How To Get Even With Your Car Insurance Company In 10 Easy Steps Part 2

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Wednesday 10 March 2010 4:57 pm

In Part 1, we detailed the first five strategies on how to cut your car insurance costs. In Part 2, we show you the second five.

STEP 6 – Review, Change or Cancel No Fault & PIP (Personal Injury Protection)

No-Fault Coverage, and it’s Twin – PIP – started out as great idea’s. Your premiums were actually going to be lowered. Then, your State Politicians got involved (at the urging of Insurance Lobbyists, of course) and mucked it up.

You see, no-fault insurance coverage was originally intended to have each individual’s losses, covered by their own car insurance company – no matter who was at fault.

Today, in many States, car insurance companies are making a ton of money on no-fault because the insurance companies convinced State law-makers to make modifications.

Today, because of the these changes, car insurance companies have actually used the no-fault laws to reduce payments on a claim made by a customer, instead of reducing car insurance premiums as it was supposed to do.

So, premiums keep going up-and-up and insurance companies end up paying less for claims – Someone’s getting rich on that deal….and it’s not you.

And to make matters worse, some States (with really, really talented Insurance Lobbyist’s) also require an additional premium be paid on top of the no-fault premium. This beauty is called Personal Injury Protection (PIP).

PIP is a wide-blanket of coverage and can provide Collision Coverage, Hospitalization, Social Security Disability, Workers Comp, Personal Disability Insurance & Life Insurance.

The problem with PIP and what it covers is….

You already gave most, if not all, of these coverage’s anyway, don’t you? So, you’re paying twice!

So, you need to do a couple of things:

Google minimum levels of required auto insurance to see if No-Fault Insurance and/or PIP Is required in your State;

Then, check your policy. If it’s not required by your State to have No-Fault/PIP Coverage and it’s on your policy – cancel it. If No-Fault/PIP is required by your State….take the absolute minimum. Here’s how.

If you must have No-Fault/PIP, ask for and get a deductible from your car insurance company.

STEP 7 – Cancel Medical Coverage.

Medical Coverage, on most car insurance policies, is a promise to pay reasonable medical expenses for anyone who is riding in your car should you have an accident…as well as anyone in your car should it get hit by someone else.

Cancel it. You don’t need it.

Why is that you say? Well, medical coverage as part of your car insurance policy is a duplicate of your own:

- Medical Plan; – Any Life Insurance Coverage you might have, as well as; – The Liability Sections of almost every car insurance policy written in the U.S.

Think of it this way….Do you have a Health/Medical/Hospitalization Plan thru work or an Association you belong to?

Then why are you paying premiums for Medical/Hospitalization Coverage on your Car Insurance Policy?

Here’s what’s going to happen when you tell the car insurance company or Agent that you Don’t want the Hospitalization/Medical Coverage. You’re going to hear very slick scare tactics to help change your mind.

The insurance company employee will say Well, if you’re in an accident, and it’s your fault, who’s going to cover the medical bills for any injured passengers in your car?

Here’s your answer. Your family is already covered by your Health/Hospitalization Plan. If anybody else is in the car and they’re injured – they’re covered by your Bodily Injury Liability coverage that you’re already paying for….and their own Health/Hospitalization Plan.

So go ahead – save some more money and get rid of this coverage.

STEP 8 – Cancel Death, Dismemberment & Loss of Sight.

Do you have any of these coverage’s on your existing car insurance policy? If so – cancel them.

And if you’re a first time car insurance buyer or, just looking at getting several car insurance quotes, don’t let anyone talk you into them!

Why?

Because, these coverage’s are an absolute waste of money. Most of these optional coverage’s are simply glorified life insurance policies with ridiculous provisions and horribly overpriced premiums. If you need life insurance, make it a separate Insurance Policy.

STEP 9 – Cancel The Extras

Do you have Roadside Assistance or Rental Car Reimbursement on your policy? If so, cancel them.

And again, if you’re a first time insurance buyer or getting a few car insurance quotes, don’t bother with these coverage’s.

Why? Because they’re severely overpriced, are rarely ever used, and limit what you can and cannot do.

For instance, some rental car reimbursement coverage is almost $100 a year for each vehicle on your policy. So if you have two cars, you’ll spend almost $2,000 on rental car coverage in the next 10 years – and likely never even use it.

And roadside assistance? The piece-of-mind it offers gets trampled by the premiums the car insurance companies want for this coverage. Roadside assistance is a good idea. But use AAA for a cheaper solution.

