How Much Car Insurance Should You Buy?

How much insurance should you buy? Any insurance agent worthy of their salt will tell you that you should buy as much as you can afford. While this is a good rule of thumb, it's about as useful as a stock broker's tip to buy low and sell high. It might be sound logic but it doesn't get you any closer to an educated decision. There are a few filters that need consideration in order to make that educated decision. First, what is the state required minimum coverage where you live? Second, what does the minimum cover? Third, what other coverage is available and can you afford it? And fourthly, what are you protecting?
What do the minimums cover?
Now that you know what your state requires, what are you actually covered for once you purchase the minimum? Using the coverage definitions that follow, find the types of coverage required and see what your state says is the accepted minimum.
Coverage Definitions
Bodily Injury LiabilityCovers other people's bodily injuries or death for which you are responsible. It also provides for a legal defense if another party in the accident files a lawsuit against you. Claims for bodily injury may be for such things as medical bills, loss of income or pain and suffering. In the event of a serious accident, you want enough insurance to cover a judgment against you in a lawsuit, without jeopardizing your personal assets. Bodily injury liability covers injury to people, not your vehicle. Therefore, it's a good idea to have the same level of coverage for all of your cars. Bodily Injury Liability does NOT cover you or other people on your policy. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy.
Comprehensive Physical Damage CoverageCovers your vehicle, and sometimes other vehicles you may be driving for losses resulting from incidents other than collision. For example, comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car if it is stolen; or damaged by flood, fire, or animals. Pays to fix your vehicle less the deductible you choose. To keep your premiums low, select as high a deductible as you feel comfortable paying out of pocket. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy.
Collision CoverageCovers damage to your car when your car hits, or is hit by, another vehicle, or other object. Pays to fix your vehicle less the deductible you choose. To keep your premiums low, select as large a deductible as you feel comfortable paying out of pocket. For older cars, consider dropping this coverage, since coverage is normally limited to the cash value of your car. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy.
Medical PaymentsCovers medical expenses to you and your passengers injured in an accident. There may also be coverage if as a pedestrian a vehicle injures you. Does NOT matter who is at fault. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy.
Uninsured Motorist CoverageCovers bodily injuries to you and your passengers when the other person has no insurance or not enough insurance in a crash that is not your fault. In some states, there is also uninsured motorist coverage for damage to your vehicle. Given the large number of uninsured motorists, this is very important coverage to have, even in states with no-fault insurance. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy
Personal Injury Protection CoverageCovers within the specified limits, the medical, hospital and funeral expenses of the insured, others in his vehicles and pedestrians struck by him. The basic coverage for the insured's own injuries on a first-party basis, without regard to fault. It is only available in certain states.
Property Damage LiabilityCovers you if your car damages someone else's property. Usually it is their car, but it could be a fence, a house or any other property damaged in an accident. It also provides you with legal defense if another party files a lawsuit against you. It is a good idea to purchase enough of this insurance to cover the amount of damage your car might do to another vehicle or object. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy.
Rental Car ReimbursementCovers renting a car if your car isn't drivable or while your car is being repaired because of a covered accident.
What else is available and can you afford it?
Did you come across a coverage and think, "I need that but it isn't required by state law" when you were reviewing the coverage definitions? Chances are you did. Can your budget afford the additional expense of these protections? Or maybe more to the point; can you afford NOT to have these additional protections? At CarInsurance.com it's easy to get multiple quotes all with a click of your mouse. And during the quoting process, it's simple to add or remove coverage to see how additional coverage will affect your budget.
What are you protecting?
What assets need to be protected from being plucked away if you cause injury or damage?A) Your car itself. If this is a significant asset, or at least the bank you owe money to thinks so, then you will need comprehensive and collision.B) Your net worth. Do you have an enormous net worth to protect. If so, either get it out of your name and into a trust or buy all the insurance you can. If you have little or nothing to protect, then you can get by with less and still be financially responsible.
However, after you determine how much protection to get, always ask how much more it is for the next level higher. Very often, you can get significantly more coverage for very little cost.
Car insurance isn't flashy. There is no "wow" factor and the opposite gender isn't going to be impressed by the size of your policy. But not having enough can be the difference between financial stability and financial ruin. For what its worth, CarInsurance.com finds financial stability incredibly appealing.

