Several national rating institutions rate insurance companies. Do coverages, rates, and service vary from company to company? Why can you pay less with one company than another can for the same coverages? Choosing the best insurance company for you is a crucial financial decision. Does your insurance company have the financial strength to safeguard you and your family? If the company cannot pay future claims or benefits, other issues become far less relevant. Financial strength ratings are an analysis of a wide variety of risks that could affect an insurance company’s long-term viability. Insurance companies have failed or ceased to operate due to inadequate financial strength, competitive forces, or changing dynamics in the marketplace.

Standard & Poor’s Ratings (http://www.standardandpoors.com) Financial strength ratings of insurance companies, plus detailed financial Insurer Profiles on nearly 4,000 companies.

Fitch Ratings (http://www.fitchratings.com) Financial strength ratings of insurance companies.

Have you heard of the company where you are considering purchasing coverage? Do you have any experience with the company?

Ask your peers what experiences they have had. What is your sense of the reputation of the company? How quickly and easily are claims processed? Is there 24-hour claims service? Is the claims management in the house of the insurance company or have they outsourced? Auto insurance is meant to make you whole in the case of an accident with injury or property damage. It is to protect your assets and protect you from liability. You will want the peace of mind of a superior rated company when it comes time to manage and pay the claim. The financial health of a car insurance company is an often-overlooked area when shopping for the best auto insurance rate. It is human nature to make your comparison solely on the rates for the coverages. While this is certainly important, you should be aware of the company’s overall rating and level of satisfaction. Consulting insurance company ratings is crucial. Each company issues quarterly reports that are publicly accessible. You cannot always tell the future from the past. However, the past performance is a valuable insight into what expectation to have for your future coverage. One of the factors that are used in order to determine the companies’ ratings is how long they have been in business. If there is no history, you may be taking an unnecessary chance. Look for a company that has a history and make sure that history shows good performance.

What about the reputation of the insurance company? It is very simple to find this information. Just ask around. There are your peers, the BBB, and family. Many times these resources closest to you will be able to share experiences that are favorable or unfavorable regarding the company you are considering. In addition, each state has a Department of Insurance that keeps public information about companies. Use all the resources you can to determine which company is best for you. Once you have paid for the policy, you will then become keenly interested in customer service. Be aware of what the source of information is regarding the insurance company. Many companies put our information about themselves in the form of illustrations that are intended to make them look as good as possible. Of course, while these illustrations must be factual, you should be aware that you are not receiving objective information.

How can you quickly check the company rating? You are on the internet now. Surely, there is a quick way.

Go to http://www.carinsurance.com. Not only will you get the rates of various insurance companies, you will see the A.M. Best rating for each company along side their rates for you personal situation.

Now is the time for your fingers to punch their way to a quick rate analysis and view the ratings at the same time.

Visit http://www.carinsurance.com For Quality Rated Car Insurance

Jon Register is a representative of CarInsurance.com. You can visit CarInsurance.com at http://www.carinsurance.com or contact them at 1-877-327-8728.

CarInsurance.com’s online insurance marketplace gives an opportunity to consumers and to insurance companies. We offer the ability to shop for car insurance online.

Consumers can receive quotes from many insurance companies, in some states you are able to purchase your insurance instantly, online. You don’t have to drive your car to buy car insurance. Buy online…anytime!

Since there are many factors that go into determining your auto insurance rates, there are many chances to lower your rates.

If you change jobs and your drive to work changes or you stop working or you work from home, you should contact your insurance company.

If you have a teen driver and they go to school over 100 miles away without a car then you should be able to get a discount.

If you get married and are in your teens or twenties call your insurance company and see about combining your policies.

Take defensive driving if your state allows it for a discount.

See if increasing your comprehsive and collision deductibles will save you a lot of money. You need to compare what you’re saving and how much more you will have to pay if you file a claim. For example, if you go from $500 to a $1000 deductible and it lowers your insurance $50 per 6 months then it saves you $100 a year.

It will take you 5 years to break even from what you are saving compared to how much more you have to pay.

Now, if it saves you $250 every six months then it would be more worth your while.

See if combining your auto and home insurance polices will qualify for a multi policy discount with your current company. This could be a substantial discount.

One of the biggest ways you could save $200-$500 or more a year is shopping around for insurance. The auto insurance industry is very competitive and this is great news for smart consumers like yourself. Shop for auto insurance quotes here and see how much you can save.

A. Chris Tijerina has over 3 years of experience in the auto insurance industry and has seen many different people deal with auto insurance related problems. http://www.insurance-for-cars.com answers many of the questions facing drivers today.

If you are going to be involved in an accident, chances are it will happen close to your home. Progressive Insurance polled 11,000 of its policyholders who experienced accidents in 2001. They found that 52% were involved in accidents within five miles from there home and 69% were involved in accidents within ten miles from their home. Only 17% of those polled experienced accidents beyond twenty miles from his or her home (Strillacci, 2002).

To some people, this is major news and would deter them from driving. I would hope this statistic would not do this to you. I anticipate this article will actually give you confidence in driving short, and long, distances from your home as well as show you the important role insurance plays in our lives.

As I already showed statistically, you are likely to get into an accident within 10 miles from your home. Before this scares you into never driving again take a moment to think about that statistic. It makes sense. For most people, their ‘comfort zone’ is close to home. People usually grocery shop, go to church and go to work within a few miles of their home. And when you compare that amount of people to the amount of drivers who travel for a living or drive long distances to see relatives or for vacation, you can see how that statistic came about.