STEP 10 – Terminate Comprehensive & Collision Coverage On Older Cars.

If you have an older car – by that I mean one that’s worth less than $2,000 wholesale (the amount a car dealer would give you if you were trading it in) cancel any Comprehensive and Collision Coverage you have or decline that option when getting a car insurance quote.

Here’s why. If an 8 year-old car and a brand new car have identical damage, the cost to repair both will be identical as well, even though the 8 year-old car is worth next-to-nothing.

You see the cost of a bumper and fender are the same – whether it’s for a brand new car, or one that is 8 years-old. That’s why your premiums don’t go down as the value of the car goes down. Your payments remain almost the same, year-after-year-after-year.

But, the bottom drops-out of what you’ll be able to collect on that older car. For instance, if your car is totaled, your insurance company will only pay you the wholesale value of your car.

So, let’s say your car is worth $1,000, but the total damage is more than $4,000, the insurance company is only going to give you a check for $1,000….minus your deductible, of course.

So you might end up getting $500 back. Sounds like a lousy deal….but that’s how it works.

So, the rule-of-thumb is this – cancel your comp & collision coverage when your vehicles value is less than $2,000….or you’ll be throwing your money away.

Okay – you’ve jotted down some notes and are ready to make some changes to your car insurance policy. So pick up the phone and start slashing your premiums!

Tom O’Leary is an Automotive Portfolio Analyst based in Cincinnati, Ohio and Publisher of http://www.mynewcarpurchase.com, a consumer focused web site that assists with buying a new or used car, cheap car insurance quotes and finding cheaper car & truck financing.

Do I Need Travel Insurance?

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Wednesday 10 March 2010 12:57 pm

In the United States health insurance, unlike many other countries, you can find dozens of Blue Cross Blue Shield plans. Hundreds of regular commercial insurance and so many more health insurance plans like managed-care plans?HMOs, PPOs and PPG’s. For some travelers, they may have Medicaid, and for those over 65 years have Medicare. All of these different types of plans have many various benefits, costs, deductibles, exclusions and restrictions.

So think before you travel and check your existing health policy to see what it pays for. It may reimburse you for up to 100% of the cost of emergency medical care when you’re out of the country, of course, excluding any deductibles or copayments.

For nonemergency care overseas you may be covered but probably will have to call your insurance company or HMO in the United States for all for treatments that need to be authorized.

Check with your health plan about this before you leave home because failure to get authorization from your HMO or insurance company may mean you will not get reimbursed if you later file a claim.

If your health insurance policy doesn’t cover your medical cost abroad, or you do not have any coverage whatsoever, then you should consider purchasing a travel health specific insurance policy.

Even if your present health insurance will pay doctor and hospital bills when you’re out of the country, you may want to purchase a travel insurance policy to get other important benefits such as coverage for air ambulance transport and on-site medical expense payment.

With some specific diseases like diabetes, COPD, epilepsy, etc when you’re traveling it may not be covered so make sure you first speak we your health insurance agent before you travel and then see what is covered.

When my father travels he does get travel insurance, not for the benefit of the health insurance, but just in case he does get ill and unable to take the trip at the at the time he supposed to travel. This way he can get his money back.

Copyright 2005 – Fern Kuhn, RN
Specializing in Diabetes
http://www.travelinsurancecenter.info http://www.diabetestestingcenter.com

You may reprint this article as long as you keep the links active

Pet Insurance Guide Pet Insurance Is Vital For Your Pets

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Wednesday 10 March 2010 8:57 am

Pet insurance covers all veterinary costs in case your pet is ill or needs some care. Several insurance policies also pay a sum of money if your pet dies, lost or stolen. Insurance companies offer complete dog and cat insurance coverage at very competitive rates. Generally pet insurance policy pays for unexpected illness, accidents, injuries, or some other emergencies viz. doctor visits, prescriptions, x-rays, lab fees or diagnostic tests etc.

Pet insurance is an easy way to cover all unexpected expenses of your pet. The pet owner will have to pay some amount against any claim. Pet insurance doesn?t pay for preventive veterinary care or elective veterinary care. Usually pet insurance is available for cats and dogs only but sometimes some special insurance is available for horses also. In developed countries all pet owners cut their pets? expenses with the help of pet insurance.

Details of each and every pet insurance policy are different and policy coverage is also dissimilar from policy to policy. There are three main categories of pet insurance policies out of them first covers each condition or event, second offers highest value on total annual payments whereas the category is the cheapest that gives limited payment for some specific condition and it ends after one year of the treatment.