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How to Find Cheap Car Insurance

With the rising costs of fuel and just about every other good or service we purchase, many of us are looking for cheap car insurance. When it comes to cheap car insurance most of us are clueless as to how to go about getting a low cost car insurance policy. There are many factors that influence your car insurance costs drastically.
For example, did you know that the type of car you drive will influence the cheap car insurance you're looking for? Or did you know that using anti theft devices will help reduce your over all car insurance costs? A good driving record will allow you to get cheap car insurance?
The deductible is the amount you pay first out of any claim for an accident. The car insurance policy's cost is directly related to your deductible. A lot of people, especially those with a good driving record, who have had their insurance policy for a long time, have never considered varying their deductible. If you have a clean driving record and are prepared for the risk of paying a larger amount in the event of a claim you can save money by increasing your deductible.
Many times you can get cheap car insurance by combining policies with you existing insurance company. For example if you have a home owners insurance policy contact them and ask for discounts for switching your car insurance to them. If you don't own a home perhaps you have renters insurance or life insurance, contact these companies about the savings you could get by switching your car insurance over to them. Most insurance companies are very accommodating to these requests.
It also pays to shop online for your cheap car insurance; many of the big companies offer a comparison of their coverage versus other companies. As you are requesting cheap car insurance quote online be sure to be completely truthful in answering the questionnaire. Additionally, you should know when you get your online quote you will need to follow up with actual paper work.
Whatever your motivation, with a little work you too can find the cheap car insurance you're looking for.

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Is Your Auto Insurance Enough?

Mother Nature can really create a wreck from a really powerful looking vehicle. And according to statistics, the vehicle losses have gone straight up. These vehicle losses include those that became the target of hurricanes, tornadoes, hailstorms, firestorms, floods, and other forms of Mother Nature’s wrath. This date is according to the International Organization for Standardization’s (ISO) Property Claim Services (PCS) department. This department is the official authority on insured property losses from catastrophes in the areas of the North Americas including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
According to Ron Berry, who is the senior vice president at the Council of Better Business Bureaus, “Drivers spend a lot of money on auto insurance and it is important for them to be as familiar as possible with what their coverage includes when they’re making their purchase decision. But too often, people shopping only for the lowest rates do not notice their lack of certain types of coverage until they try to make a claim.” With this, it is indeed important that you do ask for information about auto insurance from experts before you do go ahead and make that purchase.
Now, according to experts, you should also be able to know what you purchased if you already have auto insurance for your car. That way, if your car gets damaged, you would be able to know if you would be able to get some claims. You should be informed about the details of your insurance. Also, if your car gets damaged, report it as soon as possible. If your insurance policy entitles you to claims, by reporting the damage as soon as possible, the insurance company can have it towed to a repair center and start work immediately. You see, some insurance policies even cover a replacement car during the time that your car is still in the works.

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Is A Higher Auto Insurance Rate For Men Twenty Five And Below Discrimination?

What makes a man below 25 so attractive? Is it the angst to make it big in life? Is it the youthful charm? Is it the fashion sense? Or… is it that shimmering blue car he got?
To have a car is an advantage. You get to travel with not much hassle compared to having to commute. For young men especially that below 25, owning one is a symbol of masculinity. They often use it as a magnet for the opposite sex.
Beneath these fine points, one disadvantage these young men suffer in having a car is: THEY HAVE TO PAY HIGHER AUTO INSURANCE RATE. As the rationale of this policy tells, younger men are at high risks compared to older ones. That is why they have to pay for higher rates.
Some understand and realize this point but for many, they think it is a form of “discrimination”.
The word discrimination is defined as-treatment or consideration based on class or category rather than individual merit; partiality or prejudice: racial discrimination; discrimination against foreigners.
Most young men who claim that indeed there is discrimination feels that though they are at high risks, why must charges be different? It is like charging one person according to gender, race or age which is a form of discrimination.
There is a difference between legal discrimination and the one which is defined by the dictionary. Legal discrimination often pertains to justified discrimination. Discriminating auto insurance rates through age is not true to all states. In some places like California, they categorize them through driving experience. Charges are higher to those who have been driving for less than 9-10 years than those who have been driving more than 10 years to fifty years. For those who are 80 years old or more or the senior citizens have to pay more because they are also at high risks.
In the United States of America, principles which are not prohibited by laws are considered to be permitted. This makes charging bigger rates of auto insurance to men below 25 neither legally discriminatory nor illegal.
Complaints like auto insurance must be based in the drivers’ records whether he drives well or not and not by age. Complainants think that it is unjust to charge everybody for the mistake of half. The basis of charging higher to men 25 and below is the psychological aspect, at this age they become playful, very adventurous, risk-takers and they drink a lot!
DISCRIMINATION strikes you when you only let somebody do so.

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