Top Three Ways to Save On Your Auto Insurance

What you do not know, could be costing you. There are many ways to save on car insurance, but it is usually up to the buyer to find these savings. Why is this? Insurance agents work on commission unless they are a new agent in a company. There are good agents and there are some that are not so deserving. This is why it is important to shop around for quotes.

If you know what discounts apply to you but an auto quote is still exaggerated, move on. Knowing your discounts can help you to quickly weed out agents who are excessively overpricing their rates. When you receive a quote that meets with your approval, it is still good to keep a watch on your policy and renewal costs. There are some legitimate reasons for slight, occasional price increases; however, renewal gouging is not one of them.

Types of Individual Related Discounts include:

*Federal and Military

*Good payer

*Group Affiliation

*Loyal Customer/Long term renewal

*Low Mileage -Miles driven to work or school (10 miles or under is the best discount.)

*Part time driver -10%, 20%, etc. when there are multiple drivers and only one or two cars. (Note: You have to be very specific on asking for this discount because it is not a "common" listing for young or middle aged drivers. Adversely, for the elderly, 25% is actually required for a driving discount by some companies, which in essence affords a certain safety sensitivity.)

*Safe Driver -1.) Accident Free at 3 and 5 years -2.) Defensive Driving Class

*Senior Driver -1.) PIP -2.) 55 and Retired

*Student Driver -1.) Grade Average B or higher -2.) Under 21 Student Resident on a campus 100 or more miles away.

Types of Car Discounts include:

*Economy car

*Farm or Ranch Vehicle (used exclusively for work on property)

*First titled new car

*Utility Vehicle (for a specific type of pick-up truck)

Types of Car Safety Feature Discounts:

*ABS (Full anti-lock braking system)

*Airbags -1.) Driver air bag -2.) Driver plus passenger air bags

*Anti-theft devices

*Automatic Daytime Running Lights

*Passive restraints or automatic restraint systems, aka seat belts. (Even if your seat belts are automatic, ask for this discount. It is not yet commonly advertised as a discount, though wearing seat belts is required by law in most of the United States.)

Types of Multiple Policy Discounts:

*Boat and car

*Car and Home

*Car and Life Insurance

*Motorcycle and car

*More than one car

*Renter's Insurance and car

*RV and home

Any two of the above policy items combined, within a single company, are considered multiple policies.

Once you find a reasonable agent and have observed your policies and renewals, if all is well, do your best to stay with that agent. Dedication, in this case, works both ways and should prove to be mutually beneficial towards saving on your car insurance.

Top Four Things To Check Four To Make Sure Your Auto Insurance Coverage is Adequate

he legal minimum insurance coverage requirements in the United States are determined on a State by State basis, however you may want additional car insurance coverage if your automobile crashes into a neighbors garage after being hit by lightening. The reason you may want and/or need additional auto insurance coverage is because there are multiple types of damage that could occur in this type of accident, and the costs associated with such are potentially lofty.

In the above accident 1) a person or persons may have been in the garage and injured, 2) the garage itself may be damaged, 3) any vehicles housed in the garage may also be damaged, 4) equipment and/or goods may also be a liability expense for the driver and 5) your own vehicle might be broken by the lightening and/or collision. If the driver is determined to be liable for one or more of these events within the auto accident, the following types of insurance coverage may apply:

* Vehicle value(s)
* Bodily injury self, passengers, other motorists
* Non-vehicle property liability
* Natural hazard liability

I: Minimum State auto insurance requirements

Your State's Department of Insurance is a valuable consumer resource for assessing legal auto insurance requirements and personal auto insurance decisions. Legal requirements are the minimum amount of insurance car drivers are required to have. In some States only limited liability auto insurance is required whereas in other States liability and personal injury auto insurance are required.

This U.S. auto insurance requirements map illustrates what insurance must be purchased for vehicles registered in the corresponding States. In addition to minimum auto insurance requirements, personal factors such as vehicle value, regional auto values, fault Vs no fault States, and anticipated medical costs, and budget can be included in determining whether or not your car insurance provides adequate coverage.

