Auto insurance » Motorists

Cheap Car Insurance in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

admin — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 18:43:40 +0000

Wisconsin is one of the few states that don’t have a minimum requirement when it comes to car insurance. Motorists who live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin do carry a burden though and that’s to prove that they can cover the damages in the event of an accident. Without their own means of doing that, most motorists take the economical route and purchase car insurance.

One mistake that too many people make is insuring their car for more than its worth. Many people drive older cars because they simply don’t want to make the investment in a new automobile just yet. For them, they likely have had the vehicle for more than a few years and at one point needed collision coverage on it. As the vehicle ages, the value of it decreases. There comes a point where the cost of the continued collision premium just isn’t justified anymore considering how little the car is worth. Removing the collision coverage will always result in cheaper car insurance.

Where you store your car can also have a direct affect on how high or low your car insurance rates are. Many people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin live in single family dwellings with garages. If the car is typically parked in the garage and this is noted by the insurance company, it can result in a discount. There’s much less chance of the vehicle being vandalized if it’s always in a safe and covered environment.

The type and amount of coverage you had in the past can also play a part in your current car insurance rates. Buying adequate coverage every time you sign up with a new insurer and then doing your best not to file a claim will help lower your rates. Your reputation really does hold a lot of weight when it comes to how much you’ll pay in car insurance, so ensure that you always do your best to stay claim-free.

By: Deborah Mills

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

California Car Insurance Minimums

admin — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 01:05:47 +0000

California has a program designed to decrease the amount of uninsured drivers in their state. The California Low Cost Auto Insurance Program assists needy families with obtaining car insurance with rates lower than normal. The theory behind this program is brilliant. California legislature decided that more motorists would buy insurance if it was affordable. How long did it take them to figure THAT out? Needless to say, now California car insurance is cheaper for people who qualify, but there are some downfalls to this program.

California car insurance through this program is only available for one vehicle per household. It also has inadequate coverage, only meeting the state required minimums, and it must be requested through an agent. There are positive outcomes. Now more people have insurance and since they don’t want to lose their house because of inadequate coverage, they may be driving cautiously so they do not cause a crash. Minor damages from low impact accidents are now being covered.

California has thousands of beautiful people concerned about their looks. Celebrities, actors, and models often insure their looks, legs or other limbs for millions in case they lose those attributes, thus losing their jobs. People have claimed in court that their looks are needed for employment and they have won these lawsuits. A simple scratch on a cheek or forehead can cost the at-fault driver thousands and sometimes a million or more dollars. Unbelievable, but true. California car insurance minimum requirements will not even come close to satisfying claims such as these.

Beautiful people like expensive cars. Replacing the chrome alone on a high priced vehicle will exceed the California car insurance state minimums. A simple fender bender could cost $20,000. If you don’t have any assets or you are a multimillionaire, you may not be worried about higher coverage amounts, but if you have a lot of assets such as stocks, a house, or substantial savings that could be relinquished in a lawsuit you may want to increase your liability amounts.

Living in California is great. You have pristine beaches and gorgeous mountains only miles from each other. The jobs are fun and satisfying and the night life is exciting. The views are breathtaking and the soul can be revitalized in hours from the tranquility of the rural areas. There is something for everyone in California. California has it all. Make sure you don’t get it all taken because you didn’t have enough California car insurance liability coverage.

By: Mary Duares

Auto Insurance FAQs: Your Questions Answered

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:51:50 +0000

When it comes to auto insurance, most consumers have questions about the kind of coverage they buy, what they’re required to have and if there are options for high-risk drivers.

Learning the answers to these and other questions can help you make better purchasing decisions when it comes to car insurance. And now, finding answers is easier than ever!

Frequently Asked Questions about Auto Insurance

Can I drive without car insurance?

No! Almost every state requires its motorists to carry liability insurance, which covers damages to people and property resulting from an accident for which you are at fault.

All states also have financial responsibility laws, which require you show the state that you have the funds to pay claims if you have a bad accident. If you don’t have proof of sufficient funds (which varies by state), you’ll need to purchase at least the minimum state-required coverage.

What are the minimum insurance requirements?

While minimum coverage amounts vary by state, all state-required insurance will cover your liability for bodily injury and property damage.

