Archive

Posts Tagged ‘Car Insurance Premiums’

Where To Find Cheap Car Insurance Online

Many people find car insurance confusing – and as a result end up paying more than they should in a very competitive market. The monthly payments ? or premiums ? depend on several things – your level of cover, the company insuring you and how much of a risk the insurance company deems you to be.

The popularity of the internet has made it easier than ever to find, compare and choose car insurance on line. Most companies can give you a quote fairly quickly ? in general, it will take from between ten to twenty minutes to enter the required information into one of the online application forms. There?s also usually a free number to ring if you want to talk to a person.

Comparing car insurance quotes online

Obtaining car insurance quotes online is fairly straightforward – although there are some things you should keep in mind. Not all insurance companies will provide an instant quote on the screen in front of you; some companies may email the quote to you or ring you at a later date.

Some car owners don?t realise that even if their current policy isn?t up for renewal just yet, most insurance companies will allow a customer to cancel the policy, if they decide to switch insurance companies. In this case, you are generally entitled to a proportionate amount as a refund.

One way to easily compare car insurance rates and products is to use one of several web sites which offer comparison shopping. Two of the better sites are the aptly named
confused.com and moneysupermarket.com. Most sites compare the UK?s top insurance companies, including AA, Norwich Union and First Direct.

How to keep your premiums down

There are several ways you can reduce the cost of car insurance. Premiums are lower if you keep your car locked up in a garage overnight ? over 50%PRCTG% of cars are stolen at night. Otherwise, try to park in your driveway, rather than on the street ? this will also decrease the chance of vandalism.

Make sure you accurately report the mileage that you drive in a year ? don?t pay for too much mileage. A change in employment or lifestyle may mean less mileage ? many people don?t bother to change their car insurance details when this happens.

Having a car alarm or immobiliser installed in your car will also usually result in lower payments. An additional driver using the car may mean increased premiums. And of course, your past driving record also has a significant effect on the cost of your car insurance.

Basic car insurance policies

A recent ? and welcome – innovation in car insurance is the concept of so-called basic coverage, as offered by both Tesco and Norwich Union, in an effort to simplify the often confusing process. Basic coverage also allows car owners to take out adequate insurance without paying more than they need to.

Norwich Union?s product is appropriately named Simple Cover and is available online only. The product also eliminates some of the unnecessary extras that customers tend to unknowingly pay for. Another big difference is that the premium is payable in a yearly lump sum, rather than monthly.

Tesco value car insurance is also available online only ? even the application form is simpler ? and Tesco has taken some of the unnecessary extras out, which can increase the cost of premiums. For example, Tesco value car insurance doesn?t offer a replacement car for use during repairs, or cover a broken windscreen.

Shopping for car insurance online shouldn?t be difficult. With a little bit of research and the right list of web addresses, choosing the right car insurance can be easy and stress-free.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Stark Rise In Car Insurance Premiums

The stark rise in car insurance and business car insurance premiums, which was predicted by Norwich Union at the end of 2006 has not materialised.

One of the UK?s biggest car insurers, Norwich Union had stated that in 2007 premiums would have to rise by 16%PRCTG% in order to cover the cost of increased claims. However, the latest AA British Insurance premium index indicates a rise of only 5.9%PRCTG% in comprehensive car insurance cover throughout the year.

The reason given for the halt in premium rates was the much fiercer competition engendered between the UK?s top online insurance companies.

Typically, the report stated, UK drivers paid an average of ?594 for fall comprehensive car cover in the previous year. The Index also reveals that those who shopped around in search of cheaper car insurance when it came time to renew the policy, paid on average ?194 less, an indicated saving of upwards of 33 percent.

The data also revealed that car insurance for third party, fire and theft could also be cheaper when switching companies on renewal, achieving savings of as much as ?225 a year below the average industry quote.

However there are other factors, which may have affected the accuracy of these statistics.

According to a recent article in The Guardian Money Column, the exact circumstances of each driver must be compared in order to reach a true comparison of what is actually the cheaper insurance option. For instance, some insurers will not offer cover for business or commercial use, and other insurers will not offer any kind of policy for younger drivers.

It has also been noted that often the cheapest of the insurers can subsidise their premiums by applying other costs and charges. An example of this can be found in the APR charged when the premiums are paid in monthly instalments. Extra costs have soared by as much as 39%PRCTG% when this has been applied. Also regular drivers abroad are offered free European cover by some insurers, whilst others may charge as much as an additional ?20 for a two-week visit to France.