II: Probability, Personal Preference and Insurance coverage capability

Assessing the probability of such an event and balancing that with your personal auto insurance preferences and coverage capability is part of the function of assessing your car insurance coverage needs. For example, in your neighborhood, town or region vehicle values may average a dollar value different than in other areas. In such case, acquiring insurance for exorbitant liability amounts may be impractical or unnecessary. Statistical information pertaining to auto claims can be found to aid you with your car insurance coverage decision, the Insurance Information Institute being one such source of information.

III: Vehicle value(s) and Bodily Injury

Your vehicle may be a brand new luxury model or a used model that has attained a value lower than the insurance deductible for the cost of damage. Depending on the type of vehicle you drive, you may or may not want to have personal vehicle insurance coverage in excess of minimum liability requirements. Bodily injury involves your and other people's lives and not their property and is more valuable in the eyes of auto insurers. The out of pocket expenses for bodily injury can be massive, making bodily injury coverage a valid consideration.

To further illustrate bodily injury likelihood, according to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 16 thousand auto fatalities are estimated to have occurred in the first of half of 2009 alone. This does not include the million of accident involving some form of bodily injury that occur each year. Keeping this in mind, the probability of bodily injury is relatively high and thus may be a conscionable factor in your insurance coverage decision.

IV: Real estate, public property and other liability

In some cases your vehicle may be damaged or destroyed from reasons other than collision such as natural hazard or vandalism. Your automobile may also be stolen or damage public or private property. In such cases a type of insurance coverage called comprehensive coverage may be purchased. This type of auto insurance coverage costs extra, but you may want to consider it more of a necessity if one or more of the following:

* Your vehicle model is among top 10 most stolen vehicles
* Vandalism and crime is high in your neighborhood and/or city
* Lightening strikes, earthquakes and tornados are common in your locale
* Road conditions near and around your residence are potentially destructive

Additionally, since not every auto owner and driver has the same kind of insurance, you may still be required to pay for damages inflicted on a person, persons or vehicle(s) not fully covered by insurance even if you are not at fault in an auto accident. This type of liability is covered by uninsured motorist vehicle and bodily injury insurance coverage. In some States uninsured motorist insurance is a requirement up to a certain dollar amount, however in other States this type of insurance is optional.

Summary:

Researching your States insurance requirements, and assessing your own insurance needs through weighing probability with cost and preference and then consulting with an insurance agent can all help you assess if your car insurance provides adequate coverage. In the car insurance assessment some of the more important factors to consider are bodily injury, State laws, vehicle age and value and coverage amounts. The more coverage and the lower the deductible for the coverage, the greater the insurance premium can be. As will all insurance, assessing adequate coverage is somewhat a personal decision beyond legal requirements, but this personal decision may be more informed after understanding the auto insurance variables discusses in this article.

Secrets for Getting Great Auto Insurance Rates

Prices are sky rocketing and it is no different for auto insurance rates. Auto insurance rates can be reduced though. You just have to know what to look for an how to go about obtaining the many discounts available through auto insurance companies.

Here are some ways for you to get great auto insurance rates:

Driving Safely
The biggest way to get great auto insurance rates is to be a safe driver. Stay alert when you are driving. Drive the speed limit so that you don't get pulled over. Don't drink and drive either. If you get points on your license, your auto insurance rates will sky rocket. Avoid getting into accidents that are your fault. This is one thing that will insure that your insurance rates won't go through the roof.

Good Credit
Your credit counts when you get auto insurance. If you have good credit, your insurance rates will be reasonable. If you don't, your insurance rates will be extremely high. You can't take that chance. There is no point in wasting your money to get the same coverage as everyone else at a much higher rate. Be good to your credit rating and your auto insurance rates will be good to you.

