Auto Insurance Policy Basics

A short summary of auto insurance terms and their meanings to help you choose the coverage’s right for you.

Contains information on Policy Basics, Liability, Medical Payment, Underinsured Motorist and Uninsured Motorist as well as Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Collision coverage and Comprehensive Coverage

Have you ever wondered what coverage’s you really need in your car insurance and what all those technical terms exactly mean? Here is a short overview that might help you to determine what coverage’s to choose and to understand your car insurance policy better.

Auto insurance coverage’s you need to have

Liability

This is the one coverage you need to have by law no matter which state you live in. It covers the cost of damage and injury to others due to an accident caused by you.

To accomplish this, liability combines two policies, bodily injury liability and property damage liability.

Medical Payments Coverage

This coverage is intended mainly to cover medical expenses for people other than you in your vehicle that suffer bodily injury in a covered accident. Insurance companies encourage the prompt use of such coverage to ensure that the injured person is cared for as soon as possible preventing them from wanting to sue the driver at fault. Depending on the policy, there may be compensation for lost wages also.

Underinsured and Uninsured Motorist Insurance

Though most often put together, these are two distinct policies. They are necessary for those incidents where the driver does not have any insurance or his or her insurance covers only part of the expenses. Uninsured motorist insurance covers your expenses when the other driver has no liability coverage.

Underinsured motorist insurance covers the part of your medical expenses that is not covered by the other driver’s coverage (due to a maximum coverage that is too low).

Most states do not require either of those policies, but some require one or the other and yet others even require you to have both.

Auto insurance coverage’s you might want to have

Personal Injury Protection Coverage (PIP)

PIP covers such things as lost wages, childcare expenses, pain and suffering and funeral expenses due to injury or death in a car accident. These are usually not covered by medical payments coverage (see above).

PIP is required in most “no-fault” states as well as in Maryland, Delaware and Oregon. (None of these states use a pure no-fault system, which would mean that every driver is covered by their own insurance and nobody could ever be sued for damages. Instead, lawsuits are permitted in certain cases).

Collision Coverage

This coverage pays for repairs or replacement on your car after an accident for which you were at fault. Depending on your policy, you might be required to pay a deductible.

This coverage is not required by law in any state but is recommended for newer cars and may be required if there is a lien on the car.

Comprehensive Coverage

If your car is damaged due to collision with an animal, fire or theft by an unknown party or damage is caused by what is generally referred to as an “act of God”, repairs will be paid for if you have this kind of coverage. Depending on your policy, a deductible may apply.

Just as collision coverage, comprehensive coverage is not mandatory in any state but may be required if a lien is on the car and recommended for newer vehicles.

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Lower Your Car Insurance Premium

Purchasing car insurance is an vital part of overall financial planning, and it’s not something to be taken lightly when buying a new or used car. Your auto insurance premium rate will vary depending on the company and the type of policy coverage you choose to have.

Here are some guidelines to lower the cost of your auto insurance premium.

1. Shop Around- Take time and compare the costs of different policies by getting quotes from at least four to five insurance companies and comparing the quotes.

Ask your friends and relatives for advice and help, and check your yellow pages. Most insurance companies should offer you a fair price, especially in more populated areas of the country.

Check with your local Better Business Buraeu office to ask about the financial ratings of the company. The financial aspects of a company usually indicates its strength and stability.

2. Ask for higher deductibles- The deductible is the amount of money that you have to pay out of pocket before making any claims for an accident.

Collision and comprehensive coverage are sold with the deductibles. The higher the deductibles, the lower the premium rate will be

Increasing the deductible from $200 to $500 may reduce the policy amount by 15 to 30 percent.

3. Drop collision and comprehensive Coverage on older cars- If your car is worth less than 10 times your premium in the current market, think about dropping your collision and comprehensive coverage.

4. Consider buying car insurance from your existing insurance carrier – Buy insurance coverage from your existing carrier. This may help you to reduce your overall cost. Sometimes, lower rates are available for the longtime customers. It doesn’t hurt to ask your present agent, if you have one.

5. Avoid double health coverage- If you believe that you have enough health insurance, then don’t get health coverage with your auto policy. Avoiding a doubling up of of the same covergae on different policies will help you to reduce the cost.

6. Maintain a good credit record- Insurers are using your credit history while determining the price of insurance. It’s been determined that the lower your credit score is, the more you are likely to file an accident claim.

A person with a good credit score is also more likely to settle the accident without the support of the company. Try to maintain a good credit record.

7. Try buying a less flashy car- Cars that are expensive to fix, or attractive to car thieves will have a higher rate than other cars you may considering if you’re prepapring to purchase a ne or used car.

Think about buying a low profile or average car. Your carrier may have discounts for “sleeper” cars.

Take advantage of the many ways you can save. After all, it’s about more money in your pocket, and less in your carrier’s.

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Cheap Auto Insurance Online for Your Teen

So, you have a teen that is at the driving age. Choosing the right auto, the right insurance and the factors that determine price, is the purpose of this article.

