Auto Insurance - Cut Costs - Not Cover

Auto insurance is a minimum requirement for a car owner or driver in every US state, Canadian province and pretty much every country in the world. If you have a car, then auto insurance is something that you must have, period.

The downside, however, is that costs are continuing to rise, so it clearly makes sense to look for ways to reduce some of the expense, whilst still seeking the best coverage available for your dollars. So, let’s look at some ways of doing this.

Firstly, use the power of the internet to get multiple auto insurance quotes, as well as utilizing the services of your local neighborhood broker. Try getting different types of quotes from the online direct-sell insurance companies as well as brokers both on the internet and in the “real” world. Bear in mind here that the auto insurance that is cheapest isn’t always going to be the best. For example, is the insurance company known to you? If not, can you be certain that they are financially secure? How confident are you that they will be able to pay out if you have to make an auto insurance claim? Will they still be in business next year or even next week? In other words, if you don’t know the company, check out their credentials before you give them your money. Not all auto insurance companies are created equal!

The first “slice” of the policy is almost always basic liability insurance, covering your liability to others in case of an accident which either injures them or damages their property. Indeed, it is possible to ONLY have this basic cover and still satisfy the legal requirements in many states and countries.

However, if you only have minimum liability coverage and you injure someone, their attorney can go after your personal assets, so, quite correctly, many people (and their insurers) would suggest that minimum liability is a bit of a gamble.

Auto insurance costs will vary dependent on the type of vehicle that you are insuring. Coverage for a flashy sports car or for one in what is considered to be in a high risk group (soft top convertibles, for example) is very different from insuring the family sedan or hatchback. So, when you are thinking of buying a new car, it makes sense to think about the auto insurance costs before you do so, and maybe you might buy a car that "looks good" to insurance companies.

For example, the auto insurance companies are well aware of what type of cars are most often stolen. If you haven't purchased your car yet, find out what cars make this "good list" among auto insurers. Consider how much coverage you really need to buy, and don’t “over-insure”, because the companies will not pay out more than the value of your car no matter how much cover you have been paying for.

For example, consider collision and comprehensive coverage, how much you will be reimbursed for the loss or destruction of your vehicle. Are you carrying $50,000 worth of collision coverage for a $20,000 vehicle?

On the other hand, don’t make false economies. If you don’t want to pay for comprehensive and collision cover, consider whether you be able to afford to replace it if it was written off? If not, then you need the extra cover, although you clearly don’t need the extra cost!

A a general guide, if your car is worth less than $2,000, then it won't be worth it to buy comprehensive and collision. L ikewise, if your car is an ancient relic, say, more than 12 years old, then again, you probably don’t need the most comprehensive cover, which can usually give big savings. Consider bearing the risk of having a higher deductible (or “excess” as it is called in Europe), which is the pat of any claim that you will have to pay before your insurance policy kicks in and pays the rest. The higher the deductible, the higher your potential financial risk, granted, but this will also serve to keep your auto insurance policy costs down.

Buying a low mileage car and keeping your driving licence and record nice and clean will all help keep cots down.

If you’re a single males under the age of 25 then the bad news is that you are NOT the auto insurance companies favorite type of driver, and you will pay for it (statistically, this group are most likely to have accidents). Get yourself a nice sensible car, and leave the Ferrari at the dealership until you get yourself a wife and pass your 26th birthday!

Finally, look a other ways that your insurance company might reward you for taking steps that will reduce the risk of a claim, such as fitting your car with an anti-theft device or attending an advanced driver-training course. These kinds of proactive preventative measures are generally welcomed by the auto insurance companies, and are rewarded with reduced insurance fees.

Car Insurance for the Under 25's

With age being something that can have a significant impact on the cost of car insurance it’s always a good idea to shop around.

Car insurance quotes for the under 25’s can make the cost of running a car totally unaffordable especially if the person concerned has had an accident or incurred points on their license.

One of the best ways of saving money on your car insurance no matter what your age is to get as many competitive car insurance quotes as possible. The availability of so many consumer products on the internet, including all types of insurance, means that it has never been easier to save money when looking to insure your car.

