Archive for July, 2009

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How to Cut Your Car Insurance in Half in a Struggling Economy

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

In today’s economy, everyone needs to save money and spend less. Spending more money than you can afford on your car insurance seems unavoidable, doesn’t it? Like a price you can’t get around? Well it’s not. Everyone can lower car insurance rates – in fact, you can cut them in half!

Before you bring out the big guns, be sure to exhaust the smaller options as well. Avoiding speeding tickets, reducing your travel on the road, citing all safety features, and parking your car in safe places can all lower the monthly rate you pay for car insurance. But now you can go further.

Drop your limits and reduce your coverage

Liability limits are often covered by state minimums, but many car insurance companies have high liability limits – meaning you can afford to lower yours and save money. Find out what the minimum is in your state, and what you’re paying – in all likelihood, you’ll find a very wide discrepancy. Lowering that will slash a lot of dollars off your payments.

Another way to save is to reduce the coverage you pay for. A lot of new car buyers purchase car insurance with comprehensive and collision coverage. After all, you want the best for a brand new automobile; however, many people forget to lower it as the car ages. You don’t need full collision and comprehensive coverage for a car that is over five years old. Find ways to cut back on that and save a lot of money on your insurance rates overall.

Cover the drivers you need

Many families pay for car insurance coverage for children who no longer live in the home. Why pay extra to cover a driver who won’t drive your car? Students who have gone off to college won’t be driving at all – they don’t need any insurance coverage. The same may be true for elder members of the family who can’t drive their cars anymore. By reducing the number of drivers covered by your car insurance plan, you’ll greatly reduce the payments you have to make.

Increase your deductible

A low deductible means you won’t pay much in the event of an accident – but it won’t save you money for driving safely. If you increase your deductible, you risk paying a high price should the worst happen, but it means you’ll save a great deal of money on the insurance itself. The car insurance provider won’t mind taking the risk of offering you a lower cost if you accept the risk of a high deductible. It’s fair and it costs you less! Get free car insurance quotes today to see how much money you can save.

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Steps to Take After a Car Accident

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Car accidents are scary and unnerving. In the aftermath of an accident, you may want nothing more than to get away from the scene so that you can recover mentally and physically. In the case of a minor accident in which you are not seriously injured, however, there are some important steps you can take to make sure that everything goes smoothly with car insurance companies.

-First, always be sure to have these documents in your glove compartment at all times: your car insurance information; paper and a pencil; a disposable or cheap digital camera. It is a good idea to keep several photocopies of your car insurance information, too.

-After an accident, exchange names, addresses, driver’s license, and car insurance information with the driver of the car.

-Take photos of the scene. If the other driver doesn’t have a camera, and your camera is digital, you may want to be polite and ask if he or she would like you to email copies of the photos. Be sure to get close-up photos of any damage that may have been caused by the accident. If the cars are still in the same places as they were immediately after impact, be sure to take distance photos of all cars involved in order to clearly show the positions of all vehicles. If the cars have been moved, photograph the area where impact happened, being sure to include any traffic signals or signs, skid marks on the road, etc.

-Do not leave the scene of the accident until police arrive! You want them to know your version of what happened. If you leave the scene and the other drive talks to the police, the police report could include only his or her perspective on events. Be sure to get the name of the police officer, too, and write it down. Sometimes officers don’t file reports on “minor” accidents (accidents in which no one was hurt, no matter how damaged the vehicles may be). If a report isn’t filed on your accident and you need the officer to testify, knowing his or her name will make things a lot easier.

-Report the accident to your car insurance company immediately; even if both you and the other driver seem to agree that you weren’t at fault. You want to make sure that your insurance company has your version of events on record if the other driver’s insurance company comes knocking—even, or especially, if you aren’t at fault. Don’t be concerned about increased car insurance rates, because state laws usually protect no-fault drivers from increased rates.

