Auto Insurance Guide

Whether you are looking for ways to save on your next premium payments or trying to sort out traffic laws across another city you are planning to visit, Auto Insurance Guide is the perfect haven for all the drivers like you. Our experts in AutoQuoteNow.com will lead you through the pitfalls with their informative yet easy to understand tips and tricks.

  • Keeping Auto Insurance Premiums under control is in your hands

    by Hayden Krueger
    Published: Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

    Due to the recession many people are cutting down on services like auto insurance to save money. Since vehicle insurance is important it is always advised to buy a policy that covers you adequately. There are many things you can do as a consumer to save money while buying insurance and this article will elaborate on five ways to lower your auto insurance premium.

    Drive Less and Maintain a Low Mileage

    Once of the factors that auto insurance companies consider before giving you a quote is the number of miles you drive each year. People who drive a lot are often offered high premiums since the chances of them getting into an accident are more. Also cars that are driven a lot are most likely to break down in the middle of the road. One of the other factors taken into consideration is the mileage you drive at. If you drive at a high speed then you are more likely to pay more as premium to insurance companies since driving fast can cause accidents. By keeping your mileage at or below 35 miles per hour for one year you will be eligible for a cheaper insurance along with low mileage discounts.

    Drive an Affordable Car

    Expensive cars like sports cars, luxury cars or two door cars usually cost car owners a lot more than the person bargained for since auto insurance companies charge high premiums for these cars. Insurance companies charge a high premium for these expensive cars since repairing them is costly and finding genuine spare parts is not easy. While buying a car you should look for a vehicle that is cheap to repair so that insurance companies offer you a low premium. You should also look for a car that is safe to drive and one that has basic security features. After getting your safe car you should consider getting a good theft alarm, automatic seatbelts and automatic air bags since insurance companies usually give better discounts to car owners whose insured vehicle has additional security features.

    Remove High Risk Drivers from Your Policy

    Auto insurance companies always advise policy holders to add family members to their policy but this is not a good idea especially if you are adding a high risk driver to your policy. Since a high risk driver is more likely to get into an accident or commit a major violation insurance companies charge these drivers a very high premium. If you have unknowingly added a high risk driver on to your policy then you should consider removing him from the list and getting him his own high risk insurance policy. If you have added your teenage child on to your policy then you should consider removing him from your policy and instead making him the primary driver of a cheaper car. This simple step can help you save up to 20% on vehicle insurance every year.

    Opt for a Single Insurance Company

    If other members in your house drive cars then you should consider opting for separate policies from the same insurance company. Most insurance companies offer discounts and group offers to people who insure all their family members with a single carrier. For additional discounts you should consider insuring your house from your car insurer provided he provides both services.

  • Four Reasons State Auto Insurance Liability Limits are not Enough

    by Hayden Krueger
    Published: Monday, March 15th, 2010

    Most people who have gotten into accidents after opting for the minimum limit in states like California will tell you that the state auto insurance liability limit is not enough. The state puts minimum liability limits to make sure that everyone has protection but these state limits are usually not enough for most people. This article will elaborate on 4 reasons state auto insurance liability limits are not adequate and information will also be provided on the right limit.

    Insufficient Auto Insurance Liability Limits

    In states like California when an accident happens the state holds the driver responsible to pay for all the damages that have occurred due to the accident. The driver will not only be liable to pay for the damaged car but he will also be liable to pay for damaged property or death of a person if applicable. By opting for the minimum limit the insurance company will be able to pay for only some of the damages that have occurred but you will be liable to pay for the remaining damages out of your own pocket.

    Medical Expenses

    Majority of the auto insurance companies offer additional policies for individual car owners that protects them when an accident occurs. These policies are not mandatory but they are very beneficial. These policies cost $20 – $50 for a $100,000 limit but they ensure that when you are injured you do not have to pay from your pocket. People who do not have a health insurance or people who have a health insurance with a low limit should definitely opt for one of these optional covers.

    Comprehensive Coverage

    Comprehensive coverage is not mandatory in some states in USA but this cover is helpful nonetheless. This optional coverage protects your interests when your car has been a victim of vandalism or if your car has been totaled during a natural calamity. This cover not only pays for any repairs but it also pays for replacement of your damaged car.