Discounts
Take advantage of all discounts offered by insurance companies. You can get discounts for the type of car you drive, how many cars are on your insurance and even the type of safety gadgets you have on the vehicle. It pays to find out what your insurance companies offer discounts for and take advantage of them. You can get great auto insurance rates simply by paying attention to these things.

Driving Distance
The further you have to drive each day, the more your insurance rates will be. If you commute in your car to and from work at a long distance, you could be paying much more than you have to. If you can make a change in the distance between work and home, your insurance rates could drop drastically. The longer you have the drive, the more chance there is to get involved in a car accident. That is the reasoning that the insurance companies use to determine your rates. If you want great auto insurance rates, try cutting back on the distance you have to drive in order to get to and from work.

Getting great auto insurance rates is easier than you think. Know what the discounts are, drive safely and don't have to drive too far. These things will drastically reduce you insurance rates. Keep your credit rating in good standing because this will make the biggest difference in your auto insurance rates. There is no point in paying much more for auto insurance when you don't have to. It's like throwing money in the trash when you do.

Top Three Things to Avoid if you Want Lower Auto Insurance Premiums

Whether you're buying your first car, or getting behind the wheel of your fifth vehicle, car insurance is something that you are going to have to consider. Driving without it is like swimming in shark infested waters without a cage. When you buy a car you have the option of buying insurance from the same place you purchased the car, or shopping around for a better deal elsewhere. The option is yours, and while they car shop may offer you a discount, that doesn't mean there won't be a cheaper option somewhere else. When you do take out car insurance, there are going to be a few things that may increase your premium.

1 - Your driving history is important. If you have made claims in the past for accidents where you were at fault, than your insurer will be forced the set a higher premium for you, because you are a higher risk client. Insurance companies want to insure you, but they don't want to be paying out on claims regularly. The same goes if you don't have a driving history. Taking out car insurance for the first time will cost you more than if you had been driving for a few years and held a good driving record.

2 - Age sometimes works for you and sometimes works against you. It's true that young males between the ages of 18 and 25 will pay a higher premium for their car insurance. They are definitely a high risk client. The less driving experience you have, and the younger you are, you're going to pay a higher car insurance premium. Your age and inexperience works against you here.

3 - The type of car you purchase will also have a huge influence on how the insurance company calculates your premium. The flashier your car, the higher your car insurance premium is going to be. A brand new BMW is going to fetch much more for insurance than a trusty second hand Toyota. When shopping for a car, it's best to consider how much you can afford to pay for insurance premiums. The price, make, model and year are going to have an influence on your total car insurance premium.

These are just three major factors that affect how much you're charged for your car insurance premium. Other than those mentioned above, your gender, education, car security, location and how much you plan to drive are also going to influence your premium. If you want a lower premium, make smarter choices when it comes to driving, get a clean driving record and buy a sensible car that isn't going to cost you a fortune in insurance.

Is the Auto Insurance You Buy Really Worth Its Costs?

Like health or homeowner's insurance, auto insurance protects against financial expenses incurred as a result of damage to self or property. This may not happen every day, but there's always the chance it will. In this sense, auto insurance is worth the money and the peace of mind it provides.

At the same time, 'car insurance' of one type or another, and/or proof of financial responsibility is mandated in all 50 U.S. states where it is not considered an option. Therefore, drivers must be proactive in reviewing their auto insurance policy regularly to adjust limits and to see if they're getting the best deal for the money.

What the world Would Look Like Without Auto Insurance

While drivers don't really think about it when paying their monthly car insurance payment, the World would be disastrous without auto insurance. For example, a driver distracted by talking on a mobile phone while driving strikes another car that results in damage and personal injury. Even though both drivers know who is at fault, the point is moot because both drivers are now responsible for paying for their own car damage and injuries.

The victim in the accident could conceivably take the other driver to court to recoup damages, but the trial would take months, perhaps even years, due to the high volume of other accident cases clogging the court system. Thus in all likelihood both drivers would be equally responsible for the accident. Not exactly fair since the person talking on the mobile phone was clearly at fault.