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Reasons for Choosing Rental Car Outlets over Purchasing a Car

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

As consumers begin to comprehend the cost of consumption, they’re starting to seek ways to cut back. Because of skyrocketing car insurance rates, many consumers look to save by paring down their policies. However, cutting back on car insurance can be a dangerous decision, as it is legally required in all 50 states. A creative way to cut out the car insurance bill and still stay legal, however, is becoming a member of a car sharing group or rental car outlet.

Because of the monumental cost of car maintenance including gas, car insurance, repair, and oil changes, the personal vehicle is a pay check gobbler, especially since it spends most of its time sitting in parking lots and driveways. Choosing a rental car outlet instead of purchasing a car is a smart choice for consumers who want all the benefits of a car at a fraction of the cost. This choice also promotes environmentally friendly living. In fact, so many people are going green with their driving habits that Zipcar, one rental outlet, memberships have grown by 100 percent each year, according to Los Angeles ABC 7.

Insuring a personal vehicle means a monthly, yearly, or bi-annual cost to the owner. With car insurance rates that increase because of a variety of variables–type of car, location, and driver risk–this can add up to hundreds of dollars per year. When added to the other costs of keeping a personal vehicle, that number can reach the thousands. In the city, parking is yet another price that personal vehicle owners have to pay. Drivers who rarely hit the road may find that the costs of owning a car are not worth the rare moments of enjoyment and convenience that vehicle affords them.

When this is the case, drivers can join rental car outlets where cars are provided to drivers at a monthly rate plus a usage fee. As all of the cars offered by car rental outlets are already insured, there is no need for drivers to obtain a separate insurance policy. Essentially, members pay to use a car when they want to drive and don’t waste their money paying for personal vehicles to sit in a parking lot. Becoming a member of a rental car outlet not only spares drivers from paying high insurance rates, but it also affords them other benefits, such as the use of different, new, and stylish cars for each trip. While a personal vehicle depreciates, a new, shared vehicle is appreciated by many drivers. Joining a car rental outlet is an example of cutting back on expenses without cutting out convenience.

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How To Prove You’re a Good Driver with Progressive’s MyRate Program

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Progressive’s MyRate is a personalized car insurance program that offers discounted rates to safe drivers and individuals who drive less frequently. MyRate is based upon how well a person drives and certain factors determine whether or not an individual is a good candidate for MyRate. These factors are: defensive driving, driving less than 10,000 miles per year, and rarely driving after midnight. If you meet these requirements, then you may be eligible for Progressive’s MyRate program. It is important to mention that MyRate is not offered in all states at this time. MyRate is currently available in fifteen states.

Once enrolled in the MyRate program, Progressive will send you a small electronic device. The device is to be plugged in to the driver’s vehicle, usually in the diagnostic port. Once installed, the driver continues to operate the vehicle as he or she normally would. The MyRate device functions by collecting data from the vehicle and wirelessly transmitting information to Progressive. The information is then used to determine renewal discounts on car insurance rates. All MyRate data can be tracked by logging onto the Progressive website and viewing your personal policy.

MyRate devices will work on all vehicles manufactured from 1996 and on.

It is possible that car insurance rates may increase under the MyRate program. This is due to the state you reside in and your driving techniques. For example, in some states you may be charged a $30 fee for the MyRate device. The expense covers the cost of the technological device and the cost to wirelessly transmit data. Additionally, your driving habits may result in a surcharge that could increase your car insurance rate. Surcharges vary by state.

With the MyRate technology, you have the ability to track your driving habits and rates. If your driving habits negatively affect your car insurance, MyRate gives you the opportunity to improve your driving skills. Improved driving skills will lead to lower car insurance rates and other car insurance discounts. To qualify for increased discounts, drivers should avoid the following actions: excess mileage, excess acceleration, hard braking, driving during peak hours, and driving after midnight.

If you enroll in the MyRate program and later decide you want to leave, you have the option to terminate enrollment at any time. Participation in the MyRate program is voluntary. However, once you have left the program, any driving data recorded from your MyRate device will not be used to determine future car insurance rates. You must also return the MyRate device to Progressive.