All the main players enable you to get car insurance quotes on line including Progressive, StateFarm, Allstate, Viking and Nationwide. Check them out or even better get a good insurance broker to do the job for you.

Other ways to help reduce your cost of car insurance if you are under 25 are:

• Avoid sports cars and other vehicles that are considered high risk in the auto insurance industry. Cars with a higher risk of accidents, more expensive to repair or more prone to being stolen will push up your car insurance premiums.

• Get married, a bit rash I know but married under 25’s are often considered less of a risk with car insurance companies than their unmarried counterparts.

• Give consideration to where you live. Living in an area that experiences a higher level of theft and vandalism will increase your car insurance premiums.

• Drive with care and avoid speeding tickets or other convictions. Car insurance providers can come down hard on those with points on their licence particularly if they are under 25.

• Never drink and drive. A drink drive conviction (DUI) will really push up your car insurance.

• Some car insurance companies will reduce their premiums for those who lower mileage users.

• Get quotes from insurance companies that can meet all your insurance needs. Discounts are now being offered to those whose cover more than one car through the same insurance company or who use the same insurance company for householders insurance or other types insurance as well as their car insurance.

Never assume that the same company will provide you with the best insurance quote year after year. Shop around every time your car insurance comes up for renewal, the odds are you will be able to better the deal.

Car Insurance Quotes - Getting The Best Deal On Your Car Insurance

Want to learn something new about auto insurance? Something that can save you a lot of money or get a claim paid? Forget the usual tips. Check out these secrets.

1. Demand the legal policy minimums if you have no assets. Do you really need a lot of liability coverage if you have no money in the bank? Insurance companies will tell you that you do because you can be sued regardless. It's possible. I can't promise you that you won't be sued and end up paying a chunk of your paycheck to someone for life.

However, honest insurance salesmen admit that people without assets are rarely sued. Lawyers work on a commission in these cases, and won't take a case where there is no money to be collected. In fact, having a bigger liability policy can be an invitation to sue, and it won't protect you from personal liability, because they always sue for more than the policy limit anyhow.

If you have no assets to protect, why buy auto insurance? Because it is a legal requirement. In that case why not just buy the minimum coverage required? But be careful. My own insurance guy lied for years, claiming I had just that, when in fact I was paying for "company-recommended minimums." You might have to push the point, and may even have to sign something saying you understand how risky it is to be "under-insured."

2. Claim diminished value. If you have a collision policy, your insurance company will pay for the repairs after an accident. However, is the financial damage really fixed? Not necessarily. A car that has been in an accident and had the body fixed may look the same, but it won't sell for the same price. Would you pay the same for a car that has been in an accident?

A car that has been in an accident might be worth $2,000 less than a similar un-damaged car. This is called "diminished value," and may be covered by your policy. However, diminished value is often not paid unless you push the point. Get a car dealer to do an estimate of the diminished value if necessary, and present this to the insurance company. You pay for insurance to have your losses covered, and they aren't covered if you aren't paid for this.

3. Lower your premiums by removing kids from the policy. You may have already discovered that you pay a lot for insurance as long as you have driving-age children at home. Even if they are off at school, if their legal residence is your house, you pay more.

However, there is a little-known exception to this rule. If your children are at a college that's more than 100 miles away, you can have them taken off the insurance policy. This can dramatically reduce your premiums. The catch? They are excluded drivers, so you can't let them drive the car when they come home to visit.

These are just a few examples of the auto insurance secrets that insurance companies probably don't want you to know.

Top 10 Factors Affecting Your Auto Insurance Premiums

When it comes to shopping around for car insurance, there are many considerations to keep in mind. Whether you are a new driver or have many years of driving experience, now is as good a time as any to understand how insurance companies evaluate you in order to come up with a premium for your vehicle coverage policy. This is particularily important if you are shopping around for the cheapest car insurance, and why shouldn't you? Basically, according to many auto insurance professionals, the following is a list of the top 10 factors affecting your insurance premiums for auto protection.

