Inside Insurance Protection Priorities

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Sunday 14 March 2010 1:58 pm

Protecting your home

Although you have no legal obligation to insure your home, your mortgage company will want to protect their investment with buildings insurance. However, it is also worth protecting your own investments, so even after you?ve paid off your mortgage, you should ensure you?re financially covered.

Home contents insurance and personal possessions insurance

According to Money Observer, the average home has ?44,000 of contents and replacing this without insurance would be almost impossible for most people. An average premium is about ?150 a year and will provide cover up to ?50,000. The majority of contents insurance policies additionally provide public liability and personal legal expenses and although most people don?t claim on these, they could be very useful if needed.

Personal possessions insurance is worth taking out because often it covers your belongings outside the home, as well as inside the home, and is often incorporated into your contents insurance. Personal possessions insurance is also frequently referred to as all risks insurance and offers cover on possessions that are lost or stolen outside of the home.

Income protection

Income payment protection insurance is recommended by most insurers as the most appropriate way to safeguard your mortgage repayments and any other monthly bills. Kevin Carr, a senior technical advisor at LifeSearch believes that this is a better option than payment protection alone, including accident sickness unemployment (ASU) and mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI). In a recent statement, Carr revealed that ?the banks and mortgage lenders make huge profits from sales of payment protection. For instance, 17% of Lloyds TSB?s profits come from this.?

Debts ? you don?t want them to haunt you

In addition to safeguarding your income to assist with loan repayments, you may also wish to consider personal finance products such as life assurance and critical illness insurance, which, under certain conditions provide a lump-sum that can be used to pay off the mortgage in difficult circumstances. The choice of life assurance or critical illness cover will depend on personal variables. For example, if you are single and have no dependents, then nobody would benefit from your life being heavily insured. However, should you be diagnosed with a serious illness, a lump sum might be helpful to ensure you maintain a reasonable quality of life. Personal accident plans can be helpful if you believe the specific conditions of the policy would be relevant to you. Examples include insurance providers such as Nationwide who will provide cover of around ?50,000 for the loss a limb, ?10,000 for a hip and ?2,500 for a toe, in relation to a premium of ?4.95 month.

Health insurance / private medical insurance

There are many difference financial products available for insuring your health and they vary in accordance with your stage as life. Examples include critical illness insurance, as discussed above, as well as long-term care insurance and medical insurance, which may also be referred to as private medical insurance or simply health insurance. Wikipedia argues that health insurance is one of the more controversial forms of insurance due to the tumultuous debate of insurance companies remaining solvent, against the needs of its customers to actively protect their health.

One of the main problems insurance companies face is the issue of ?adverse selection?, a term used to describe the increased likelihood of sick people signing up for health insurance. Health insurance companies argue that those people seeking health insurance are often those with existing medical problems, those who are much more likely to have medical health insurance problems in the future and those who may engage in ?risky behaviour? such as excessive alcohol consumption and smoking. Products such as health insurance tend to fuel fiery debates of the moral argument of health insurance costs and the question that if people pay for health insurance, are they more likely to lead a ?risky? lifestyle in the knowledge that they are covered.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance isn?t complicated, but there are a few considerations you should bear in mind. Travel insurance typically covers issues such as cancellation, loss of baggage and medical expenses. However, Money Observer recommend better value by including baggage cover in your personal possessions insurance and not as part of your travel insurance policy. The consumer financial magazine also recommends extending your motor insurance ? to ensure your car is covered when driving abroad.

Moneynet, a personal finance consumer information site, makes the point of shopping around for your travel insurance and avoiding the high street travel agents. According to their insurance guide:

?Since January 2005, it is especially important to avoid the travel agents when buying travel cover; from that date, the insurance industry falls under the regulation of the Financial Services Authority, giving that body the ability to investigate and take action on behalf of consumers. Tour operators and travel agents, however, are not subject to this regulation, so if you have a complaint about travel insurance purchased from a travel agent, the FSA and the Financial Ombudsman Service will not be able to intervene on your behalf.?

In a recent press release, moneynet also blasted high street travel agents for exorbitant insurance, stating that, ?major high street players like Thomas Cook, Thomson and Travelcare, which between them account for around 70 % of the travel insurance market, levy premiums that are typically twice as expensive as buying cover online.?