    Uninsured Motorist Cover

    Uninsured motorist cover also known as underinsured motorist cover is an optional cover that has protected many people. This helpful cover pays for any damages that occur when you are hit by an uninsured or underinsured motorist. Since there are many motorists in USA that do not have adequate cover if any this policy can prevent you from paying a lot of money on medical bills. This cover is applicable when you are in your own vehicle or if you are walking on the road. This cover also pays for damage to your car and lost wages due to the accident.

    Ideal Auto Insurance Limits

    The ideal auto insurance limit for bodily injury liability is at least $75,000 but most people set the limit at $100,000. The ideal limit for property damage liability is $100,000 per accident. Since accidents occur without a warning it is always advisable to opt for higher limits even if you are a safe driver. If you drive with passengers in your car then you should definitely opt for a higher limit for bodily injury liability since this cover will ensure that the people injured in your car are compensated. Both the bodily injury liability and the property damage liability pay for an legal expenses in case the other person decides to sue you.

  • Cost Effective Auto Insurance within your reach

    by Hayden Krueger
    Published: Sunday, March 14th, 2010

    Auto insurance rates have been rising steadily over the last few months. This is partially due to the renewed consumption of commodities by the people. The recession is slowly giving way to a change in people’s perspectives and as a result there is an increase in consumption. With increased consumption, consequently there will be an increase in costs. This is the law of demand and supply.

    The first thing to do when you are looking for auto insurance is to search online. There are a number of websites that offer free insurance quotes for the customer. You need to go online and fill in your personal details. After doing this you can get your quotes. It is important to get at least ten different independent quotes before making a decision. There are both first party insurance company websites and third party websites which give a number of quotes from different sources. Get onto a trusted website and look for the best deals.

    Once you have decided what the base line expenditure is going to be, the next step is to start budgeting for it. You can decide what your minimum expenditure is going to be, by checking your state’s minimum coverage requirements. Anything over and above this minimum limit should be decided based on what you can afford. You have to know what sort of money you can keep aside every year for your insurance premium amount.

    When you sit with your insurance agent to negotiate the terms and conditions, the first step is to convey your needs to them. You will need to steer the conversation to your benefit. A lot of times the insurance agents will try and make you buy certain coverage which will not be necessary to your needs. You will need to tailor make the policy to your benefit. For example, if you are a work from home mother and you are just going to be driving to the local grocery store, you need not have comprehensive collision coverage. This is necessary only for people who are going to be driving extensively on the freeways or highways. You can do away with such unnecessary expenditure. All you would need in this case would be basic personal property coverage. Or in other words, a third party policy.

    Another factor that you need to keep in mind while negotiating the terms is that you need to convey to the insurance company that you are a safe and reliable driver. All they want to know is that you will not be a burden on their company. The lesser the number of claims you make, the better it is for the insurance company. So how do you do this?

    The best way to prove that you are a safe and responsible driver is to show that you have a good driving history. A driving history is maintained by all departments of motor vehicles in all states. It shows all the major and minor traffic infractions that you have committed ever since you started driving. The lesser the number of tickets, the better are your chances of getting a cheap auto insurance policy. You can also show that you are not going to be driving extensively. The example that we have already discussed in this article has a good chance of getting a good rate on her auto insurance if she puts forth such an argument.

  • Auto Insurance if you are a High Risk Driver

    by Hayden Krueger
    Published: Saturday, March 13th, 2010

    High risk drivers often face problems when it is time to renew their auto insurance policy since most insurance companies refuse to insure high risk drivers. If you feel that you are a high risk driver and you will not be able to find an insurance company to insure your car then continue reading. This article will provide information on all you need to know about auto insurance for high risk drivers.

