Auto Insurance Guide Archive for 2010

• Auto Insurance Shopping Will Save You Money

  by Hayden Krueger

  The term shopping not only applies to the merchandise that you buy off from a grocery store, but also to the non-conventional products such as auto insurance. Back in 2009, many consumers have realized that shopping is indeed one way to save money. According to the website PRNewswire, the number of people who are relying for online purchases for their auto insurance policies have grown rapidly.

  The virtual world of insurance

  Back in the 80’s, the use of the Internet is limited to the academics and military applications. Only during the 90’s when the Information Superhighway was finally opened for public use and its full potentials were felt. The World Wide Web became the center of commerce for products and services apart from being the entertainment and data portal.

  A reliable company, ComScore Inc., released a report about the latest buying trends for those who buy their auto insurance online.  … Click here to read more

• The “No-Fault” Insurance Law: Is it a Foe or Ally?

  by Hayden Krueger

  We can start this article by understanding what a “no-fault” car insurance is. In non-technical language, “no-fault” means your insurance provider will pay you regardless of who instigated the collision accident in the first place. This means you will be restored, compensated and all claims are paid – period. The downside is that many of the victims are not able to file legal cases over injuries and losses on civil courts because of the jurisdiction itself. Let us take, for instance, in the States of Kentucky, Pennsylvania and New Jersey where they are being offered with two options. “Full tort” means that you will have all the freedom in the world to sue while the “limited tort” applies when you have decided to purchase an auto insurance policy. If you later change your mind, you may have to drop your current policy and have a new one written for you.… Click here to read more

• Paying For Inaccurate Records

  by Hayden Krueger

  There goes the popular saying that if you want to get the job right, then you have to do it by yourself – and as far as this year is concerned, as many as ten drivers in Massachusetts have learned their lessons the hard way.

  The State’s general attorney has made this announcement on May 6th that at least four insurance companies have made inaccurate accidents reports designating the said 10 drivers to be at fault. The four insurance companies that were instructed to pay fines and compensate for at least $10,000 to each customer were Norfolk & Dedham, United Services Automobile Association, Arbella Mutual and Electric Insurance. Reports from the said insurance providers were used as the basis for penalizing the drivers.

  Just earlier this year, another six auto insurance providers – Metropolitan, Liberty Mutual, Plymouth Rock, Commerce, Peerless and Pilgrim – were found to provide erroneous records as … Click here to read more

• Asking For a Second Chance

  by Hayden Krueger

  Unlike individuals, insurance companies that committed awful wrongdoings cannot go to jail. They will receive fines and ultimately striped off from operating their business. In Missouri and Illinois, one company has to undergo such scrutiny because the Department of Insurance has received numerous complaints against them. This is the story of the Universal Casualty.

  People are complaining about Universal Casualty on the grounds of poor customer service and bad faith rather than misconduct and fraud.

  Complaining for what?

  It all started last summer, when the Department of Insurance in Missouri received an uncommon turnout of complaints against the Chicago based insurer Universal Casualty. Accordingly, the insurance company failed to act on a timely manner against the claims and not to mention the slow outcome of their investigations. Allegedly, the company has continuously denied legitimate claims or offering ridiculous low settlement payments.

  As part of the measure, the Department of Insurance … Click here to read more

• Cheap Transportation for the Budget Constraint Folks

  by Hayden Krueger

  Anyone is trying to save these days, and if you are looking forward to buy a new car, a used vehicle might be the best option for you, right? In fact, you can still buy a reliable used-car for as low as $500 from private car dealers. Most of these cars have been in the service for many years and most probably looked like they will need a serious grooming. However, if their respective owners have carefully maintained them over the years, these cars could still provide a good and cheap transportation service for over five years just easily.