Overall, MyRate is a revolutionary program that rewards good drivers with lower car insurance rates and convenient discounts.

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How Car Insurance is Affected by Car-Sharing Services

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Many consumers are looking for different ways to cut back on weekly expenses. Going to work is a priority for everyone who relies on their job to pay the majority of their bills. The daily commute to work can become quite expensive. Besides gas, you may have to purchase on-street parking or pay daily for secured garage parking. Cutting your commute costs with car sharing services can help you free up some of your income for bills, entertainment, or food. Here are a few tips to help you understand how car insurance is affected by car-sharing services.

Owning and operating a car in large cities and towns is now becoming optional. Instead of financing an additional family vehicle, car-sharing can help offset your costs. New or slightly used cars involve a car payment, annual car registration fees, and auto insurance. Car-sharing is a wonderful alternative to purchasing a primary, secondary, or even tertiary vehicle. Major cities boast car-sharing services and their expansion into other areas is increasing.

Car-sharing services allow you to pay for the privilege to have scheduled access to a car. You usually pay a monthly fee that covers access to the car, gas, and insurance. You simply call the service and provide the desired pick-up address. The membership card you have in your possession opens the car door. In the glove box, there is a car key and gas card to purchase gas.

To set up the car sharing service, simply set up the best service plan for your driving needs. The car insurance rates available through the car service should be explored before you start to utilize the service. The car insurance rate may vary based on the type of coverage you select. You may have the option to select more coverage at a reduced rate. Since the car-sharing service is used by many drivers, the cost will only be a fraction of what you would pay for an annual policy. For example, you may be able to include insurance that pays for up to $400,000 per incident with a $600 deductible, and there may be another option of $1 million dollars per incident with a $600 deductible.

If you would like to save money on car insurance rates, look into car-sharing services. You can save a great deal of money on car insurance rates by taking advantage of community services. When you set up your account, you generally have the option to select enough coverage to protect you, passengers in the car, and anyone else who could possibly be affected in an accident involving the car-sharing vehicle.

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Car Insurance Mandatory for Wisconsin Motorists by 2010

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Change is afoot for Wisconsin drivers. Starting on June 1, 2010, all drivers will be required by law to have car insurance. From that day forward, if you are caught driving without car insurance in Wisconsin, you have to pay a fine. Habitual offenders may lose their license.

Until this new law, which was passed by Governor Jim Doyle as part of the state budget, Wisconsin was one of only two states in the US that did not have mandatory car insurance laws (New Hampshire is the other hold out). Wisconsin drivers previously had to comply with the Financial Responsibility Law, which states that all drivers had to show that they had the financial means to pay for damages after an accident. The Financial Responsibility could be met through car insurance, a surety bond, or by filing a certificate of self insurance. Approximately 85% of drivers in Wisconsin carried car insurance anyway, but despite the fact that 100% of drivers had to comply with the Financial Responsibility law, uninsured motorists were often unable to meet the costs of damages after a collision.

Wisconsin car insurance companies are rejoicing at the new law, but not everyone is on board with the changes. Part of the debate is over the mandatory minimums required in the new law, which will take Wisconsin from having no insurance laws to having one of the highest mandatory minimum requirements in the country. Current Wisconsin car insurance holders, who once enjoyed one of the lowest car insurance rates in the country, are concerned that increased demand will drive the prices up. Others are simply concerned at the prospect of one more bill to pay during tough economic times.

Proponents of the plan believe that requiring car insurance will take an undue burden off of those who already maintain insurance. They further believe it is necessary to require insurance to help deal with increased medical costs. As the cost of health care increases, the cost of caring for people who have been injured in an accident skyrockets, often to an extent that makes uninsured drivers unable to pay. This is also the justification for higher mandatory minimums.

Popular or not, Wisconsin drivers have to comply with the law if they want to keep their license. Wisconsin car insurance companies are ready to work with the uninsured to get them on board with the law. Wisconsin car insurance rates will be determined by a number of different factors, including your credit score, driving record, and where you live. If you have never carried insurance before, this could also lead you to more expensive insurance costs; though in time and with a good driving record, your car insurance rate may come down.