    Determining if you are a High Risk Driver

    Before searching for an auto insurance company to insure your car you should first determine if you are a high risk driver. High risk drivers can be either teenagers or adults that have committed multiple violations. These violations include speeding, drinking and driving or engaging in unsafe driving practices. High risk drivers are usually prosecuted for at least one drinking and driving violation per year along with other minor violations. A person is also classified as a high risk driver if he has filed for 2 or more accident claims that were his fault within 1 year. Drivers that have medical conditions that affect their driving, drivers with a bad credit history, male drivers under the age of 25 years and male drivers above the age of 75 also come in this category. If you live in an area that is high in crime or you drive an extremely expensive car then you may also be termed as a high risk driver.

    Finding an Auto Insurance Company

    Finding an insurance company that will insure you can be hard but it is not impossible. If you are a high risk driver then you will definitely have fewer choices while you search for an insurance company since most insurance companies shy away from high risk drivers. Some insurance companies do insure high risk drivers but they charge them a high premium. These insurance companies charge a high premium since there is a lot of risk in insuring someone who has a history of getting into accidents or committing violations.

    Opting for a Non Traditional Insurance Policy

    If you feel that you do not have enough options or if all the auto insurance companies you have approached have rejected your application then you may want to opt for nontraditional options. Your first option is to get your car insured by obtaining insurance through your state’s Automobile Insurance Assigned Risk Plan. Each state has their own special plan for high risk drivers since most insurance companies won’t insure drivers in this category.

    The upside of this plan is that you will definitely get insured but the downside of this plan is that you will be charge two or three times the normal premium. The second option is to tap into the non standard insurance market that insures high risk drivers. There are many non traditional insurance companies that will agree to insure you but they will be charging you a high premium. In most cases the premium charged by these companies will be lower than the premium charged by the state but this will depend on the number of accidents, violations and other factors that make you a high risk driver. Since approximately 385 insurance companies are part of the non standard insurance market you will surely be able to find enough options and a good insurance company to meet your insurance requirements.

  • Auto Insurance for your Teenage Daughter

    by Hayden Krueger
    Published: Friday, March 12th, 2010

    Did you know that the gender of the person who applier for an auto insurance policy plays a huge role in deciding the cost of the policy? As unbelievable as this may be, it is a fact.

    The reason behind this is the statistics that have been collected over the years. It has been statistically proven that female drivers between the age group of 17 to 25 have lesser accidents than a male driver of the same age group. This is also true for traffic citations and other misdemeanors. Hence the auto insurance companies make segregation between the two groups. Though this may not be related to the topic of auto insurance itself, it brings us to the question about equal rates for health insurance.

    Recently, a bill was passed in the United States congress stating that rates for health insurance must not the decided based on gender. This was because females were traditionally charged a higher rate due to the additional medical complications they face due to events like pregnancy, miscarriage, menopause etc. but until such a law is passed for equal rights for men, auto insurance rates will continue to be steeper for the kind.

    The cause for the greater prevalence of road accidents among male drivers could most probably be attributed to the greater freedoms that they enjoy in young society. Now this is not freedom of the ethical kind. But it is the sort of freedom that removes other restrictions that might actually be constructive in the long run. A teenage male gets to go out more easily than a female even in a modern society like America. A parent or guardian will not necessarily drive the said male home after a party. Whereas in the case of a female, there is a more protectionist philosophy adopted by most American homes with regard to driving. Looking at the statistics, it looks like this sense of protectionism should be adopted even towards adolescent men who can otherwise go out of hand.

    It can also be argued that men are more aggressive or rash than females of the same age. But there is no scientific study to provide conclusive evidence for the same. In any case, it is important as teenagers to take your time behind the wheel. It is important to show interest in learning the tricks of the trade which is driving.

    If you are a teenage girl looking for auto insurance, you will most likely want to get a policy which adds you to your family’s policy. This way you can save a lot more in premium. It is also important to do some groundwork before you invest in a policy. Remember, an insurance policy is going to stay with you for a long time. in most cases, it will cover most of your adolescent life.

    As a female, you need to ensure that you get maximum benefit by playing the gender card. All that the insurance companies will want to know about a female driver is whether she is competent enough behind the wheel. A good safe driving course will help you prove your point. Besides, it will also help you improve your skills behind the wheel. It is important to negotiate the deal with the insurance agent. A show of good grades can also help.

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