Car Loan / Financing For Your Vehicle

There are still many young executives who do not have the means of purchasing a new car. They have to content with buying a second hand car. They usually shop for financing their vehicle with a bank or some finance companies on certain terms and conditions.

There are many finance companies available in the market offering competitive rate of interest for the car loan. Some usually offer a low interest rate in the beginning. However, there will always be a penalty clause that stipulates that if the amount is not paid by a certain date then a penalty will be imposed. One has to be very careful before signing of any of such document.

There are some finance companies which even offers zero percent interest on used car loans . There is a catch in this, however. Remember, no company will do business at a loss. So be careful in such dealings. Do not end up in a hot fix where you will end up with more issues over trying to save a few bucks.

What is Covered in a Basic Car Insurance Policy

There are basically 6 types of car insurance coverage :

Bodily Injury Liability

This coverage applies to injuries that you, the designated driver or the policyholder, cause to someone else. You and family members listed on the policy are also covered when driving someone else’s car with their permission.

It is important to have enough liability insurance, because if you are involved in a serious accident, you may be sued for a large sum of money. Do consider purchasing an auto insurance policy that is more than the state-required minimum to protect assets such as your home and savings.

Medical Payments or Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

This coverage pays for the treatment of injuries to the driver and passengers of the policyholder's vehicle. At its broadest, PIP can cover medical payments, lost wages and the cost of replacing services normally performed by someone injured in an auto accident. It may also cover funeral costs.

Property Damage Liability

This car insurance coverage pays for damage that you (or someone driving the car with your permission) may cause to someone else's property. Usually, this means damage to someone else’s car, but it also includes damage to lamp posts, fences, buildings or other structural property that your car hit.

Collision

This coverage pays for damage to your car resulting from a collision with another car, object or as a result of flipping over.

It also covers damage caused by potholes. Collision coverage is generally sold with a deductible of $250 to $1,000, and the higher your deductible, the lower your premium. Even if you are at fault for the accident, your collision coverage will reimburse you for the costs of repairing your car, minus the deductible. If you're not at fault, your auto insurance company may try to recover the amount they paid you from the other driver’s car insurance company.

If auto insurance company is successful in recovering the amount, you'll also be reimbursed for the deductible as well.

Comprehensive

This car insurance coverage reimburses you for loss due to theft or damage caused by something other than a collision with another car or object, such as falling objects, fire, missiles, explosion, earthquake, vandalism, windstorm, hail, flood, riot, or contact with animals such as birds etc.

Comprehensive auto insurance is usually sold with a $100 to $300 deductible, though you may want to opt for a higher deductible as a way of lowering your premium.

Comprehensive car insurance will also reimburse you if your windshield is cracked or shattered. Some companies offer glass coverage with or without a deductible.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

This coverage will reimburse you, a member of your family, or a designated driver if one of you is hit by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver.

Underinsured motorist coverage comes into play when an at-fault driver has insufficient auto insurance to pay for your total loss. This coverage will also protect you if you are hit as a pedestrian.

Check out which car insurance policy suits you the best and your budget and be equipped with one that suits your lifestyle. It is best that you get adequately insured to protect your interests.

Other Auto Insurance Considerations

These car insurance policy considerations may seem minor, but being aware of them may save you time and money.

When Moving From One State to Another

If a job change or circumstance requires you to move from one state to another, you'll likely have to revise your auto insurance.

Forget the notion that you are going to start over in a new spot with a new car insurance company and leave behind a troubled driving record. In this era, any company will likely turn up your record from the Department of Motor Vehicles in your former state.

Insurance Add-Ons

Your auto insurance agent or direct-sales company is likely to offer other small add-ons. Rental-car reimbursement may be worth it if you have just one vehicle. If your family has more than one, you may be able to skip paying for this car insurance coverage. Likewise, roadside-towing insurance is unnecessary if you already belong to the American Automobile Association or some other auto club.

Insurance for Leased Cars

If you are leasing a car or plan to lease, be sure you have gap insurance. This covers you if your car is totaled and the leasing company demands more of a payback than what your auto insurer is willing to pay. The best time to get such insurance, by far, is when you initially lease the car. Most major leasing companies and automakers finance subsidiaries, such as General Motors Acceptance Corp., offer such car insurance as part of their leases.

No-Fault Insurance

Moving from a conventional insurance state to one with no-fault insurance could mean sizable changes in your policy. When adopted in the early 1970s, no-fault laws were intended to sharply reduce the number of lawsuits, and thus reduce auto insurance premiums. It hasn't worked out as intended. Many no-fault states have car insurance rates just as high as conventional states' rates.

States with no-fault insurance include the following :

* Florida
* New Jersey
* New York
* North Dakota
* Pennsylvania
* Utah
* Kentucky
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Hawaii
* Kansas
* Minnesota

With no-fault policies, damages aren't collected from the at-fault driver's auto insurance company. So each motorist must carry personal injury protection to pay individual medical expenses and lost wages. Even if an accident involved an out-of-state driver from a conventional insurance state, the PIP provision in the home-state motorist's policy probably would kick in to cover any injuries.

Other Considerations

Here are some factors you may not have considered that could affect what you pay for car insurance.

How can my spouse, significant other or business partner affect my auto insurance rates ?
If someone listed as a regular or occasional driver on your car insurance policy has a poor driving record, it will push up premiums. Sometimes, just having a roommate with a poor record who turns up as an address match in the computer can push your auto insurance rates up even if you never loan out your car.

Is it me or my car that's insured ?
You carry your car insurance policy with you when, for example, you rent cars — provided your coverage includes collision. If so, refuse the offer from the rental company of the expensive add-on collision coverage.

Does the auto insurance company pay me directly if I file a claim ?
That really depends on the company and the claim. If your car needs body work, the insurer might pay the body shop directly — especially if the company has a preferred network of shops. If your car is totaled, you are more likely to get a check directly.

What if a friend borrows my car and gets into an accident ?
If he or she isn't listed on your car insurance policy and gets into an accident with your car, your insurance carrier may consider this so-called permissive use and cover the damage. However, you should ask your auto insurance agent about this before lending someone your car keys.

If you come across car insurance considerations and would like to get it noted, please feel free to drop a comment note.