Choosing the right auto is very important to getting cheap insurance. That flashy, red, convertible sports car really looks great, but the insurance for it with a teen driver?… ouch!! Find out what your teen can live with other than this and do your insurance shopping with that model in mind.

Some of the factors that enter into price is:

1. Where do you live? In the city, a suburban area or in a rural setting? The rural area will be the lowest rate with the city being greater.

2. How many miles per year will the vehicle be driven and how many miles to work, school or college.

3. The model and age of the vehicle and it’s safety record. Sometimes an anti-theft device will lower the rate.

4. The deductable amount and the coverage amount, these vary according to area and what the laws are in your state. The more out of pocket you can afford on the deductable the lower your rate will be.

5. Your teens grades at school is also a determining factor. The higher the grades the lower the rate. Makes sense right?

6. Did your teen take drivers ed? Also a factor.

Make sure that your teen knows the importance of a safe driving record, no tickets, no accidents. Over time, a teen with a safe driving record will have their insurance rates reduced. Instill a sense of responsibility in your teen for their freedom to drive.

Some insurance companies offer a policy for just the teen driver. This way they aren’t added to the families policy. This can be a lower rate. There may be some restrictions, such as no driving after dark or others.

Use your favorite search engines to find insurance companies that have the lowest rates for these factors. By shopping online you have a lot of companies to choose from, and it is quicker than the yellow pages.

Keep all of these things in mind when shopping. Insurance rates vary widely, so take your time when doing your research. Another way to search for a good insurance company is to ask around at garages and body shops. Those guys deal with insurance companies every day.

I hope that these factors will help you in finding that company that will give you a good policy at the lowest possible price.

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Compare Auto Insurance prices – 5 Simple Tactics

It is very important to compare auto insurance quotes provided online. The comparison is necessary to make sure that you are getting the lowest auto insurance quote. It is very easy to compare auto insurance quote, if you are doing an online search. Most of sites give you an opportunity to get three auto insurance quotes side-by-side for comparison.

No limitation is given for quotes; you can get as many quotes as you wish to compare one with another. Here are some simple tactics to compare auto insurance quotes.

1. First of all you have to fill an online form, to request free quote for the coverage you desire to include in your policy. Always compare auto insurance quotes for the same coverage.

2. Always remember that price is not the only criteria to approve any auto insurance. Try to know how long the company is working in the field of auto insurance. At the time of comparison, you will find that emerging companies offer lower quotes. This will be a great idea to ask auto insurance quotes from newer companies, but be aware while buying insurance from them.

3. If you have two accidents and/or 3 traffic rules violations in your account then it will be difficult for you to find cheap auto insurance quote. In such a condition you have to do an extensive comparison to find a good quote that suits your budget.

4. It will be better to make up your credit history before requesting for an auto insurance quote, as it will give adverse effect to insurance company. Company may offer you higher quotes. Thus it is not a recommended step for people with bad credit history.

5. It is better for you to start requesting auto insurance quotes in advance. If your insurance policy is nearing the expiry date you might face problem to get a cheaper quote. Start from current company, they might offer lowest quotes.

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6 ways to save money on your Auto Insurance Quote

It is possible to save good amount of money on your car insurance. May be right now you are paying more money then you have to pay for an auto insurance. Auto insurance quote is different and can vary from company to company. So be sure to shop around and save maximum for your auto insurance.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Review your policy:

Keep updating your personal information and your car information to your agent. If you relocating somewhere else or you changing your car then give respective information to your agent. Car insurance rates are dependes on information you provide, so keep checking that you are providing true facts to your agent.

2. Comparison shop:

Your state insurance department provide you latest consumer news so check your consumer information. You can find valuable resources from that news. This news is published on internet and you can access it from your computer. They provide you auto guides and you can compare rates and coverage.

3. Combined insurance:

If you want to save big then go for the combined insurance policy that means insure your car and house and your other general property from same insurance company. This overall minimizes your cost for both home insurance and auto insurance. Many auto insurance companies provide renewal discounts, take advantage from this renewal discount.

4. Avoid the insurance gap.

If you keep gaps in between your auto insurance coverage then it will cost higher then usual. So avoid lapses and gaps in your auto insurance. Many car insurance company charge higher rates for each lapse in coverage.

5. Vary Prices:

Car insurance companies calculate their overall business cost and according to that cost they decide premiums. When you want to choose an insurance company, compare their business cost. You can contact to agents or brokers of different company and counsel with them.

6. Buy online and save.

When you apply car insurance online, it cut down the various charges and cost for the middleman. Buying auto insurance online saves lot of your money. You will get lower rates if you order car insurance from Auto Insurance Quote website. Here on this website you can also apply for the general insurance along with auto insurance. It not only save your money but also save your valuable time.

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Eleven Money Saving Auto Insurance Tips for Senior Drivers

Like all drivers, senior citizens (or as I like to call them ’seasoned citizens’) want to get the best rates on their auto insurance policies. What they may not be aware of is that older drivers may present a higher risk than other drivers, usually leading to higher auto insurance rates.

