Auto Insurance News Archive for March, 2011

• Auto insurance premiums in Florida are much lower than the national average as per survey reports

  by Richard Burton
  

  As per the recent reports Florida’s auto insurance premiums are much lower than the national average this year. The average premium this year is 5% less than the national average. The premium for a select group of drivers is at $1,476 while the national average is $1,561. At least half a dozen bills have been proposed by the lawmakers this year and it is aimed at reducing fraudulent practices in the PIP claims. Most legislators who have supported the bill agree that urgent reforms are needed in the bill to reduce the high insurance premiums that Floridians are asked to … (more) March 31, 2011

• You are being watched by your insurers; drive safely

  by Richard Burton
  

  Progressive has come out with its Snapshot program where the customers will install monitoring devices where their driving habits would be monitored for a certain period of time and then the discounts would be provided.  While the privacy advocates are yelping the drivers think otherwise. There has been a nationwide campaign going on for quite some time now where the auto insurance giant Progressive has come up with their Snapshot where the vehicles are monitored with the use of a monitoring device that monitors the individual’s driving habits, which includes braking, when and how far they drive etc. The privacy … (more) March 30, 2011

• The bill aimed at fighting staged accidents gets approval

  by Richard Burton
  

  The House’s insurance committee today approved the bill that aims to reduce staged accidents as well as other fraudulent PIP claims.  The PIP pays a portion of the medical costs to policyholders irrespective of who is at fault.  This was basically intended to protect Floridians who don’t have health insurance and also to avoid lawsuits and associated medical costs due to minor injuries. However, the coalition groups claim that it has been misused by fraudsters who exaggerate injuries in order to hike up the claims or stage accidents.  This has been the prime reason for a hike in auto insurance … (more) March 29, 2011

• Free insurance quotes to be provided by auto insurance companies by going online

  by Richard Burton
  

  The auto insurance industry has become very competitive these days and insurance companies are finding it hard to survive the stiff competition.  Sustaining themselves has become really difficult and that is the reason auto insurance companies are launching online services.  This will enable them to provide customers with the necessary quotes online. More and more auto insurance companies are joining the bandwagon and going online. Getting auto insurance quotes online has become a fairly simple task and one can sit in the comfort of their homes and get the quotes online.  With the advancement of the information technology everything is … (more) March 28, 2011

• Changes are essential in PIP insurance in Florida

  by Richard Burton
  

  All the TV commercials and the aggressive marketing with regard to the auto insurance bills are not going to go down well with the Floridians.  The residents of Florida are expected to pay around $1,200 per year on auto insurance and this is the much higher than what most people pay everywhere else in the Southeast. The lawmakers in Florida will have to find ways and means to cut down on the excessive attorney’s fees as well as the scams that are associated with the PIP auto insurance cover.  This will help bring down the high auto insurance premiums that … (more) March 27, 2011

• Boyd’s bill helps fight auto insurance scams

  by Richard Burton
  

  Several measures have been taken with regard to auto insurance scams as Florida lawmakers are reviewing matters relating the auto insurance scams.  There will be better consumer protection, revisions in the car crash reports and stiffer penalties now. Representative of Bradenton, Jim Boyd, will be introducing the new legislation in accordance with the House Bill 1411. The Bill has been sponsored by Boyd and it aims at bringing in reforms to the PIP or Personal Injury Protection cover or Florida No Fault insurance which has led to a series of auto insurance frauds. PIP has transformed into a prime target … (more) March 26, 2011

• Pay-as-you-drive insurance being offered by progressive in 32 states

  by Richard Burton
  

  The snapshot program PAYD by Progressive offers policyholders a chance to reduce auto insurance rates by about 30%. The future of auto insurance is finally upon the customers.  Progressive has announced its Snapshot Discount which is a PAYD program where drivers will have a chance to lower their auto insurance rates by paying insurance premiums based on their driving habits.  A device would be installed in their vehicles which would provide a real-time analysis and report the driving data to the insurer.  This technology has been available for a while now but Progressive claims to be the first to bring … (more) March 25, 2011

• Auto insurance verification bill passed by mississippi senate

  by Richard Burton
  

  Mississippi senate passed the auto insurance verification bill – a bill that was designed based on the mandatory laws in Mississippi.  This was one among the several proposals that were facing a deadline. As per the bill, the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Revenue, as well as the Insurance Department will now use computer technology in their new programs to verify the liability insurance cover. Now uninsured motorists could face different penalties that may include suspension of the driver’s license along with a fine of $500.  Now the tax collectors as well as the tax assessors will have … (more) March 24, 2011