Cost of each policy plan is different and you can select the best as per your pets? requirements. Best time to have a pet insurance policy is when your pet is little. You may also insure your pet in the age of 8 weeks but it is very difficult to get maximum coverage after middle age. Getting a new insurance policy in the middle age of your pet is very much expensive because at that time you?ll not be able to claim for existing health treatments.

Internet offers a quick as well as an easy way to shop for a pet insurance policy. It also helps in reducing the premiums. Not only pet insurance it also offers insurance for your car, home or life.

About Author: Author presents an informative website on Pet Insurance. The Website offers advice on how to get cheap pet insurance and some tips to buy pet insurance. It also tells that how can you keep your pet healthy. You can also visit his site about Pet Supplies.

The Difference Between Copay And Coinsurance

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Wednesday 10 March 2010 4:57 am

The insurance field can be quite confusing. This goes doubly-so for the medical insurance field, so it is best to really have a grasp on the terms used by insurance companies so we can all speak the same language.

Unfortunately, they don’t make it easy. For example, they use the terms ‘coinsurance’ and ‘copay’ very often. If you don’t understand the difference, you can find yourself owing alot of money and not knowing why.

The terms are really simple, once you understand them:

Coinsurance: coinsurance is a term used for a percentage amount you are responsible for. For example if your insurance policy is 80/20, where you are responsible for paying 20% of your bill, the 20% is a coinsurance.

Copay: copay is usually a flat fee. For example, every time you go to the doctor you pay a 25.00 copay for the office visit, regardless of the level of service you receive.

Be careful, though. Normally, copays do not apply to deductibles, where coinsurance does. You may find yourself being nickle-and-dimed in copay fees, then stuck with a higher deductible should anything major come up. Check your insurance policy to make sure.

The more you know about the terms in your insurance policy, the more you will understand what rights you have, and which insurance programs are right for you.

Jerry Hanel is partial owner of InsuranceQNA.com.

With These Incredibly Easy To Follow Tips Buying Auto Insurance Really Cannot Cost You Anything

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Wednesday 10 March 2010 12:57 am

Nowadays, it is quite expensive to buy auto insurance but there is still way to lower the overall costs a little bit and still be sure that you have enough insurance coverage for your car whenever you need it. In fact, one of the main things to consider when you try to find the cheaper auto insurance is the model or type of car that you drive. If you have a big powerful sports car which can go very fast and usually tend to make people drive in an faster manner, then you are likely to pay a much higher than car insurance premium as those sports car drivers are more likely to make insurance claims in the future. Therefore, it should be much cheaper for you to insure if you have a smaller and less powerful car based on the record of those types of car drivers.

Another main factor you need to consider when purchasing auto insurance is the deductibles amount that are on the insurance policy. This can be very different than the overall insurance rate or premium if you try to apply for the auto insurance and it may be worthwhile to take a few risks even though you may end up pay more if you want to make a claim against your auto insurance policy in the future. But this is one of the best ways to easily lower your monthly cost for your car insurance, if you are a safe driver. However, if you think you will have accidents later, then this is not the best way for you to try to lower your costs.

Apart from that, one of the main factors that can easily affect the cost of your monthly auto insurance premium when you want to buy auto insurance is the way you drive. If you have a lot of auto insurance claim records before, then the costs will be much higher. Therefore, learning to drive more carefully is not only good and safe for you but also has the great potential to easily reduce your auto insurance premium if you can show a good safe driving pattern. Thus, no vehicle accidents and very few if any speeding tickets is a great benefit to you.

At last, the most important thing that can really save you money a lot when purchasing auto insurance is to look around carefully. It is understandable that the process is really a big pain and not a very interesting, but it can really lower your money cost in long term on your automobile insurance premiums. When your insurance needs to be renewed later, you are likely to sign the contract and not look for better deals elsewhere. However, this might cost you alot in the future. With a little bit of attempt, you can then easily achieve your real saving goal on your auto insurance, why not to take this extra step?

Rashme Wong is a successful Internet Marketer and publisher of Top Auto Insurance Providers. A website that specializes in providing auto insurance advice to include easy ways to get a better estimate from an auto insurance online that you can search and learn from the comfort of your home.

Affordable Car Insurance Rate ? New And Old Cars

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Tuesday 9 March 2010 8:57 pm

With the various different kinds of insurance today ? health insurance, life insurance, home owner insurance ? is it any wonder that when it comes to car insurance we want to get a cheap car insurance rate? No. The good news is there are ways for you to get an affordable car insurance rate, whether you are in the market for a new car or are looking for car insurance for the car you already own.

