Understanding Your Auto Insurance

Reading auto insurance policies can be like trying to decipher advanced calculus. It's really not that difficult if you understand a few basic terms. Collision, Comprehensive, Bodily Injury Liability and Property Injury Liability are the main terms you need to fully understand.
You'll appreciate Collision Coverage in the event you need repairs or replacements if your vehicle collides with another vehicle or property. The higher the deductible you elect, the lower your premiums will cost you. If you're at fault for something, well of course it would still be an accident, as I doubt you'd plan to run into that guard rail, but how much would you be able to afford to pay out of pocket for repairs? $250? $500? $1,000? Just like medical insurance, you'd have to pay that deductible amount first and then the insurance company would pay for the remaining charges for the repair.
Another term to become intimately familiar with is Comprehensive Coverage. This is the coverage that pays for damage caused from falling objects, fire, certain natural disasters, theft and vandalism. Deductibles work the same way as with Collision; the more out of pocket costs to you, the less your insurance premium.
In addition to knowing how much Collision and Comprehensive coverage you have, you'll want to know about your liability coverage. Let's say you rear-end another driver. Or your foot slips off the brake onto the gas pedal and you plow down a mailbox. Your liability coverage will kick in and pay for the damages that you caused with your insured vehicle. You liability coverage will, or could, include bodily injury (people) and property damage.
You don't want to go without Bodily Injury Coverage. If you were at fault in an accident and others involved needed to go to the hospital and/or lost wages from missing work, those costs would come out of your pocket if you are not insured with Bodily Injury Coverage. It doesn't take a genius to know how quickly those amounts can add up. This type of coverage can also help you in the event the other party takes legal action against you. Many states require you to carry Bodily Injury Coverage.
The other part of liability includes Property Damage coverage. Can you imagine how much it might cost should you accidentally drive into the side of someone's home? You wouldn't want to be caught without property damage insurance should you need to pay for repairs to another vehicle, building or anything else you might hit. As with Bodily Injury coverage, Property Damage coverage also helps protect you in the event of a related lawsuit.
Every policy will have its limits and various degrees of coverage. It's important that you understand the basics of what you are paying for and why it is necessary. No one plans for an accident, be prepared!

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Finding the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quote

Research studies indicate that a car is broken into or stolen every 19 seconds in the United States. In such a scenario, you need to ensure that you have found the cheapest auto insurance quote. However, the trick is to amalgamate the duality of robust coverage and affordability. Thus, finding the cheapest auto insurance quote is not merely a hunt for the lowest premium.
Do your Homework right! Start with doing your homework right. Spend time and understand the insurance imperatives as laid down by the state law. Evaluate the minimum coverage requirements in-force.
Compare Apples to Apples! Don’t compare just purely on the basis of rates. The key to finding the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quote is to compare all the pertinent elements that go into providing comprehensive coverage at any given price. In the United States, getting insurance quotes from leading insurers and comparison-shopping is very easy. Be ruthless when you compare across quotes and choose the one with the optimal coverage at the most affordable cost. Also, when comparing across plans, compare apples to apples. This essentially means that you price-evaluate plans with the same coverage, features and benefits.
Online Quote Comparison! There are various websites that offer online quote comparison service. These websites offer access to instant online auto insurance quotes, let you compare coverage, view, modify coverage tiers. However, keep away from websites that also sell auto insurance online, as their quotes could be biased and misleading.
Don’t get fooled by lower deductibles! A lower deductible does not mean that you have got yourself a dream bargain. Think long term; avoid having a short term vision. A low deductible means that you would end up paying a higher premium. Be smart and opt for a plan with a higher deductible. What matters is the ultimate cost of the coverage, considering all eventualities.
Do keep in mind that auto insurance is not a ‘cost’ – but a great way to protect yourself, and family, with the automobile. So, keep the human element in mind and act prudently. Tread with care!

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Cheap Car Insurance Company - A Little Help To Make Your Rates A Little Cheaper

