FAQs & Tips

Insurance can be a confusing business - What should I insure, how much for, what am I covered against and how do I make a claim ... these and other questions can make the difference between wasted money and complete peace of mind.

At J.S. Johnson, we know that without our customers, we would have no business, so we pride ourselves on providing the highest level of service and support. If you have a question, we want you to ask it. Be assured that our highly trained staff will answer it in a way you can understand.

This area of our site is dedicated to helping answer some common questions. Click on questions at the top to view our responses. If you need to ask a question that is not shown here, please click here.

How do I claim?

You can fill out one of the appropriate claim forms below:
Motor Claim
Home Claim
Other
Or you can visit one of our conveniently located offices and obtain a claim form.

What to do if you are involved in an Accident?

*Bring your vehicle to a complete stop. It is important you remain at the scene of the accident until the police arrive, unless you are injured and require immediate medical attention. Check for injured persons, note the type of injuries.
Call the police or ambulance if necessary
*When the police arrives, write down the name and number of the officer(s). Do not admit liability or agree to fix the other person's car regardless of where the fault lies for the accident. Simply say you are insured and refer them to us.
*If your vehicle is disabled, have it towed to your home. Most towing companies do not inform you of storage fees, which can be in excess of $20.00 per day.
Notify us as soon as possible. Visit our office with your driver's licence in order to complete a Motor Accident Report form.
Any writ or other legal document you receive should be forwarded to us immediately.

General Insurance Tips

Read your insurance policy. Most policies are now written in plain-English for easy reading.
Ask us about anything that you do not understand in your policy.
Know the expiration dates of your policies.
Renew your policy on time - coverage ceases once your policy expiration date passes. There is no grace period.
Report all losses, or possible losses, to your insurance agent (us) right away.
It is a condition of your policy that all matters that could give rise to a claim be reported to us right away.
Where another party is involved or a crime has been committed, please report the matter to the police.

Car Insurance Tips

Remember "Comprehensive" does not mean everything is covered.
Protect your car from theft by:

keeping it locked at all times;
having an alarm or immobilizer installed;
parking in well lit areas;
using "The Club" or other anti-theft devices;
securing car keys - do not leave them with strangers (e.g. car cleaners.)

Look out for salvaged vehicles being offered for sale.

These are vehicles that were previously wrecked and rebuilt. Check the Certificate of Title to ensure that it has a clean title (i.e. the vehicle is not shown as "salvage" or "junk").

Run a Carfax on the vehicle to find out its history.

Remember, you could be buying a stolen vehicle.

You need at least three months of motor insurance coverage left on your policy in order to licence your vehicle.
Remember that if you decide to insure your vehicle, for example, in someone else's name, you transfer all rights under your policy to the other individual. You therefore, have no say in relation to the insurance policy on your vehicle. All premiums, credits or claims settlements will be made to the policyholder.
Check the value of your vehicle.
Speak with the authorized car dealer to get a determination of the market value.

Make sure that the market value is in line with the policy limit shown on your motor policy.
If the value shown on your policy is too high or low, ask your insurance agent to adjust the amount. There might be a charge for this change.

Home Insurance Tips

You will not usually be allowed to reinstate Property policies (e.g. Home policy) once a hurricane warning is in effect.
Insure your buildings and contents for the full Replacement cost.

If you under-insure, you will not get Replacement cost settlement.
If you under-insure, your claim settlement will be proportioned according to the % to which you are under-insured. e.g., if the replacement cost is $100,000 and you insure for $50,000 (50%), then for a claim amount of $10,000, you will get a settlement of $5,000 i.e. 50% of the loss amount.

Maintain an inventory of your major purchases - keep a record of serial numbers, and, if possible, take photographs or video tape items; keep copies of purchase receipts etc. as these will assist in the quick settlement of your claims and will also help police in the recovery efforts of your items.
Insure all property in the legal owner's name.
Your insurance policy is a legal contract.
The policyholder should have a financial interest in the property he/she is insuring.

Hurricane Tips

Take all hurricane warnings seriously.
Do not believe that hurricanes will always bypass us i.e. that they will not strike The Bahamas. We have had major hurricane catastrophes.
Do not believe that because your building is well constructed it cannot sustain major damage.
Hurricanes can cause loss of life, destruction of buildings and serious damage to contents because of wind-driven and excessive rainfall.
As a result of a hurricane, there could be widespread flooding in unexpected places.
At the beginning of the hurricane season, locate your hurricane shutters.
Check your storm shutters to make certain that they fit and work properly.
Be aware that plywood nailed into your walls can be blown off during the windstorm.
It is better to have plywood cut precisely to fit within your window opening.
If you wait until the last minute, necessary items might be sold out or the price of them might increase significantly.
Falling branches or coconuts and green fruits from trees can become deadly missiles during a hurricane. Note that trees do not provide good protection for vehicles.
Replace loose shingles at the beginning of the season.
Keep extra supplies of canned goods and other non-perishable items on hand
At the start of the hurricane season, locate your insurance policy. If you are unable to find it, request a copy.
Review your insurance coverage. Hurricane coverage is optional, so ensure that the hurricane peril is covered under your policy.
Check on coverage for items such as satellite dishes.
Be sure to check the expiry date of your policy as you may not be able to reinstate cover or effect changes once a hurricane warning has been issued.
The cost to rent alternative living accommodations, as a result of a hurricane loss is not covered by the standard policy. It can be added for a nominal premium charge.
Your policy has a hurricane deductible of between 1% and 2% of the sum insured. Check your policy wording.
Do not underinsure your property as most policies contain penalties for this.

Can I get an Insurance Quote?

Yes, presently you can fill out a request for a Home Insurance Quote online or you can receive this quote or any other type of insurance quote at one of our offices or from one of our sub-agents.

This page can be found at: http://www.jsjohnson.com/faq_all.php