Weddings ? insure your finances for better and for worse Insurance may not be romantic, but it?s important and if your wedding doesn?t go according to plan, it can be very expensive. Wedding insurance will typically cover dress damage, loss of rings and retaking the photographs if anything goes wrong with the photographer or prints.

Insurance doesn?t always come with guarantees, but shopping around to make sure you have the most appropriate protection for yourself, your partner and your family will give you a certain amount of peace of mind.

Disclaimer:

We only show you the way ? it is up to you to follow the path of enlightenment. All information, is intended for general information 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.

Recommended resources:

Moneynet insurance guide

Money Observer(October 2005)

Rachel lives in Edinburgh with the teenage mutant ninja turtles. She also writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla ? locally known as Scotland?s favourite personalfinanosaurus.

Inexpensive Car Insurance Six Secrets

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Saturday 13 March 2010 12:58 pm

I learned a lesson about inexpensive car insurance when I was younger: Insurance agents lie. I would love to be able to say this is rare, but my experience tells me it is depressingly common. Apart from lying, they just won’t tell you some things you need to know to save money.

Car insurance was just a legal requirement as far as I was concerned. I didn’t have valuable cars when I was young, and I had no assets to protect from lawsuits. All I wanted was the minimum legal coverage needed to be on the road. I always made this very clear to my insurance agents, using many rephrasings, like Just what the law requires, and nothing more, just to be sure they understood.

I assumed that this minimum was what my insurance company was giving me. Only after paying the premiums for many years did I learn that they had lied. I didn’t have the most inexpensive car insurance policy, as they claimed. They gave me not the minimum coverage required by law, but their own company minimum. I was pissed off.

I went to other insurance companies and they tried to do the same thing, passing off their own normal liability policies as the state-mandated minimum requirements. Only when I pushed would they provide the policy that I wanted – as long as I signed more paperwork, acknowledging that I was under-insured. That was fine. I had no assets to protect at the time (Having few assets means you’re less of a target for a lawsuit).

The bottom line is that by commission and omission, you will likely be lied to by insurance agents. I overpaid by hundreds of dollars over those years, because of one such lie. Now you know what to watch for if you just want a basic liability policy. Here are some other things you should know about getting inexpensive car insurance.

Secrets Of Inexpensive Car Insurance

- Get several quotes, of course. The important part here, though, is to be sure that each quote is for the same thing. Write down and compare the specific policy limits, deductible and a other parts of the policy.

- Review your policies annually. Ask for a policy review and get new quotes every year or so. Suppose that speeding ticket you had is past the three year mark (or whatever the company guideline is). They will often forget to drop the rate, so you may need to remind them.

- Take the kids off your policy. If your kids are at a college that’s more than 100 miles away, you can have them taken off the insurance policy and save a lot of money. You can’t let them drive the car when they come home to visit though.

- Raise your deductible. You will always get more inexpensive car insurance with higher deductibles. Plan to pay the first $1,000 of that accident if it happens someday. In the meantime, you may save far more in premiums over those years.

- Drop collision coverage. Once the value of your car is below a certain amount (an amount you can afford to lose), drop the collision coverage. It doesn’t make sense to pay out thousands over a few years to insure a car that is worth just a few thousand.

- Ask about special discounts you might be eligible for. Non-smoker discounts, car/home policy discounts, and others are a possibility. Ask what discounts you may be eligible for in the future, too, and remind your agent when the time comes.

-Look at every part of the policy, and don’t pay for things you don’t need. Ask about anything you don’t fully understand. Asking a lot of questions and really understanding the policy is one of the surest ways to get inexpensive car insurance.

Steve Gillman has been hunting down obscure knowledge and useful secrets for years. Learn more, and get a free gift at: http://www.TheSecretInformationSite.com

Student Auto Insurance Are You Paying More Than You Should?

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Saturday 13 March 2010 4:58 am

Student auto insurance is very essential for young motorists and drivers. Uninsured driving could put a question mark on your future and lifelong driving and credit ratings. It could also land you in jail if you have an accident and are without any student auto insurance. You can avail different discounts and other concessions on your insurance premium by adhering to simple restrictions.

What are the available premium rates?