Following a few simple tips and taking these measures will ensure that you are getting the lowest rates possible on your auto insurance policy.

1. Avoid more Accidents, Pay Close Attention at Intersections. Auto accidents involving seniors often occur at intersections. Make sure to look ahead if you plan to quickly change lanes after an intersection. Pay attention to protected left turn lanes with their own arrows, and always keep your tires pointed straight ahead when stopped, so that a rear-end accident doesn’t push you into oncoming traffic.

2. Follow the flow of traffic, Drive at the at or near the speed limit. Driving too slowly can be just as dangerous as speeding, especially when entering or exiting interstates or freeways. It can also trigger dangerous “road rage” in less patient drivers. You don?t have to be Mario Andretti, but keeping to the right and following the flow of traffic is the safest bet.

3. Many violations include failure to yield right-of-way, improper turning or incorrect lane changes, so keep current on the traffic laws relating to new traffic designs.

4. Sit high enough in your seat so that you can see at least 10 feet in front of your car, advises the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If your car seat does not adjust to allow this, add a cushion. This will make it easier to see pedestrians and bike riders, and reduce problems from oncoming headlight glare at night.

5. Do not wear sunglasses or tinted glasses when driving at night. For many older drivers, night vision is reduced, so safety dictates not driving at twilight or after dark.

6. Make sure you learn how to operate a New Car. Things like Anti-lock brakes, for example operate differently in slippery situations. If you have never driven a car with anti-lock brakes, sure to get training on proper use.

7. Senior drivers can refresh their skills and knowledge — and get a discount on auto insurance in many states — by taking a refresher driving course, such as the eight-hour “55 Alive” course offered by AARP. More than two-thirds of states mandate auto insurance policy discounts for such courses, and many insurance companies offer the discounts voluntarily.

8. Look for cars with rear-view mirrors that automatically dim and filter out headlight glare.

9. Air bag technology has become more advanced, with sensors that deploy air bags based on the weight of the occupant, reducing air-bag-related injuries. Some new cars also have side air bags in the seats or door frame that offer better protection.

10. Consider fit and comfort in your new car. Seat belts that comfortably fit over your shoulder and low on your lap will keep you safer. Automatic transmission, power steering and power brakes require less physical effort.

11. Last but definitely not least, Check to see which companies offer specific ?Senior Discounts? While shopping around for the best auto insurance rates is important, which insurance company you choose might depend on how they treat senior drivers. You’ll get their best rates if you’re healthy and drive a safe, modern vehicle.

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Factors That Affect Your Car Insurance Premium

Many factors affect the premium you will pay for auto insurance. Each is a statistically based risk for a specific population. The higher the risk associated with a person, the more he or she is likely to pay for coverage. We have elaborated on some of the risk factors below, but there are numerous others, including driver’s gender, miles driven per year, purpose for using the vehicle (commuting to work, using for work, leisure only), etc.

Factors you CANNOT easily change that affect your car insurance rates:

Age

Statistically, drivers under the age of 25 are at greater risk of being in an accident than those over age 25. Drivers between the ages of 50 and 65 generally have the safest records.

Gender

Women are statistically safer drivers. They don’t usually speed and therefore the accidents they may cause isn’t as serious in most cases.

Marital Status

A married person will pay less than a single person with an identical driving record. Factors you CAN change that affect your car insurance rates

Geography

Where you live makes a difference. Folks living in areas with little or no traffic are likely to spend less on insurance than those living in congested cities or suburbs because areas with a lot of traffic tend to see more accidents. Some neighborhoods also have a higher rate of vehicle thefts, which can result in a higher premium.

Driving Violations

Having an accident or moving violations on your record (speeding tickets, DWI, reckless driving, etc.) put you at a higher risk for accidents and will likely mean a higher premium. Some insurance companies will penalize you for your record for as many as five years from when the incident occurred. However, keep in mind, as your record improves, your premium will get lower.

Vehicle Type

El cheapo car will cost less to insure than that status symbol SUV sitting on 24″ rims baby.

Accident Claims

A driving record that is clean and free of accidents will hold fare better for you than lots of tickets and/or accidents.

Credit Rating

Many insurance companies view having a poor, or even no credit history as suggestive of higher risk and thus, charge you a higher premium.

Occupation

Insurers have statistically found a correlation between your occupation and risk. For instance, a newspaper delivery person is most likely a higher risk than the personal banker sitting at their desk all day.

Other factors that help determine premiums:

* Driving distance to work

* Miles driven each year

* Years of driving experience

* Business use of the vehicle

* Whether or not you currently have auto insurance

* Theft protection devices (often results in discounts)

* Multiple cars and drivers (another opportunity for discounts)

What can I do right now to make sure I have the lowest premium?

Shop around and compare quotes from different insurers. They base their premiums on their claims experiences, which naturally differ. One company may see your area as a higher risk than others may. Another may charge more because of your occupation. Shopping at http://www.carinsurance.com makes it easier because you can quickly see multiple companies and their rates for your particular situation.

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