1. Year, make and model of vehicle: The more a vehicle costs to repair will be more expensive to insure. Fast sporty cars will have a heftier premium than a 4 cylinder sedan, as will cars that are prone to theft, as well as newer vehicles.

2. Gender: Unfortunately, this is one you have no control over. Statistically, females have less collisions than male drivers.

3. Vehicle usage: Do you commute to work, or is the car used mainly for pleasure? How much mileage do you drive yearly?

4. Age of driver: According to insurance professionals, younger drivers pose a higher risk level. The more years you have been insured consistantly, the lower you can expect to pay.

5. Past claims: Companies look at your past driving record, especially if you have made claims in the past. If you have been involved in accidents, and have been found to be at fault, you will be considered a high risk driver.

6. Offenses and traffic violations: Insurance companies reward safe drivers with lower policy premiums. So make sure you keep those traffic offences to a minimum.

7. Where you live: If you live in an area where the crime rate is high and there is a higher chance of theft and vandalism, that risk will cause your coverage to increase.

8. Drivers education or training: If you have taken a course in drivers Ed, this will help lower your cost of insurance.

9. Coverage type: The more coverage you have, the greater your fees become. Normally, newer vehicles require more coverage. Liability, collision and comprehensive, fire, theft and vandalism are among the most popular options. By law, you are obliged to have liability coverage, but anything more is all up to you to decide whether it is necessary or not. It is important to wisely weigh your options.

10. Deductibles: This is where being a good driver can pay off for you. The safer driver you are, the less likely you are of being at fault in accidents. Choosing a higher deductible can lower your premiums a considerable amount, however you should make sure that if you do have to make a claim, you are able to cover that deductible amount.

As you can see, there are many elements affecting the premium you can pay for vehicle protection, which may explain why you are paying more or less than your next door neighbor. Even with all of these things in mind, it is important to shop around for the cheapest auto insurance, and this is easier than you may think. The internet is full of insurance websites offering free auto insurance quotes making it easier than ever to compare rates, and make your choices based on these comparisons.

Three Auto Insurance Secrets

Want to learn something new about auto insurance? Something that can save you a lot of money or get a claim paid? Forget the usual tips. Check out these secrets.

1. Demand the legal policy minimums if you have no assets. Do you really need a lot of liability coverage if you have no money in the bank? Insurance companies will tell you that you do because you can be sued regardless. It's possible. I can't promise you that you won't be sued and end up paying a chunk of your paycheck to someone for life.

However, honest insurance salesmen admit that people without assets are rarely sued. Lawyers work on a commission in these cases, and won't take a case where there is no money to be collected. In fact, having a bigger liability policy can be an invitation to sue, and it won't protect you from personal liability, because they always sue for more than the policy limit anyhow.

If you have no assets to protect, why buy auto insurance? Because it is a legal requirement. In that case why not just buy the minimum coverage required? But be careful. My own insurance guy lied for years, claiming I had just that, when in fact I was paying for "company-recommended minimums." You might have to push the point, and may even have to sign something saying you understand how risky it is to be "under-insured."

2. Claim diminished value. If you have a collision policy, your insurance company will pay for the repairs after an accident. However, is the financial damage really fixed? Not necessarily. A car that has been in an accident and had the body fixed may look the same, but it won't sell for the same price. Would you pay the same for a car that has been in an accident?

A car that has been in an accident might be worth $2,000 less than a similar un-damaged car. This is called "diminished value," and may be covered by your policy. However, diminished value is often not paid unless you push the point. Get a car dealer to do an estimate of the diminished value if necessary, and present this to the insurance company. You pay for insurance to have your losses covered, and they aren't covered if you aren't paid for this.

3. Lower your premiums by removing kids from the policy. You may have already discovered that you pay a lot for insurance as long as you have driving-age children at home. Even if they are off at school, if their legal residence is your house, you pay more.

However, there is a little-known exception to this rule. If your children are at a college that's more than 100 miles away, you can have them taken off the insurance policy. This can dramatically reduce your premiums. The catch? They are excluded drivers, so you can't let them drive the car when they come home to visit.

These are just a few examples of the auto insurance secrets that insurance companies probably don't want you to know.