Premium rates of student auto insurance are normally high. There are various determinants like your age, driving record, your car make like sports car, etc. DUI-Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs or DWI-Driving while intoxicated receives higher ratings on your premium. Besides, new age and trendy cars are mostly of fiberglass and hence insurance companies ask for higher premiums to insure such cars.

Additionally, you pay premiums according to your place of residence. Proximity to bigger and prominent cities attracts higher premiums. Again premium rates go north if you are male under the age of twenty-five as accident rates for people in this category are the maximum. Normal annual insurance rates for students range from $3,600 to $13,800.

Can I lower my insurance premiums?

Yes, you can lower your student auto insurance premiums through simple measures. The best option is to maintain good driving records. Discounts also depend on your academic grades. Maintain good levels in your college grades and present a copy of your mark sheet to insurance company to receive substantial discounts.

If you live close to your campus and drive less, you can opt for low-mileage discount. Further discounts are available for participating in Driver?s Training Programs, community defensive driving classes, etc. It is best to receive coverage through your parent?s auto insurance as secondary driver.

If you install different alarm and antitheft devices, automatic seat belts, air bags, etc. in your car, you can ask for substantial discounts on your student auto insurance. A higher deductible lowers premium rates. Besides, you need to ensure that there are no gaps in your insurance coverage.

You should buy your new policy before you are out of your parent?s policy coverage. Drive old cars instead of new makes as you then pay lower premiums. Most important of all is to drive confidently and steadily to avoid accidents and develop a good driving record, which can hold you in good stead in the future

Helping our student drivers get better rates on Student Auto Insurance stop by our site and get a no obligation Discount Car Insurance quote today. The Cheapest Car Insurance anywhere.

Car Insurance Rates

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Thursday 11 March 2010 8:57 pm

Many car owners avoid taking more auto insurance than the minimum level required by the state simply because of the exorbitant car insurance rates that they have to pay. Car insurance rates are made up of a base rate, after which an addition or reduction takes place, determined by a variety of reasons including those that are beyond the owners? control.

Generally, an auto insurance company looks at the following aspects to decide on a suitable car insurance rate for each car owner:

Age: According to the US Department of Transportation, the probability of young drivers being involved in car accidents is four times higher than that of the elderly. Insurance companies take the view that young driver are more likely to speed, drink and drive, and not wear their seat belts. Families who have young drivers usually pay higher car insurance rates due to this additional risk. Marital status: Insurance companies perceive marriage as a reliable sign of maturity and responsibility, causing car insurance rates to be lower.

Gender: This is another uncontrollable factor affecting car insurance rates. Although bordering on sex discrimination, state laws allow insurance companies to raise car insurance rates for men drivers. Based on car accident statistics, young men below the age of 30 are involved in a great number of accidents compared to women in the same age group.

Location / Neighborhood: The area in which owners live plays an important role. Places with higher probability of car thefts incur higher car insurance rates. Likewise for certain states which have high density traffic, such as New Jersey and New York.

The Car: The more expensive the car is, the more its owner will have to fork out in both collision and comprehensive insurance costs. Collision coverage pays for repair costs, and cars with expensive spare parts increase cost. In addition, more expensive cars are more likely to be stolen.

Amount of Driving: Driving more miles than the annual average increases the car?s exposure to damaging elements and risks of accidents or theft. As exposure increases, so does risk, leading to higher car insurance rates.

Driving and Claims History: Car insurance rates increase with the number of accidents and serious traffic violations a car owner has been involved in before. Besides this, an owner who regularly makes claims to insurance companies tends to have greater car insurance rates.

Credit History: Credit scores measure the types of credits taken, outstanding debt and reliability of past payments, among other things. If owners display stable credit scores over a long term and are able to keep their outstanding credit balances low, car insurance rates can be reduced as well.

It is important for car owners to shop around for the best car insurance rates with all the above factors in mind. Although owners cannot help the uncontrollable demographic factors like age and gender, they can still reduce car insurance rates by working on the controllable aspects like the type of car driven and credit history.

Tristan Andrews is a writer for California Car Insurance.

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.

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.