In a world without auto insurance, drivers would quickly become buried in debt and legal problems that they may never be able to recover from. Thus, car insurance may not be fun to pay every month, but it provides a legal and financial safeguard in the event of an auto damage or bodily injury.

The Benefits of Auto Insurance

The main benefit of car insurance for drivers is protection against financial liability in the event of car damage or bodily injury. The driver only pays the deductible, and the auto insurance pays the rest. However, many drivers fail to consider the numerous additional perks car insurance has to offer:

* Rental reimbursement in the event the car is incapacitated due to accident damage
* Financial protection in the event of theft, vandalism, hail, fallen trees, animal strikes, and windshield cracking
* Covers cost of labor when keys are locked in car
* Provides roadside assistance in the case of a flat tire, dead battery, or out of gas scenario
* Provides coverage for damage to personal property inside the vehicle (e.g., clothing or luggage)
* Driver's auto insurance coverage extends to guest drivers
* Towing and labor coverage in the case of an auto accident or car breakdown

On average, auto insurance costs drivers $1000+ annually. However, its financial protections and additional perks such as roadside assistance, rental reimbursement, towing and labor, and coverage for cracked windshields definitely make car insurance worth the money.

Top Reason Why Getting An Auto Insurance is a Necessity

Yes, you need car insurance. I do not need to tell you that you are breaking the law without it.
If you are asking this question chances are you feel you cannot afford insurance. I am here to tell you YOU CANNOT AFFORD NOT TO HAVE INSURANCE.

I was recently in an auto accident where a person driving an SUV with over-sized wheel/tires slammed into our van while I was stopped for four children crossing the street at a crosswalk in front of my daughter's school.

I did not have insurance. As a result, though I suffered injuries, I have no claim to pain and suffering, which would have been a good amount of money. Plus, I got a letter in the mail the other day telling me I have until March 10 to show up to court with $350 bail for not being insured.

This accident has cost me a lot of money all because I had no insurance. Even though I did not caused the accident, I was the scapegoat for not having insurance.

So, buy insurance. There is no excuse not to, not even poverty.

There are many places on line to buy insurance. It was much easier than I thought, and I feel extremely stupid for believing in whatever excuse I had not to buy insurance.

I have insurance now and will for the rest of my driving years.

Just bite the bullet, you will be better off in the long run.

*update: I went to court... I get to pay a small service fee and serve 45hrs in community service or opt to pay $380...

Top Reasons For Buying Auto Insurance from an Independent Agent

Insurance is part of your financial security. Think about what kind of setback you would have if your car is wrecked in an accident, you don't have the proper coverage, and you need to replace the car. Do you have enough funds set aside in an emergency fund? This is what is referred to as self-insuring. Only when you have the cash to replace the car would an honest, trust-worthy insurance professional recommend that you not carry insurance.

Not having the proper coverage on your car is one of the most common mistakes people make when they try to purchase coverage online, or over the phone. Many customer service representatives that you speak with are not educated regarding the insurance laws in your particular state.

Independent insurance agents represent the insurance companies that they do business with, but they do not work for those companies. Direct writers of insurance are employees of the company, and collect their paychecks from the insurance company. Examples of these direct writers would be State Farm, Allstate, or Geico.

When you purchase insurance from an independent agent, that agent has the ability to review your policy periodically, and shop it if there is a premium increase or a coverage change. This practice saves you time and money. There are a few questions that you should ask any agent when you are reviewing your policy, and perhaps looking for a new insurance company to protect you.

Here is a brief list:

* Liability coverage

My policy has $300,000 limit of liability, and in today's world, that much money wouldn't go very far if I was being sued. What is the difference in premium if we look at increasing that limit to $500,000 or even $1,000,000? (You will find typically it is not that much to increase.)

