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Posts Tagged ‘Car Insurance Companies’

Cheap Car Insurance For Young Drivers

March 17th, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

Young drivers are viewed as being inexperienced drivers by car insurance companies; therefore, car insurance companies peg young drivers as being a high risk for them to insure. This doesn?t mean that car insurance companies won?t insurance young drivers, but it does mean that many car insurance companies will offer young drivers much higher premiums than the premiums often offered to older, more experienced drivers.

While it will probably be several years before young drivers see the lower premiums older drivers see now, there are still a few measures young drivers can take to get cheap car insurance. If you?re a young driver searching for cheap car insurance, take these tips into consideration.

Stay on your parents? car insurance policy. Being on your parents? car insurance policy is always cheaper than purchasing your own car insurance policy, even if it does bump their payments up a bit. Plus, if you have your own car, your parents? will save money by adding the additional vehicle to their existing car insurance policy.

Take a driver education or defensive driving course. Most states require young drivers to take a driver education course in high school. Regardless of whether or not you?re required to take a driver education or defensive driving course as a part of your curriculum, you should take one, or both, of the courses. Many car insurance companies offer discounts to all drivers, including young drivers, for going the extra mile and learning safe and proper driving techniques.

Make sure your car is safe. Whether you have your own car insurance policy, or you?re on your parents? car insurance policy, most car insurance companies will offer you a discount if you?ve taken the steps to make sure your car is safe. Install a safety alarm system and an anti-theft device on your steering wheel. Always keep your car locked and park it somewhere safe at night or whenever you?re not driving.

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Women s Cheap Car Insurance

March 13th, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

As sexist as it may sound, gender sometimes place a significant role in a person?s car insurance rates. Women drivers usually get cheaper car insurance rates than men drivers, because statistically, of the two genders, women drivers are more conscientious drivers, who drive safer vehicles, and who file less car insurance claims. Sure, not all women drivers are better drivers than men drivers, but the statistics have spoken loud enough for many of the car insurance companies in America to listen.

However, American car insurance companies are not the only companies that have taken notice and began to offer cheap car insurance policies to women drivers; the UK is also offering lower car insurance rates to women drivers. There are many companies and organizations throughout the UK dedicated solely to helping women get cheap car insurance rates, as well as providing car insurance tips and advice to women drivers. A quick search of the Internet will bring up many of these organizations.

Of course, while women drivers may statistically get lower car insurance rates than men drivers, women drivers are subject to the same criteria as men are subject to, such as:

? Driving records and histories of the driver and/or policyholder
? Location in which the driver and/or policyholder lives and parks her car
? Safety, make, model, and year of the vehicle being insured
? Credit history of the policyholder
? Age and experience of the driver and/or policyholder

For women drivers to optimize their ability to get cheap car insurance rates, they must practice safe driving habits of their own ? rather than riding the coattails of the safe women drivers before them ? as well as continue to drive safe vehicles and park their vehicles is safe locations, regardless of the area in which they live. Women drivers should also pay attention to their driving records and credit reports, as well as make improvements whenever necessary and possible.

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Great Car Insurance Company – How Is A Person To Choose

March 12th, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

The most common piece of advice people receive for choosing the best car insurance company is to shop around. It is good advice, but as you are shopping around for the best car insurance company, what are you supposed to look for? How are you supposed to choose?

Take the following tips into consideration.

Choose a local car insurance company. By choosing a local car insurance company, you do not have to do business solely over the telephone and by mail. To solve an issue, you can drive down to the company?s local office. This does not mean you have to choose a small, unknown car insurance company ? you can choose a local agent of a large, well-known car insurance company if it makes you more comfortable.

Choose a car insurance company licensed to do business in your state. If you do not choose a car insurance company licensed to do business in your state, you are mostly likely going to have problems in the event you need to file a claim. Plus, your state?s department of insurance will not be able to offer assistance if you have trouble with the car insurance company.

Choose the car insurance company that offers the best discounts. Different car insurance companies offer different discounts, including good driver rewards, discounts for having more than one car on your policy, and discounts for teen drivers with good grades. Choose the one that offers discounts that will benefit you as well as other drivers on the policy.