  If you are planning to buy one, remember that most of these cars will have zero or very limited warranties extended to you. Also keep in mind that “lemon laws”, the set of laws that protects the buyers from repeated failures and damages, are not applicable to leased or used car … Click here to read more

• New York: How To Cut Down Insurance Fraud

  by Hayden Krueger

  Over the past few years, auto insurance fraud is steadily climbing in New York and this prompted the lawmakers to pass laws that would impose severe penalties to the offenders. In an attempt to combat the fraud, a US Senator Charles Schumer passed the Cheaper Car Insurance Act of 2010.

  Understanding the coverage

  Once the law is passed, the judge has the power to set fine of up to $100,000 if the claim is proven fraudulent. For fraud involving over the $100,000 cap, the fine shall be equal to the actual cost of the fraud.

  Additionally, the act entails jail time for the criminals. In New York alone, Schumer said that auto insurance fraud is likened to drug ring operations. The goal of the law is to catch the leaders of the syndicate and to punish them harshly – which literally translate up to 15 years of prison time.

  The … Click here to read more

• Older Drivers behind the Wheel

  by Hayden Krueger

  You have been driving since 18 and undoubtedly, you were a good driver – with squeaky-clean driving record, no major accidents, no speeding tickets, no highway police pullovers – no nothing. And here you are turning 24, you receive a nice birthday present from your insurance provider – your premiums are going down. Well, good for you, but it is a different story for the old folks.

  Forty years henceforth, those rates will never be the same again, regardless if you managed to keep those clean records forever. Again, based on the actuarial tables, as people aged their visions will no longer be as sharp as before, the reaction time will significantly increase and the deterioration of the eye-hand coordination is present. Mixing all of them could mean one thing – accident-prone driving.

  It sounds unfair, but that is how the insurance industry works. It is a business venture and … Click here to read more

• The Teens And The Insurance Company

  by Hayden Krueger

  In the United States, if you are 18 and you passed the driving test, you are eligible to get a valid driver’s license. In some countries, teens as early as 16 years old can obtain a full-pledged driving license, but that is another story.  As with any agent would tell you, insuring your sons or daughters these days is pretty much expensive.

  The reason behind, is that teen car insurance is considered as a high-risk coverage most especially for the male drivers. Any insurance providers would agree that drivers from this age group usually engage in risky driving habits and irresponsible behaviors. Additionally, today’s modern cars are equipped with attention-grabbing devices such as radios, CD players, iPods, the use of mobile phones while driving and carrying rowdy and noisy friends that eventually distracts the guy behind the wheel. The situation gets even more alarming when the National Highway Traffic Safety … Click here to read more

• Are You Paying That Much Or Less?

  by Hayden Krueger

  People who are living in North Dakota are enjoying the lowest car insurance rates anywhere in the United States, according to the recent survey. If you are feeling otherwise, then something must be wrong with you, kidding.

  On the average, North Dakotans are paying $512 a year for their car insurance policies. Iowa, landed on the second spot with just well over $518 a year.

  These rates vary year after year, but generally, these rates are being enjoyed by the drivers in the Great Plains (having the lowest rates in the U.S. soil), then followed by those situated in the southeast regions.

  So what is the most expensive city?

  New Jersey is on top of our list, followed by Washington DC, New York and Massachusetts.  This no longer surprises us because from DC down to Boston – huge bustling cities are everywhere.  As we all know, busy cities with a … Click here to read more

• Medical Costs Are Raising Michigan’s Auto Insurance Premiums

  by Hayden Krueger

  When it comes to medical advancement, there is no doubt that America has the best health care services in the world. The high cost of medical services could justify such but many thought that they are getting for less.

  The defects in the U.S. health care system will have a direct impact to the auto insurance industry. It has been noted that the medical treatment in this country rises up to 40% each year. And since portion of your auto insurance policy covers injuries during the accident, insurance providers would need to pass the said increase to their policyholders for the business to remain profitable – this situation happened to Michigan this year.

