Creating Memories on the Road

The first day you receive your driver’s license and the keys to a car you have a freedom like no other. The world is an open road. The places you can go are endless. Every chapter of my life has contributed to creating memories on the road. Twenty years later, I learned that the adventures on the open road are better when you and your family feel safe knowing your car insurance is taken care of.

Thanks to Esurance for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.

Road trips are a part of me

Growing up we didn’t fly anywhere. If we wanted to go somewhere, we piled in the mini-van and drove. My kids have experienced many road trips and they continue to be an important part of our lives. I love being on the road and all the experiences that come with it. My car was with me as a teenager playing music loudly and driving around with my friends. We would hop in the car and drive anywhere, not a care in the world.

When I went off to college and commuted 45 minutes, the drive became less of an adventure and more of a necessity. I always loved being in the car, but those 45 minutes were my quiet time. My time to think about growing up and what I was going to do with my life. There were often tears and laughter in those moments figuring out where my life would take me.

Newlyweds on the Road

After I got married, my husband and I drove from New York to Georgia then Georgia to Pennsylvania where we started our new home as newlyweds. I remember stopping in a West Virginia hotel because it was so foggy we couldn’t drive any further. It was our adventure. As newlyweds, we also started to think about all the responsibilities that we never really thought about as young new drivers. We needed insurance and gas money and inspections.

I wish I had resources like Esurance to help guide me through the process of how to pick out the best car insurance for my family. Esurance has gas predictor tools to help with your planning while staying on budget. They also have tools to help you understand what you need to meet your insurance needs. It was interesting to learn how your car’s actual value is determined if you ever get in an accident. 

Of course, all cars lose value as they age, but not all cars age equally. If your car is totaled, the insurance company considers the condition the car was in just before the accident, including mileage, option packages, and overall physical condition (think peeling paint, torn seats, rust … anything that’s not a direct result of the accident).

In some cases, you may be reimbursed for things like title fees, registration fees, and sales tax. But this varies by situation and state, so it’s best to get the details from your insurer. Once your insurance company determines a settlement amount, they’ll subtract your deductible before paying out your claim.

Babies on Board

In 2008 we started our family. My daughter was born on a freezing snowy day in January. As we drove 10 mph home, our thoughts turned to car safety and car seats. Having the right car insurance, like the policies offered from Esurance, made us feel safe and prepared as we started our new family. It was so important to us as we brought our babies home from the hospital. 

Three kids and 20 years later our car has brought us the freedom to road trip with our kids. Our biggest road trip to date has been driving from New York to Florida with 3 kids five years old and under. People said it couldn’t be done but it ended up being one of my best road trip stories.

Family Adventures

About 3 hours into our, trip my son got so sick. He is prone to motion sickness and the Pennsylvania hills were too much. We had to leave his car seat at the gas station because it was beyond saving!! We were so lucky there was a baby store a mile down the road. It was February and a big snow storm slowed us down, but we arrived safely and it is one of my favorite memories on the road. Having car insurance that we could depend on gave us one less thing to think about during the long drive and helped us feel safer on the road.

As the kids get older, our car needs are changing.  Our car seat days are almost over. We have been collecting ideas to take a cross country trip in a few years. It is nice to know that Esurance has resources and tools to make the trip affordable and safe for my family.  I can’t wait to see where we go next!

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