Choose a car insurance company that offers more than one kind of insurance policy. Many insurance companies deal with more than one kind of insurance policy. For example, your home owner insurance company may also offer car insurance policies. By purchasing more than one insurance policy from the same company, not only will you be familiar with the insurance company, but you may also be eligible for additional discounts.

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Your car insurance

Automobile insurance is an increasing expense for almost all Americans. We can’t afford to have it, and we certainly can’t afford to not have it. When researching car insurance companies and comparing policies, it is a good idea to follow these easy guidelines to get the most coverage for your insurance dollars. Get discount car insurance quotes from as many carriers as you can. Automobile insurance rates may vary drastically depending on the model of your car and the type of coverage you need.
Consider as high a deductible as you can reasonably afford, since higher deductibles translate into lower insurance premiums. Review quotes and policies carefully to make sure you are only paying for coverage you really need.

If you have homeowner insurance, ask your agent if you are covered already for certain items you might be charged again for on your auto policy. After you have gotten quotes from different car insurance carriers, it is usually a good idea to create a spreadsheet to help you avoid comparing apples to oranges. Set up a scenario with car repairs and medical expense to best compare the coverage differences under real-life situations. Once you have chosen the two least expensive automobile insurance policies for the coverage you need, contact a reputable body shop in your area for a referral.

Automobile body shops deal with insurance companies every day, and you want to make sure the company you send your premiums to each month will be responsive and fair if you have to make an insurance claim. The body shop probably has a good insider opinion on how the insurance company operates, how long it takes to get an adjuster to view the damaged vehicle, how long it takes to get paid on a claim, how fair the estimate was, were used parts requested versus brand new parts and so on. Trust me, a 10 minute talk with a reputable body shop manager can reveal a lot of great information about an insurance company and how they tend to handle their claims.

A few dollars difference in premium dollars to get coverage from a company that handles their claims properly may save you a world of hassle in the event of an automobile accident.

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Cheap Car Insurance Quote For A Lady

If two people walk into a car insurance agency ? a lady and a gentleman ? looking to purchase cheap car insurance, chances are the lady is going to walk out of the car insurance agency with a cheaper car insurance quote than the quote the gentleman will be offered. Why? A multitude of reasons, really. Statistics show that lady drivers tend to be safer drivers than men drivers, and are therefore seen as less of a risk to insure than men drivers.

So how can a man driver get the same cheap car insurance quote that a lady driver gets? Perhaps the most important change a man can make ? other than learning how to put the toilet seat down before leaving the restroom ? is how he shops for a car.

The motor vehicle-related accidents that lady drivers are involved in often don?t cause as much damage as motor vehicle-related accidents men drivers are involved in. A major reason these motor vehicle-related accidents cause less damage is because they are safe vehicles. Of course, the driving habits of whomever is behind the wheel undoubtedly plays a huge roll is how much damage is caused in a motor-vehicle accident; however, these days car manufacturers are offering us safer, more dependable and reliable vehicles than ever before.

Cars today compared to the cars of yesteryear have more dependable breaks, air bags for all passengers, and are built sturdier. These factors and many more help ensure that less damage will be caused to the drivers, passengers, and vehicles (at least the safer vehicle) involved in the motor vehicle-related accident. Since lady drivers statistically drive these kinds of cars more often than not, car insurance companies tend to give them cheap car insurance quotes.

So, the next time a man driver heads out to spend a sunny Saturday at the local dealerships, he should have safe cars on his list rather than flashy, yet unreliable, cars.

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Shopping Online For Car Insurance

Right now there are many companies all trying to get you to buy their particular insurance plan for your car. From quacking ducks to talking lizards, there is an overabundance of advertisements, all done with the intent to get you sign up for their company.

But which one is right for you?

One of the better solutions that I found is to go online and compare the different automotive insurance policies. That way, it is easy to find one that fits your particular situation. In addition, I have found that utilizing the Internet is the best way to save money.

Before you go out and buy from the first company that offers you a car insurance policy, it is important that you understand which items are important for protecting you and your assets.

As you probably know most insurance policies look the same. So it is important to understand both the company and your unique situation.

First you should decide the maximum amount that you can use to pay for your insurance. This step means a careful analysis of your budget. It is a question of how much you can afford.

