Category: Auto Insurance

At Johnsen Insurance, we can help Baraboo, WI residents keep their auto insurance policies up to date, no matter what changes they experience in life. Here are four times you need to contact us about big life changes to ensure we’re in the loop and ready to provide excellent coverage.

Moving to a New City 

Do you plan to move to a big city or a more rural area soon? Well, where you live can significantly impact your car insurance. Contacting us can help you decrease your coverage costs or increase your protection level to minimize problems with your policy.

Having a Kid 

You need to update your insurance policy when you have a new child or even your first. Doing so will keep your little one safe. Let us know about your child, and we can provide extra coverage to protect your little one from various dangers.

Adding a Teen to Your Policy 

Did your teen driver get their license and plan on driving your vehicle? This could impact your policy significantly, and you need to let us know. If you decide not to add your teen, it will cost you if they get into an accident as an uncovered driver and wreck your vehicle.

Cutting Down on Your Driving 

Your policy might vary depending on how much you drive. For example, if you drive regularly for your job, your policy might require more extensive protection. However, if you rarely drive or mostly work from home, you might pay less, depending on your protection.

We’re Here for You

Please don’t hesitate to contact us at Johnsen Insurance if you’re interested in getting car insurance in Baraboo, WI. Talk to us about any of your life’s changes, and we’ll find you protection that suits your needs and minimizes complications in your life.

New drivers can often be nervous about getting behind the wheel here in the Baraboo, WI area for the first time, but it’s important to follow safety tips and drive responsibly to ensure everyone on the road stays safe.

Here are some safe driving tips for new drivers from us at Johnsen Insurance: 

1. Always buckle up

Always make sure you and your passengers fasten your seatbelts before starting the car. 

2. Stay focused

Avoid talking or texting while driving and keep your eyes on the road at all times. 

3. Follow speed limits

Adhere to posted speed limits or lower as needed due to weather or traffic conditions. 

4. Obey traffic laws

Follow all signs and signals when driving and never run a red light or stop sign. 

5. Be aware of other drivers

Pay attention to other vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians who may be sharing the road with you. 

6. Leave a safe distance

Maintain a safe following distance from other vehicles in front of you so that you have enough space if you need to brake suddenly. 

7. Don’t drink & drive

Don’t get behind the wheel after consuming any amount of alcohol, as this puts everyone in danger on the roads.. 

Reach Out To Us!

By following these basic safety tips, new drivers can stay confident behind the wheel while helping keep everyone on the roads safe! For more safe driving tips or to find an auto policy that meets both your needs and your budget, give us at Johnsen Insurance a call today. We are proud to serve the Baraboo, WI area.

Wisconsin auto owners are required to have insurance, but how do you know what kind of insurance is needed and why? Auto insurance provides protection far beyond simple crash and dent coverage to help protect you against liability, lawsuits, and more. Our team at Johnsen Insurance in Baraboo, WI wants to help you understand state insurance laws, and get you the right coverage for your needs.

Here is what you need to know about Wisconsin insurance law:

Proof of Insurance

Wisconsin law requires proof of insurance for auto owners and operators. You don’t need proof of insurance simply to obtain a license or register a vehicle, but will be required to show this should you get stopped by an officer or involved in an accident — even if it’s not your fault. Failure to provide proof of this insurance can result in $10 for simply failing to show insurance, but it rises to $500 if you are not able to provide that proof later. Showing fraudulent insurance can result in a $5000 fine.

And that’s not counting any damages you may be liable for in an accident.

Liability Insurance

And while proof of insurance is required, you must only prove that you have qualifying liability insurance — not full accident and damage coverage. This distinction is helpful to many older car owners who don’t mind an extra scratch or dent. Wisconsin auto liability must simply cover $10,000 towards property damage and at least $25,000 per person injured or in the case of accidental death. Additional coverage is by choice and not state law.

Contact Us Today

Don’t risk your auto, instead check with the experts at Johnsen Insurance in Baraboo, WI. We’re ready to get you on the road.

There are many different types of auto insurance available today. There is a liability, collision, comprehensive, and medical payments coverage, to name a few. But what does each one do? Do you need all four? Or can you get by with just one type of coverage? Read on to find out the answer.

1. Liability Insurance

Liability insurance covers the losses and damages that may occur to another person or their property if you cause an accident. The main thing that this type of insurance protects is the financial costs associated with an accident that’s your fault.

If you are sued, this coverage can help pay for injuries and damage to others resulting from accidents such as medical care, lost earnings, damaged property, and court costs. A driver’s liability insurance usually has a specific limit of coverage. If the expense is more than that amount, that driver is responsible for paying the additional costs.

2. Collision Insurance

Collision insurance helps cover costs associated with damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another car or object, such as a tree. Suppose you are responsible for damages to your vehicle in a collision. In that case, collision coverage will pay for repairs minus any amount of deductible you have agreed to when signing up for the insurance.