Now, knowing that the statistic is skewed, the next question to answer is ‘Will it make sense to drive longer distances to go grocery shopping, to go to work, to go to church, etc.?’ In order to answer that question, you need to address the needs of time and money. You will also need to address the perils of driving shorter distances versus driving longer distances.

Before you extend your ‘comfort zone’ of driving, you have to analyze your costs of time and money. If you wish to drive further to meet your needs, you may have to wake up earlier, get home later, go to bed earlier, spend less time with your family, etc. And, if you wish to drive further to go grocery shopping, you will have to consider bringing a cooler to keep your cold food from spoiling until you get home. Other additional costs include adding mileage to your vehicle. This extra mileage lowers your vehicle’s re-sale value. It increases the frequency of oil changes and tire changes. It also increases the chances of having other engine problems with your vehicle. Another cost to consider is the ever-increasing cost of gasoline.

Before you extend your normal driving ‘zone,’ you will also need to evaluate the perils you will face in driving short and longer distances.

Some of the dangers of driving within ten miles of your home include sharing the road with people with short attention spans. These people are running an errand and are only going four blocks from where they live. People may not be wearing safety belts. Again, many may have a false sense of security since they are not traveling a long distance from their home. Another concern that affects some is if it is really rainy out, flash flooding can become an issue.

When you drive longer distances however, you also face hazards. For example, you are sharing the road with people who may be sleep-deprived. You may be sharing the road with people who have become mesmerized from their long trip; and as a result they are in a hypnotic state that causes their senses to become dulled. And as you probably have seen many times you may also be sharing the road with someone going the speed of Jean-Luc Picard of the Enterprise.

It might not make sense to extend your ‘comfort zone’ due to time and money restraints. Even if you can extend your ‘comfort zone’, regardless of the costs of time and money, you still face perils and the possibility of being involved in an accident. What do you do?

Make sure your insured. Insurance is known as ‘risk transference.’ With insurance, you are transferring the risk of financial loss that comes with an accident to the insurance company. As to which insurance company to use and how much insurance to purchase, that is another article in itself. Just do the necessary research, and purchase as much insurance as you can afford. And, as a result of transferring your risk, you are left with the peace of mind knowing that regardless of the distance you are driving and the perils you are facing, you will be covered for the limits you chose to purchase.

So, the next time you are leaving to go four blocks to run an errand and someone reminds you of the statistic that accidents usually occur within ten miles of your home, smile for two reasons. First, knowing that you are going to face perils on the road regardless of the distance you are driving. And, second, knowing that with your insurance you are transferring the risk to the insurance company for the limits you chose to purchase.

Reference: Strillacci, L. (2004, November). Car Accidents Tend to Occur Close to Home. Retrieved December 22, 2003 from http://info.insure.com/auto/collision/accidentlocation502.html

Visit http://www.carinsurance.com for Auto Insurance Specialist

John Machmiller is a representative of CarInsurance.com. You can visit CarInsurance.com at http://www.carinsurance.com or contact them at 1-877-327-8728.

CarInsurance.com’s online insurance marketplace gives an opportunity to consumers and to insurance companies. We offer the ability to shop for car insurance online.

Consumers can receive quotes from many insurance companies, in some states you are able to purchase your insurance instantly, online. You don’t have to drive your car to buy car insurance. Buy online… anytime!

We’ve all been guilty of doing double duty at one time or another?that is, talking on our cell phones while driving down the road. But as experts study the impact simultaneous conversing and driving has on our safety and car insurance rates, it is becoming more and more apparent just how hazardous doing both simultaneously really is.

Inattention to driving is the number one cause of auto accidents in the U.S., according to experts. And drivers splitting their attention between driving and talking on cell phones are amongst the most inattentive, increasing their risk of accident four to five times more than average, according to experts.

With over 200 million cell phone-holding drivers on the road, that presents considerable danger.

And what part do these statistics play in car insurance rates?

Increased risk of accident means higher auto insurance rates; it’s as simple as that. So if you want to keep your car insurance policy affordable, don’t use your cell phone while driving.

However, if you’re one of those people who couldn’t even think of jumping on the freeway without your cell phone in one hand and the wheel in the other, consider these tips to help you do so more safely?and keep auto insurance rates low:

• Know how your phone works before you get in your car. That way, you can use it without looking.

• Mount your cell phone where you can easily reach and see it, and keep both hands on the wheel at all times.
• Use a hands-free headset whenever possible.
• Program frequently-called numbers into your phone’s memory and/or use voice dial to reduce the amount of time you take your eyes off the road.
• When preparing to make a call, either pull off the road, wait for a stop light, or ask a passenger to dial for you.
• If you decide to pull off the road, be careful where you stop so you can protect yourself and your car from injury and accident.
• Don’t use your cell phone in heavy traffic or bad weather.
• Don’t take notes or look up phone numbers while driving. Having numbers pre-programmed and saving phone messages for later is the safest way to talk, drive, and store the information you need.

If you’re a cell phone user and driver, limiting your phone use when on the road is the best way to play it safe and keep car insurance affordable.

So practice safe driving and make those calls later. You?and everyone around you?will arrive where you’re headed safely!

About InsureMe

Penny Hagerman is a copywriter and insurance information expert with InsureMe in Englewood, Colorado. InsureMe links agents nationwide with consumers shopping for home, life, health, long-term care and auto insurance. The InsureMe network provides thousands of agents with insurance leads every year. For more information, visit http://www.InsureMe.com