  All states in the U.S. have some sort of “no fault” insurance law, but in Michigan, they are carrying it in a different way. Apparently, the reason for the increase of auto insurance rates in Michigan was … Click here to read more

• Hang Up That Mobile Phone And Drive!

  by Hayden Krueger

  Mobile phone is life’s essential and in fact, many of us could not live a day another day touching our cell phones. However, recent statistics indicate that roughly 80% of all car-related accidents are caused by the distractions of the driver when using cell phones while driving.

  Many U.S. states have identified the impending dangers of mobile phones and passed numerous legislations to require the drivers to use “hand-free” devices when talking inside their cars. Interestingly, people continued to disregard the said laws and in fact, added other equally dangerous acts of texting and surfing while driving!

  This problem is not isolated in the U.S. but in the U.K. as well where there is an increase of about 40% in 2008 of the drivers receiving citations for using their mobiles phone while operating their cars.

  The grim statistics

  According to the experts from University of Utah, the distraction caused by … Click here to read more

• New Jersey is Cracking Down Careless Pedestrians

  by Hayden Krueger

  One morning, you are driving for work and witnessed a pedestrian being hit by a motorist. You cannot help but think how careless the driver was to hit the poor guy. Well, the assumption may or may not be true because there are times that even the most vigilant driver becomes the victim of careless pedestrians. 

  According to the report of Washington University in St. Louis Missouri, more than half or about 51% of all the reported accidents, pedestrians were found to be at-fault.

  The personal responsibility

  Many states recognize that being safe on the road is not the sole responsibility of the drivers but to the pedestrians as well. In fact, in the State of Colorado, the law clearly indicates that pedestrians must wait and give ample time for the vehicle to full stop before entering the crosswalk.

  There are also existing pedestrian laws such as anti-jaywalking and crossing … Click here to read more

• Women Drivers: Making Our Roads Safer

  by Hayden Krueger

  When it comes to driving, men are far better than women. But if we talk about risk, auto insurance companies tend to be on the women’s side – the actuarial table’s verdict.

  There were numerous studies conducted to support the validity of these claims. Just recently, a study from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and reports from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) indicates that women drivers are indeed less risky on the road.

  What the data is showing us

  Back in 2007, American Automobile Association decided to sponsor a controlled study to determine how often men or women are involved in an accident. When the report was finally revealed, it was found out that men are more likely to be killed in a collision accident than women. On the same year, IIHS has recorded at least 14,500 traffic facilities involving men and only 6,000 amongst the women group.

  Will age … Click here to read more

• Need To Find Affordable Auto Insurance In Alaska? Ways You Can Try Right Away

  by Hayden Krueger

  If you live in Alaska and been wanting to find ways to get an affordable auto insurance, and then use this guide when searching.

  Auto insurance is one of the things that a driver must possess and keeping it up in Alaska seems a bit hard because of the already high minimum amount set for basic requirement. I understand that you want to get the best coverage there is with the least price you can pay. Having said that, I have listed few steps below which you could use right away as a guide towards finding your ideal insurance coverage among the many reputable auto insurance providers in Alaska.

  Knowing the basic requirements and optional.

  Like another other states in the U.S., Alaska also requires every driver to acquire a liability insurance coverage. There is a $50,000 per person, $100,000 for the injuries of all persons in the accident, and … Click here to read more

• Using The Internet To Get Cheap Auto Insurance In Connecticut

  by Hayden Krueger

  Drivers in the State of Connecticut are required by law to have an auto insurance. You could face hefty fines if you drive around the state without a valid auto insurance or you let someone, who does not have insurance, to drive your vehicle.

  The State of Connecticut will refuse to register your vehicle if you do not have a proof of insurance. Auto insurance is not that hard to buy in this area but the question remains if can you afford it or not.

  Furthermore, you could also face substantial fines and worst put you behind bars if your insurance coverage in inadequate for the damages sustained. You could lose your driver’s license in the process and you will have to pay all the damages out from your own pocket, which could further endanger your resources.