Is there really such a thing as a cheap car insurance company? Cheap and car insurance don’t seem to be soul mates of compatibility. Insurance has a lot of responsibility and a lot of expense. I’m not sure that cheap can ever happen unless the whole world stopped having accidents. Reasonably priced might be your best alternative description when looking for low cost car insurance. A lot of people consider car insurance a necessary evil until they have to use it and then the attitude begins to change. Insurance is one of the most humanitarian legal agreements you will ever purchase. We are really all collectively covering each others assets. That is the purpose of insurance. It is society protecting itself from itself. Alright, that was our little mental health talk about insurance. How do we get the lowest rate?
Cost Savings Ideas
1. Buy Multiple Policies – Auto and Homeowner policy combinations always give you discounts. Auto and renter policies do the same.
2. Buy Higher Deductibles – low deductibles are a thing of the past. High deductible insurance is now known as self-insuring. Higher deductibles of $500 or more make a lot of sense because the savings year in and year out will save the insured thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the policy.
3. Take limited Tort – If you are in a state that has tort options then you can discount your overall policy 20% or more by choosing limited tort. The tort option is your right to sue for pain and suffering. This is additional money awarded you for the inconvenience of the accident. You may have lost three months work. The suffering and time spent on rehabilitation are what this option is all about. Limited Tort allows you to sue for a limited amount of injury and suffering. These limits are state specific. Contact your agent or insurance company for definition of full tort and limited tort.
4. Non-Stacked Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage – Stacked coverage will add up. Every car that you own is multiplied by the base limit. Buy non-stacked and save money. Make sure that your base amount is adequate.

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Car Insurance Online Purchase - Benefits Of The Internet

Is it possible to purchase car insurance online? Most folks are used to purchasing their car insurance by leafing through a telephone book and calling local insurance agencies. When you call a local agency they usually request a copy of your current coverage in order to give you an accurate comparison as well as advice . This same process can happen with online quoting as well. The online quoting system will require you to post all pertinent insurance information to give you an accurate quote. You do more of the work but you are better informed when you complete the process.
Car Insurance Information Needed for Online Quoting
1. Expiration Date – The expiration date is critical because it proves that your insurance has not expired and that will qualify you for a preferred rate with most companies. If your insurance has expired then you may be underwritten into a substandard carrier and those rates are higher.
2. Driver Information – All resident relatives that have a driver’s license need to be rated on the policy. You will need to enter the name, date of birth, and driver’s license number.
3. Driving Record – Accidents and violations need to be disclosed to pre-qualify you for the insurance. This needs to be accurate because insurance companies will find out about your driving record anyway. They check motor vehicle reports from your state as well as your prior carrier.
4. Vehicle Information – You will have to list each vehicle on the policy. You will need the vehicle identification number for each vehicle. That number will give the insurance company the pertinent information that it needs to discount the vehicle for air bags, anti-lock brakes and other safety features.
5. Current Coverage – Use your declarations page to list all of the coverage that you currently have on all vehicles. This will include liability limits, first party benefits and physical damage limits.

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May I Buy Auto Insurance Online?

1>Yes, you can get car insurance quotes online.
You can sit in the comfort of your home and get quotes from several insurance companies for the best rates for your auto insurance.
Do your homework first. Make sure you are familiar with state limits and requirements. Know what you want. You can save money with minimum limits as required by the state, but higher limits will protect you better.
Make sure you have the right underwriting information and be aware of your losses. If you've had many losses with your current carrier, it will affect your rate with the new carrier.
Even though you can do everything on line it still pays to speak to a representative. Person to person contact may elicit little money saving tips and information on credits companies may offer. For instance, did you know that if you have a teen driver with grades of B or above, you may be entitled to a rate credit? Online applications may not offer this advice.
If you have your eye on a brand new sports car, sometimes you might want to speak to a person before you go ahead and get a quote. They might be able to advise you on which features to get in order to save a dollar here or there.
Make sure the company is reputable. Because they have an online presence it doesn't mean that they are a reputable company. Do your research. Check with AM Best, an agency that monitors the financial responsibility of insurance companies. Also check with your state to see if there are any outstanding complaints against the insurance company you're getting quotes from.
The internet makes it very easy to get auto quotes, just do your homework.
Please see our list of references below for low rate insurance quotes. These are also great sources for insurance information and tips on saving money every month.

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Tips on what to do following a car accident