Interestingly, the consumer body icon Which? Discovered that insurance premiums could reduce by as much as 25%PRCTG% by buying directly from the designated company?s website online.

The organisation also suggests that even if only third party, fire and theft is being considered, it would be beneficial to also get quotes for comprehensive car insurance cover, as often
this type of cover may not cost much more, and it may be well worth paying the difference in order to secure additional security and peace of mind.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Car Insurance For High-Risk Drivers

If you are classified as a high-risk driver, finding car insurance can be quite a hassle. Some insurance companies will deny insurance to high-risk drivers, while others just choose to charge extremely high premiums. No matter which insurance company you choose, you will most likely end up with a high rate. However, every insurance company is different, so it is important to shop around for the best rates available.

There are many different factors that can contribute to a high-risk driver classification. However, your driving record is the most important factor in determining your risk status. If you have been involved in several accidents over the course of a year or within two to three years, these incidents will negatively affect your record even if they were not your fault. Being involved in any accident can deem you a reckless driver with a penchant for getting into dangerous situations. Also, if you have received multiple speeding tickets, you are also increasing your risk of getting into car accidents. You may be labeled a high-risk driver just by the number of speeding tickets you have received.

There are also several personal factors that contributed to the high-risk label. Unfortunately, many of these factors are beyond your control. Men are typically deemed a higher risk than women, and those who live in the city are considered higher risk than those who live in the country. If you are a city dweller, you will probably pay higher car insurance premiums than if you live in the suburbs or in a rural area. Also, drivers with newer cars are charged higher premiums than those with older automobiles.

Unfortunately, even your credit history can affect your car insurance rating. Those with low credit ratings are usually charged higher premiums than those with better credit scores. Whether or not you have been covered by car insurance continuously is also a factor. If there are gaps in your coverage, they will assume that you have had periods of uninsured driving. Because driving without insurance is very unsafe and also very illegal, insurance companies take this into consideration when considering your rate.

Though it can take several years of clean driving to erase the high-risk driver label, it can still be done. Three years is the industry standard for reassessing a driver?s safety standing. If you have a clean record for a three-year period, you can work your way back to the benefits of lower premiums. However, three years? worth of high premiums can really add up over time. If you are a high-risk driver, there are still ways to lower your insurance payments. With a little research, you can reduce your payments by a fair amount.

There are many car insurance companies that offer free quotes online. Rather than meeting with salespeople or playing phone tag with agents, Internet sites will give you a quote in minutes. This makes comparison-shopping easier than ever. There are even websites that will find a list of quotes for you. Sites like Netquote.com allow you to enter all of your information one time rather than repeating the process for every insurance company you investigate. Netquote will generate a list of rates organized in an easy to read fashion. This process may take a few days, but the results are typically worth it.

Working toward a clean driving record is the best way to ensure that you will get the best car insurance rates. Avoid congested areas whenever possible, and be sure to slow down in reduced speed zones. Be aware of your surroundings and never speed, and you will be on your way to a successful reduction in your rates.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Student Car Insurance

February 26th, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

If you are going away to college or university then it?s important of course that you are able to travel back home to see friends and family. However younger people are well known for being targeted for high car insurance premiums, which can make freedom of travelling very hard.

Saving money it what it?s all about and there are many ways in which you can make savings when it comes to student car insurance. To start with you should give some serious consideration over what type of car you should be buying, it will cost you much less if you buy a smaller car with a small engine, than it will should you choose to buy a flashy sports car which has more power.

However when it comes to student car insurance then perhaps the biggest savings can be made if you take the time to shop around for your car insurance. However this doesn?t mean that you have to spend hours going all over town, by far the best way is by using the internet. There are many online insurers who only trade online and this is where you can make the biggest savings on student car insurance. Comparing quotes is quick, easy and essential if you want to get the cheapest insurance. You can also use a specialist broker who will do the legwork for you!

There are many specialist sites which cater especially for the younger driver and students, if you look around some even offer discounts and incentives to buy from them. Of course you should know which type of car insurance you are looking for and usually third party is the best choice when it comes to student car insurance.

If you choose to go fully comprehensive then the premiums for students can be sky high, but again if this is what you need then make several comparisons before choosing which one to go with.

Other ways you can keep the cost of your student car insurance down are to install security devices on your car, such as wheel and steering locks and have your windows security etched with your registration. Where you keep your car can also affect the cost of your insurance and if you are keeping it on campus with security then be sure to mention this in your application.