For example, if the minimum auto insurance requirement in your state is listed as 25/40/15, this means that you’ll have coverage up to $40,000 for all motorists injured in an accident, up to a $25,000 for one person in an accident and $15,000 for damaged property.

While this may seem like a healthy amount of coverage, purchasing the state minimum is really purchasing a bare bones insurance policy. The Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) recommends carrying at least $300,000 liability coverage per accident and $100,000 per person–and your insurer will encourage you do to the same.

What happens if I can’t find car insurance?

If you’ve applied for car insurance and been turned down because of your driving record or other factors, fret not–you still have options available to you. According to the I.I.I., you have two options: join a state assigned risk pool or buy a policy from a non-standard insurer.

An assigned risk pool consists of insurers in your area, who under state law, are required to participate in proportion to the amount of voluntary business they accept. As a result, insurers must accept motorists assigned to them and write policies accordingly. But because insurers have to take a substantial risk on insuring high-risk drivers, premiums are significantly more expensive.

Non-standard insurers may also be able to write you an auto insurance policy. These types of private insurers typically write policies for motorists with a poor history of accidents, people who live in “high-risk” neighborhoods and those who drive high performance cars.

While both of these options may have you forking over some extra cash, they might be your only source of auto insurance until your circumstances improve. Just remember to keep shopping around so you can switch insurers once you find a better premium price.

What are the differences between nonrenewal and cancellation of a policy?

You or your insurer can choose not to renew your auto insurance policy after it expires for a variety of reasons. You might decide not to renew your policy if you find a better deal somewhere else or weren’t happy with the service you were receiving.

An insurer may not renew your policy if you did something to substantially increase their risk to cover you–or if the company decides to write fewer policies in your area.

Cancellation, on the other hand, is more serious. According to the I.I.I., insurers cannot cancel a policy that’s been in force for more than 60 days unless:
You fail to pay your premium You defraud the company Your driver’s license is suspended or revoked
Cancellation of your policy may also make it harder to find insurance in the future, thus forcing you to buy a high-risk policy for a more expensive premium.

What if I’m not satisfied with my insurer?

As a consumer, you have rights when it comes to your auto insurance. If you’re not satisfied with your agent, let him or her know. If your complaint still goes unchecked, see if the insurer has a consumer complaint department and file a complaint.

If your issues remain unsolved, contact your state department of insurance. The department of insurance exists for consumer education and protection, and they can provide you with help and resources to take your complaint to the next level, or find a new insurer. You can contact your department of insurance by phone or find them online for more information.

A knowledgeable consumer is a powerful consumer!

Finding questions to your auto insurance answers is the first step to becoming an educated consumer–allowing you to make wise purchasing decisions about affordable car insurance. Find more answers to your auto insurance questions by contacting your state department of insurance!

By: Megan Mahan

Why Do We Need Car Insurance?

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 09:13:14 +0000

Having car insurance is an absolute must for all motorists on UK roads. But why is this the case? Well, the short answer is that it is a legal requirement to have at least third party cover. Then why is it a legal requirement? That’s where the long answer comes in.

First and foremost, UK road users need to have a basic level of insurance to indemnify third parties. This has been law since 1930, and was updated in the Road Traffic Act 1988. The law provides that you must have some kind of insurance or protection against their liability to third parties (which could mean other road users or pedestrians) in the event that personal injury is inflicted upon them, or that their property is damaged, as a result of your use of the road. In simple terms, other people deserve to be protected against any fallout that may result from your use of a vehicle. Being insured will protect unwitting parties therefore against costs incurred due to injury, damage to their vehicle, and legal costs.

Consider the position where you accidentally drive into another car, but have no insurance. You may not be able to afford to cover damage to the other driver’s car, or medical bills incurred due to injury inflicted. Any resultant legal costs may also be substantial. But surely it’s not fair that the driver who isn’t at fault foots the bill?

One may be given to think ‘Well, I’m a good driver with a perfect track record – I’m not going to cause an accident’. This may very well be the case – however, the only way to guarantee such a clean-sheet is to never get behind the wheel. There are countless ways in which an accident may be caused where you may not consider yourself to be at fault in normal terms, yet would be at fault in legal terms, as the cause of the incident is not an insured party. Examples of this could include collision resulting from skidding on black ice, or swerving to avoid an animal that has strayed into the road.

