Auto insurance
Car insurance is the policy most people shop on price alone, which is how they end up finding out what they actually bought at the worst possible moment. Carolyn quotes it across several carriers, then walks you through what the numbers mean before you sign anything.
What it covers
Plain descriptions of each part, and what it actually does on the day you need it.
Liability
Pays for the other person when the wreck is your fault. Pennsylvania sets a legal minimum and it is low enough that one serious accident can blow straight through it and come after your house. This is the number to look hard at.
Collision and comprehensive
Collision fixes your car after a wreck. Comprehensive covers the rest of it: deer, hail, a tree limb, theft, a rock through the windshield. If you have a loan on the vehicle the lender requires both.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist
Covers you when the other driver has nothing or nowhere near enough. West Virginia requires it. Pennsylvania does not, which is a good reason to talk about it rather than skip it.
Medical benefits
Pays your own medical bills after a crash regardless of fault. Pennsylvania requires a minimum amount of this on every policy.
Towing and rental
Small add ons that cost very little and matter a lot on the day your car is on a hook on Route 21.
More than cars and trucks
Motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, trailers, RVs, and boats — if it has wheels (or a hull) and a motor, Carolyn can probably write it. A lot of folks around here have a trailer or a side-by-side sitting uninsured because nobody ever asked about it. Ask.
Worth a call if
- You live in Pennsylvania and commute to Morgantown, or the other way around.
- You have a motorcycle, ATV, UTV, trailer, RV, or boat that isn’t insured yet (or you’re not sure it is).
- You just got a renewal that went up and nobody can tell you why.
- You have a teenage driver about to go on the policy.
- You have a truck, a car, and something you only drive in the summer.
- You have a ticket or an accident on your record and the big carriers have gotten expensive.
One agent across three states
Plenty of people here live in one state and work in the other. That normally means two agents, two policies, and two people each blaming the other when something falls between them. Carolyn is licensed in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio, so it is one conversation and one person who knows the whole picture.
The tort choice on your Pennsylvania policy
Every Pennsylvania auto policy makes you pick full tort or limited tort. Limited tort saves you a little every month and gives up your right to sue for pain and suffering unless your injury is serious enough to meet an exception. Most people do not remember choosing, and a lot of them are on limited tort without knowing it. Carolyn will read yours out loud to you and explain what you picked.
Questions people actually ask
Am I on full tort or limited tort?
It is on your declarations page, usually in small print. Send it to Carolyn and she will tell you in about a minute. It is the single most important line on a Pennsylvania auto policy and the one people understand the least.
How much liability coverage should I carry?
More than the state minimum. The minimum is low, and if you cause a serious accident the amount above your limit comes out of what you own. Carolyn will price a few different limits so you can see what the extra coverage actually costs. It is usually less than people expect.
My teenager is about to start driving. What happens?
Your premium goes up, there is no way around that. What you can control is which carrier you are with, because they vary a lot on young drivers, and whether you are getting the good student and driver training discounts. Call before the license is issued, not after.
I hit a deer. Which coverage is that?
Comprehensive, not collision, which usually means a lower deductible. It happens often enough around here that it is worth knowing before it happens.
Can I insure a car registered in one state and garaged in another?
The policy follows where the car actually lives, not where you happen to be. If you have moved across the line, or your college student took a car to Morgantown, tell Carolyn. Getting this wrong is how claims get denied.
Do I need to come into the office?
No. Most auto quotes get done by phone or text. Prefer to sit down together? That works too — by appointment in Masontown or Fairmont.
Get a quote, or just ask a question
Tell Carolyn what you have now and what you are worried about. If she cannot beat what you have, she will say so. Quotes are always free.
115 N Main St, Masontown, PA 15461 (home office)
WV The Torch, 450 Leonard Ave, Fairmont, WV 26554 (by appointment)
(724) 970-4129 — call or text
carolyn@greenespongeagency.com
Remote or by appointment — reach out first.