Auto insurance » Insurance Costs

Car Insurance? Don’t Just Accept The Renewal Quote

admin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:30:09 +0000

Many millions of insurance renewal, bills will be sent out over the next two weeks, you should consider if it’s a good idea to just accept the quote. On the other hand, maybe you should shop around to see if you could find a better deal.

Huge numbers of motorists will be in severe shock when they discover how much their premium will have risen since paying their insurance a year ago.

In the UK, new number plates are issued during the month of March; it is also the month with the highest number of car sales. So obviously, as a side effect is also the month, the highest amount of car insurance policies arranged.

So for many millions March will be the happy anniversary of the purchase of their brand spanking new car. Unfortunately, it will also be the anniversary of taking out their new insurance policy.

Renewal time is an excellent opportunity to look over your policy, and consider, could you get the same cover and pay less money?

A good place to start is by going through all the boring terms and conditions. You may find that in your rush to get into your new motor last year. You did not consider exactly what insurance conditions you needed for you and your vehicle.

You may find that their are some conditions that don’t apply to you what you no longer need, removing small pieces of cover can significantly reduce your insurance premium.

The floods last summer had a huge effect on the cost of renewing household insurance because of the massive number of claims. People do not realise that huge numbers of cars were also damaged or destroyed by the floods, which have contributed to an increase in car insurance costs.

The AA has released its latest index of quarterly insurance costs. The survey concludes that there’s been a large increase in the number of personal injury claimants on motor insurance companies. The knock-on effect of this has been a 2.5% increase in the cost of insurance cover. The index covers quotes from more than 80 large and small insurers, and found that the average comprehensive insurance premium is now nearly

How to Get Affordable Car Insurance in California

admin — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 19:58:33 +0000

If you live in California and you are planning a road trip south of the border, you should contact your car insurance company. Most insurance companies in California offer no coverage to their clients when they venture into Mexico. Knowing this before you leave on your trip is crucial if you want to keep your car protected in the event of theft or an accident.

You also need to know how to get affordable car insurance in California for your basic coverage. If you already have an insurance policy that is coming up for renewal this is the perfect time to see what other companies are offering in terms of rates.

When you call potential insurance companies in California or you contact them online there are a few things you must provide to them that will aid them in preparing a quote. One is your driving history. You may think that being less than truthful by failing to divulge that you’ve been in several accidents and have a healthy stack of speeding tickets, will get you a better quote. It may, but when it comes time for the agent to underwrite the policy they will discover you were not forthcoming. This will likely result in much higher rates or they will withdraw their offer to insure you.

The number of miles you drive, on average, is another tidbit of information that insurance companies use to help determine a suitable quote. If you are a member of an employment carpool or you use public transportation to get to and from work, you may qualify for a low mileage discount. This is a great way to reduce your car insurance costs and also save on fuel and maintenance expenses.

Before you agree to any policy ask about the policy length and if the company offers any renewal discounts. If the policy is only for a term of six months you may face a hike in premiums then. If you choose an annual policy that rate jump won’t affect you for an entire year, so it’s something worth considering.

By: Deborah Mills

Can Car Insurance Be Cancelled Because Of A Claim?

admin — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:52:52 +0000

You may have heard that car insurance companies cancel people’s insurance if they have had a claim. Typically that’s not true, however if you do have a claim that the insurance company believes is your fault you may pay a higher premium. Here’s what you can do.

Car insurance companies basically base the rate they charge you on their risk assessment of how likely you are to cause a loss. In other words, if are getting auto insurance quotes and you have a history of speeding tickets, or have filed claims with other insurance companies recently for accidents you caused, you’ll probably pay more than if you had a clean driving and claim record.

With that being said, if you file a claim with your current insurer they’ll analyze the type of claim and who was at-fault to decide if you have now become a greater risk. If they think you have, then you may end up with a higher premium. Depending on the company, and the number and types of claims you file, they may not renew your policy at renewal time.

If your car insurance rate is raised because of a claim you’ll probably want to do some comparison quote shopping. Rates vary from company to company and you may be able to get a lower premium. However, make sure that when you are requesting car insurance quotes to tell the truth about your driving and claim history. Insurance companies will find this information out when they go to underwrite your policy and you could end up having to pay more — or even be cancelled — because you weren’t truthful.

Make sure to get at least three comparison car insurance quotes and provide the same information to each company or agent. If you’re concerned about paying too much because of your claim, there are ways to lower your insurance costs by raising deductibles or asking about discounts.