If you?re in the market for a new car, there are a few things you should take into consideration before you seal the deal. Car insurance companies are more likely to give affordable car insurance rates for vehicles that are both low profile and safe. It always helps to live in an area that is considered low crime, but most of us aren?t going to pack up and move simply to get an affordable car insurance rate. So, when you browse the car lot, look for cars that have many safety features, are sturdy enough to avoid expensive repairs, and aren?t likely to be stolen or burglarized. You may want to do some research about the particular cars you are interested in before you visit the dealership.

If you already own a car, there are still some tips for getting an affordable car insurance rate. You can make some safety changes to your car, as well as add anti-theft components. You can also take a look at your driving style. Have you been in several automobile accidents? Do you tend to get traffic citations pretty regularly? If so, you will need to start driving more cautiously in order to eliminate car accidents and citations, thus getting an affordable car insurance rate, as well as saving money and lives.

Whether you plan to purchase a car next week, or you have had your car for several years, there are ways to get a cheap car insurance rate.

Visit our recommended company to learn more about the following:

Cheap Auto Insurance
Home Owners Insurance Company
Auto Insurance Companies

Home Insurance For A Lifetime’s Investment

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Tuesday 9 March 2010 4:57 pm

For the majority of people interested in personal finance – and those who claim not to be – the biggest investment they will ever make is in their home. It’s one of the most talked about investments there is, and yet many don’t look at it that way: homebuying in the UK has often been considered separate from ‘normal’ investment.

It is most likely that this feeling persists because we can so tangibly see what the investment is worth – your mortgage is, quite literally, all around you from the second you walk in the door of your first home. What you see is what you get and the rewards are great – past inflations in value for the UK housing market have hit the headlines so often it seems that the market will never slow down.

And then it did. A Nationwide survey released recently reported that UK house prices cooled sharply in April this year, with a slender increase of just 0.1%. This is down from 1.1% in March and shows that fears of a general slowdown are looking more and more likely.

So, assuming you have taken advantage of one of the many mortgage options available online, where next? Well, it might seem less than adventurous, but I’d have to say insurance. Lets go back to that image of the homeowner surrounded by their investment. Yes, it is one of the more visible investments – and that’s precisely why you should take the time to insure your investment against the many dangers, both tangible and less so, with good, carefully chosen, home insurance.

Taking a look at the UK home insurance offerings from just one of the big-name home insurance providers reveals that, as with mortgages, there are a wealth of opportunities out there for the discerning consumer. Taking care with your selection process is always going to pay dividends though, and best practice is to check out the competition by visiting the solid, reliable providers, such as Barclays, as well as comparing the competition that is already out there with the home insurance packages you come across. Using an online insurance comparison site can speed up this process.

You can always find a package that will suit your particular needs and once your home insurance is in place you can rest a little easier as you sit inside your investment, looking out.

Disclaimer:
All information contained in this article is for general information purpose only and should not be construed as advice under the financial Services act 1986. You are strongly advised to take appropriate professional and legal advice before entering into any binding contracts.

Andrew Regan is an online journalist who enjoys socialising at his local Edinburgh cricket club.

Long Term Care Insurance Shopping Tips

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Tuesday 9 March 2010 12:57 pm

It’s hard to face the reality of needing long term care. But more and more people are realizing that if they do need it, they may lose their entire retirement assets just to pay for it. It’s now considered part of a smart financial plan to have long term care insurance if you don’t have enough assets to cover the costs and still maintain your standard of living. The insurance can seem expensive so keep these points in mind when shopping for quotes.

Your age, health and desired benefits are the biggest factors that affect how much you pay for long term care insurance.

The older you are, the greater the chance that you may need long term care. Thus insurers will charge more to insure a 65-year-old than a 55-year-old. A recent study* released by the American Association for Long-term Care Insurance showed that the difference in yearly premium between a 55-year-old in good health and a 65-year-old in good health — for the same benefits — averaged almost $700 more.

The benefit affects your premium. You can choose a per diem amount for most policies based on what you think you may need. For example a policy may pay $30, $100, or $300 per day. The higher the benefit, the more your premium will be. Also, you can choose different lengths of waiting period before your benefits kick in. The longer the waiting period, the lower your premium should be.

