Car Insurance – Finding a Beneficial Plan
December 27, 2011 by
Filed under Auto Insurance Secrets
In order to get a good car insurance quote, it’s important to do your research. There are so many variables, and they vary from state to state. Most states have minimum requirements that every driving has to abide by. Before purchasing a car insurance policy, be sure to find out what type of minimums are associated with your state laws.
When you speak with a local representative, today’s agents will tell you what the minimums are going to be. However, this does not mean you have to stick with those choices. If there are certain areas to the policy where you need to increase the amount, take the time to do so. Just remember that every increase will increase your premium. However, don’t sacrifice the insurance for a lower monthly payment.
Let’s go over some of the pieces associated with car insurance:
Bodily Injury Liability – If an accident occurs and others are injured, the body injury liability will cover their medical costs. The state minimums are usually around $25,000-$50,000. Don’t be afraid to raise these a bit, because you don’t want to pay out-of-pocket if there are serious injuries or someone decides to sue you.
Collision and Comprehensive Coverage – You’ve probably heard of this before. When you have collision and comprehensive insurance, it helps cover the costs associated with repairs from an accident (collision). The comprehensive covers acts of God, vandalism, or theft.
Personal Injury Protection- Let’s say you get into an accident and there are others in the car. Your car insurance’s “personal injury protection” can help alleviate medical costs, pay for lost wages, and even cover funeral costs if it should be needed. Most people know this as the PIP plan.
Property Damage – If you get into an accident, the property damage amount can help cover the cost of damages to the other vehicle. It also pays for other damage associated with the accident (guard rails, fence posts, or any type of structure that is damaged. Settling for the minimum requirement here is taking a risk. After all, it only takes one accident to turn your world upside down.
Underinsured/Uninsured Motorists – This coverage is optional in some states. Those who need it should make sure they have plenty of money attached to it. If by chance an underinsured or uninsured motorist hits you, it alleviates the need to pay for everything out-of-pocket yourself. Plus, if you sue the other person, it’s going to take time to receive a judgment.
So, when it’s time to purchase car insurance, it’s important to look over each area. Just because there is a state minimum DOES NOT mean you have to stick with those numbers. Adding a little extra to the policy could cost more in the beginning, but those few extra bucks a month could be well worth it if an unfortunate event occurs.
In the end, just be mindful of your needs and your car insurance will be extremely beneficial..
Purchasing Car Insurance for a Teenager
December 22, 2011 by
Filed under Auto Insurance Secrets
So, your son or daughter just turned 16 and they’re ready to drive around town. Most of your local car insurance companies probably consider them to be “high-risk,” so your premiums are going to be through the roof. However, there are a few ways to cut the overall cost and make the payments a little less expensive.
Put them on your Plan
Instead of allowing them to get their own car insurance, call up your current company and add them to your policy. Even though it could still be expensive, dual vehicles under one policy usually provides a discount. This approach could save additional money to make up for the extra cost.
Get them a Dated Car
A teenager that drives a Ford Mustang GT is going to have a higher premium than one driving a Volvo. In the car insurance company’s eyes, they consider sporty cars as “high-risk,” and even more so if a teenager is driving one. If you start them off with a 5 to 10 year old car, the premium will be a bit lower. It might not be what they want, but you can tell them to pay for it and they will sing a different tune.
Get the Best Security
It’s a good idea to have an alarm system on the vehicle. Car insurance companies always ask what type of precautions you take, which includes where the vehicle is when unattended. The answers here can make a huge impact in the amount of money it costs for your teenager’s premium.
Work or Pleasure
Another way to cut down the premium costs is by stating whether the vehicle will be used for work purposes or for fun. If the teenager is only driving to and from work, the premium will be less. One area this surrounds is the amount of miles that will be driven.
Whether you purchase a policy online or go with a local in-store company, they’re going to ask you to estimate the amount of miles the car will drive annually. The lower the number, the less likely it is to get into an accident or have something else go wrong with the vehicle.
When the car insurance company sees low risk potential, the premium amounts will be a bit lower. However, you should still expect your teenager’s premium to be more than yours.
So, before you just opt for any type of car insurance, take the time to research and compare all the companies out there. They will most likely have different benefits available based on the information you provide. Then you can start narrowing them down and eventually you will end up with the lowest price with the most benefits.