By: Scott Lunt

Auto Insurance Can Cost Less With These Tips

admin — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 04:24:52 +0000

People today are finding it harder and harder to even save just a few dollars out of their regular incomes. One of the ways people have tried to trim their budgets is by cutting out insurance costs. Insurance can be especially expensive for some people, as costs for home, life, auto and other insurance has grown to reflect the worsening economy. For those looking for any ways they can possibly keep a few more dollars in their pocket while still meeting their insurance needs, there are a few ways you can still save some money.

The best car insurance companies will also offer discounts if you have a shorter commute. In general, insurers will offer lower rates if your daily commute is less than forty miles per day, as driving less than this distance offers a lower chance of being involved in an accident. Many urban areas also set insurance rates based on distances between your home and various freeways, so be aware of the roads around where you live.

The biggest cost savings that you can get for your auto insurance policy is through increasing the deductible you pay. By increasing the deductible, you take on some extra burden for costs in case of an accident in return for a lower cost for coverage if the car is involved in a major collision. Increasing the deductible from the standard one hundred dollars to one thousand dollars can net a savings of thirty percent per year.

Keeping your driving record clear can substantially decrease your monthly auto insurance premium. How well you drive and the number of accidents and tickets you have received all change the price you are forced to fork over every month. Stay away from accidents and speeding by practicing safe, defensive driving practices and reducing your overall accident risk. Some places even offer cash incentives for those who can keep their records clean! This is a good way to get money right back into your pocket.

You can manage to get cheap car insurance by not having to pay for superfluous extras on your policycoverage. Numerous insurance firms provide features like emergency highway assistance, and such items can make your rates considerably higher each month. While lots of drivers think they require those services, they don’t necessarily take advantage of them and you should therefore think twice before signing up for them.

Following the supplied tips to choosing good auto insurance, you can ensure that you hold onto more of your money to use for other things besides funding your insurance. Having insurance doesn’t need to break your wallet. To avoid this, you just have to pay attention to what you’re getting and how much you are paying for it.

By: Alisdair Cosgrove

About Car Insurance Providers – What Do They Do?

admin — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 00:06:15 +0000

Car insurance costs fluctuate very often and this depends on the company that you approach for your insurance. Each company has its own set of insurance rates and only by a comparing them carefully will you be able to get the least expensive car insurance rate. Considering that all the other criteria are the same, it is the insurer who has the most reasonable rate for car insurance that you should approach.

Avoid going over to the first insurance company and filling the required documents immediately. The only way you can get the best deal is by looking around and gathering rates from different companies. This will enable you to strike the best rate and you will not regret your decision.

Insurance rates are found online as well as offline as according to the selling system of the insurance company. Some companies offer insurance via a web of their own specialized professionals while some others employ people who often work for more than one company. These negotiators help you to get the best insurance policy by comparing the rates of the various companies. It is advisable to look into a minimum of three insurance rates before you finalize your insurance policy. It is best if you take your time and look into a few more.

Car insurance purchase is gradually turning into a booming trade in the world of the Internet. The online transaction that is carried out directly with the company is slowly gaining popularity. The Internet has definitely brought a lot of changes to the auto insurance market. With things made so simple and easy, the insurance rates of various companies is just a click away. All you need to do is feed in your data and the required quotes will be located in few seconds. Some cheap car insurance providers can be found too. The companies indulging in online insurance transactions have lesser operating costs than the conventional insurance companies and hence can work with the client directly, thus cutting down the customer’s expense.

It is advisable that you look into certain issues before you venture out to buy an insurance policy for your car. Your company should be well ranked and consistent in terms of financial conditions. Websites like ambest.com and standardandpoors.com will assist you in finding out the financial status of the company that you have approached- this is extremely important as various new insurance companies have come up and not all are good. It is important for you to make the right choice. They might also help you note some cheap car insurance providers and thus you pay less. The other thing that you can possibly do is contact the state insurance commissioner’s office and find out the number of complaints lodged against the company you are approaching. The company’s manner in dealing with its customers will also be revealed in this way.

Gather facts from your near and dear ones about their brushes with the insurance companies. They are often the best critics and will give you sound advice. It is always advisable to refer to family and friends for suggestion regarding any commodity that you choose to purchase. Do pay heed to their suggestion when you make your final choice. Try your best to locate cheap car insurance providers!

By: Robert Mcleary

Where to Get Cheap Car Insurance for Students

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:01:42 +0000

Students typically have little extra money to spend, but unfortunately have to pay top dollar for car insurance, with drivers under age 25 paying the highest car insurance rates of anyone. So where can you get cheap car insurance for students?

Shop Around

Insurance rates can vary widely from company to company, so you need to comparison shop to make sure you’re getting the cheapest car insurance you can.