So it becomes apparent that car insurance is not a matter of preference, but of legal necessity – and in most cases economic necessity too.

Ok, so why might one need a level of cover over and above the minimum legal requirement? Well, a greater number of drivers will have third party, fire & theft (TPFT) than third party only, as this will indemnify the vehicle user in the event that their pride and joy is stolen or burnt to a crisp. The desire to protect oneself against such eventualities is fairly commonsensical. Although there have been advances in anti-theft technology such as immobilizer and alarms, one can never fully alleviate the risk of a car being stolen or damaged in an attempted theft.

Furthermore, upgrading to comprehensive cover will protect you against most eventualities that this capricious world may choose to throw at you. The key difference between this cover and less expansive levels of car insurance is that you will be indemnified for damage to your own vehicle, even if the incident is deemed to be your fault. Although you do not ‘need’ this level of cover in the sense of a legal requirement, it is usually prudent if – for example – you could not afford to replace your car in the event that it was written off.

By: Sarah Maple

How to Get Cheap Car Insurance in San Diego, California

admin — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:32:48 +0000

San Diego, California is a haven for mature individuals who want to retire. This obviously means that there are more and more aging drivers on the streets of this warm and welcoming city. Trying to find cheap car insurance in San Diego, California can be challenging for someone who is over the age of fifty. However, there are things they can do to help ensure they aren’t paying more in premiums than they realistically need to be.

Many car insurance companies in California offer a cheaper rate for older motorists who take a mature driving course and pass it. For anyone considering doing this, it’s essential that they are certain that the course they take is recognized by the insurance company they plan on purchasing a policy from. This course is viewed as a sign of good faith and also an indicator that the driver is still aware and safe behind the wheel.

In addition to taking the driving course motorists can also look for other ways to save on their car insurance costs. One great method that many mature individuals employ is to be added as an occasional driver on someone else’s policy. This really is a good solution for someone living with their adult child. The child can add them on as an infrequent driver to their own vehicle, which still affords the mature person the chance to get out and about. If the older individual still drives a great deal, this approach wouldn’t be suitable.

Common sense really plays an important role in finding cheap car insurance in San Diego, California as well. Using a car alarm, driving within posted limits and paying close attention to the road, all help to reduce the number of thefts and collisions, and this ultimately results in lower insurance premium rates.

By: Deborah Mills

Comparing Auto Insurance Coverage – Liability Or Full Coverage?

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:03:54 +0000

If you are a first-time driver, locating reasonable auto insurance can be one of the major challenges after the initial purchase of your car. There is no shortage of car insurance companies standing ready to offer you competitive rates as well as different kinds of insurance policies. There are two types that are most readily used by motorists: liability and full coverage. These two types of coverage represent the bottom line. Any other particulars of certain policies are built off of these. What are some of the differences? Is one better than the other?

Each state has its own guidelines and specific provisions that govern the use of car insurance. The regulations declare what minimum amount coverage is required by law. If you want to drive legal in most of the states, you will need liability insurance coverage. Liability insurance coverage provides the motorist protection against damage and injuries which were caused by you, including property damage.

This type of coverage is described in terms of numbers. Each of these numbers represents the components of the liability coverage. They are written like so: 20/60/10. The first number is the maximum amount your insurance company will pay to cover bodily injuries sustained by a single person, per accident. The second is the maximum amount that your insurance provider will pay for every injury caused by a single accident. The third number is the total amount that will be paid to cover property damage.

With full coverage you have far more provisions available to you. Yet there is a misconception that if you have “full” coverage, that all circumstances will be covered. This is not true. Full coverage includes two additional areas or components of insurance coverage besides liability called collision and comprehensive. Full coverage has a degree of flexibility about it. You do not necessary need both of these additional components. For example, comprehensive can be added by itself. In order to have to collision coverage you must have comprehensive.

With comprehensive coverage you have protection against other forms of damage such as those that come from natural disasters, fire, vandalism, and theft. For those who add collision coverage, they do so because they want protection in auto collisions.