How To Make Reading Your Auto Insurance Quote Easier

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Sunday 7 March 2010 12:56 am

Let?s face it, there are few people in the world who actually enjoy trawling through a car insurance policy. All the legalese and multitude of terms make it heavy going. But it is important to know exactly what you are signing on for so that you can work out if it is what you want. Once you understand the different aspects of a car insurance policy you may choose to forego some of the options in return for a discount on your car insurance premium.

However, it is unwise to do this if you don?t first know what it is you are giving up. There are a few basic terms that you need to understand like Collision Coverage, Comprehensive Coverage, Bodily Injury Liability and Property Damage Coverage.

Here is a snapshot of what each of the terms mean:

Bodily Injury Coverage ? the funds that an insurance company would pay for damages caused to another individual involved in a motor vehicle accident.

Collision Coverage ? this covers the cost of repair or replacement of the insured?s car no matter who caused the accident.

Comprehensive Coverage ? this is for the cost of repair or replacement of the insured?s car for reasons other than an accident.

Property Injury Liability or Property Damage Coverage ? this covers any costs associated with damage to property as a result of a motor vehicle accident. In many cases this is mandatory.

With Collision Coverage you can choose the level that you pay in the event you need repairs or replacements if your vehicle collides with another vehicle or property. This amount is called the deductible and basically the higher the deductible you elect, the lower your premiums will be. How does it work? Just like medical insurance, you pay the deductible amount, sometimes called an excess, first and then the insurance company pays the remaining repair costs.

Comprehensive Coverage encompasses things like damage caused from falling objects, fire, certain natural disasters, theft and vandalism. Deductibles work the same way as with Collision; the more out of pocket costs to you, the lower your car insurance premium will be.

Liability coverage ? either bodily or property damage ? kicks in if in the course of an accident there is damage to either another person or property. For example, if you drive into the back of another driver or your foot slips off the brake onto the gas pedal and you plow down a mailbox. Your liability coverage will kick in and pay for the damages that you caused with your insured vehicle.

Every car insurance policy is different and that?s why it pays to read through several car insurance quotes from different companies so that you can make a fair assessment of which policy is right for you. Now that you know about the basics of what you are paying for and why it is necessary, that job should be a lot easier. Not reading the Sunday paper easy, but hopefully much easier than you would have found it before reading this article.

You can save money on your car insurance premium. Get the information on car insurance that you need so that you can be confident you are choosing the right policy and saving as much money as you can. Visit the Car Insurance Information site.

Lower Your Car Insurance Premiums

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Thursday 4 March 2010 9:00 pm

Some Tips To Lower Your Auto Insurance Costs:

1. Get Multiple Quotes:

Find out what your State’s requirements with respect to car insurance are. Go to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners web site. Then choose your state’s website and click on it. You will the find complete information about the coverage you need.

Now visit different car insurance websites. Click on the get a quote links. Just key in your information and get quotes from at least 5 companies. Auto insurance premiums vary greatly from one insurance company to another.

If you fail to understand some part of the policy then get the insurance agent to explain it to you. Always read the fine print to understand what cover is entitled to you and most important what cover you are EXCLUDED from.

2. Save Insurance Premium Money On Older Cars:

If you own car that’s not worth much say less than two thousand dollars then drop the collision/comprehensive coverage clauses on your car insurance cover. If you car suffers extensive damage or is totaled then you will probably never recover much in damages and it is most likely that you will pay more in car insurance premiums for the extra cover.

Get you car valued for its fair market price either through a dealer or using the Kelley Blue Book. Then decide if you need the collision or comprehensive coverage for your older car.

Start putting away that extra premium amount you would have paid for the collision/comprehensive cover for the older car in a savings account. You will probably get a head start for that new car you are dreaming about!

3. Drop Duplicate Medical Coverage:

If you are already covered under other policies for medical insurance in case of accident and are already paying a hefty premium on that then you eliminate the duplicate medical coverage under your car insurance. But always ensure that you are medical insurance covers you adequately for any car accident related injuries. Only then ask for the dropping of this provision in your auto insurance policy.

4. Buy A Car With A Low Profile:

Safe, low profile cars qualify for lower premiums. A high profile car means more premiums. If auto insurance costs are high on your mind than choose a safe, reliable car.

5.Low Mileage Qualifies For A Discount:

The lesser you drive the car the lesser your auto insurance costs. So consider car pooling, using public transportation for long commutes to reduce your auto insurance premiums.

