Archive

Posts Tagged ‘Department Of Motor Vehicles’

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.

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

Very Cheap Miami Car Insurance

December 16th, 2009 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

There are many flashy and expensive cars in Miami, Florida, and if your car is one of them, you might have some difficulty finding cheap Miami car insurance; however, it is important to tell yourself that difficult is not the equivalent of impossible.

Although Miami is considered a high-crime area by many, your car does not have to fall victim to crime ? namely, theft. Many expensive cars are victims of theft, and car insurance companies are aware of this. If purchasing a new, less expensive, and more modest vehicle is not on your list of options, try the following tips to help yourself get cheap Miami car insurance.

Add safety features. If you did not purchase a car with safety features, such as an anti-theft alarm system, add the safety features yourself. Remember, safety features can go beyond just protecting your car against theft; you can also add anti-lock brakes, air bags, and child proof door locks to help protect yourself, your passengers, and other drivers and pedestrians, too. If you are not sure how to proceed, contact your car dealer or auto mechanic.

Park in a locked garage or well-lit, security-protected parking area. Your car is more likely to be stolen at night or during times when you are not close by. Parking your car on the street while it is not in use puts it at risk for theft. If you do not have access to a garage, consider purchasing parking space.

Contact your local Florida Department of Motor Vehicles office and/or law enforcement agency. Participate in any programs your area may have in effect to protect your car against theft. Many towns, cities, and states across America host programs designed to help drivers protect their cars from being stolen. Your local DMV office or law enforcement agency should have information about such programs, as well as additional tips for keeping your car safe and reacting to theft.

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

Tips for buying cheap online car insurance and getting a free online car insurance quote

November 27th, 2009 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

Smart shoppers can save money, buy cheap car insurance and get a reliable free online car insurance quote. The secret is to prepare before you log on to fill out the application.

Here are some tips from an experienced insurance shopper for getting the best deal:

1. Know your own driving record.

Insurance companies want the safest drivers as customers and charge a higher premium to drivers who have poor records.

Surprisingly often, a driver’s moving violation history has been recorded inaccurately by the courts or the state motor vehicle department.

Contact the DMV in your state. For a list, go to www.DMV-Department-of-Motor-Vehicles.com.

Make sure your record is accurate before a car insurance company checks it and decides to reject your application or assign you a higher than necessary premium.

2. Know your consumer credit report score.

If you have a less than stellar credit rating, you can expect to pay more for online car insurance — but don’t spend a penny more than necessary!

Many consumers never know about the inaccurate information that blemishes their credit reports and results in their paying higher insurance premiums. Don’t guess — get the facts.

For information on how to get a free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies, go to www.annualcreditreport.com.

3. Know how much insurance you need.

Usually, personal liability and medical coverage are required, but the amounts can vary by state. Check with your state motor vehicle department to be sure.

The safest course is to buy the most insurance coverage you can afford. But if you’re on a tight budget, you don’t have to buy any more insurance than you’re legally required to carry.

4. Beware the low-ball scam.

That’s when a less-than-reputable company gives you an online car insurance quote that looks low but eventually isn’t. You sign up, they collect your money, and a few months later demand a higher premium than originally quoted.

To avoid the low-ball scam, check with the industry companies, such as www.AMBest.com, that rate car insurance providers. Don’t buy from any insurer whose rating is lower than B. The higher a insurer’s rating, the less likely it is to go out of business owing to insolvency, and the more reputable it probably is.

5. Etch your VIN.

Some insurers give a 10 or 15 percent discount on cars that have the vehicle identification number (VIN) etched into the windows. VIN-etched cars have a 64 percent lower theft rate than non-etched cars. An etched car that is stolen has a better than 85 percent chance of recovery.

Law enforcement authorities recommend VIN etching as a proven, effective deterrent to theft. The process is easy and takes as little as 15 minutes to etch the average car. Purchasing VINetcher, the do-it-yourself VIN Etching Kit, includes the option to register in the National Vehicle Identification Program for increased protection.

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

Saving Money With Online Auto Insurance Quotes

October 10th, 2009 Car Insurance Buyer No comments

Shopping for online auto insurance quotes can be quite demanding, but knowing that they are a lot cheaper, faster, less complicated and extremely convenient, we all have to do it at one point of time or another. This compilation of tips may be able to help you avoid overpaying for your car insurance premiums, and save a few hundred dollars in the process.

1. Search for Auto Insurance Quotes Regularly: If you do not shop around for online auto insurance quotes, you can end up paying the same premium for years, which is really pointless because as vehicles age, they decrease in value. So, you should not pay the same premium on them as you would on newer vehicles. Get into the habit of conducting a quote search, perhaps, on a yearly basis, and the more often you do it, the better your chances of getting lower online auto insurance quotes.

2. Consider “liability only” Insurance for Older Vehicles: Before getting your online auto insurance quote, always take into account the value of your vehicle compared to the amount you?re paying for premiums when making decisions such as “liability only” insurance. For example, if the wholesale value of your car is %1000, you need not pay nearly that much per year because that is all you?ll receive from the insurance company in the event of an accident.

3. Take a Defensive Driving Course: Your online auto insurance quote is also affected when you take a simple 6 hour defensive driving course, which can save you up to 10%PRCTG% on your auto insurance premium. The local department of motor vehicles should have more information on this. Otherwise, there are also courses available through mail, video, or the internet.

4. Insure with the Same Agency: When you apply for online auto insurance quote, remember that most insurance companies will give you a discount for multiple auto insurance policies. So if you own more than one vehicle, you should insure each of them with the same insurance agency. If you also have life, home, fire, boat or any other type of insurance, use the same agency for your auto insurance.

5. Raise your Deductible: Higher deductibles result in lower insurance premiums, so set your deductible at the highest rate possible. At the same time, it?s also imperative that you do not neglect additional financial resources that can help cover the deductible in case of an accident.

6. Check your Credit Rating: Be aware that most insurance companies will check your current credit score as part of their calculation for your insurance premium, since like all other business setups, they want to be paid, and on time. So you need to maintain a healthy credit rating before you get your online auto insurance quote.

7. Let Them Know why you are at Lower Risk: Insurance companies mainly base their rates on one element ? risk. Therefore, you need to have valid reasons why you are at lower risk when obtaining your online auto insurance quote, such as having a safe vehicle, a clean driving record, anti-theft devices etc.

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