On Friday August 26 2001, Transatlantic Holdings initiated agreements with National Indemnity, a unit of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway regarding a $3.2 billion takeover option and thus adding a new surprise in the battle for reinsurers.

This option will add another valuable component to Berkshire’s holdings which also includes GEICO Auto Insurance Company’s Cavemen and adorable Gecko. GEICO’s car insurance, homeowners insurance, renters insurance, motorcycle insurance, RV Insurance and other recreational vehicle insurance products are advertised 24 hours and day,7 days a week on Television, Radio, Newspapers, Telephone Directories and of course online through the World Wide Web. GEICO is now the 4rd largest Auto Insurance Company in the nation behind State Farm Insurance Company, Allstate Insurance Company and Progressive Insurance Company.  Although InsureDirect.com does not represent GEICO Insurance Company,  we do represent Progressive Insurance and Encompass Insurance Company which is a division of Allstate Insurance Company.

Transatlantic also acquired an all-stock $2.9 billion deal and a cash-and-stock of the same amount to finance a merger with Allied World Assurance Company Holdings Ltd. and a takeover offer from Validus Holdings Ltd. Due to Friday’s move, an eruption of bidding wars between New York-based Reinsurance Company is anticipated.  The Validus bid, which at a certain instance was nearly $400 million better than its opponent’s offer, has lost its entire premium, due to aggressive investor reactions influencing its bids and further agitate market chaos. In June, Transatlantic started a deal with Allied World, but its plans were compromised when in July, Validus came with its own offer.

Allied World’s and Validus’ offers were $3.2 billion and $3.5 billion respectively the moment each started business. Earlier this month, Allied World offer’s started dropping when Ajit Jain, Buffett’s lieutenant, took action through a $3.2-billion cash bid.  Transatlantic initially rejected Berkshire’s offer but opted that it could lead to a superior proposal and thus soon became considerate to initiate negotiations, on the condition that Berkshire would sign a confidentiality agreement.  Transatlantic continued that the terms of the aforementioned confidentiality agreement with National Indemnity are considerably similar to the terms of agreement it previously entered with Allied World.

Strikingly, the agreement has a standstill provision which caused a point of discord with Validus and diverted Bermuda reinsurer to bid directly to Transatlantic’s shareholders.  Thus, Validus therefore sued Transatlantic Thursday, but also presented its own documentation for the purpose of reviewing, in order to raise the mounting pressure on Transatlantic to persuade opening talks with it.

– Mike

Michael E. Dortch
President &  Managing Agent
InsureDirect.com
Corporate Home Office
618 South Broad Street
Lansdale, Pennsylvania  19446
(800) 807-0762  ext. 602

In a move that will expand Auto Town Insurance’s holdings in Georgia, (ATI Auto Insurance) the company has closed on a deal for acquisition of all the locations previously run by Trustway Insurance Agency in Georgia. It is an acquisition that will add to ATI all locations in the state that were under Trustway Insurance Agency, LLC which is an arm of Assurance America Corporation. According to the terms of the acquisition agreement, ATI will still provide auto insurance under Auto Town and Trustway brands. None of the other transaction details were disclosed but nevertheless this new acquisition makes ATI the largest non-standard insurance company in Georgia. Auto Town Insurance is currently among the largest independent agencies in the Southeast and with the acquisition of Trustway Insurance, the company is expected to strengthen its foothold in the region by providing cheap insurance quotes online. It provides quality car insurance cover at an affordable price.

The company is based in Norcross, Georgia and has been providing its customers with affordable corporate and individual insurance services since 1970. Its policy has always been to guarantee customers with the best auto insurance rates in the market. It currently operates 45 customer service retail stores in the states of Georgia, Alabama, and in South Carolina too. ATI President, Dustin Walsey commented on the acquisition of Georgia’s Trustway Insurance Agency by terming it as “a critical component in the company’s expansion plans.” He further stated that the acquisition will extend the firm’s reach into the market which will be beneficial to ATI’s customers and enable the company to offer better value and improved services. Walsey described ATI’s goal of continued growth through acquisition of more convenient and lucrative locations to provide better and fairly priced products for its customers. Emanuel Fialkow, the company’s chairman added to the president’s comments by calling the acquisition the beginning of ATI’s growth and expansion which is expected to continue Southeast in the coming 18 to 24 months through acquisition of more independent auto insurance agencies.

The company is famous for its same day coverage provision in a simple and fast process. It has always pursued a policy of expansion as a means of better service provision.  InsureDirect.com writes auto insurance and homeowners Insurance in the State of Georgia.  To receive auto insurance quotes for the top 30 car insurance carriers in the nation, call (800) 807-0762.

Most car owners can recall the hassle involved when you move from one state to another with when you own a vehicle. Different states have different vehicle registration requirements. Hence the time taken to process the various legal requirements such as emission inspection reports, automobile registration, license transfer and other specifications; differs for various states. You have to go through a lot of red tape before you can finally compare car insurance prices and choose the best auto insurer.

