Ways In Getting Cheap Car Insurance For Teen Drivers

Posted by author on January 31, 2009 Comments Off

Reader’s Question:

My daughter is turning 17 two months from now. Aside from buying her first car, I will also be adding her under my car insurance policy. I’m anticipating a very big increase on my car insurance premiums. From what I heard, adding a teen driver will surely increase my auto insurance rates. It’s my first time to add a teen driver so there are still a lot of things that I don’t know. Can you help me find ways on how to get cheap car insurance for teen drivers?

Millie

Birmingham, AL

Help is here so you don’t have to worry Millie.

Adding a teen driver on your car insurance policy will always result in getting higher car insurance rates. We all know that teen drivers are high risk drivers. Thus having them insured is somewhat pricy. But, there are still a lot of factors that affect car insurance rates. And with a little help from you daughter, you’ll surely get cheap car insurance for teen drivers.

You may be able to lower down your auto insurance rates if you will:

* Enroll your daughter in a defensive driving school;
* Demand her to get good grades, a B average or better;
* Have her under your policy, since getting separate auto insurance for her is more expensive;
* Purchase a low cost car for her, since fancy cars are a big no no!
* Teach her the importance of driving less, since driving miles is directly proportional to car insurance rates.

For additional information on how you can get cheap car insurance for teen drivers, you can always ask your car insurance agent or even the Alabama Department of Insurance.

What to Remember About Cheap Car Insurance

Posted by author on January 27, 2009 Comments Off

Reader’s Question:

Hi, I just purchased a car. I am now searching for cheap car insurance, so I can start driving it. Anybody there who can help me with this?

Steven

Beaumont, NY

Often, if you find a cheap car insurance policy, you’ll notice that it only has the state-required minimum coverage. And if you are the type of person who is always on the road, you may want to reconsider more coverage than what this type of policy offers. Accidents can just happen anytime, and being unprepared is not the situation that you don’t want to be in. That’s why most companies advise you to get the coverage that you actually need, so you don’t end up paying for other damages out of your own pocket.

This is what I suggest you should do: search the internet for car insurance companies and get free insurance quotes from their websites. Make sure you give them correct and complete information about you because each detail is used to determine your car insurance policy rate. If you don’t give them the right information, the accuracy of their computation would be far from what you might actually get.

So if “cheap” is what you’re looking for, you should be aware of car insurance discounts. Companies offer different discounts, and it depends on the customer’s profile if he/she would qualify for it. In your case, you should be able to find a company that could surely give you a discount, so that you could lower your policy rate. However, make sure that even with the discount, your coverage remains the same. It is not logical to lower your cost by limiting the coverage or protection that your policy provides.

How Car Insurance Companies Work Out Premiums Through Your Car

Posted by author on January 25, 2009 None comments

Reader’s Question:

Hello there! I’d like to know the cheapest vehicles to insure? I’m planning to buy one.

Manny

Atlanta, GA

We always think that a car’s price is the only factor car insurance companies look at to calculate premiums. Although it is true that the cheapest cars to insure are the inexpensive ones, there other many factors car insurance companies look at to work out your premium rates.

First, Car insurance companies check whether how much a repair is going to cost if ever a car acquires damages due to an accident. So in a nutshell, the cheaper and inexpensive your car is, the cheaper the parts are. And the cheaper the parts are, the cheaper the repair costs are so the lower your car insurance premiums will get.

Another thing car insurance companies look at when insuring cars is its top speed and rate of acceleration. The faster your car, the higher your premiums. So although a sports car may be nice to look at, expect higher car insurance premiums because fast cars have higher accident rates statistically.

The third important factor car insurance checks in your car is its security. You will find out that installing the latest car safety features will make your premiums a bit lower.

Here are the cheapest cars to insure last year:

2008 Jeep Patriot
2008 Pontiac Vibe
2008 Mazda 5
2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser
2008 Scion xB 10
2008 Jeep Compass
2008 Chevrolet Uplander
2008 Pontiac Torrent
2008 Jeep Wrangler
2008 Mazda Tribute

Liability Medical Payments In Car Accident Insurance

Posted by author on January 24, 2009 Comments Off

Reader’s Question:

What does liability medical payment in car insurance mean? I plan to buy car insurance soon here in Florida so I need to know if I need this.

