How To Pay Your Allstate Insurance Bill In Port Angeles

Matt Elwood Allstate Insurance

Paying bills is a chore than no one likes doing, but at Allstate we have several different options that can make life a little easier for you.

Local Agency

This is probably obvious, but are you aware that we take several different types of payments including cash, check and credit card? We even accept American Express. The great thing about paying your bill in the agency is that the payment gets applied immediately and we give you a receipt if you want one. In addition, you can make your payment at any Allstate agency if a different location is more convenient. Our normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm. However, if you stop by during non-business hours, we have a payment slot that you can drop your payment in and it will be applied to your account the next business day. We will also call you to let you know we received your payment.

Telephone

We can accept payments over the phone several different ways. Most people like to use their debit or credit cards, which are a great way to pay your bill because you get an immediate confirmation number. We can also take payment with an Electronic Check or E-check. All we need is your routing and checking account numbers to process the payment. Our agency phone number is (360) 452-9200 or toll free (866) 452-9200

Computer

I know nights and weekends can be the best times to get things done. You can visit Allstate.com/mattelwood 24/7 and sign up for My Account via the customer log-in. Just follow the three simple steps to set up your account. You can access your account immediately upon completing registration. Not only can you pay your bill there, but also view your policy information, sign up for paperless billing, file or check the status of claim and much more.

Easy Pay

This isn’t for everyone, but some people like to put things on auto-pilot. We can set up your account on easy pay so the payment comes out of your checking account automatically every month or on recurring credit card. You will still get notification via email from Allstate as a helpful reminder before the draft occurs each month. I use this option myself and I really like it.

Please keep all these options in mind next time you are paying bills and most importantly, thank you for being an Allstate customer!

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Three Great Benefits of Permanent Life Insurance

Permanent Life Insurance

Permanent life insurance tends to get some bad press, mainly because it is misunderstood by “experts” who don’t how these policies work. I will be the first to admit that there are some bad performing whole life and universal life policies out there, but the opposite is true as well. That’s the way it is with most products. There are positives and negatives associated with most everything. Since permanent life insurance gets so much negative press, here are three positive features that often get over-looked.

Tax Free Death Benefit

As it stands now, death benefit proceeds payable to beneficiaries are income tax-free. Well, so is term insurance, but only permanent life insurance is guaranteed to be there when you die as long as required premium payments are made. The vast majority of term policies never pay out a death benefit because most people outlive the term. Actuaries know this and so do the insurance companies.

Tax-deferred Growth

The cash value build-up inside a life insurance policy grows on a tax-deferred basis. That means you do not pay taxes each year on the growth of the guaranteed and non-guaranteed cash values.

Living Benefits

A permanent life insurance policy allows you to take out loans or withdrawals from your cash value. Often called Living Benefits, you have easy access to cash which can be used for anything from supplementing retirement income, helping with a down payment for a house or just creating an emergency fund. There are different strategies for accessing the cash value with different implications, but if done correctly, it can be withdrawn tax-free.

The Future

Obviously, everything is subject to change in the tax law, but this is why you should be working with an experienced, licensed agent. If you would like to learn more about the ways permanent life insurance may benefit your financial situation, please give me a call at 360-452-9200.

Want more information? Please visit Matt Elwood - Allstate Insurance to get more information on the Allstate products and services I can offer in Port Angeles, Sequim or anywhere Washington State. 

How to Get Insurance When Moving to Port Angeles, Washington

Matt Elwood, Agency Owner

You have finally decided to leave the rat race and move to the beautiful Olympic Peninsula. One of the many things on your to-do list may be to get new home and auto insurance, especially if you are coming from out of state. How do you go about doing that?

When changing insurance agents, there are some important things to remember. These apply if you are moving from a different state, a different insurance company, or you just want to go through a different agent in the company you are currently with. If you follow these tips, it will make the process of changing agents much easier.

First of all, contact your new agent before your current policy expires. A lapse of even one day can drastically impact your new rates and might even prevent you from being able to have a new policy. This is especially true for car insurance.

It is also helpful to have your current insurance in front of you so you know what coverages you have. It makes it easier to get an accurate quote if you know what you want.

Keep in mind that if you’re moving from one state to another, your insurance will probably be different. Even if you stay with the same company. Every state is different regarding premiums and discounts. There are also certain coverages that differ from state to state. And required state minimums also vary.

If you are relocating to the Olympic Peninsula area and need a new insurance agent, please contact Matt Elwood of Elwood Benefits at 360-452-9200.