Rates can vary between companies, so the most important consideration when shopping for long term care insurance is to get comparison quotes. When you’re comparing different company quotes take a look at the following:

1. How much does the policy cost per month and per year?

2. Is there an inflation adjustment feature? How much does that feature cost?

3. What services are covered? (Nursing home, at-home care, assisted living care, etc.)

4. What is the waiting period before benefits start?

5. How much does the policy pay per day for the services? How long does the benefit last per service? Is there a lifetime benefit maximum?

6. Are pre-existing conditions covered? What conditions are covered?

7. Is the policy guaranteed renewable?

8. Does the company have a financially strong rating from an independent rating agency?

Once you select a policy, take the time to read through it carefully. If you don’t understand any part of the policy, ask questions.

*2006 National Long-term Care Insurance Price Index

Scott Lunt is a freelance writer with over 15 years experience writing insurance-related articles. You can compare long term care insurance quotes and find more tips on saving on car, home, life, health and long-term care insurance at LowerYourInsurance.com.

Malpractice Insurance

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Tuesday 9 March 2010 8:57 am

Malpractice insurance is a shield for protecting the skilled professional against lawsuits filed for committing malpractice. Malpractice insurance covers any skilled professional (such medical professionals like doctors, physicians, and nurses) for the liability claim. A skilled professional can be sued for malpractice when a client says that the professional failed to perform his or her specialized duties or neglects providing a high standard of care to the client.

Malpractice of any kind holds the skilled professional responsible for the damages caused to their patients. It is therefore very essential to award a fair compensation to the victim of malpractice for the losses. Malpractice insurance in fact shields the skilled professional from having to award the settlement out-of-pocket. The insurance company provides the compensation amount to the complainant based on the premiums bought by the skilled professional.

The amount paid for liability or malpractice insurance varies depending on area of specialization. Malpractice insurance premiums are paid by the skilled professional on the basis of geographical area and location of his or her profession, as well as on his or her responsibilities.

The insurance taken by the professional takes care of everything from attorney fees to court costs to settlement charges. For example, let?s say that a cautious dentist opts for a premium policy. The insurer provides timely, accurate, cost-effective rates to this dentist who is a specialist in dental surgery. Then, while performing a surgery, the dentist is held responsible for injury done to a patient. The patient files a dental malpractice suit accusing him or her of negligence in surgery. Even though the hospital too will come under the purview of malpractice, the dentist performing the surgery is held the most responsible. He or she becomes liable to award for the damages. At such a stage, the insurance policy acts as a buffer. The payment made for the premium serves the dentist in awarding the settlement. Thus malpractice insurance is the door to reimbursement for the loss caused.

Malpractice provides detailed information about malpractice, legal malpractice and more. Malpractice is affiliated with Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyers.

The Importance Of Auto Insurance To Teens

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Tuesday 9 March 2010 4:57 am

Teenagers these days are very expensive, from jewelry to their trendy clothes, the latest gadgets to allowances and to paying for weekend hangouts. But as any parent would tell you, the most expensive part of having a teenager is giving them an auto insurance policy.

Making your teens safe while they are driving is one of the most importance issues in your auto insurance policy. The money you spend insuring your teens is of less value than keeping your teens safe against possible damages from driving. One place I go regularly for suggestions on securing my teenager is the car insurance website http://www.1carinsurance.org. The effective way of keeping your teens on the right track is by setting a good example for them. Don’t cut people off and don?t teach them to speed. Never race over closing railroad tracks or chasing someone you don’t know. In short, practice what you preach.

Having a teen also means you won’t be able to follow him/her every single day. You can’t drive with your teen all the time, that’s for sure, so before they start going it alone, be a driver and a teacher yourself. Take a deep breath and let them behind the wheel with you for at least 50 hours of training before cutting them loose.

As gently as your nerves will allow, point out what they’re doing wrong and what they’re doing right. Also be sure to do a little driver education with them in adverse conditions such as rain and snow before you ever let them go out in those types of weather by themselves. Yes, they had to take a course and learned about hydroplaning and what not, but experience is the best teacher and as a parent it’s your duty to advise them while providing said experience.

Now one way to cut costs on your insurance is to keep your teenaged driver insured on your policy and list them as an occasional driver instead of a full-time driver. Teenage car insurance rates vary from company to company. Another thing is auto insurance gets cheaper as your teens build a safe driving record. Making their car a used car will save you money, but be sure that you are comfortable with its safety features. You do not want to buy your child?s death trap. By providing education, you can raise a safer and more responsible driver and with a little searching you can get rates that won’t break the bank.

About The Author
Greg Carson is a writer with expertise in the fields of self-improvement and finance. http://www.gregcarsonblog.blogspot.com.