Carol

Clearwater, FL

Liability medical payment (MedPay) is a form of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage which is required in Florida as part of your car insurance. PIP would pay for medical expenses sustained in a car accident but it won’t cover the expenses related to it such as lost wages and funeral costs. Medical payment coverage in car insurance includes the costs suffered in an accident, in case the accident causes death or disability. Also, it gives coverage if you are using other vehicle authorized by the car owner and injuries suffered if you get hit as a pedestrian.

Even though the basic health, life and disability coverage will give similar assistance, getting MedPay for your car insurance is a smart move if you don’t have those types of coverage. When choosing your auto insurance policy, you have to go over the exclusions that are included. Every company sets up their own exclusions in the policies that they offer. As the most car insurance policies include crucial exclusions like in a business vehicle and injury incurred in the act of a crime, your coverage might have other things that may have an influence in your financial situation in the event of an accident.

The Best Car Model and Car Insurance for a Teenager

Posted by author on January 21, 2009 Comments Off

Reader’s Question:

I am planning to get my 16-year-old son his own car. Can you give me a list of the best cars that would fit a teenager? Also, where can I get car insurance for teenagers like him?

John

Portland, ME

The best cars for teenagers are really those which are cheap yet efficient. Teenagers, especially the guys, are known to be risky when they are behind the wheels. They like the feeling of excitement as they take risks while on the road, making them the group that has the highest case of road accidents and moving violations in all of America. Statistics show that even if you remove the population of unregistered teenage drivers, this age group would still be on top of the list of those who register the highest number of both fatal and non-fatal accidents. This is the reason why they are considered by almost all car insurance companies as high risk drivers.

If you think that your son has a big chance of being a risk-taker while on the road, it would be best if you give him a car that is not that expensive and would be easy to repair and maintain. You can buy him a Saturn ION 1 Sedan, GMC SLE AWD, Jeep Liberty Sport, Volvo S40. In general, domestic cars are recommended for young drivers because they can be less expensive when insured. You could also try buying an older car for your son, but make sure that it is still in good shape to avoid further accidents.

Once you have decided on the car that you want to purchase, you may then get your car insurance quotes from the internet. Check out the websites of car insurance companies for free quotes and information.

Filing a Car Insurance Claim after an Accident

Posted by author on January 21, 2009 Comments Off

Reader’s Question:

I had recently been in a small accident. No one was injured, but my car has a few scratches. How soon should I file a car insurance claim?

Jet

Indianapolis, IN

When it comes to filing a claim from your car insurance provider, it is always best to do it as soon as possible. The statute of limitations for filing a claim is different for each state. You can contact the Indiana Department of Insurance that is located right there in your city to find out exactly what is the acceptable period of time to file a car insurance claim.

Indiana financial responsibility laws mandate that each of its residents driving in its public roads have the minimum liability coverage. It is probably safe to assume that you at least have this coverage in your car insurance policy. It is fortunate therefore that no one was injured in your small accident. So, you really don’t have to worry about anything in terms of medical expenses.

You did mention however that you car sustained a few scratches. But you didn’t mention who was declared at fault. Knowing who was at fault is essential as Indiana uses the tort system. Several things can happen then depending on who caused the accident and whether you have collision and comprehensive coverage. Collision and comprehensive coverage is not required in your state, but it is the type of insurance that pays for damages to your own vehicle. Liability coverage only covers the damage to the other motorist’s car. If you happen to be the one responsible for the accident, and you don’t have collision and comprehensive coverage, then filing a claim becomes moot and academic. If the other party was declared responsible, then his or her liability coverage should be the one to pay for the repairs to your vehicle. If you have collision and comprehensive coverage, anyway, you can forego pursuing the other driver to save time and expense for litigation and just rely on this coverage. However, the simplest way to approach the situation is to honestly assess the damage to your car. If getting a ‘few scratches’ fixed is not going to cost you that much, maybe filing a car insurance claim would be superfluous. Remember that the claims you make are noted down by your car insurance provider. This goes into your claims history and could possibly affect your premiums when the time comes to renew your policy.

Car Insurance and Out-of-State Violations

Posted by author on January 17, 2009 Comments Off

Reader’s Question:

I received a speeding ticket in Illinois and have a Florida license. I am worried this may affect my car insurance premium rates. Can I take traffic school to write off the points of the ticket?

Chuck

Tallahassee, FL

Just so you know, Florida is part of the Drivers License Compact (DLC). Participating member states of the DLC are required to report moving violation convictions to the driver’s licensing state. As such, you can bet your bottom dollar that the speeding violation you incurred in Illinois had already been reported to your licensing state of Florida. An out-of-state traffic ticket’s information is received by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Services (HSMV) and is marked on your Florida record, with the corresponding points like it was a Florida traffic violation.