3. Comprehensive Insurance

Comprehensive insurance is a broad term that helps cover losses that do not result from a collision with another vehicle or object. This includes weather damage, theft, fire, and vandalism. Comprehensive policies usually cover more than just your vehicle with the additional options of losing personal belongings left inside your car or coverage for injuries suffered by yourself or passengers in an accident.

4. Medical Payments Coverage

Medical payments coverage pays for medical expenses you or your passengers incur after a car accident, regardless of who is at fault. These types of insurance usually limit how much they will pay per person and a maximum amount available per accident.

Looking for Auto Insurance in Baraboo, WI?

It’s essential to understand the types of auto insurance available, so you can pick out what you need. Do not hesitate to contact Johnsen Insurance to discuss your options further.

It’s summer and thoughts turn to vacation. Hotel and flight reservations and possibly a rental car. These days, most reservations are made online and once you have chosen the company you want to rent from, you will choose your pick-up and drop-off location, date, and size of the vehicle. At Johnsen Insurance in Baraboo, WI, we have a team of experienced independent agents who are always ready to help our customers find the perfect insurance. 

Generally speaking, the best answer to "does auto insurance cover a rental car" is yes, if you have the right insurance. Whether your particular auto insurance covers a rental car is something you need to verify with your insurance agent. 

If you have basic auto insurance, you only have liability and while that is as important when you are renting a car as it is when you are just driving your car, it is not enough to protect you. One kind of insurance the rental car companies will offer is excess liability coverage. If you are satisfied with the liability coverage that you have on your personal auto insurance, you can refuse this coverage with confidence. 

If you carry comprehensive and collision coverage on your personal policy and you have a relatively new vehicle, chances are your personal insurance will have a high enough limit to cover a rental vehicle. If you are in doubt, give your independent insurance agent a call to check. 

Another type of insurance the rental company will try to sell you is personal effects coverage. If you have a home, a condo or have renters’ insurance, you already have this insurance and don’t need to purchase it. 

If you don’t care about price and just want to relax and not worry about deductibles, the CDW offered by the rental car company provides that. 

Contact Johnsen Insurance in Baraboo, WI for all your auto insurance questions. 

For over 40 years, Johnsen Insurance has served the Baraboo, WI community. Our success was founded on establishing long-lasting relationships with our clients. We take pride in our status as an independent insurance agency. We can help you find the right policy for your individual needs.

Auto Insurance Guide

Auto Insurance covers your vehicle as you travel around Baraboo, WI, and beyond. Collision coverage protects your vehicle if you are involved in an accident and damages occur. Comprehensive coverage protects your vehicle if it is vandalized, stolen, or damaged due to a contract with an object. Comprehensive coverage also protects your vehicle if it is damaged due to a fire or severe weather. Keep in mind that you’ll have to adjust your policy if you plan to make any special changes to your vehicle. That is the only way to ensure that you are fully covered if something happens to your new accessories.

There are different variables to navigate on the road every day. Liability coverage can protect you if an accident happens. Maybe you take your eye off the road for a split second, and you collide with another vehicle or object. Liability coverage will protect you if there is a potential liability dispute. The coverage also protects you if your passenger gets injured. Consider adding uninsured coverage to your policy. This covers your vehicle if it is damaged due to a collision with someone who does not have coverage.

Emergency Coverage

Auto insurance allows you to have a plan in place during emergencies. Perhaps you are traveling somewhere, and your engine starts having trouble. You don’t have to worry about being stranded for an extended period of time. Roadside assistance coverage ensures that you will receive urgent care. Emergency assistance also includes towing services.

Johnsen Insurance Will Help You Find the Coverage You Need

Visit our website to learn more information about auto insurance.  

It has been five or six long years of monthly car payments. You have finally paid off your vehicle. That is a significant relief, and it is saving you a lot of money. You may be wondering if you can save even more money by dropping your car insurance. The simple answer to this question is no. You can not get rid of all your auto insurance coverage. Wisconsin has minimum auto insurance requirements. At Johnsen Insurance in Baraboo, WI, our agency was founded in 1965, and we make sure all our customers are compliant with the law. 

In Wisconsin, you are required to carry liability and uninsured motorist insurance. This protects other people from you to the tune of at least $25,000 per person with a max of $50,000 for each accident. $10,000 in damage to property must also be included. The same 25/50 is required in uninsured motorist coverage. 

Depending on the value of your vehicle, this may be enough. But, if you were in an accident where you are fully or partially at fault, would you be able to pay to repair or replace your vehicle? This is a hardship for most people, and living without a vehicle is not an option. With Collision coverage, your insurance pays to repair or replace your car after the deductible is paid. 

Other things can damage or destroy your vehicle. Comprehensive coverage protects against things like storms, theft, vandalism, and other hazards beyond your control. Glass coverage is something most people count on. 

You may not be required to carry additional insurance beyond liability, but that doesn’t mean it is a good idea to do without it. Why not give us a call or stop by the office of Johnsen Insurance in Baraboo, WI and let us give you a quote.