It’s a good idea to have your information handy when researching the various car insurance companies. This way you can get an accurate quote from each one and figure out the best financial solution for you and your teenager..
Basic Tips on Car Insurance
December 20, 2011 by
Filed under Auto Insurance Secrets
Everyone needs car insurance. Without car insurance, you can get caught by the traffic police. As long as you are operating a vehicle on the highway, you need to purchase car insurance. Every state has different requirements regarding the car insurance. If you are not sure how much coverage on car insurance you must purchase, it is recommended that you check the department of motor vehicle website. The department of motor vehicle website contains detailed information about what type of car insurance you need to purchase and how much coverage you need to purchase.
It is important that you meet the minimum car insurance coverage. If you don’t meet the minimum car insurance coverage, you will get fined. It is best that you always buy more coverage than the minimum requirement. If you only buy the minimum coverage, there is a high chance that you have to pay the accident fees out of your own pocket. Often the accident will exceed the minimum coverage. Therefore, it is recommended that you buy more than the minimum coverage. Most states require you to purchase liability insurance. There are three types of liability insurance including bodily injury per individual, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Some states will also require you to purchase other types of insurance such as comprehensive/collision insurance, uninsured/underinsured insurance and etc.
Before buying car insurance, you must do research so that you can get the cheapest rate for the insurance coverage. Getting the cheapest rate should not be your sole goal when you are shopping for car insurance coverage. You must do research on the reputation of the car insurance company and check its financial rating. If the car insurance company has good financial rating, it means that it is able it has no problem in dispensing the compensation. If the company has poor financial rating, you probably will lose all the money you have invested in them. This is because they probably will go into bankruptcy and leaving you with no money to claim.
You can use the car insurance search engine to search for the car insurance rates of different providers. The benefit of using a car insurance search engine is that you can compare the rates between different companies in a short time. You don’t have to visit the car insurance websites individually if you want to obtain the car insurance quotes. You may get discount for the car insurance quotes if meet several requirements. For example, if you can prove to the provider that you have good driving records, the car insurance provider can give you discount. You must not commit any moving violation if you want to maintain a clean driving record. You should set a clean driving record for at least 5 years in order to get good car insurance rates. If you are a male, your car insurance rate will be more expensive. If you are a female, your car insurance rate will be lower. Male drivers have higher accident rates compare to female drivers..
Car Insurance – How to find the Cheapest Price
December 17, 2011 by
Filed under Cheap Auto Insurance
Anytime you speak to a local car insurance agent, the prices could be outside your budget. Over the years, brick and mortar companies have been switching to online services, because consumers find it more convenient, and a lot cheaper. If you haven’t purchased car insurance online, here are a few tips to help you save money:
1. Have the entire Information Ready
You are going to be asked a series of questions, so it’s important to have all the information available. Everything from your vehicle’s VIN number to the amount of coverage you want will be asked. Keeping it handy will allow you to input the data accurately with different sites.
There are several situations where individuals would input different information, so the quotes would be different. In the end, they really weren’t getting the best deal.
2. Think Security
Another way to cut down your premium is by adding some security to your vehicle. Most of them are built that way today, but if you have an older vehicle we would suggest adding a security device. Alarms are the usual choice, but wheel-locks or even tire boots can be used.
You will also have to answer where the vehicle is stored. Do you have a garage? If not, do you live in a low crime area? These are all things you’re going to have to answer, and the answers will either increase or decrease your premium.
3. Grab a Code
Whenever you want to purchase something on the Internet, go out and find a coupon or promotional code. Granted, they’re not going to provide a 50% discount, but probably somewhere around 10% to 20%. If you don’t happen to find one for the company you’re interested in using, call customer service and ask them if they offer any codes.
4. The Internet Discount
Did you know that several car insurance sites will give you an Internet discount for purchasing a policy online? It’s true, and it’s pretty common. In fact, some local companies will tell you to purchase it online, or they will set everything up for you through the Internet.
5. Loyalty Programs
Some insurance companies will offer loyalty programs. If you are with a company for a long period of time, you might receive a premium discount. This varies from one car insurance business to another, so make sure you do the research. Also, there are could be stipulations involved. For instance; you might have to go without filing a claim for a year or two in order to see the discount.
In the end, there are several ways to save money on car insurance. However, you should never sacrifice a portion of your policy for a lower monthly payment. We see people do this all the time, but when an accident occurs and their not covered, it ends up costing more..