 Once you arrive in your new state, it’s important to visit the Department of Motor vehicles offices  and see what registration needs are to be fulfilled.  You will get advice about the States legal requirements for drivers and the time frame needed for compliance. You can also visit the official DMV website and check the emission and safety requirements for that state. The website also provides a list of the inspection facilities for the State and their locations. Most States require you to obtain auto insurance before you receive a vehicle inspection certificate.

 Tax requirements are also obligatory when you move to another state with your vehicle. State tax offices normally require the following from new drivers:

–          An original out of State automobile Title

–          Registration fees

–          New title application fees

–          New resident fees

The next place to visit is the State Department of Public Safety where you apply for an official driver’s license. Here, you are required to produce your identity card, social security number, proof of vehicle registration and vehicle insurance. The last requirements can be tricky since you have probably not yet purchased auto insurance.  However, it is possible to obtain temporary direct car insurance for licensing purposes. Later on, you can switch to an Standard or Non Standard auto accident insurance policy.   

Non US citizens are required to produce proof of identity and legal status before they can be given a license.  Basically, the amount of time it takes to finally become a compliant driver in a new State depends on the States requirements, the paperwork you possess and whether or not you can complete the process online.

 When it comes to auto insurance for a new state, it is imperative you obtain this before you register the car. You should be aware of what awaits you, since premium rates differ across state lines. Ask you current insurer about their premium rates in the State where you intend to move to. Go online and compare car insurance prices to your current rates.  By doing this, you can manage to find the cheapest auto insurance rates for your new State of residence. This will give you enough time to undertake the extra registration activities involved when you move to a new State.

According to a number of online auto insurance companies, from1996 to date the US has had approximately 360 million cars recalled. This is a figure that should catch the attention of anyone looking to buy a car. It is also important information for anyone driving a used car. Being aware of the most recent automobile recalls is important because many models are recalled by manufacturers due to dangerous safety-related defects. If you drive a used car, you can save yourself money and unnecessary anguish by inquiring if your car is on the recall list. For anyone seeking to purchase a car, ensure that the vehicle’s manufacturer would be responsible for all costs incurred should the car be recalled.

Automobile recalls are usually issued due to a variety of minor and major mechanical problems. Some reasons for recall are due to safety concerns. Just recently GM had to recall 1.5 million trucks and a few other models due to mechanical problems with their windshield fluid heaters. The fluid heaters carried a high risk of catching fire. In a similar move, Toyota had to recall nearly eight million cars early this year. The biggest concern for many of the recalled vehicle owners was what would happen to their auto insurance since their cars had been identified as defective vehicles. Many wonder if they would be charged more. Auto insurance is one of the major reasons why you need to find out if your used car is on the list every time a recall is announced.

In order to find out whether a recall can affect your car insurance, it is imperative to examine the pricing of car insurance. If you compare auto insurance quotes online, you will find out if the insurance companies listed have any information about the effect of vehicle recall on auto insurance. The Insurance Information Institute states that the price of a policy is determined by among other issues the driving history, location, mileage, cost of the car, repair costs, and safety rating. Although recall is not among these reasons, it is important to determine if the model you want to buy or of the used car you are driving has previously been recalled.

This is quite important as you might find yourself liable for an accident or even suffer a rate increase should you damage another person’s property while driving a faulty car. It is therefore necessary to find out if your vehicle is on any recall list. To find out if your car is on a recall list, all you need to do is to go online and find this information from auto websites. Alternatively, you could find this information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which is responsible for reporting vehicle defects. They have a detailed database of all vehicles tested since 1994 in which you can search for your model by year or make.

Funny thing. I didn’t think I’d been blogging about insurance for that long, so it took me by surprise to see how many posts I’ve accumulated.

Below you’ll find links to some of the most interesting ideas, information, and opinions about car insurance, homeowner’s insurance and renter’s insurance that I, the managers, agents, customer support representatives and other staff members of insuredirect.com have learned in nearly 20 years of helping thousands of customers find the coverage they need at the lowest price possible.

There are a number of ways to obtain cheap auto insurance quotes when you need affordable auto insurance coverage quickly. The funny thing is, the need to get cheap vehicle insurance hasn’t changed for over 300 years… although back in the 1700’s, folks were looking for carriage insurance rather than car insurance.

Since the dawn of the insurance industry in the middle 1700’s, insurance companies like the Philadelphia Contributionship were represented by a few select licensed salesmen know as insurance agents. These insurance agents maintained offices in and around the City of Philadelphia and its suburbs.

The Philadelphia Contributionship was started by one of the founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin. The company was originally called the Franklin Fire Insurance Company.  The Philadelphia Contributionship was founded 24 years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1752. At that time, you only had two insurance company choices to insure your home and your other private personal property.

