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Life and Employee Benefits Department
The Life and Employee Benefit Department provides all forms of group and individual contracts to meet the needs of each client. Key man, executive compensation, buy sell, charitable giving and mortgage life are a few examples of the types of individual contracts available to the client. The Life and Employee Benefits Department offers an opportunity to the client to select Watson Insurance as the agent of record and at the same time to access more than forty insurance companies and their competitive status in the contract and price arena to keep both business and individual contracts up to date. The group benefits area focuses on all size groups. The primary target markets are in the fifty plus size; however we have a large customer base of employer groups with less than fifty employees and are continuing to assist that area of the market in finding the best and most competitive programs and price available. The alternate funded lines of coverage available to our client base include self-funded medical, short-term disability, and dental. The client’s service and administrative needs are a priority to the Life and Employee Benefits Department at Watson Insurance. All companies recommended to our customers to provide the benefits needed have been evaluated for ability to provide quality service and administrative support. References are required from the current client base in the contract negotiations for our client. The fully insured markets available to our clients includes the medical coverage arena for all PPO’s, POS and HMO’s. Other lines available to our clients are LTD, STD, Dental, Group Life and AD&D, Business Travel Accident, Voluntary Life, Dental, STD, LTD and AD&D. The goal of the Life and Employee Benefits Department is to find our clients needs and to fill those needs.
Business Services
Business Accounts
The Commercial Accounts Department provides a combination of insurance and risk management techniques to a wide range of clients – from locally-owned businesses to large multinational accounts. A variety of resources helps us accomplish this task. We represent the largest and most financially sound insurance companies in the business and our access to a wide variety of markets allows us to provide solutions for unique exposures and insurance needs. Our affiliation with RiskProNet International and Globex International provides access to markets and professionals worldwide. Recently, we began brokering Professional Employer Organization (PEO) Services. A PEO provides integrated payroll, human resources, workers compensation and employee benefit programs. And, most importantly, our professionally certified staff holds a variety of prestigious insurance designations including CPCU, CIC, ARM, etc. We have the knowledge, experience, and expertise to select and implement procedures to deal with exposures that affect your assets.
Watson Personal Insurance
With all the responsibilities you have, you want the best insurance coverage possible. The team at Watson Insurance takes every opportunity to get to know your personal needs so we can offer the best personal insurance coverage. We employ the highest percentage of professionally certified staff in the area with the capability to research over 40 of the world's largest companies to provide you with peace of mind. Whether it's home, auto, boat, jewelry or other valuable items, our team will go to work for the best competitive rates and customer service.
Obtaining a Driver’s License
North Carolina laws require all new state residents who plan to operate a motor vehicle to obtain a driver’s license within 60 days of establishing a permanent address. Residents are allowed 60 days to obtain duplicate licenses when changing addresses within the state. There are two driver’s license offices in the county operated by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles:
- Highway Patrol Station, 2560 W. Franklin Ave., Gastonia, NC across from Dixie Village Shopping Center, Phone: 704-853-5372
- Creekside Shopping Center785 W. Charlotte Ave., Mt. HollyPhone: 704-827-9486.
The offices are open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. DMV holidays include New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas
- New Residents
A new state resident must successfully complete the required written, road sign recognition and vision tests. New residents who hold a valid license from their previous state of residence are usually exempt from the driving skill test.
- Liability Insurance
License applicants must show proof of liability insurance coverage. Your insurance agency will provide you with a form which certifies coverage.
- Identification
Most newcomers use their current license as a form of identification. Applicants who do not process a valid or expired photo driver license are required to furnish two other forms of identification. Acceptable identification includes a certified birth certificate, office school record, U.S. passport, marriage license, military service discharge record, tax records, limited driving privilege, unexpired vehicle registration, authentic documentation from the U.S. Immigration office, out-of-sate identification cards and Social Security cards.Licenses are issued for four, five, six, seven or eight years, depending on your age and year of issuance. The cost is $2.50 per year.