This leads to our second item for consideration. How much do you need to cover? For people that have a lot of assets, it is vital that they get enough insurance to personally protect their money in case of a catastrophic accident.

Many penny pinchers elect to get the lowest coverage. While it important to save money, it is equally important to prevent one accident from wiping you out. The funny thing is that even if you do elect for lower coverage, you wind up not saving that much money.

The next step is to check out the individual car insurance companies. As a result, it is vital that you get quotes from at least five different auto insurance companies. The method that I use is to go online and compare some of the top companies that show up. Here is a brief list of companies that offer top-rated car insurance:

? 21st Century Insurance
? Geico
? USAA
? Safeco Insurance
? MetLife Auto
? Liberty Mutual
? AllState
? Unitrin Direct
? eSurance
? Progressive
? State Farm
? AIG Auto Insurance
? GMAC Insurance
? Nationwide
? Eastwood
? Amica
? AAA

Once you find quotes from different companies, you should create a strategy of the various costs involved with purchasing car insurance. This includes deductibles, collision, comprehensive, and the total costs. For each company, try to get quotes on different levels of coverage. That way, you can develop an accurate portrayal of the price for each car insurance quote.

The final step is to understand how much each company will cover. While you might save money from one particular company, they might offer little to no coverage in case you get into an accident. While you might save some cash in the short term, the long term consequences could be disastrous.

When you have done your analysis, you will have a list of companies that offer quality insurance at an affordable price. With a little effort and research, you can properly cover yourself within your budget requirements.

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How You Can Get Cheap Auto Insurance In New York

February 27th, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

Just like any other place in America, New York can be dangerous, especially when it comes to the safety of your personal belongings. Many car insurance companies consider New York a high risk area because of the high statistics of crime. Cars are at risk for being vandalized and stolen. Yet, high risk or not, New York drivers and car owners must have auto insurance ? it is the law.

Luckily, New York participates in a program for drivers and car owners to help them protect their vehicles against theft ? Watch Your Car.

Watch Your Car (WYC) is a special plan to help drivers and car owners not only recover their vehicles after they have been stolen, but to possibly even prevent the vehicle from being stolen. The federally funded program places decals on the windshield of a WYC participant?s vehicle, giving police officers notice that the owner of the vehicle does not usually drive the vehicle between 1 a.m. and 5 p.m., nor does the owner of the vehicle drive near international borders.

WYC also etches the vehicle identification number into the vehicle?s windshield; a VIN is often removed when someone steals a vehicle, but when the VIN is etched into the vehicle?s windshield, it makes it very difficult to remove. If the thief does remove it, serious damage occurs to the vehicle?s windshield.

A program such as Watch Your Car lets a car insurance company know that you are serious about protecting your vehicle against theft. This is very important when shopping for cheap auto insurance in New York as you are likely to get better rates if you take safety precautions. Of course, you should also take other safety precautions such as anti-theft alarms and parking your vehicle in a garage rather than on the street.

For more information about Watch Your Car, contact the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, or your local law enforcement agency.

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Car Insurance Rates Can You Lower Them

February 16th, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

Car insurance rates are prohibitive nowadays. Many families really struggle to pay the car insurance bill each month. And car insurance rates vary all the time. So if car insurance cost is an issue for you, what can you do about it?

The car insurance industry is a massive industry. It is also a highly competitive one, and car insurance rates vary over time as car insurance companies compete for business. Car insurance rates are often highly fluid.

It is entirely possible to lower the cost of your auto insurance rates by altering your behaviour, and you can do this by having a better understanding of how the rates are assessed.

Car insurance rates are based on an assessment of risk. Whilst insurance companies vary their rates to compete with other insurance companies, they also vary their rates based on their assessment of the risk posed by a particular driver driving a particular car. They do this because there is no point in buying business with low car insurance rates and then insuring high risk drivers at these rates. This is a recipe for losing money.

So, if you lower your risk, you lower your car insurance. How do you
lower your risk? Well there?s a number of ways that your own driving and car behaviour can affect your car insurance rates.

Have a look at the car you drive. Is it suitable for your current needs? If not then would it be worthwhile to consider a change?

