Sunday, January 31, 2010

Lowering Your Car Insurance Rates

Many people ignore the need of getting their cars adequately insured.

If you belong to that lot then you must understand why it is important to get car insurance. Mostly people try to get away with it because they think that they would be overburdened with the monthly, quarterly or annual premium rate. However this is not the case. You can learn the tips and the tricks through which you can enjoy lower premiums for your auto insurance.

Everyone today is on the go to get the best rate possible. This has been made easy with the advent of technology and internet. In the smallest possible time you can enjoy getting quotes from a wide range of insurance companies for your vehicle. Once you have all the information , you can then choose the most competitive deal for your car. Before you choose the company you want to sign with, it is high recommended that you should go through the search process. The comparison amongst various companies would definitely get you the quote you want for your car insurance.

The other thing you need to know is that auto insurance companies charge lower premiums to those drivers who appear to be less risky to them. Hence now you know that if you want to get lower premium rate then you would have to make sure that you are a safe driver and the condition of your car is also at its best. Prove to them that you are good driver and your premium for car insurance would automatically be pulled down. Your previous records should be free from tickets and accidents as well.

If you do not qualify in the above mentioned category of safe driver then you can opt for other choices. You can get lower premium rates by dropping some of the coverage types. This should be noted that the more coverage you add to your auto insurance the higher the premium you would have to pay. If you also decide to pay the bigger part of the insurance claim in the event of an accident then also you can get away with lower insurance premium level.

It should also be understood that the health of your car would also affect the premium rate. Even the model of your car would also help you getting lower rates. Keep your car secured with alarms and locks as this would also affect the premium. If you drive latest models of famous cars than you would have to pay higher premiums on your insurance bill. The higher the price of your car the higher the interest for your car insurance would be.

The age also matters to insurance companies. If you are young then you are more likely to be a rash driver and hence you are more prone to accidents. This increases your premium rate. It has also been noticed that premium rate is lower for middle aged people because they tend to drive sensibly according to statistics.

It is very important to get your car insured. Don’t run away from something very important and act more practically by lowering your auto insurance premium.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Getting My Van Insured

For a couple of weeks I’ve been looking around for cheap car insurance online. It’s really hard to find the best rate for us especially when I am saving money for other things . . .

Fortunately we found the best one and finally we got our new family van insured.

Now I’m thinking about our kid’s future and that’s why I’m considering an endownment policy too. The agent said that I can do an endownment quote online the same way as the auto insurance. You can actually get 5% off by doing it online as opposed to getting a quote in person.

This is really great when you don’t have time to go out that often.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Four Tips For Getting a Great Auto Insurance Deal

Auto insurance advertising is everywhere, from the pages of the daily newspaper, to television and radio commercials. All promises low rates, quick claims handling and personalized attention. But how do you know that you really get the best deal of them all ? What does a smart driver need to know in order to find the best car insurance for their needs ?

Here are four top tips to consider when hunting for a Car Insurance deal :

1. Consider Your Coverage Needs

Before we go headlong into the murky waters of motor vehicle insurance, you must have a basic idea of what you are looking for. At the very least, you must be aware of the minimum coverage imposed by each state. For instance, liability insurance which covers the damage if you are at fault, is required in almost every state. MedPay or PIP, which pays a certain percentage of your medical expenses and lost wages, is another option. Also, one should bear in mind that if you are leasing or financing your car, comprehensive and collision coverage are required as well.

Comprehensive coverage will reimburse you for any damages incurred from incidents such as theft and fire. Collision coverage protects you against damage caused by the impact of another vehicle, running into an obstacle, a telephone pole or other object. If your car is old and / or have already been paid for, you can save a considerable amount of money by choosing not to add on collision and comprehensive coverage. Just be sure to understand that if you are involved in an accident, they are not covered expenses, but rather you will more often than not have to pay for out of your own pocket.