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Are Smart Cars Actually Safe Cars?

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

We all know the familiar silhouette of the tiny Smart car, and are familiar with its many benefits: ease of maneuvering and parking in cities, fuel efficiency (up to 44 miles per gallon), and low cost (starting around $12,000), but are these tiny cars actually safe in an accident? How can an accident in a Smart car impact car insurance rates? The answers are complex and largely dependent upon the driver.

The Smart car is built with an extremely sturdy, race car style safety cell, steel frame that gives it a very sturdy foundation and helps to disperse the force from an impact across the entire car. This coupled with some very high tech safety features such as front and side airbags, and disc brakes, means that the Smart car fares much better in collisions than its diminutive size would indicate. In fact, that Smart car performed so well in crash tests that it earned a five star rating from the independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This is the group’s highest crash safety rating. The tests simulate frontal impacts at 40 miles per hour, while the side impacts are simulated at 31 miles per hour with the force of a sport utility vehicle. Even in side impacts, the Smart car performed well, with its new aluminum reinforced cross bars.

In rear impacts, the Smart car received the second highest ranking the IIHS gives, “acceptable.” This is a very good rating for a car of this size.

However, measuring slightly over eight feet long and just less than five feet wide and tall and weighing in at 1,800 pounds, the Smart car is simply less safe in a collision than a larger, heavier vehicle where simple physics protect the driver. In a collision with an SUV (which frequently weighs over 4,000 pounds), even the vaunted, modern safety features of the Smart car will not be able to offset the disadvantage of being struck by a larger object.

The answer to the question is a complex one. In frontal impacts against stationary objects, or frontal or side impacts by like sized vehicles, the Smart car performs excellently. In impacts with larger objects, the Smart car does not perform as well. In cities with smaller vehicles and lower speeds, the Smart car will prove to be very safe in most circumstances. On the freeway, in areas with large numbers of SUV’s, it will be at a tremendous disadvantage in a collision with a larger vehicle. The solution though, as always, is to drive defensively and to remain alert, especially when in a small vehicle such as a Smart car.

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Benefits of Green Car Insurance

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

For many environmentally-conscious individuals, driving a car is a necessary part of our daily lives. In order to protect the environment in some way, most drivers either opt to carpool, drive less, or purchase a more environmentally-friendly car. In addition to these options, some car owners have even opted to purchase green car insurance.

Green car insurance is a relatively new idea that not many people know about. It is an excellent idea for those individuals who wish to take steps to reduce their carbon footprint. Some of these steps include supporting economically friendly charities, or planting trees in forest areas. Green car insurance is, as one can imagine, an environmentally-friendly car insurance company. Most of these companies offer services such as calculating your car’s emissions, and adding the cost of offsetting those emissions into your car insurance premium. In doing this, individuals can become responsible for covering their own carbon footprint.

These companies are not just limited to offsetting car emissions; they are regular car insurance companies that are environmentally responsible. With a green car insurance company, you would find everything that you would usually expect from a typical car insurance provider. Much like any car insurance, it is always best to fully understand what services, options, and insurance rates are available before purchasing a policy.

In addition to being responsible, most of these companies also educate consumers about carbon emissions and how to become more environmentally-friendly. They are dedicated to protecting the environment, not just reducing car emissions. Helpful tips are often found on company websites, where consumers may read them and make changes in their lives to become more environmentally-friendly.

Some companies offer a portion of their proceeds to charity. Often, you may choose which economically-friendly charity the money goes to. Many new insurance owners are pleased to see that their money is going toward helping just causes.

Many people wonder if you must have a green car in order to purchase green car insurance. The answer is no. Anybody may purchase this insurance. Further, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see that these insurance rates are not as high as one would think. In fact, some car owners have discovered that they can save money by switching to a green car insurance company.