Different cars attract different auto insurance rates. Sports cars, high powered cars and cars at greater risk of theft attract higher rates. How long have you had your car and would it be wise to think about another one that would be cheaper to insure and more useful to you?

Are you a safe driver? Do you stick to the speed limit? Are you at risk of other driving offences? Many people do not think about some of the consequences of speeding tickets and driving offences until after they have seen their subsequent car insurance bill.

Your risk profile is a direct result of your driving record. A clean driving record and you will be rewarded by cheaper rates. A poor driving record and you will be penalised, usually for quite a while.

Are you willing to attend driver training courses? Many car insurance companies offer specific discounts for drivers who have attended a course. Why? Lower risk.

Are you willing to drive less? Could you car pool or use public transport to get to work? Car insurance companies look at the amount of driving their clients do when assessing their car insurance rates. Why? Lower risk. Less miles driven equals less risk. And you?ll save on other car costs too.

So if auto insurance costs are an issue for you and your family there are things you can do. These are just a few of those things, there are many more. Car insurance rates are not set in stone.

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How To Slash Your Car Insurance Costs Up To 54 In 10 Easy Steps – Part 2

February 14th, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

In Part 1, we detailed the first five strategies on how to cut your car insurance costs. In Part 2, we show you the second five.

STEP 6 – Review, Change or Cancel No Fault & PIP (Personal Injury Protection)

No-Fault Coverage, and it’s Twin – PIP – started out as great idea’s. Your premiums were actually going to be lowered. Then, your State Politicians got involved (at the urging of Insurance Lobbyists, of course) and mucked it up.

You see, no-fault insurance coverage was originally intended to have each individual’s losses, covered by their own car insurance company – no matter who was at fault.

Today, in many States, car insurance companies are making a ton of money on no-fault because the insurance companies convinced State law-makers to make “modifications.”

Today, because of the these changes, car insurance companies have actually used the no-fault laws to reduce payments on a claim made by a customer, instead of reducing car insurance premiums as it was supposed to do.

So, premiums keep going up-and-up and insurance companies end up paying less for claims – Someone’s getting rich on that deal….and it’s not you.

And to make matters worse, some States (with really, really talented Insurance Lobbyist’s) also require an additional premium be paid on top of the no-fault premium. This beauty is called Personal Injury Protection (PIP).

PIP is a “wide-blanket” of coverage and can provide Collision Coverage, Hospitalization, Social Security Disability, Workers Comp, Personal Disability Insurance & Life Insurance.

The problem with PIP and what it covers is….

You already gave most, if not all, of these coverage’s anyway, don’t you? So, you’re paying twice!

So, you need to do a couple of things:

Google “minimum levels of required auto insurance” to see if No-Fault Insurance and/or PIP Is required in your State;

Then, check your policy. If it’s not required by your State to have No-Fault/PIP Coverage and it’s on your policy – cancel it. If No-Fault/PIP is required by your State….take the absolute minimum. Here’s how.

If you must have No-Fault/PIP, ask for and get a deductible from your car insurance company.

STEP 7 – Cancel Medical Coverage

Medical Coverage, on most car insurance policies, is a promise to pay “reasonable” medical expenses for anyone who is riding in your car should you have an accident…as well as anyone in your car should it get hit by someone else.

Cancel it. You don’t need it.

Why is that you say? Well, medical coverage as part of your car insurance policy is a duplicate of your own:

- Medical Plan; – Any Life Insurance Coverage you might have, as well as; – The Liability Sections of almost every car insurance policy written in the U.S.

Think of it this way….Do you have a Health/Medical/Hospitalization Plan thru work or an Association you belong to?

Then why are you paying premiums for Medical/Hospitalization Coverage on your Car Insurance Policy?

Here’s what’s going to happen when you tell the car insurance company or Agent that you “Don’t want the Hospitalization/Medical Coverage.” You’re going to hear very slick “scare tactics” to help change your mind.

The insurance company employee will say “Well, if you’re in an accident, and it’s your fault, who’s going to cover the medical bills for any injured passengers in your car?”

Here’s your answer. Your family is already covered by your Health/Hospitalization Plan. If anybody else is in the car and they’re injured – they’re covered by your Bodily Injury Liability coverage that you’re already paying for….and their own Health/Hospitalization Plan.