• The new hike in auto insurance premiums put michigan right on top

  by Richard Burton
  

  As per the latest figures that have been released the annual auto insurance rates on the 2011 model vehicles have risen by $131.74. According to the latest estimates the annual rates for a 40-year-old sample male is at $1,561 and the state of Vermont is the least at $995, whereas Michigan is the highest at $2,541 according to the Insure report through Motor Trend.  This shows that the automotive heartland of the United States is the most expensive state and if you have to insure a vehicle in Louisiana a single-year hike has been around $443 on an average. The … (more) March 23, 2011

• PIP auto insurance rates should be brought down in the state to ease payments

  by Richard Burton
  

  Floridians pay much more by way of auto insurance when compared to the residents of the other states.  All the cute television commercials that are endlessly being aired on TV are not going to make the payment process any easier for the residents of Florida.  They are not likely to enjoy paying their quarterly auto insurance bills that is going to show up in their mailboxes.  Floridians pay around $1,200 per year on auto insurance.  If these payments are to be eased then lawmakers will have to find ways and means to reduce the attorney’s fees as well as the … (more) March 22, 2011

• Bringing auto insurance in Florida to a grinding halt

  by Richard Burton
  

  Residents of the state of Florida have been at the receiving end because of the auto insurance fraud that has been steadily on the rise.  Floridians are struggling to deal with the rising cost of auto insurance bills even as the evidence is piling up. Auto insurance fraud is the highest in the state of Florida – the highest in the entire nation.  As per the reports from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, three cities have topped the list when it comes to fraudulent claims such as staged accidents etc.  All three cities are in Florida – Tampa, Orlando, and … (more) March 21, 2011

• Car insurance quotes must to get coverage at right prices

  by Richard Burton
  

  Finding the right car insurance can be quite an endless task for most people as one has to find insurance that is affordable as well as one with the necessary features.  There are many websites that can help with a huge amount of necessary information regarding the best resources for comparing the quotes. Consumers need to visit various websites and obtain car insurance quotes from multiple vendors and make comparisons before signing up for the policy.  The zip code needs to be entered by the visitors to get auto insurance rates that can easily be compared by obtaining quotes from … (more) March 20, 2011

• Car insurance accounts for the largest consumer complaints

  by Richard Burton
  

  Since the last three years, around one-third of the complaints that are made by consumers to the insurance regulators in the state have to do with auto insurance.  This is as per the data compiled and submitted voluntarily by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).  The second largest complaints are with regard to auto coverage.  Health coverage and accident were at the top spot and accounted for about 40% overall. As per the report the regulators had an important role to play acting as objective mediators between the aggrieved policyholders as well as the insurance providers.  If the policyholders … (more) March 19, 2011

• Auto insurance rates second highest in Louisiana

  by Richard Burton
  

  Louisiana is the second highest when it comes to the ranking as per the average of the auto insurance premiums.  The percentage of uninsured motorist as well as pending lawsuits over insurance claims has been very high.  As per the latest figures Louisiana averaged at $2.453 for a new vehicle to be insured while Michigan was leading at $2.541. Just last year the Pelican State was leading at $2,511 while Michigan came in second at $2,098.  According to the owner and agent of Lafayette-based Herman Venable Insurance Agency Inc. Lonnie Guidry stated that the rates in Louisiana were almost leveling … (more) March 18, 2011

• Have an old car? Pay more for auto insurance coverage

  by Richard Burton
  

  Surprising though it may seem, the cost of availing auto insurance coverage for cars that are older is slowly trending northward. One of the main reasons for this is the fact that car burglars find it easier to steal older vehicles as compared to the ones that are new to the market. This fact was revealed by one of the most recent studies conducted in the auto insurance sector. According to this new study, cars that were over twenty years old were the ones that were the most susceptible to theft followed by the cars that were between fourteen and … (more) March 17, 2011

• Unveiling the truth behind common insurance myths

  by Richard Burton
  

  Over 50% of the people who currently hold auto insurance policies have hardly taken a look at their policy terms and conditions. Lack of this knowledge not only puts you in soup when you are in a tight spot, but also prevents you from differentiating facts from myths. Most people purchase their policies without understanding the truth behind certain auto insurance myths plaguing America in recent times. The most common myth making the rounds is that customers have to pay through their nose to get their red colored car insured. Dispelling this myth, Leah Hunger, Tidewater AAA’s director of Insurance … (more) March 16, 2011

• Safe auto declares winners of the third annual “do the jingle” contest

  by Richard Burton
  

  Safe Auto, an auto insurance provider that caters to customer requirements in close to fifteen states in the United States of America conducts an annual “do the jingle” contest that gives customers an opportunity to come with a unique jingle for their advertisement. The results of the third annual “do the jingle” contest was recently declared by the Ohio based auto insurance provider. Chosen based on the votes by other customers, this winner of the contest this year was The Church Band. This band will now feature in the next advertising campaign for Safe Auto that will be televised on … (more) March 15, 2011