However, your car insurance company will not be notified directly by the HSMV or the traffic court concerned of your traffic offense. But don’t celebrate just yet. As mentioned above, your out-of-state violation will be marked and given the points as a Florida offense. Therefore, they will be able to pull up your Florida driving record with the violation when your insurer gathers your motor vehicle record (MVR). You will have to consult with your car insurance company how your out-of-state speeding ticket can affect your rates since insurance providers have different rating systems.

The Florida HSMV also states that any traffic school or program cannot write off points for an out-of-state ticket under Florida traffic laws.

 

Lowering Business Car Insurance Premiums

Posted by author on January 17, 2009 Comments Off

Reader’s Question:

I want the best possible way to lower commercial/business car insurance premiums. Can you give me some tips or advice on how I could cut cost on premiums?

Randall

Carson City, NV

Here are some tips in getting lower business car insurance premiums:

  • Employ An Experienced Driver. If you are trying to put up a business, a business that concerns driving to be specific, you must have experienced drivers in tow. Once an insurance company assesses your risk index, having experienced drivers will contribute to lowering your premiums. Pick experienced drivers rather than young inexperienced ones. However, if having a young driver cannot be avoided, enroll them in driving schools. At least; this, too, can help you score lower on risk assessment, and thus help you get lower car insurance premiums.
  • Avoid Unnecessary Claims. How often you make claims will have a direct effect on your business car insurance premiums. The more you made claims from previous insurance company, the more likely your current insurance company will increase your premiums.
  • Increasing Your Excess. Although this option may not always work the same way for each company, increasing your excess may still help you save a bit of money.

There are many other different ways to lower your business car insurance premiums. You should also ask your car insurance provider regarding eligibility for discounts, and make sure you meet the criteria they set for such discounts.

 

Cheap Car Insurance Coverage In Illinois

Posted by author on January 16, 2009 Comments Off

Reader’s Question:

I was advised that I can just get auto liability insurance because it has the cheapest premiums. I find it not quite enough coverage for my needs, so how can I still get cheap car insurance here in Illinois without lowering my coverage?

Andy

Chicago, IL

Car insurance could be so complicated and searching for cheap car insurance could be extremely hard. In case you are not familiar with how the insurance industry works, you may not know the different kinds of coverage for car insurance that you could have. There are several types of coverage for car insurance that you should be aware of and make a decision on the coverage limits of your car insurance. You could either get higher or lower deductible and get the type of coverage you want. The more coverage you have on your car insurance, the more you pay for your car insurance.

However, if you want to have more coverage and still get cheap car insurance, look for all the discounts available for you. Some of the discounts that you may be qualified to have include discounts for having safety devices such as car alarm, airbags and anti-theft device. You may also qualify for a discount for being a good driver who hasn’t been involved in any accident for a certain period of time. Lastly, to get the best quality car insurance in Illinois and not pay too much, be sure to visit comparison quotes websites and get several quotes. Compare the quotes that you could get from different insurers and pick the car insurance that has the coverage you want and has the lowest rates.

Minnesota Car Insurance Information

Posted by author on January 15, 2009 Comments Off

Reader’s Question:

I’m about to buy my first car here in Minnesota. What do I need to know about car insurance in this state.

Jay

Rochester, MN

Minnesota abides by the No-fault Act. What this essentially means is that in the unhappy event of an accident, all insured motorists involved will have their medical expenses shouldered by their own insurance policies regardless of who caused the accident. This law makes it easier and more timely for motorists to receive benefits after an accident as opposed to going through the various procedures of litigation trying to determine who was at fault. Because of this law, Minnesota therefore makes it mandatory for all its resident motorists to obtain Personal Injury Protection coverage. This type of insurance is also known as ‘no-fault’ insurance.

After you buy your first car, you are going to have to register it. To register it you are going to have to purchase car insurance. The Department of Motor Vehicles is going to ask for the name of your insurance company as well as your policy number. This is how they know if you’re adequately insured. Before purchasing car insurance you probably want to gather some cheap car insurance quotes so you can make a better buying decision. Cheap car insurance quotes are readily obtainable from a car insurance agent who represents multiple car insurance carriers. However a faster way to get cheap car insurance quotes is to search through the Internet. Try to visit as many legitimate and secure car insurance websites as possible. This way you’ll see all your options quicker.

Once all that is done, make sure you have either of copy of your policy or an insurance identification card with you or in your car at all times. Minnesota requires that all motorists always carry proof of insurance.