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.

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!

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!

Policyholders are wise to carefully read and comprehend the policy procedures before taking out insurance coverage. The procedures will offer information, including exclusions of what the policy will cover.

The majority of companies that offer car insurance have various exclusions, rules, and regulations listed within the policy procedures and brochures. The companies also provide a 24-hour claims line where the customer can call any time to make the company aware that an accident has occurred and a claim is in the making. The services may provide a measure of help to complete the forms. If you notify the company first, they will save you time by sending you an ?accident report form.? This form will provide detailed instructions and once it is completed, it is important to send the form back to the company immediately.

You will need proof, evidence and any other information to support the information provided on the claim form. It is recommended that drivers carry with them at all times a working camera to take pictures of the accident. The companies will have a foot to stand on if you have pictures detailing the accident. Third party accidents are ?word against word? therefore, any linking evidence is vital to protect you against liability.

If possible, send any receipts of the accident, or other documentation, sending only copies to the insurance company. Keep the original copies of the accident in a secure habitat for your own records. Many insurance companies that offer car coverage may make their own recommendations to garages for repairs. Thus, the company is taking your word of the damaged caused and therefore, the referrals have only the details giving to the company by you. Many insurance companies require that at least two estimates are provided to them and these estimates are required to be sent back to the company for disbursement. Some insurance companies will leave it up to the policyholder to find the garages, get estimates and submit these estimates to the company. However, if the company recommends the garage, then the policyholder is wise to take the vehicle to this garage to avoid problems.

If you have an accident and it is not your fault, know the steps to protect your self. Drivers are encouraged to drive safely; however, no one can predict what another driver will do. The first step to take if an accident does occur is to review your procedures and brochures giving to you by the company, thus making sure you have adequate coverage. If you have third party coverage, then only the passengers in your vehicle are covered as a rule. Thus, you will be responsible for any repairs on your car if you have third party coverage. On the other hand, if the third party driver is at fault, then his insurance policy should cover you, unless he has no coverage at all.

If you have full coverage, or comprehensive coverage then the policy will cover maximum damage including personal injury in most instances. Drivers are advised avoid panic if they are in an accident. An unstable mind will lead to confusion, and sense legal issues are involved you want to remain calm. The drivers are expected to provide copies of insurance, as well as give the officers (if applicable) a vivid detail of what occurred.

It is important to call the insurance company hotline to report the accident. Be sure to gather all pertinent information, including medical treatment reports, police reports, and other vital details, gathering them to submit to the insurance company. Do not confront or contact the third party involved at any time during the claim procedure to avoid default. If you have witnesses make sure you submit their names, address, phone numbers and any relative details to the company along with the claims. If possible, ask a pedestrian outside of the accident to provide written notes, defining the arrangement the cars were in at the accident. Finally, note the third party drivers ?plate number,? and any other information you believe will help you during the claim investigation. It is also important to note any relative charges against you during the accident, if you are in fact somewhat to blame.

Authored by Michael Bens. For more great information about all forms of insurance visit our free online insurance publication the Gabae Insurance Source to find the information you’re looking for!

Also you can check out Gabae Insurance Articles to find the articles’ you’re looking for!

The UK alone has increased the coverage on car insurance. Currently the USA is in the process of increasing the rates of insurance as well. While, home insurance in the UK in decreasing, the car coverage is on the rise. Recently the ?AA?s British Insurance Premium Index? exposed new discoveries that over a few months the standard ?cost of annual full comprehensive? policies reached a soaring rate of ??757.? The cause of rise is explained by the many companies that compete to allure in policyholders, yet at the same time, this competing stage has lowered premiums slightly. Thus when considering car insurance it is wise to search the marketplace for the best rates.

Triple A is one of the leading car insurance providers, and the service often offers emergency roadside service, and so forth. The Triple A service offers support for ?one-stop shopping? meaning that the policyholder is able to meet all his expectations in a single trip. The policy will cover car rentals, and more, including offering discounts to policyholders for continue travel. If discounts will extend to hotel stays, flights, cruises, and so forth. The company will help the policyholder by providing discounts and making the ?reservations? including ?procuring? ?e-tickets.? Triple A is one of the leading car insurance providers and is highly reputable.

To help you find the right car insurance many companies online offer free quotes. The quotes will help you review rates over ?50 states? including the UK. Getting a quote for car insurance online, is the best option since the quotes offer a convenient method for comparing rates and coverage at the same time helping the customer to save money and time? Car insurance online is often cheaper, since there are no overhead costs often.

State Farm is another well-known car insurance provider. The mission of State Farm is to help customers manage their life, by reducing the risks. State Farm is one of the better car insurance providers because the companies will payout in a timely manner on a claim. The policyholder must have full comprehensive coverage to get the maximum coverage; however, it is worth it since less hassle is involved when filing claims. For the most part the company will provide discounts if the clients has not received tickets for not wearing seat belts, or even discounts on non-traffic tickets.

State Farm offers coverage for campers, cars, utility trailers, offer road motorcycles, motorcycles, travel trailers, antique cars, classic and replica cars, buses, commercial vehicles, and so forth. The company covers motor homes also, as well as recreational vehicles.

To get a quote from a local State Farm agency you will need to provide a few details. The company will expect current policy information, since in most states it is illegal to not have coverage. You will need to provide the type of vehicle to cover, including Vehicle Identification Numbers, as well as information about the vehicle status, including seat belt, air bags, security systems and so forth. You will also need to provide a valid driver license, and any details of violations of the law. In other words, you will need to show a record of tickets or accident occurred during your time driving. If you have more than one car to insure many insurance agencies will provide discounts.

Many insurance companies for auto will cover various claims, including bodily injury liability. The claims will cover the policyholder if the driver is in an accident. Most policies will cover collision, and other related costs caused by the accidents. If you are in an accident and you are accused of causing the damage you are at risk of lawsuits, thus having comprehensive coverage can make all the difference in the world.

Finally, it is against the law to not have insurance coverage in most states. Thus, having insurance can save hassles, and sense the cost of insurance is increasing it is wise to compare companies to find the best rates and get coverage now!

Authored by Michael Bens. For more great information about all forms of insurance visit our free online insurance publication the Gabae Insurance Source to find the information you’re looking for!

Also you can check out Gabae Insurance Articles to find the articles’ you’re looking for!