The best place to comparison shop for car insurance is on an insurance comparison website. On such a website, you complete a form with information about your vehicles, personal information, coverage limits, and deductibles. Then you’ll receive fast quotes from multiple A-rated insurance companies and you can choose the cheapest quote from the best company.

On the best comparison websites, you can also talk with insurance professionals through an online chat service or toll-free telephone service and get all your insurance questions answered (see link below).

Plan to Save

To keep your car insurance as cheap as possible, follow these tips:

* Keep your grades up so you can qualify for a good student discount.

* Enroll in a driver’s education or defensive driving class.

* Drive carefully and safely so you can qualify for a good driver discount after three years with no tickets or accidents.

* Keep your credit rating in good shape. If you have poor credit, your insurance costs may be higher.

* Before you buy a car, check into the cost to insure it. Your premium will be affected by the car’s sticker price, potential repair costs, overall safety record, safety features, and the likelihood of theft.

* Set your comprehensive and collision deductibles as high as you can afford. If your car is more than five years old, consider dropping comprehensive and collision coverage altogether.

* Ask your insurance company if there are any additional discounts you might qualify for so you can get the cheapest car insurance possible.

By: Brian Stevens

Car Insurance – Parents Warned to Stop Lying

admin — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:48:23 +0000

Over half of the parents questioned said that they would consider insuring their child’s car in their name in order to bring down the cost of the insurance.

This act is illegal and is known as ‘fronting’. If parents who did this were to get found out, they would risk fines, making it difficult for their child to get insurance in the future, as well as invalidating their own cover.

A leading price comparison site, who carried out the survey, has said that they have seen insurance premiums hugely increased and as a result they are not surprised that parents are resulting to ‘fronting’ in an attempt to get the price down.

However, they also said that parents should not be tempted to do this because, if exposed, insurers have been known to cancel the car insurance policy and also to charge the correct sum, which should have been being paid, in a lump sum.

This would also result in difficulties when it came to your future car insurance applications, as any cancelled policies now have to be stated. Another problem with ‘fronting’ could be that your insurer either refuses to pay for any claims under the third party section, or settle the claim and then charge the parent as the policyholder.

If the insurer was to deny the claim, this could mean that the child is looked upon as uninsured and therefore fined hundreds of pounds as well as getting six penalty points. This would mean an automatic ban for a new driver, not only this, but they would also have to pay out for higher insurance costs in the future.

The best way to ensure that you get a cheap car insurance price is to compare the policies and find the best cover for your car, instead of attempting ‘fronting’.

By: Gill Critchley

New Look Nano Pimps Up Car Insurance Costs

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:05:47 +0000

It’s the cheapest car in the world, so you’re probably not expecting it to come with alloy wheels, fog lights and racing stripes.

However, according to the launch website for the Tato Nano, you can take your pick from a host of optional extras. Perhaps you fancy your Nano with a silver roof stripe, with coloured cover seats or with radial spike alloy wheels? How about with ink blue paint?

Of course, there is a catch. The launch website doesn’t say how much these bonus features will add to the current

Cheap Car Insurance in Seattle, Washington

admin — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 14:08:01 +0000

One disadvantage of living in Seattle, Washington has to do with car insurance. In this state the average car insurance rates are actually not just determined by an individual driver’s past behavior on the road, but by all drivers’ behavior. Typically insurance companies in Seattle, Washington set rates by tallying up all the insurance costs for the past year and then they divvy them up by the number of drivers on the roads. Naturally someone with a stellar driving record will still pay less than the person who seems to be an endless source of accidents, but the two factors do play into one another to determine rates.

Although there’s nothing anyone can do about the way other’s drive, there are some steps they can take to help improve their chances of getting cheap car insurance in Seattle, Washington. Some of these helpful hints include:

o Driving an older vehicle until you’ve established yourself as a good driver. Many insurance companies penalize young drivers, particularly young men. This fact added to the value of a new vehicle can equal very large insurance costs. For this reason it’s often preferable for young people to drive older vehicles until they’ve proven their ability behind the wheel.

o Not purchasing comprehensive coverage. Many motorists, particularly those not driving very many miles a year, and those driving older cars and trucks don’t need the coverage that a comprehensive policy offers. They should carefully weigh the benefit of the policy versus the cost of the premiums.

o Taking a driving course as you mature. Many older individuals face higher insurance costs because they are perceived as being high risk drivers. When someone in this age range takes a mature driving course they can often experience a drop in their car insurance rates.

Even if you receive a few high quotes when you begin your search for cheap car insurance in Seattle, Washington, don’t be discouraged. Prices can fluctuate from company to company and you are sure to find a rate you can afford that includes all the coverage you need.

By: Deborah Mills