Of course, you had The Philadelphia contributionship, the other insurance company was known as the Green Tree. If you wanted to obtain an insurance quote, stopping in a local insurance agency to speak to an agent was your only option.

The second way to obtain the cheapest insurance quotes came over 100 years later. By then, cars had been invented, so there were now two ways to obtain cheap auto insurance quotes, one by visiting your local insurance agency, and the other by opening your local telephone directory (a.k.a. phone book) and making a phone call. Talk about high-tech!

In 1870, Travelers Insurance Company wrote what they now refer to as the first auto insurance policy, in this case for a steam-powered motor vehicle. Of course we all know Alexander Graham Bell invented and patented the first consumer telephone. Not as well know is his next invention. In 1877, Mr. Bell founded the first public telephone company. A few years later, The Bell Telephone Company distributed the first telephone book in Boston, Massachusetts.

Then and now; the fastest way to receive cheap auto insurance quotes is by using the telephone. Contrary to popular belief here in the 21st Century, the most effective way of shopping for cheap auto insurance quotes is, even still, not accomplished on the internet.

Sure, if you want to bind an auto insurance policy in a pinch on the internet, you may be trading the best quotes for convenience.

On the other hand; if you want the cheapest auto insurance quotes – spending 10 to 15 minutes on the phone is a better investment of your time.

Think about this for a moment: If you have a problem driving record like an accident or two, moving violation tickets, or your policy was recently cancelled, are you going to trust an impersonal online form with that information? Is that form going to be sympathetic to your needs? Talking to an auto insurance agent and discussing exactly what your situation is will help you obtain the best auto insurance quotes and ultimately buy the cheapest auto insurance policy to best fits your particular needs.

Regardless whether you found us in your local phone book or you were searching on the world-wide web; InsureDirect.com is the best place to call or visit if you need to compare car insurance rates.

With the over 30 auto insurance companies that are in the InsureDirect.com inventory; our agents have the ability to compare multiple car insurance quotes to find you the cheapest auto insurance policy available.

Although there are other auto insurance companies which can compare car insurance rates, some can only sell you their primary advertised car insurance policy. When you call or log-on to InsureDirect.com; not only do we compare car insurance rates – we can then sell you the policy with the best quoted price.

Along with saving you money, we can save you time as well. There’s the old way to shop for the cheapest car insurance and  the InsureDirect.com way. If you want to waste your time calling agency after agency – you might get lucky. But at Insuredirect car insurance, we have a saying: “One call shops them all.”

Call (800) 807-0762 and it will be the last time you shop for the cheap car insurance – period!

InsureDirect.com is one of the oldest online insurance agencies in the country and on the World Wide Web. It has been representing many types of Insurance Companies since its parent company’s founding in 1992.

In the Insurance industry; there are two primary sets of state insurance licenses which apply to insurance companies.

Life & Health Insurance

Everyone seems to know the Life & Health Insurance Companies, since the Life Insurance agents that sell them generate the majority of their new business by a heavy campaign of soliciting you at your home or work. The license is known by the type of insurance companies they represent; Life & Health.

Property & Casualty Insurance

The other type of license is not readily known or recognized by its proper legal name; Property & Casualty. Property and casualty licensed Insurance Companies and agents sell many of the insurance products which are required by both State and Federal Law.

InsureDirect.com maintains both types of insurance licenses and represents both types of insurance companies. The first two Life Insurance Companies which were represented by our agents or our parent company were American National & Federal Life Insurance Companies. The first two Health Insurance Companies were Aetna and Independents Blue Cross.

InsureDirect.com proudly represents more than 30 Property & Casualty Insurance Companies. Among our most successful Insurance Companies; Progressive, Travelers, Infinity, Encompass, Farmers are part of a list of insurance companies has proudly represented for nearly two decades.

“To be or not to be; that is the question”…… If you are looking for a great quote from a well-known playwright– consult Shakespeare. For well over the last four hundred years; Shakespeare has provided truly memorable Quotes.

Unfortunately, if you’re looking for memorable auto insurance quotes, Shakespeare can’t help you. If you want truly memorable auto insurance quotes – Call Mike Dortch at InsureDirect.com.

For the last 20 years, Mike Dortch and the licensed agents at InsureDirect.com have received ovations from drivers all over the country since providing them with truly memorable auto insurance quotes. And when we say memorable, we mean inexpensive! Hundreds of thousands of insurance shoppers since 1992 call InsureDirect.com the only place for truly great Auto Insurance Rates.

I know what you are thinking, this all sounds pretty silly – right? Not really if you are stuck paying high auto insurance rates and you are getting nothing but excuses from your insurance agent – renewal after renewal. If you are tired of the same shopping experience, receiving the same Auto Insurance Quotes and ultimately the same old Auto Insurance Rates – call InsureDirect.com at (800) 807-0762.

Not only will you receive a great auto insurance rates this year, the agents at InsureDirect.com will offer new insurance quotes for your every renewal.