Insure.

By following these steps you will be on your way to saving money on car insurance. Share this with your friends and family, they will thank you!

-John Morrow

When it comes to saving money on car insurance the type of car you drive is an important factor. Here is a list of the least expensive cars to insurance on average*. Rates will be drastically lower when minimum liability limits (20/40/15) are applied.

Least Expensive Cars to Insure 2012

If you don’t drive one of these cars there is no need to worry. Check out our 7 Ways to Save Money on Car Insurance and you’ll be paying less in no time!

-John Morrow

*Averages are based on a 12 month insurance policy for a single 40-year-old male who commutes 12 miles to work each day, with policy limits of 100/300/50 ($100,000 for injury liability for one person, $300,000 for all injuries and $50,000 for property damage in an accident) and a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage. This hypothetical driver has a clean record and good credit. The rate includes uninsured motorist coverage. Average rates are for comparative purposes.

Information obtained from insure.com

Fact: Cars that get stolen more often cost more to insure. Here are the Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in the US, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). Save money on car insurance by avoiding these vehicles.

Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in the US

If possible don’t drive these cars and you will avoid higher insurance rates. For other ways to save on car insurance see our 7 Ways to Save Money on Car Insurance.

-John morrow

Jon Halvorsen finds his new home at Public Insurance Agency in Island Lake, where local drivers will be greeted with a familiar face.

Jon Halvorsen, VP Agency Development for Public Insurance Agency

Island Lake, IL- Public Insurance, a full service independent auto insurance agency, is pleased to announce the recent hiring of Jon Halvorsen as Vice President of Agency Development at our new location in Island Lake.

Jon, the former V.P. of Sales at Capitol Insurance Agency, brings to Public over twenty years of experience serving Island Lake and the surrounding communities. Jon is a familiar face to many drivers and aims to continue the relationships he has built over the past two decades at his new home.

“We are fortunate to have someone with such strong ties in the community join our agency,” said Melanie Palmer, Director of Administration & Human Resources. “Having provided auto insurance coverage in the area for his entire career, Jon has developed a loyal client base and possesses a thorough understanding of the community’s needs.”

In addition to Jon’s twenty years of professional experience he is also a lifelong Lake County resident, active member of his church, and father of two. Jon shares a common bond with his clients, who are also his neighbors, and treats each one accordingly. Jon has laid a foundation of trust upon which Public will grow.

Upon hearing of Jon’s return to the area, longtime client Crystal Williams of Wauconda said, “I was so sad when Jon left, this is great news! I was involved in a really bad accident last year and I don’t know what I would have done without Jon’s help. He really has his customer’s best interest in mind.”

Already, Jon has reinforced the neighborly atmosphere of Public by hiring Brenda Hernandez as an agent. Brenda worked alongside Jon for over twenty years at Capitol and has the experience to match. Together, they provide their clients with a service that stretches far beyond the fifteen minute phone call that has become the norm at other agencies.

Please join us in welcoming Jon and Brenda to the Public team. Feel free to stop by or contact them with any questions or comments you may have.

Jon Halvorsen | Jon@MyPublicInsurance.com | (847) 487-5700

Brenda Hernandez | Brenda@MyPublicInsurance.com | (847) 487-5700

Public is an independent agency that has provided Illinois drivers with low cost auto insurance for over twenty years. We specialize in SR22 insurance and accept all drivers regardless of their driving history. Each of our locations has agents that are involved in the community which allows us to offer our clients personalized service from people they can trust.

Get a Quote now

SR22 Quotes