There are clear differences between liability and full coverage. What type you decide to purchase depends on different factors like whether your car or truck is new, used, or under financing. It may also be a matter of how much coverage you want to buy. The costs will be higher if you opt for fuller coverage rather straight liability. If there are other features or special areas of coverage provided by the individual auto insurance provider, you may decided to pay for some parts but not others.

It is important to understand what type of coverage you need as well have a working knowledge of other types of coverage available and what each one offers you, the motorist.

By: Joseph Kenny

Car Insurance for the Elderly and Over 50’s

admin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:20:37 +0000

Those in the car insurance business have over recent decades needed not only to change with the growth and importance of the internet, but also how the needs of motorists have changed. Take the UK, for instance, I know of one parent insurance company that is split into several parts, all rebranded to deal with, standard insurance, insurance for over 50’s, insurance for drivers with 4 years no claims bonus or more and motorcycle insurance.

There are strong possibilities that they all just work from their same insurance database and systems and possibly use the same call centres and even staff to answer different calls. But my point is not to talk about the different brand names, but to understand why they have needed to split or expand into different brand names to cover the different elements of car insurance.
Take the over 50’s market, in the 21st century there are more retired people in the UK than ever before but more importantly for this information piece more retired divers than ever before. People are living longer, but they are also more likely to be driving around during their retirement, for a lot longer than ever before also.

Unfortunately there is statistical fissures regarding the over 50’s and driving safety. These statistics decrease or increase risk as the person gets older, quite the opposite of the risk in their younger days. It is very possible for your insurance premiums to go up in later years.

Large car insurance companies want a brand that represents these changes in life and show their customers that they are working towards their needs and so brand themselves as experts in over 50’s insurance.

If this is not done properly it may be difficult for the average person to understand why their policy has gone up, but being part of an organisation that delivers insurance just for them, can overcome that lack of confidence.

Customers in the 21sr century are looking for specialists not generalists; they want to know that this car insurance company or website has worked to get them the best policy at the best price which ideally suited to them.

There is a downside though and that is that many car insurance companies specialising in over 50’s policies, have not proven they are cheaper in price than going to a larger but generalist company. This may be because many are brokers and do not provide the insurance direct, where larger organisations may miss that middle man out of the equation. So those who know exactly what they want, may try the specialists first, but then be tempted to try a larger company afterwards, to at least compare prices.

There is also an unfair perception also and that is that some of the elderly may not challenge anyone on pricing and also they may not be using the internet as younger clients may. This could mean that higher premiums are being asked and being paid.

So if you can, make sure you shop around, use the specialists first, then write down the policy details and approach other companies, you may find this is a recipe to save money.

By: Mark Flanighan

Short Term Car Insurance and Holidays

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:23:47 +0000

There are many reasons why you may not be able to go on the holiday of your choice. Money gets in the way all too frequently, along with the logistics of the arrangements. What we mean by this is when you choose a particular type of holiday which involves driving, only to discover that the car is not up to it.

It is too old, unreliable, too small, cannot take the luggage, trailer, caravan or the family. Up until now your choices were limited to hiring another vehicle or borrowing a car and mid-term adjusting your annual insurance policy to cover it, or changing your plans altogether as the cost of hire or the nightmare of insurance mid-term adjustments were too much to cope with.

Is there an alternative to this? We think we may have stumbled on one, a new insurance product for motorists on the internet. It is short term car insurance which you purchase by the day for up to a maximum of 28 days at a time.

There are several companies which offer this type of insurance for cars or vans. You can locate their websites by either their URL or typing in keywords such as short term car insurance, day insurance and temporary car insurance.

They all offer an internet based booking process and payment, with the option to view and print the short term insurance policy on your printer. All policies issued are registered with the MID.

The advantage of this type of insurance is that you can choose the short term period to insure a car/van and it is a separate insurance policy that does not impact on the vehicle owner’s annual policy in the event of a claim.

You also get the benefit of an uninsured loss recovery policy, which is daily breakdown cover for the same period as the car insurance. That is particularly useful for holidays both in the UK and in the EEC.

If your plans require the use of another vehicle which you can borrow off friends or family, then you can insure the vehicle in it’s own right and this includes extended European cover for those driving holidays to France and beyond in the EEC.