Knowledge is power

Sign up for Matt's monthly insurance newsletter and he will share with you how to better protect your family, save more money and achieve financial security.

Auto Insurance Discounts For Single People

Saving money on your car insurance

Being single definitely has its financial advantages, but you may be missing out on some car insurance discounts that your married friends currently enjoy. Here are 3 discounts that you can take advantage of on your own.

Premier Plus Discount

The Premier Plus discount is available to you for being accident free for the past 5 years as well as maintaining prior insurance with a standard carrier for the past 3 years. The lesson here is that being a responsible driver and maintaining your insurance with no lapses in coverage is a smart thing to do. The amount of discount varies with your rating group and coverage type.

Good Payer Discount

The Good Payer discount is definitely one to take advantage of. This discount gives you 5% for paying your bills on time. In the state of Washington that is defined as having no cancellation bills sent to you in the past 12 months. It may vary from state to state so check with you agent.

EZ Pay Discount

Here is another easy one. The EZ Pay discount is another 5% if you elect to pay via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) at the time you buy your policy. However, if you remove the EFT, the discount will be removed at your next policy removal.

These are just a few of the discounts available on your auto insurance. Next time you speak with your agent, make sure you are getting all the possible discounts you qualify for. If you would like a free car insurance quote along with a review of your discounts, please contact me at 360-452-9200

Want more information? Please visit my official Allstate Agency Website to get more information on the Allstate products and services I can offer in Port Angeles, Sequim or anywhere Washington State.

Why Purchase Life Insurance Now Instead of Waiting?

You are finally at that point in life when life insurance is starting to be a consideration. You have a young family and a new mortgage.

Given your situation, it is reasonable to think that now is the time to buy. However, it is too easy to convince yourself to put it off.

Here are 5 reasons why you should not delay buying life insurance:

1. Life Insurance Gets More Expensive with Age

Life insurance gets more expensive with each passing year. Why not lock in a great rate now?

2. Your Health in the Future is Unknown

Health tends to decline with age and you may even become uninsurable later in life.

3. People Tend Not to Quit Smoking

Tobacco use can more than double life insurance premiums, but a lot of people make the mistake of not buying now so they can quit and get the non-smoker rates. The problem with that is people tend not to quit and you must remain nicotine free for several years.

4. Permanent Life Insurance Cash Value Compounds

Permanent life insurance policies purchased early in life can grow large cash values which can supplement your retirement income or additional savings

5. It Could Happen

The odds are against it, but what would happen if you actually did die prematurely? What would happen to your family and the house they live in? Term insurance is so inexpensive that it makes sense just to get it done.

If you would like to discuss your life insurance options please get in touch with me at 360-452-9200.

Want more information? Please visit my official Allstate Agency Website to get more information on the Allstate products and services I can offer in Port Angeles, Sequim or anywhere Washington State.

How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?

Welcome readers of the Peninsula Daily News! Life Insurance can be a complicated subject. You may be wondering how much life insurance I need? That is a great question with a lot of variables that are unique to you and your family. I have found that there is no ‘right’ amount of life insurance to own. Rather, it is what you want to have happen financially if you were to die prematurely. Typically, these wants fall into 3 major categories.

Mortgage Life Insurance

Debt reduction is something you should consider when planning for life insurance. Think about would you want your spouse or family to be able to pay off your mortgage in the event of your death so they are not straddled with the payment? Life insurance provides income-tax free money to the beneficiary to pay for these types of scenarios. Other common debts include credit cards, student loans and Home Equity lines of Credit.

Income Replacement

If you are the sole breadwinner in your family with children, what happens to your children if you are no longer there? By providing enough life insurance to replace your income, you can be sure that they will be able to maintain their standard of living. Consider how much after-tax income you bring in each month minus the debt payments that will hopefully be gone. This will give you a starting point of how much you need to plan for. Other factors to consider are the age of your children and how long you want to provide for after you are gone.

College Savings Plan

Do you want your children to attend college without the burden of graduating with student loans? Depending upon how old your kids are and the school they wish to attend, you may need to budget $250,000 or more per child considering the inflation rate on attending college. There is a great website www.savingforcollege.com that will give you a lot of great information on how much college will cost you in the future.

These are just a few areas to consider when getting a life insurance quote. If you would like help going through your personal situation and determining the correct amount for your family, please contact me at 360-452-9200

Want more information? Please visit my official Allstate Agency Website to get more information on the Allstate products and services I can offer in Port Angeles, Sequim or anywhere Washington State.