How to Prepare for Anything During Your Next Road Trip

While the open road beckons, you also feel a little apprehension. You know you would enjoy a road trip, but you cannot afford a mishap that leads to expensive automobile repairs or medical bills. Even a misadventure as simple as a flat tire could push your budget. So, for now, you have elected to stay at home and save your paychecks just in case something happens.

However, you do not have to stifle your wanderlust to keep yourself, your family, your vehicle, and your budget safe. With some advance preparation-and a little spending upfront-you can handle anything that chance sends your way on your next adventure. Use the instructions below to begin.

1. Purchase a Travel Protection Plan

A travel protection plan covers you in case your vehicle breaks down and you have to use a rental car for the remainder of your trip. Depending on the rental car companies in your vacation’s vicinity, the rental could prove expensive. When you add a travel protection plan to your insurance coverage, you do not have to worry about that potential expense.

2. Add Roadside Assistance to Your Car Insurance

Even if you have a travel protection plan and can get a rental car, what do you do if you cannot move your own car into a mechanic’s shop? Roadside assistance, another optional addition to your car insurance, gives you towing, repair, and lockout services for only a little extra money on your premium. So, should something go wrong while you travel, you can get help without stressing about the expense.

3. Schedule a Pre-Departure Car Inspection

Prevent car troubles before they occur by having a mechanic inspect your vehicle prior to your departure. Have your mechanic inspect and refill all your fluids, and have him or her check your automobile’s tires, shocks, transmission, and engine as well. Whenever you catch a potential problem before it grows, you save money in the long run.

4. Put a Car Jack and Toolkit in Your Vehicle

During your road trip, you may find yourself far from civilization. So, even if you have roadside assistance, you may have to wait an hour or more before your rescuers reach you. If you or anyone in your group has experience with vehicles, you may have the ability to change tires and fix engine problems on your own. Keep a jack and other tools in your trunk just in case.

5. Check Your Spare Tire-Or Purchase One

If you already have a spare tire for your vehicle, check its tire pressure and refill it, or have your mechanic refill it. However, if you do not own a spare, then purchase one. The mechanics at your local shop can give you a recommendation on the type of spare tire you should purchase. The spare in question should fit in your trunk and support your car’s axles well enough that they won’t go out of alignment when you use it.

6. Find Mechanics, Hospitals, Pharmacies, and Hotels Before Departure

You have likely plotted your route and told friends and family members about where you’ll be during each leg of your trip. Use that route to find hospitals, mechanics, hotels, and food in each place you plan to stop. If you know where to find these basic services, then you do not have to search for them frantically if a mishap occurs.

7. Pack All the Gear Necessary for the Weather

Have chains, a towing cable, ice melt, coats, blankets, and flares on hand if you plan to drive on snowy roads. Make sure you keep water, umbrellas, and sunscreen in your vehicle for hot weather. No matter what time of year your road trip takes place, you should keep jumper cables in your trunk as well.

8. Take out Cash for Emergencies

Perhaps your bank sees your road-trip expenditures as unusual and freezes your card. Or perhaps you find yourself in a rural area where nobody takes cards. You may also come across an unexpected toll road. Cash works better than a card if you have an emergency situation, so make sure you take out a few hundred dollars before you leave.

9. Have a Paper Map in Addition to an Electronic One

Should your phone or GPS run out of power in a remote area, you should have a paper map on hand with your route marked in a bright color. Paper maps do not run out of batteries, which will enable you to find your way to the next town if your phone and your car battery both run out of power.

10. Make Sure You Bring Identification Documents-Just in Case

If you plan to cross international borders, you must bring a passport and travel visa, where necessary. However, you might want to bring your passport with you even if you do not plan to cross into Canada or Mexico. Should a crisis occur, a passport gives you more solid documentation than a driver’s license.

Most people who go on road trips do not experience problems. However, if chance does throw you a hurdle or two, you can overcome them. Simply keep the information above in mind. 

You have one of life’s major milestones looming before you-you have decided to buy your first car. You will traverse what many consider a difficult and even taxing process. However, you have extensively researched each of the vehicles you want, and you do not feel afraid of haggling with dealers on the lot.

Yet you still feel nervous. After all, you have not done anything like this before.

Use the steps and tips listed below to prepare yourself for every eventuality before you go to the dealership or meet with a private owner. As long as you have prepared, the process should go smoothly and quickly while you get the rates and the vehicle you desire.

1. Prequalify for an Automobile Loan

Even if you have enough money to pay for a vehicle out of pocket, consider taking out an automobile loan to build your credit. You will need a solid credit score later if you decide to purchase a house. Just ensure you do not choose the first automobile loan you qualify for. Shop for the best interest rates and borrowing limits for your needs and budget.

This strategy doesn’t necessarily mean you should find the highest possible borrowing limit. You do not need the most expensive car on the market when you purchase your first vehicle. Keep your requirements reasonable, but not so flexible that you would take any loan.

2. Find Your Preferred Automobile Insurance Provider

Your automobile insurance will change once you have a vehicle, but you should still have insurance before you make the purchase. Again, do not choose the first insurance provider you come across. Look at coverage options and premiums to find a policy that fits your monetary requirements.

However, just because you can afford a policy does not make it the right one. Check what each policy covers before you make a decision. Some may have a reasonable cost but barely cover anything. And remember that you can call on insurance agents or brokers to assist you and help you look at multiple policies simultaneously.