2.Review Your Driving Record

Do you have a history of fender benders? If so, you may be better off with more comprehensive coverage. Have you accumulated a pile of speeding tickets? Consider taking a defensive driving course. Remember that when you apply for car insurance, the company will contact the DMV record for a copy of your driving. In general, car insurance companies are looking at the last 3-5 years, your driver's license history and your premiums based on past accidents and violations.

3. Start Shopping

After deciding on the type of coverage you need and having taken a look at your driving history, you can commence shopping for a good deal. You can do this in person, by phone or via the Internet but do ensure you prepare all the necessary documents. This includes the license, current car insurance policy, your car's VIN, and registration. The idea is to get as many offers as possible, so that you can reach and compare prices side-by-side. Many sites offer their prices against the prices of competitors, which can save you time. Be sure to keep a detailed list of individual companies and their coverage limits, deductibles and rates. Print out a copy of the deals you get online and ask for a fax / email / post a copy of the offers you are given over the phone or in person.

Other things to note if this is your research:

- any discounts offered by the companies such as discounts for students, military discounts, high credit score, safety equipment installed on the car, etc.

- the auto insurance company's rating (for consumers and the ratings groups)

- the company's payment policy (Do they offer automatic deductions from your bank account? Can you make payments online? There is a cancellation fee?)

A good way to ensure you get the best deal is to use a free online auto insurance quoting service. These services often compare quotes from hundreds of different suppliers, and the insurance providers often compete so much so that you end up with a good deal.

4. Your Decision

After you've done all the necessary research, it is time to choose a company. Although it may seem tempting, going with the cheapest car insurance quote may not automatically be the best way to go. Be sure to choose the coverage that is sufficient for your needs and that the level of service is decent and reliable. Getting the best deal in auto insurance has little to do with catchy jingles and funny commercials. By taking some time to do some research, you can save hundreds of dollars a year and still maintain the level of coverage you need with a reliable company.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Who Says You Cannot Lower Your Car Insurance Premiums ?

So who says you cannot lower your insurance premiums ?

Before renewing, go hunt around for alternative quotes, then go to your current agent. Simply ask him for a better rate, else, you will switch :)

It's that simple !

And I end up getting an auto insurance premium even lower than the lowest alternative quote I got :)

Do your search, and save whatever you can, all conditions being equal that is. Every penny you save, you can use it on other stuff or even to treat yourself to a good meal :)

Remember, you still should not compromise on anything though. Do not remove any riders or any previous add-ons just because you want to lower the premium.

Cheerios !

Nearly Couldn't Find My Car Keys

Another hectic day at work.

Then when I was at the parking lot, I realised my car keys were not in my pocket.

Then I had to look thru the car window to ensure I did not lock the keys in my car by mistake. Nearly panicked as that had happened to me before and I had to call my dad to bring the spare key to me. That would have taken him an hour at least to reach my work place.

So it was not in the car. Ran back to the office and searched high and low for it.

Luckily, it was buried underneath a pile of documents. How careless can I be :) LOL As long as I did not lock it in my car, I am relieved, I thought.

Anyways, back to home for a good meal and to add more posts to my auto insurance world blog :)

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

I am a Car Lover

I love cars.

Esp. the Japanese made models from Nissan and Toyota :)

Got myself a Nissan March. Small, compact, fuel efficient and just nice for me in this high cost affluent society. Of course, given a choice, I would take in a bigger cc model any time :)

Anyways, this is just some small idle talk to break the ice.

Do keep on coming back for more on autos, insurance and loans :)

Cherrios

Monday, January 25, 2010

Getting Auto Insurance Price Quotes

Every person with a car needs auto insurance. Why ?

Simply because it is required by federal law. Even if it was not, people would still need it as protection against damage due to any unforeseen incident and the consequences thereafter. Compensation is usually in the form of monetary payment.

Since you are dealing with a necessity rather than a luxury, one thing you have to look at first are the car insurance price quotes. There are some ways to obtain that. All you need is just simple resourcefulness and creativity.

One thing you need to look at is the benefits you can get from an auto insurance. However, that does not mean you do not have to look at the price. What you need to do is to look at the car insurance price quotes from different companies to have a better view of what is the best deal available for you. Most often that not, price quotes are just available online so you do not have to search that hard.