So go ahead – save some more money and get rid of this coverage.

STEP 8 – Cancel Death, Dismemberment & Loss of Sight

Do you have any of these coverage’s on your existing car insurance policy? If so – cancel them.

And if you’re a first time car insurance buyer or, just looking at getting several car insurance quotes, don’t let anyone talk you into them!

Why?

Because, these coverage’s are an absolute waste of money. Most of these optional coverage’s are simply “glorified” life insurance policies with ridiculous provisions and horribly overpriced premiums. If you need life insurance, make it a separate Insurance Policy.

STEP 9 – Cancel The Extras

Do you have “Roadside Assistance” or “Rental Car Reimbursement” on your policy? If so, cancel them.

And again, if you’re a first time insurance buyer or getting a few car insurance quotes, don’t bother with these coverage’s.

Why? Because they’re severely overpriced, are rarely ever used, and limit what you can and cannot do.

For instance, some rental car reimbursement” coverage is almost %100 a year for each vehicle on your policy. So if you have two cars, you’ll spend almost %2,000 on rental car coverage in the next 10 years – and likely never even use it.

And roadside assistance? The piece-of-mind it offers gets trampled by the premiums the car insurance companies want for this coverage. Roadside assistance is a good idea. But use AAA for a cheaper solution.

STEP 10 – Terminate Comprehensive & Collision Coverage On Older Cars.

If you have an older car – by that I mean one that’s worth less than %2,000 wholesale (the amount a car dealer would give you if you were trading it in) cancel any Comprehensive and Collision Coverage you have or decline that option when getting a car insurance quote.

Here’s why. If an 8 year-old car and a brand new car have identical damage, the cost to repair both will be identical as well, even though the 8 year-old car is worth next-to-nothing.

You see the cost of a bumper and fender are the same – whether it’s for a brand new car, or one that is 8 years-old. That’s why your premiums don’t go down as the value of the car goes down. Your payments remain almost the same, year-after-year-after-year.

But, the bottom drops-out of what you’ll be able to collect on that older car. For instance, if your car is “totaled”, your insurance company will only pay you the wholesale value of your car.

So, let’s say your car is worth %1,000, but the total damage is more than %4,000, the insurance company is only going to give you a check for %1,000….minus your deductible, of course.

So you might end up getting %500 back. Sounds like a lousy deal….but that’s how it works.

So, the rule-of-thumb is this – cancel your comp & collision coverage when your vehicles value is less than %2,000….or you’ll be throwing your money away.

Okay – you’ve jotted down some notes and are ready to make some changes to your car insurance policy. So pick up the phone and start slashing your premiums!

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How To Get The Best Car Insurance Company

February 6th, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

Obviously, everyone wants a car insurance company that offers them the best coverage at the best rates; however, there are more things to consider when you are shopping for the best car insurance company. You want to choose a car insurance company that isn?t just out to lure policyholders ? you want an insurance company that will treat you right.

Keep these factors in mind.

Rates, Payments, and Rewards

You want to choose a car insurance company that offers different payment options, rather than just one option of payment set in stone. Many car insurance companies allow their policyholders to choose between paying in installments ? usually monthly or quarterly ? or paying the entire premium at once. Some companies even offer discounts to policyholders who choose to pay their premiums in one lump sum.

Ask if the insurance company recognizes drivers who do not drive much; some companies lower rates for that. Some also offer discount rewards for those driver who go long periods of time without filing any claims.

Discounts, Discounts, Discounts!

Look for companies offering a multitude of discounts. You may not be eligible for every one of them, but the more they offer, the higher your chances are of being eligible for a few of them. A few discounts that may be of interest to you include discounts for safe drivers and teenage drivers who make good grades; discounts for active or retired military personnel; discounts for buying more than one insurance policy from the same insurance company; and discounts for having anti-theft and additional safety equipment installed in/on your car.

Extras

Car insurance companies offer various extras that policyholders can add on to their car insurance policies. An example of an extra would be roadside assistance. While some companies offer roadside assistance as a standard extra, some offer it as an add-on. These add-ons are nice, but if you?re not careful they could simply hike up your premiums.

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