It is particularly useful if you need a more reliable car or more space than you have in your own family transport. You can even tow a trailer or caravan if that forms part of your holiday plans. The insurance is generally fully comprehensive, although you would need to shop around to get fully comprehensive for driving abroad.

The insurance offerings vary, from company to company, on their acceptance criteria and the vehicles they will insure, but generally 12 months holding a UK or EEC driving licence with no fault claims within 3 years and less than 6 penalty points endorsements will enable an on line application to be made for cover.

If your trip is scheduled to last longer than 28 days you can take a further period of cover consecutively, thus providing continuous cover beyond 28 days.

What we liked about the products were their flexibility and the speed of obtaining cover. They are more expensive than an annual policy, but a lot cheaper than hiring a car for your holidays.

All in all there is a place for short term car insurance in your holiday driving plans which will allow you to use someone else’s car with the peace of mind knowing you have fully comprehensive cover, and that in the event of a claim it will not affect the annual insurance no claims discount.

By: Shaun Parker

Auto Insurance Rating System Explained

admin — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:16:30 +0000

As drivers and motorists we tend to look at insurance policies as commodities, and rightly so. Hence, we tend not to have loyalty to any particular insurance company as we mainly shop around to find the best possible rate. Most consumers don’t know what factors influence their car insurance rates. This article is intended to bridge that gap. Knowing what factors influence rates is the first step in determining how to lower your insurance rates going forward.

In no particular order, the following are factors in your car insurance rating:

1. Type of vehicle: Most consumers believe that the higher the value of the car, the higher the rate of insurance. On the surface, this sounds logical. Insurance companies have to pay to repair cars when they are involved in a claim, have had a collision, have been stolen, etc. The value of the car does have some bearing on the rates. But the main factor is the safety of the vehicle. Safer cars cost less to insure. Insurers pay for accident benefits when an insured is harmed in an accident. Think about this: It costs a lot more to repair a human being than it does to repair physical damage on a vehicle.

2. Your location: where you live and where your vehicle is parked affects your rates. This is because different regions have different loss frequencies. Possible factors could include congestion, weather conditions, theft frequencies, and access to loss mitigation services. So if you’re shopping for a car insurance quote and can’t believe that your uncle in Iowa is paying half as much for the exact same car, it’s probably because you live in Los Angeles (or Toronto, or Chicago, or New York, Etc.) and the potential for loss is a lot higher in urban areas.

3. The amount and type of convictions on your record: It still amazes me how some people don’t understand why tickets affect your insurance rating. For obvious reasons, people that get tickets for offences such as impaired driving, careless driving, vehicular manslaughter, running red lights, and speeding are obviously not paying attention to the rules of the road and have a greater chance of causing an accident. And, yes, the insurance company pays for that; so, you will have to pay a higher rate to compensate for the higher risk. One of my favorite questions is, “How does a seatbelt ticket affect the insurance company?” People don’t understand why a seatbelt ticket would cause their insurance rates to increase. Remember point #1 where I stated that it costs more to fix a human being than it does to fix a car? If you don’t wear a seatbelt, you have a far greater chance of being hurt if you are involved in an accident.

4. Number of claims on your record: The more claims you have had in the past the higher the probability that you will have claims in the future. Does this need any further explanation? I think not.

5. Your age: Statistics show that younger drivers are involved in more accidents. So, unfortunately, new drivers have bad experiences with insurance companies from the get go. Insurance is odd in that the people with the means and ability to pay often have the lowest rates, whereas the drivers without a high discretionary income end up being charged more.

6. Credit Rating: This is a relatively modern rating factor that is, lately, being utilized by more and more insurance companies and it is becoming the most accurate predictor of future claims. The better a person’s credit rating the lower the potential of future claims. While on the surface this may seem discriminatory, it is not. To explain the reasoning, someone with a low credit rating most likely has a low income and has money problems. So, this person would be more likely to make a fraudulent claim or artificially increase the severity of a legitimate claim to get insurance money. Fraudulent claims cost everybody money, so why pass along the cost to honest people? Insurance companies figure it is better to hit this demographic with higher rates than to increase everybody’s rates, which would include honest drivers.

I hope that you, now, better understand how your car insurance rate is determined. Having this information will help you the next time you call your insurance broker or agent to renew your insurance policy or to request an auto insurance quote.

By: Tino Toskala