Hopefully you will never be involved in an auto accident or need to file an insurance claim. Even the most careful and skilled drivers, however, can easily find themselves in the middle of a crash. Would you know what to do? Knowledge of what to do after the car accident can help make the insurance claims process easier and smoother so that you are back on the road faster.If you are in an auto accident:
1. Try to stay calm, stop your vehicle and check for injuries. The life and health of you, your passengers and the other people involved in the accident is far more important than the vehicle itself.
2. If required, call the police and let them know of the accident, your location, how many people are involved, whether there are injuries and the types of injuries.
3. You may wish to take reasonable steps to protect yourself, and your vehicle, from further damage. Where possible and if legal, move the autos to the side of the road and turn on your hazards as soon as it is safe. If you have flares, you may wish to use them to warn oncoming traffic and to prevent additional crashes.
4. Taking lots of notes is a good practice, like:
• the date, time and location of the accident • how the accident occurred – sometimes a drawing is worth a thousand words and can help enhance what you’ve noted • the type and location of damage to your car • the type and location of damage to the other cars or property involved • the names, addresses and contact information of all drivers and passengers involved in the accident • driver’s license numbers and all the information on the licenses • insurance identifications including the name of the insurance company and policy number • the names, addresses and contact information of witnesses • the names and badge numbers of police officers or other first response personnel
(Being able to take notes is important so keep a pen and pad in your glove compartment, just in case.)
5. You may wish to ask the police officer when and where you can get a copy of the accident report. There’s a good chance you’ll need it when you submit your insurance claim to your insurer.
6. It’s usually a good idea to call your insurance company right away and report the accident because the sooner they know about the crash the quicker they can start working to resolve your insurance claim. As well, they’ll be able to explain the next steps, like where to have the car towed if necessary and arrange for an adjuster to come out and appraise the damage before any repair work is done.
7. There are a couple of don’ts you might want to consider like don’t discuss the financial limits of your auto insurance policy and avoid discussing the responsibility for the accident or circumstances of the accident with anyone other than the police or a representative of your insurance company.
Auto accidents take a significant toll on everyone involved. But, if you stay calm, make safety your priority and follow the above tips, you will get through the ordeal of being in an accident and submitting an insurance claim.

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Easy Steps To Lower Your Auto Insurance Quote

It was not too long ago when contracts were made on a handshake and a promise. Individuals were not particularly concerned with things like insurance because they relied upon the goodwill of their neighbor to compensate them for wrongful damage. For a variety of reasons, including an increase in the speed and cost of auto wrecks, auto insurance soon became an important purchase for responsible individuals. Not long after, the federal government mandated that auto insurance be carried, at least minimally, by all car owners. The increase in the need for auto insurance over the last 10 years has led to increases in the complexity of insurance, while at the same time, amplifying the need to be more cost conscious in auto insurance purchases.
Buying auto insurance today requires as much dexterity as buying the automobile itself. It is important to know the factors that an auto insurance company considers when offering quotes. This will allow you, as the consumer, to know what steps you need to take in order to qualify for a lower quote. The five easy steps to a lower insurance quote are:
1. Portray yourself as a ‘safe’ candidate: Insurance companies are interested in managing risk. Consequently they offer drivers who are less likely to get into wrecks or at a minimum into wrecks of less severity, a lower insurance quote.
-Maintain a clean driving record, free of traffic violations or accident claims.
-Install anti-theft devices in your vehicle.
-Attend a Drivers Safety Training program.
-Buy a ‘safe’ vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety together collect information on safety related aspects of different vehicles. Buy an automobile that is officially designated as ‘safe’.
-Park your vehicle in a garage.
2. Show your Credit worthiness: As a risk management entity, insurance companies are also worried about getting paid on time. If you can show yourself to be credit worthy, there is less risk of you not making your payments on time, thus warranting a lower rate.
-Maintain a good credit score and clear up any errors on your credit.
-Cut down on the total number of outstanding credit cards to 2 or 3.
3. Practice Financial Wisdom: The way in which you structure and pay for your policy can lower the risk that an insurance company faces with respect to you as a customer. By taking steps to lower their risk, you receive a lower insurance quote and policy.
-Buy an annual policy instead of a six monthly coverage to get you a lower rate that remains the same for a year.
-Opt for automatic payment deductions from your bank account or your credit card to avoid getting charged for mail payments.
-Increase your deductibles on comprehensive and collision policies to reduce on the rates.
-Get loyalty discounts by buying your home and auto insurance from the same company.
4. Assess your Insurance Needs accurately: This is obvious, the more coverage you get the more it will cost you. Add-ons are killers in the insurance business, strip your policy down to just the minimum of what you need.
-If your vehicle is not used much or you have an old car with little market value, opt for minimum liability alone. It will cost you less.
-After fulfilling the legal mandate on auto insurance, insure according to your needs alone.
5. Other wise things that you can do: There are a number of other considerations that go into your insurance quote. Some of them are not reasonable steps to take, while others you can do with little effort which can translate into substantial savings.
-If your car is used only for a particular purpose, make your agent aware of it, as this will limit the cost.
-Students that make good grades are often eligible for a discount.
-Give up smoking; it can help you get better quotes.
-Change your occupation if you can help. A delivery boy carries a higher risk than a storekeeper.

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