As of October 1997, anyone obtaining a license must show proof of Social Security number. Acceptable forms are: payroll check stub, income tax statement, bank statement, or a computer generated form.
- Duplicates
If you change your address, you must obtain a duplicate license within 60 days. A lost or stolen license must be replaced immediately. The cost of a duplicate license is $10. To have a lost or stolen license replaced, you must present two acceptable forms of identification. License fees may be paid in cash or by check.
- Fees
Regular license fees are $20 for automobiles, $12 for motorcycles and $21.50 for trucks limited to 4,000 pounds. Fees may be paid by cash or check with driver’s license and another form of ID.
- Highway Use Tax
North Carolina imposes a Highway Use Tax on vehicles in lieu of state sales tax. Residents moving to North Carolina from another state are subject to tax. If the vehicle was taxed by another jurisdiction within 90 days of applying for an N.C. title, you would receive credit for that tax and pay only the difference between that amount and the N.C. tax. You must show proof that you paid such a tax. Such proof may be recorded on your bill of sale or registration.If you vehicle is titled in another state, you will be taxed 3 percent of the vehicle’s value with a maximum of $150.North Carolina Vehicle Law
- License Plates
When moving to North Carolina from another state, you must register your motor vehicle by expiration of time granted by an agreement with your previous state and North Carolina. In most cases, the deadline is within 30 days of establishing a permanent address.In Gaston County, vehicle registration tags may be purchased and registrations changed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the:License Plate AgencyGaston Mall401 Cox Road, GastoniaPhone: 864-4856
- Registration
To register your motor vehicle, you must obtain a N.C. driver’s license. You must furnish the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles with the title – unless the title is in the possession of a lienholder – and a valid registration card from the state of prior registration. When the title is held by a lienholder, you must furnish the lienholder’s name and address.You must also certify to the DMV that your vehicle is covered by liability insurance by a N.C. licensed insurance company. The minimum amount of liability insurance required is $25,000 for injuries to any one person in a wreck, $50,000 for all personal injuries and $10,000 for all property damage in a wreck.You must have the current mileage on your vehicle. Registrations must be renewed yearly.
- Fees
Regular license fees are $20 for automobiles, $12 for motorcycles and $21.50 for trucks limited to 4,000 pounds. Fees may be paid by cash or check with driver’s license and another form of ID.
- Highway Use Tax
North Carolina imposes a Highway Use Tax on vehicles in lieu of state sales tax. Residents moving to North Carolina from another state are subject to tax. If the vehicle was taxed by another jurisdiction within 90 days of applying for an N.C. title, you would receive credit for that tax and pay only the difference between that amount and the N.C. tax. You must show proof that you paid such a tax. Such proof may be recorded on your bill of sale or registration.If you vehicle is titled in another state, you will be taxed 3 percent of the vehicle’s value with a maximum of $150.
- Personalized Plates
Personalized license plates are available for passenger automobiles, motorcycles, trailers and private trucks. You must pay the regular license fee plus an additional $20 personalized plate fee.Applications for personalized plates must be submitted to the DMV about eight weeks in advance. The choice of words and letters selected to appear on the personalized plate cannot exceed eight spaces and is limited to two characters other than alpha and numeric symbols. Offensive words are not allowed.
Rules of the Road
- State law forbids a driver from consuming an alcoholic beverage while driving or having an open container in the vehicle if the driver has been drinking.
- An open container of an alcoholic beverage is prohibited at any time in a vehicle.
- North Carolina requires seat belts for drivers and front-seat passengers. Failure to wear required seat belts can result in a $25 fine. Driver is held responsible if unbuckled passenger is under 16.
- Children under 4 are required to ride in a crash-tested car seat and children ages 4 to 12 are required to wear a seat belt, regardless of where they sit in the car.
- North Carolina requires that if weather conditions dictate that windshield wipers be used, then headlights must also be used.
- The state requires all motorcyclists to wear a helmet and to burn headlights at all times.