* Physical Damage

What does comprehensive cover? What does collision cover? Is there much of a difference in premium to assume more risk and increase my deductibles? (Be sure to put your deductible amount in your emergency fund!)

* Miscellaneous

Is there emergency roadside assistance on my policy? Is there any coverage for glass breakage? What happens if I go on vacation and have to rent a car; does this policy cover that car, too? (This last point is very important as every insurance company handles this differently.)

Armed with a little new information on purchasing car insurance will hopefully give you peace of mind when making decisions that affect your financial security.

Tips for Getting Auto Insurance in Florida

Insuring your vehicle in Florida is fairly similar to insuring in other American states. But of special concern is obtaining auto insurance when you live in Florida on a part-time basis. These tips will help you understand the importance of properly insuring your vehicle in Florida, protecting you from any unpleasant surprises. After a quick briefing on the Florida insurance policy the focus will shift to the insurance needs of those new to living in Florida, or those temporarily living in Florida.

Auto insurance policy

Your auto insurance policy in the state of Florida has six components. Each one provides specific coverage to protect you in the event of an unforeseen loss.

1. Bodily injury liability

This section provides coverage for you should your actions cause injuries to someone else. You may end up harming another driver, your fellow passengers, or pedestrians. This coverage helps to defray the medical costs associated with the accident. Even more significant are the rising court case costs; you want to be able to protect your home and other assets should you be sued. Bodily injury liability insurance will protect you from possible financial ruin.

2. Personal Injury Protection

This section deals with the medical costs arising out of injury to you the driver. It also includes provisions for paying any lost wages during your recovery time. In the case of your death, funeral costs may be covered but beware that the normal payouts for such costs are quite low.

3. Property Damage Liability

You may cause damage to someone else's property while driving your vehicle. This coverage extends to cover the costs of damage to another vehicle, a public structure such as a lamp post or utility pole, and structures such as buildings.

4. Collision

Collision coverage includes damages caused by hitting another car, object or rollover, or potholes. In Florida, if you are found at fault in an accident, your policy will pay the costs to repair your vehicle less the deductible. If you are found not at fault, your insurance company will try to recoup their payouts from the other driver's company.

5. Comprehensive

Comprehensive coverage kicks in when you are a victim of theft or damages caused by perils including fire, vandalism, hail, windstorm and flood among others. The most common compressive claims filed are for cracked or broken windshields.

6. Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

If you are involved in a collision with a driver who does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance this section will ensure you receive any payouts due.

Insuring your vehicle in Florida

If you are one of the many people escaping the cold by spending part or all of your winter in Florida, you will need to have your vehicle insured in Florida as well as your home state. This requirement helps protect drives as the population increases during the winter months and keeps everyone on the roads safe.

Even if you live outside of Florida, you must obtain and maintain auto insurance in Florida. Otherwise you will be forced to turn in your vehicle tag and registration. When you register your vehicle in Florida, you must submit proof of Florida insurance and original vehicle title to the local county tax collector's office.

Florida insurance requires that you arrange your policy with a company that is capable of providing information by electronic means to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. This way, authorities can easily determine that you are properly registered and insured in Florida. You also need to have a valid driver's license to obtain insurance in Florida, or at least take all necessary steps to get your license within 30 days of applying for insurance.

If you are not properly insured

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has the right to suspend your license, vehicle tag and registration if you are caught driving without proof of Florida insurance. The suspension period is for three years or until you obtain your proof of Florida insurance.

Minimum insurance requirements in Florida

Your insurance policy will have to meet the following minimum limits under these coverage sections if you have a valid Florida license plate:

*$10,000 Personal Injury Protection

*$10,000 Property Damage Liability

*If you have a record of driving convictions or a previous accident, you will need to carry Bodily Injury Liability.

Arranging for auto insurance in Florida is important for all drivers, especially those spending a few weeks or few months in the state. Properly insuring and registering your vehicle will make your stay in Florida memorable for all the right reasons; not for unfortunate losses.