If you have only just passed your driving test then consider going for an extended and advanced driving course, the number one reason why young drivers are penalised is through lack of experience. If you take and pass an advanced course this could knock your premiums down considerably.

Above all when shopping for student car insurance make sure that you compare like for like policies, this means that if a policy seems particularly cheap it might not include what similar policies that are more expensive cover and this should be taken into account.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ways to Save on Auto Insurance

February 23rd, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

The American economy is sucking a lot of money out of consumers? pockets due to high gas prices and the general increase in every other consumer good from food to clothing that is associated with high oil prices. However, there is good news on the horizon, and that is that auto insurance rates are being reduced. Despite this reduction, there are several things you should keep in mind when shopping for car insurance to ensure you receive the best rate and coverage for you and your vehicle.

Tip #1 Shop Around
There are so many different auto insurers out there you might think it difficult to find the best insurance at the lowest prices. However, don?t despair because all you have to do is shop around. The easiest way to do this is to go online and search all your favorite car insurers in order to receive a fast and free online quote. Then, you can simply compare the services and prices of the insurers and make the best choice for you. Spending a little time on research might save you hundreds of dollars on car insurance.

Tip #2 Look for the Discounts
You may not have known this, but many auto insurers provide discounts to drivers for good driving behavior and other reasons as well. So, ask about the discounts available through various insurance providers and consider how many you would qualify for. More than likely if you qualify for one or two then your rates could easily drop several hundred dollars per year.

Tip #3 Maintain Your Credit
Unbeknownst to you, your credit score affects your car insurance rate. As a result, you should be sure to maintain your credit score as high as possible in order to not only receive the benefits of good credit, but also to pay lower car insurance premiums. It is really worthwhile, and something you will benefit from economically.

These tips are great ways for you as a consumer to take your car insurance needs into your own hands and find the best provider with the lowest rates and most coverage. When you start doing the research, you will be amazed how much money you can save as well as how many more benefits you can receive. Go ahead and start saving on your auto insurance today, there is no reason to wait.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Reduce Your Car Insurance Premiums

February 15th, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

Insuring your car is without a doubt one of the costliest parts of motoring. However you can make savings when it comes to your car insurance just by following a few simple rules and using some common sense. Here are just some of the ways in which you can reduce your motor insurance premiums.

Before you buy your new or second hand car then check out which insurance group it is ? the lower, the better ? and the prices of insurance premiums. The insurance will be based on the cost of the car, its safety record and the risk of theft that comes with the model. You may be surprised how much the premiums can vary simply by owning a car in a higher insurance group.

The number one point – apart from buying a car in a low insurance group – to help save yourself some money is to shop around for your motor insurance. Simply by shopping around you can save yourself quite a bit of cash. Prices do vary widely from company to company so it is in your best interests to get at least three quotes, preferably more.

You can do this online, quickly and easily.

If your car is an older vehicle then consider reducing the type of cover you have for it. If it is worth less than ?4000, Maybe just insure it as third party, fire and theft instead of fully comprehensive. This will lead to cheaper premiums.

Some companies offer discounts to those motorists who keep their mileage down. If you don?t use your car a lot then consider going with such a company.

If you have no claims bonus, this will attract a discount. And if you have taken extensive or advanced lessons in driving then ask about reductions for this. Many companies offer cheaper premiums for those with excellent diving records or additional motoring qualifications.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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!

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

New Driver Car Insurance – How To Save Money With Your New Driver

January 27th, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

Car insurance companies view new drivers as inexperienced drivers; therefore, new drivers usually have higher car insurance premiums than older drivers, who are considered more experienced drivers.

Even though new drivers are inexperienced drivers, their car insurance premiums do not have to break the bank. There are ways to save money, especially if the new driver has a family member with an existing car insurance policy.

Take the tips into consideration to save money with your new driver.

? Ask about ?multi? discounts. Some car insurance companies offer discounts to policyholders who have multi-car policies, i.e., those that have more than one car on their car insurance policies. At the same time, some insurance companies will offer multi-line discounts, which means if the policyholder has both a car insurance policy and a home owner or life insurance policy with the same insurance company, they have ?multiple lines? of insurance and may qualify for a discount. If the new driver is going to be on your, or another person?s, existing car insurance policy, the policyholder may be eligible for a multi-driver discount.

? Make sure he or she enrolls in a driver education course. Some high schools provide driver education courses. If your teen?s high school does not, enroll him or her in a driver education course offered by a private company. The driver education courses offered by private companies are also available for older drivers; therefore, they could help the new, older driver save money on car insurance.