When starting your search on auto insurance price quotes, you can look for price quotes of companies you have often heard of. These companies have done so many good jobs that their reputation in the grapevine is very much talked about. Most often than not, you have friends who already have car insurance. You can begin inquiring from them. That way, you will be able to get information from a trusted source.

You also need to be mindful of the name of the companies you are looking at. You might want to see their ratings in research firms like Moody’s.

You may also want to have a good auto insurance agent from the company. Most of the time, a good agent means a referred agent. If you have heard someone who is happy with the car insurance they just got, ask them who their agent was. That person you know will surely still have the name of the agent he/she dealt with plus any contact information. When dealing with agents, be nice to them. Ask them for auto insurance price quotes right away because if you do not, chances are they will pitch to you their most expensive package and you might not have a chance to budge.

If they concentrate on just one auto insurance package, ask them if there is anything cheaper than that and look at it yourself. Also hint to them that you are look at other car insurance price quotes so they can give you the best possible deal available.

Getting auto insurance price quotes is very essential. Of course, you also have to look at the benefits the car insurance package can offer to you. Otherwise, you might end up purchasing something you may not require.

Comparing prices is important but the bottomline is to find a package that covers all the things that you are looking out for. Just practice due diligence and you will do alright.

Friday, January 15, 2010

How To Save On Your Car Insurance

Car insurance is one thing you cannot drive without having, particularly in a country like USA even the smallest accident can cost you a lot. So it’s always safe to have your car insured. There are dozens of car insurance companies competing with each other to get you the best and the cheapest possible quote. With some search you can easily pick insurance company that can save you hundreds of dollars each time you pay.

If you are the safe driver who never drove above the speed limits and haven’t got any ticket until now, then you must choose the safe driver plan which allows you to cut down on your auto insurance premium. If you have had any tickets issued before then you might have to pay more on your insurance.

Like any other driver you too might be wondering what would happen when you are involved in an accident? The fact is if you are not having liability insurance, you will be devastated with the financial charges that will be levied upon you. Most of the states of America will only need a minimum auto insurance as mandatory to use a car. It is always advisable to have liability coverage so that you will feel much safer while you are driving. There is another way to cut down on your car insurance charge, by increasing the deductible.

Whenever you are changing an auto insurance policy make sure to go through the details properly, as you might have overlooked some smaller details which can reduce your insurance price. It might be that you are using the car less often, you have a new security system installed, you might be parking the car in a garage or you use the car only some days a week etc.

All these can give you discounts on your car insurance so make sure you figure that out. Sometimes if you are including your teenage kids in the policy, you might get some discounts for that too.

There is no magic trick to find the best and the cheapest car insurance. It’s always matters a lot if you talk to people who are using various insurance companies; they are the ones who can truly help you. So the more you research the better it is before you can pick an auto insurance company for your new car.

Saturday, January 02, 2010

On Auto / Car Insurance

In brief, auto insurance covers loss or damage to the vehicle insured, Personal Accident and a third party liability.

Damage can be caused to the vehicle due to natural as well as man made calamities. Natural calamity includes fire, explosion, flood, earthquake, hailstorm landslide etc. Examples of man made calamities include theft, accident by external means, any damage in transit by road or rail etc.

Personal accident covers a compulsory insurance cover of a certain amount while traveling in, mounting or dismounting from the car, and one can opt for personal accident cover for passengers. The third party liability protects against legal liability arising due to accidental damages.

Vehicles are insured at a fixed value but the relief it provides at the time of need is much higher. The car insurance policy is normally valid for a year and one must renew it before it becomes void. As soon as the insurer gets the first premium, the auto insurance policy becomes effective.

In an event that an accident claim is needed, one has to submit a number of documents to the car insurance company like proof of auto insurance policy, driving license, original car registration book, claim form with estimates of repair charges received from the service centre etc. To know about the various aspects and matters related to auto car insurance , simply browse through my blog or do a Google search.