3. Look at Online Ratings for Dealerships in Your Area

The closest dealership for the make and model you want might not treat you as fairly as one that lies a little farther away. Look at the ratings that each local dealership has earned, and read the comments that accompany those ratings. If you find a dealership with high ratings and comments that seem genuine, opt for that location rather than the closest one.

4. Take Someone Knowledgeable to the Dealership With You

If you have no prior knowledge of how automobiles work or what flaws and problems to look for, take an experienced friend with you. This friend cannot work at the dealership you visit. This friend must also have the ability to either thoroughly inspect a car or at least look and sound imposing. You should get more flexibility with the salespeople this way.

5. Remember That the Salesperson Works for You

The salesperson’s job involves helping you find a car you want to buy. He or she has to explain each car to you, show you its perks, and help you find the type of car you would actually consider purchasing. If he or she fails at this job, you have the right to work with someone else. Do not let the salesperson push you around. He or she works for you as long as your appointment lasts.

6. Bring Photocopies So You Do Not Get Trapped

Bring photocopies of your driver’s license, your proof of insurance, and your loan approval with you. But do not give anyone this information unless you plan to purchase a car, and never give people at the dealership your originals. If you decide to leave, you will have to wait while they hunt down the originals, and you might have to deal with further sales tactics in the meantime.

Additionally, do not talk about trade-ins or offer your car for an inspection before a trade-in. The dealership personnel will take your keys to get into your car, and if you decide to leave, you’ll have to wait for your car and your keys. Do not talk about trade-ins until you decide to buy.

7. Do Not Purchase Without a Test Drive

Only if you test drive will you know if you like to drive that vehicle. Also, remember that you can test drive multiple times if you oscillate between two cars and want to get a feel for the nuances between the two. A test drive may also expose potential perks or flaws that factor into your final decision.

8. Have the Salesperson Give You a Tour of the Vehicle

You should receive a tour of the vehicle’s features inside the cabin, in the trunk, and under the hood. Ask your salesperson how easily you can change the vehicle’s fluids and get to its battery and other features in case something goes wrong. You can also inspect the accessibility for yourself or have an experienced friend do it.

9. Have the Vehicle Inspected Before Purchase

Before you sign anything, you must schedule a pre-purchase inspection. This inspection checks for any flaws so you don’t have to pay for repairs and other considerations before you drive the vehicle off the lot.

A vehicle purchase represents a huge undertaking, but you do not have to do it alone. Call your bank, your insurance agent, and other professionals as outlined above to ensure the process goes effortlessly.

When you think about car insurance, you likely recall a couple key phrases. These phrases probably include a generous helping of catchy jingles, along with some insurance product types like “comprehensive” and “collision.”

Understanding your car insurance is a vital part of protecting your assets. Unfortunately, surveys of American car owners show a wide range of misconceptions and a general misunderstanding of insurance products.

In this blog, we list six of the most common car insurance types. You may hear about these coverages in ads and in conversations with your agent; you also may be required by law to have them.

1. Liability

Liability coverage comes in two forms: bodily injury liability and property damage. If you are involved in an accident where you are at fault, your liability policy covers the cost for the other driver’s bodily injuries and property damage.

Typically, the only insurance required by all vehicle owners in a state is liability coverage. In Illinois, for your personal or family vehicles, you must have the following:

1. $25,000 coverage in the case of injury or death of one person in an at-fault accident
2. $50,000 coverage in the case of injury or death of two or more people in an at-fault accident
3. $20,000 coverage in the case of damage to another person’s property

You may decide to expand your liability policies because you must cover any expenses incurred that are higher than the insurance payout.

2. Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Liability (UMBI)

While virtually every state requires a minimum limit of liability coverage, not all drivers follow the law. If you are involved in an accident with an at fault uninsured motorist, UMBI coverage will apply.

Illinois state law requires that you carry the same UMBI limits as your basic liability coverage.

3. Medical Payments

This optional coverage gives you a little extra protection against the high cost of health care following an accident. It can help pay for medical expenses if you, another driver named on your policy or your passenger(s) are injured in an accident.

4. Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD)

This another optional coverage designed to pay for damages to your vehicle in the event that you are involved in an accident with an uninsured motorist. IF you do not have physical damage coverage, you can add UMPD as a valuable alternative.

5. Physical Damage Coverage

This coverage protects your vehicle and comes in two forms: Comprehensive and Collision.

• Comprehensive covers your vehicle from a loss other than collision; to name a few: fire, theft, vandalism, and malicious mischief.
• Collision covers your vehicle for an accident involving your vehicle and whatever it collides with: another car, a stationary object, etc.

Typically, both forms of physical damage coverage come with a deductible which you pay before the company pays. If you are paying a car note, physical damage coverage is a requirement of your lien holder.

6. Towing and Rental

Two more optional coverage options can be added to your policy. At Great Northern, we can offer you towing PLUS roadside assistance which will give you a tow, fix a flat tire, or even bring you gas or come help when you lock yourself out of your car.

Rental reimbursement coverage provides an allowance of up to so much per day for so many days while your vehicle is in the shop being repaired as a result of a covered loss.

If you use your car for business, contract driving, or other nontraditional uses, the law may require other types or amounts of coverage in addition to these. If you don’t feel sure which insurance you need or which insurance best protects you, consult with a trained insurance representative from a reputable agency.

This professional can help you determine which of the above coverage options (and any others) you may need before you get on the road.

Remember, once you purchase a policy, you must keep your insurance card or other proof of insurance inside your vehicle during operation.