As the world becomes more environmentally-conscious, there will be more green car companies opening and more car owners will purchase insurance through these providers. Offsetting emissions and working to protect our environment are only a preview of solutions for how we can make our world a better place for future generations.

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Finding Your Perfect Car Insurance Company

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

Finding the best car insurance company can be a little overwhelming. There are so many different companies out there, and there are so many different types and levels of insurance that you may feel like narrowing down your search is a full-time job. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be so difficult. You can receive a free insurance quote that allows you to compare rates from a variety of car insurance companies to find the most affordable policy for you.

The Best Car Insurance Company for Your Needs

Every driver is different and has unique concerns when shopping for car insurance. Maybe you’re the parent that needs to get car insurance for a teen driver. Maybe you’ve had trouble with a DUI or other serious driving charge in the past and need to find an insurance company willing to give you a chance. Maybe you have a stellar driving record and need to be rewarded. Whatever your particular circumstances are, comparing quotes from a few different companies will allow you to figure out which car insurance companies can deliver a policy tailored to your needs.

Car Insurance Company Discounts

In addition to finding a company that can tailor a policy to your circumstances, don’t forget to factor in any discounts available to you. Car insurance companies often offer discounts to homeowners, people with clean driving records, students with good grades, military personnel, teachers, auto club membership holders, and people who pay for their entire policy in advance. Again, getting a free quote for insurance and comparing the rates and the discounts that apply to you is an important factor in determining your best car insurance company.

Just because you have been with a certain car insurance company for a long time, it pays to do a little comparison shopping for new insurance rates. As your driving record and circumstances change, you may find that another car insurance company can offer you a better price on a policy. Even if you end up sticking with your current provider, car insurance companies are often willing to meet the quoted rates of their competitors in order to keep their customers.

Get a Free Car Insurance Quote

Are you getting the best possible deal on car insurance? Make sure you have the best car insurance you can have by requesting a free, no obligation car insurance quote. Whether you’re in the market for new insurance or just want to get a check-up on the policy you have, a free quote will let you compare rates from several different car insurance companies so you can rest assured you have your perfect car insurance.

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Tips for Shopping for Online Car Insurance

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

Online car insurance shopping is a lot more difficult than online shoe shopping. If you don’t end up liking those shoes, you can always return them, but if you don’t end up liking your car insurance, you could be stuck. Fortunately, with these online car insurance shopping tips, you’ll be able to find affordable online car insurance that’s right for you.

Tip #1: Get Educated

You can’t expect to go online and get your information right from the car insurance company. If you do that, you’ll be bound to fall for whatever policy they want to sell you. Instead, you should do some online research about different kinds of car insurance policies and ask yourself some important questions. Do you need a policy that covers your own car or just a car that you might hit? Do you need insurance for theft? You can also use the Internet to determine what kinds of factors raise car insurance, like age, type of car, and driving record. By finding the average amount that others in your circumstances are charged, you can get a better idea of what affordable online car insurance is for you.

Tip #2: Determine Your Priorities

Whenever you’re making a purchase, give and take is a big part of it. Often, the give and take includes affordability and quality. This is true when doing online car insurance shopping as well. You will find that the more expensive policies are those that will give you the most coverage. Because of this, you need to decide what is most important to you, a low payment or a high-quality policy. There are many other decisions you will also have to make regarding your priorities. For instance, you will need to determine what kind of a company you want dealing with your car insurance. Car insurance companies offer benefits that make them different from one another. For instance, some car insurance companies may give you the option to manage your account online; some offer monthly payment plans; some have a longer history of service. When you determine your priorities, you’ll be able to make a better decision.

Tip# 3: Watch Your Back

When you’re shopping for affordable online car insurance, there are many providers who will try to take advantage of you. Make sure that you don’t accept any offers that give you a very limited time frame in which to make a decision. It’s also important to always research the company that you are considering before buying into a policy. Factors to research include how long the company has been around and whether they are legitimate. You can also check up on them using the Better Business Bureau.

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