? If your new driver is a teen, ask the car insurance company about Good Student discounts. Some car insurance companies offer discounts to teens who make good grades in school. It is a win/win situation!

? Military discounts are offered in some parts of America to active and even retired military personnel. If your new driver fits either one of those descriptions, ask the car insurance company about such a discount.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How To Get Affordable Car Insurance In Maryland

January 21st, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

If you drive a car on any public road in Maryland you must have car insurance. That?s the law. If you break this law you are subject to some rather severe penalties which include (but are not limited to) having your registration revoked and having your car?s license plates confiscated. There can be additional penalties as well.

In Maryland you are required to carry liability insurance, uninsured motorist insurance (UM) and you must carry personal injury protection (PIP). If your car is financed then your lender will undoubtedly require that you also carry collision and comprehensive insurance as well.

None of this insurance is free, which has many motorists in Maryland scrambling to get affordable car insurance. Fortunately there are things you can do to help keep the cost of insuring car as low as possible.

The first thing you need to do is to resolve to drive safely and legally. If you receive a speeding ticket not only will you be forced to pay a hefty court fine, your car insurance rates will also skyrocket ? and they will remain high for several years to come.

Likewise, if you are convicted of drunk or impaired driving you can expect to pay two or three times as much for your car insurance for quite some time to come. Speeding and driving under the influence are both things that are totally under your control; if you are convicted of any of these offenses you have no one to blame but yourself for your higher car insurance premiums.

If you are in school and you can maintain a ?B? grade point average then you can probably qualify for what is called a Good Student Discount, which translates into a monthly savings of about 5%PRCTG% on your car insurance premiums.

If you are 55 or older you may experience a rate increase based on age. However, many insurance companies encourage their older drivers to take a refresher driver?s course; for those who successfully pass such a course the savings on their monthly car insurance premium can be as great as 10%PRCTG%.

If you have an older car, especially one that is fully paid for, you may wish to consider dropping collision and comprehensive coverage. Dropping those coverages will save you considerably on your insurance premiums.

If you drop collision and comprehensive and you are involved in an accident your insurance will not pay for the repair of your vehicle ? but to be honest, if your car has little or no Kelly Blue Book value then your insurance would not have paid much, if anything, even if you had paid for the coverage.

The final thing you can do is to increase your deductible. The more money you are willing to pay out of your own wallet any time you have a claim, the less your insurance company will charge you in premiums.

Now that you have designed the best possible car insurance policy for your circumstances it is time for you to get online and compare car insurance policies between different insurance companies and their rates. If you truly want to get affordable car insurance in Maryland then you will need to fill out all of the required information on at least 3 different comparison websites. In this way you will be certain to be comparing all of the car insurance companies in Maryland and you can rest easy knowing that you have truly found the most affordable car insurance in Maryland.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Purchase A Car Insurance

January 16th, 2010 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

First of all, qualifies you car insurance company.

Purchase a car insurance system individual from multinational with at primogenial an “A” rating from the insurance evaluating services. Eliminates those insurance companies that have perfect services and with unequaled wad records.

Get Quotes from as multitudinous car insurance companies as possible. Start with the exceeding and well- hackneyed companies. Consult the lily-livered pages for car insurance companies and agents in your area. Ask them for quotes and various approximative informations. Review the literatures and quotes from at inceptive 3 companies. Use the internet to resolve more erudition and don’t ig to examine for discounts. Compare and evaluate the the latest you have received, before deciding on with deal and care you yearning to recognize the liability with.

Take space off to jaw your program every year.The importance of your car consign diminish every year, and you should be reducing the amount of car insurance coverage. Review the discounts you may be eligible, from there you might be able to reduce your car insurance premium. Pay a bit of attentions and spend more time to details will gather you some savings definitely.

There are numerous ways you can carry on car insurance premiums.

If you have ended some driver seasoning courses offered by some special organisations or association, you may qualify for discounts. If you get going neccessary arrangments to do it harder for thieves to steal your car by installing an ignition cut-off system, an aggravation system, a tracking system, or a hood-and-wheel-locking device; discounts may be considered. If your car is efficient wtih mental state bags and automatic focus belts, you may be energetic to reduce your medical payments insurance premium.

If you did installed antilock brakes to better semanship operate and stability that reduces accidents, cede and effectuate you discounts from you car insurance company. If your kids lives today from home and does not have a car, you may lined up be eligible for a pass over on your car insurance. If you have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance with the corresponding car insurance company, you may carry through a disdain on all these policies.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,