  Many insurance providers have sprung in Connecticut for the past few years. The … Click here to read more

• Using Your Car To Save Money

  by Hayden Krueger

  If you are one of those people who “baby” their cars, then you need to protect it as much as you can. I am sure by now you are already aware how much it is costing you to keep it that way. Insurance companies are known to change insurance rates often and the next time you insure your car could shock you.

  There are many factors that could affect how insurance providers calculate your insurance premiums. However, common elements such as driving habits, the type and model of your car and its performance are widely being considered.

  With that in mind, here are few tips that you can start right away to eliminate the need for paying overly excessive premiums for your vehicle.

  Identify the type of coverage that you will likely need. Doing this will take time and you should able to separate your needs from wants afterwards. If … Click here to read more

• Can You Really Save Money When Buying Auto Insurance Online?

  by Hayden Krueger

  Online shopping is no longer limited to the usual merchandise that we purchase on eBay or Amazon.  Today, you can easily purchase auto insurance coverage with just a click of a button. Recent reports from PRNewswire indicate that by the end of 2009, a staggering 20% of online purchases for auto insurance policies took place as compared to the previous year.

  The internet started humbly with few private networks connecting to each other. Its main function is to focus on the academics and military applications. But since the introduction of the public information superhighway in the 90’s, the internet has become an indispensable tool for many business owners, corporations, private individuals, etc. for different purposes.

  ComScore Inc., a company that keeps track of market trending and demographic on the internet, released a report that showed around 38 million auto insurance quotes were served online in the U.S. in 2009, and … Click here to read more

• Familiarizing Insurance Terminologies

  by Hayden Krueger

  Lawyers have their own set of jargon words and for most people these terms are just a way too complicated and redundant to understand. The reason can be traced several hundred years ago where people are using several languages across the country. Lawyers were forced to use two languages to avoid being misunderstood. For instance, many of the today’s jargon words are seemingly redundant in context such as break and enter, land and tenement or fit and proper. Because of the need to define in extreme precision, the practice continued until this date, which is evidently shown in today’s modern contracts.

  The term insurance itself is not a difficult subject, per se. However, since it is considered as a legal contract between two parties – the insurance provider and you – the need to be precise in terms and agreements are needed, hence that style of writing is being enforced.… Click here to read more

• Louisiana Increases Its Minimum Liability Coverage

  by Hayden Krueger

  The State of Louisiana has recently increased its auto insurance premium rates in response to the increase of the minimum liability coverage.

  The minimum liability of Louisiana until last year was 10/20/10. Which means as a driver, you are required to be covered at least $10,000 per person, $20,000 coverage for all persons in the accident and the remaining $10,000 for property damages.

  However, these rates cranked up early this year and drivers are now required to carry at least $15,000 for the liability coverage causing injury or death to one person, $30,000 total accident and $ 25,000 for property damages sustained during the accident.

  This means that for drivers who have the minimum liability coverage could expect an increase of $71 this year, which should be around $6 a month. Although this is not a huge increase, but for many drivers who are still suffering from the economic depression, … Click here to read more

• Is There Really A Cheap Insurance Coverage For Young People?

  by Hayden Krueger

  There is no excuse, teen drivers (particularly the males) aged 25 and under are likely to experience auto accidents than any other age group, which is why most young drivers are going to be slapped with expensive insurance premium rates.

  There is a healthy competition between auto insurance companies these days, which makes it even easier to find better deals than it used to be. For instance, the use of comparison websites wherein you get multiple quotes from different auto insurance companies is just a snap.

  Find cheap auto insurance coverage by shopping around

  Perhaps the best place to start looking for a cheap insurance is your existing insurer. If you are with the huge insurers such as Pemco or Geico, which carries multiple lines of insurance products, they are mostly likely to offer discounts for people who insure more than one vehicle into them. Most of them have these … Click here to read more