What to Do After an Accident

The screech of tires. The shriek of brakes. The tinkle of broken glass. These aren't sounds that anyone wants to hear, but car accidents are part of modern life.  How you react after an accident can make the process of getting back on your feet a lot easier. So keep calm and start picking up the pieces. Here’s a checklist to keep in mind:

ñ  Get out of the way--: If the accident happened in the middle of the street, move to the shoulder or another safe location to check the extent of damages.

ñ  Check for injuries: Are you okay? Your passengers? The people in the other car? Safety should be your number one priority. If you're in doubt, call 911.

ñ  Call the police if necessary: If there are injuries, extensive damage, property damage, or you need help moving your cars out of the roadway, call the police. Afterward, make sure you get a copy of their report.

ñ  Exchange insurance information: So you can make a claim, make sure you get the other driver's name, phone number, address, license plate number, make, model and year of the vehicle, and insurance number. No need to discuss who's at fault in the accident. The claims investigation will clear that up. 

ñ  Document: Take careful note of the scene. If you have a smart phone or camera with you, pictures can be a huge help. If there are witnesses, don't interview them yourself—just get their name and number.

ñ  Call your Agent: Call us any time, and we'll get the ball rolling on your claim right away.

And that's it—we'll take it from here. By keeping a cool head and following these simple steps, you'll have a great foundation to a quick, painless claim. Have other questions about what to do after an accident? We're always here to help.

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Seriously Good Insurance

You gotta love the Super Bowl. Not only do you get the gridiron excitement of football, you also get the best commercials the year has to offer. There are funny ones advertising beer and snack foods, touching ones that remind us of our childhood, and of course insurance ads.

Turn your TV to any channel, any time of the day or night, and wait for the commercial break. Odds are good you'll see an ad for an insurance company. According to Ad Age magazine, insurance companies spent $4.15 billion on advertising in 2009 alone. That's more than the gross national product of Barbados.

But chances are you haven't seen a whole lot of ads for Erie Insurance. We’re not about funny advertising.  We’re about seriously good insurance. We know that if we give you amazing, personalized service, you'll tell your friends about us. And they'll tell their friends. And that's ultimately better than all the ads in the world.

So next time you see a funny ad for an insurance company, consider this.  At Erie Insurance, we put smiles on our customers’ faces by delivering the best service in the industry. No joke. 

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Getting Serious About Life Insurance

No one likes to think about life insurance, much less talk about it or buy it. It’s uncomfortable and a little scary, acknowledging that we won’t live forever. But remember: life insurance isn’t about the people who are gone. It’s about the people who remain.

Life insurance is the ultimate safety net. It ensures that even in the event of your death, your loved ones are taken care of. Maybe it’s ensuring that your kids can still go to the college of their choice, or making sure that your spouse still has the golden years you two dreamed of. Or it can be as simple as making sure funeral arrangements are paid for so friends and family aren’t burdened with final expenses.

It’s time to stop pretending that life insurance doesn’t exist. Let’s sit down and talk about your needs, your options, and how you want to protect your family in case of the worst. You’ll be amazed at the peace of mind it affords you. No matter what happens now, your family will be provided for. There’s no better feeling in the world.





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There She Is, Miss America…

Erie Insurance agents have to be like Miss America. While there’s no eveningwear competition, we have to be just as well-rounded as any pageant contestant.  And there’s even a judging portion: all ERIE agents are “handpicked” to make sure they’re the kind of people who will uphold the motto of “ERIE is Above All in Service.^Ò”

It’s not enough that we can help you get the best deals on coverage (though we’re always looking out for you).

It’s not enough that we are knowledgeable about insurance (though we know our stuff).

No, ERIE agents have to be the kind of people who are never okay with “good enough.” We’re the kind of people who always go the extra mile, not because we have to, but because it’s the right thing to do. The kind of people who take the time to listen, to care, and to give all that we have.

That’s the value of an ERIE agent. Does your agent hold service above all?

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You’ve Got Mail! You’ve Got Mail! You’ve Got Mail!

Have you ever gotten onto one of those e-mail lists that you just can’t seem to get off? Maybe you’d even like to hear from the company every now and then, but not the hourly barrage of e-mails updating you to every new thought they have.

Yeah. We hate that too. That’s why Erie Insurance agents make sure that you set the ground rules for how often you want to talk to us. If you really like to be kept in the loop, we love talking to you and keeping you up to date with every change in your policy, every new blog post, and everything else we think you should know.

But if you’d rather have a “don’t call us, we’ll call you” kind of relationship? No problem. Just let us know, and we won’t bother you. We’ll still be keeping an eye out for you, of course, making sure that everything’s still going smoothly with your policy and claims. But you call the shots.

You also have a choice of how to be contacted. Prefer e-mail? Great (though we’ll keep the private stuff offline, to keep you safe). Like phone calls? Perfect. Still like good old-fashioned postal mail? We’re happy to oblige. Just let us know.

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Let Us Be Your Guide

Have you ever gotten a hard sell?  It’s not a good feeling, and we never want you feel that way when it comes to your insurance.

Think of us as your guide and advocate in all things insurance. We’re here to steer you to the policies that are right for you, not to pressure you into coverage you don’t need. We’re here to make sure that you get the money that you’re owed when you make a claim, not to bury you in mounds of red tape.

It’s because we take our job as your guide so seriously that Erie Insurance is consistently rated the number one auto insurer for new buyer customer satisfaction (do we need to site JDP here? Or at least say by independent research firms?). Let us help you blaze a trail to the insurance services that are right for you. We promise not to lead you astray.

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On the Ground

It’s late at night, pouring down rain, and you’ve had a car accident. Luckily, everyone is okay, but the car might not be.

In this scary scenario, who would you rather call? A faceless voice on the phone, or a local agent you know and trust, who can be on the scene within minutes?

Having an agent on the ground who knows you and your town can be huge.  We can let you know which local repair shop offers the best service in town. We can also recommend coverage that makes sense for your geographical area—like flood or hurricane insurance.

And we’re here for you when everything goes wrong. We don’t just interpret your policy for you, though sometimes that’s part of our role. We also act as friend, confidante, comforter and  supporter on those not-so-great days when you need to file a claim. And that can make all the difference in the world.

“All insurance products are subject to terms, conditions and exclusions not described here; we can answer any questions you may have.”