6. Safety Features Qualify For Discount

Do you know the more number of safety features in your car qualify for more discounts on your car insurance policy. Specifically, ask for these discounts if not mentioned in your quote.

Also, many companies offer discounts if you install safety features in your car like an active or passive auto anti-theft device in your car or if you etch the vehicle identification number in the corners of your windows. Park your car in a protected area. Always lock your car. Never leave packages or belongings in sight in your car. Avoid known high-risk parking areas.

7. Ask About The Other Discounts:

Always ask about the other discounts that you might be entitled to. For example having a 20 year accident free safety record could qualify you for a discount on your auto insurance policy so always ask.

8. Ask About Area Based Car Insurance:

If you are considering a move from a highly congested area to a rural area then your car insurance premiums may be considerably reduced based on the profile of the area you moving into.

9.Ask For Higher Deductibles:

Deductibles are the amount you pay before you make your claim. Higher deductibles on collision and comprehensive (fire and theft) coverage will substantially reduce your costs.

10. A Clean Credit History Can Reduce Car Premiums:

Most of the insurance companies will check your credit history before granting your application. A clean credit history and a reasonably clean driving record represent a smaller risk for the insurance company and you may well qualify for a preferred policy with lower premiums.

On the other hand those with bad credit histories may have problems in keeping up car insurance payments and keep policies in force, also they have higher claims to loss ratio so insurers will usually put them in higher premium bracket.

About The Author
Samuel Beatson Runs http://www.tai-chi-kung-fu.com and http://www.cars.internets-business.com.

The Importance Of Car Insurance

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Thursday 4 March 2010 5:00 am

If you have a car, then you would need car insurance. The best car insurance can protect your car from any inconvenience should a likely car accident occur. But you should also be careful of what kind of car insurance you have. There are a lot of them available out there but not all can give you that coverage that you might be looking for.

As most other types of insurance available to choose from, the same thing goes with insuring your own car. There are different types that you can choose from, depending on what your needs are. There are liability car insurance policies that cover for accidental bodily injury as well as property damage to others. There are also policies that cover only damages caused by collisions with other vehicles or objects. There are also comprehensive car insurance policies that cover for loss or damage to the insured vehicle caused by circumstances other than car accidents. This may include car damage or loss due to fire, hail, vandalism, or theft.

Another type of car insurance policy available for you covers for medical expenses for injuries caused by a car accident regardless of fault. There is also a type of car insurance policy called Personal Injury Protection (PIP) that covers an insured driver for injuries acquired from a car accident, regardless of fault. There are also car insurance policies that can cover a motorist from car damages in a car accident with a driver who doesn?t have liability insurance.

There is also a type of policy for covering car damages caused by a car accident caused by the other driver who has insufficient liability insurance. Fro rental cars, there is also a type of car insurance that will pay for damages caused by an accident on the road. These types of car insurance can also be found in combination to give you a variety of policies to choose from. Knowing what your exact needs are and being aware of the minimum car insurance requirement in the place where you live in can help you in being able to choose the best car insurance policy to cover your own vehicle.

There are useful tips available to help you look for a good car insurance policy that can help you keep your premium payments down to a minimum. In looking for good car insurance, you should also try looking for car insurance available for you online. You might be able to avail of discounts for car insurance policies purchased online. You can also try to limit your car?s mileage before you try to get an insurance quote for it. The lower the mileage, the lower the insurance quote. Try not to modify or customize your car as it might affect your car insurance coverage.

You can also try to restrict the number of drivers on your car insurance policy as it might increase your premium payments later on. If you want to avail of good but affordable car insurance, then you can choose to drive a cheap but dependable vehicle because such cars can have policies that can well cover for damages at a very affordable premium. These are just but a few tips for you in getting that car insurance the cheaper way. A car insurance policy can greatly benefit a regular driver like you. It is never to early too get one for your car. You may never be able to handle the regret if you realize its need a little too late.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides car insurance resources on http://www.your-car-insurance.info

Car Insurance In Florida: What’s Being Done To Lower The Costs?

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Monday 1 March 2010 8:59 pm

Florida car insurance rates are pretty high. What can be done to help lower the costs of Florida car insurance?

One of the reasons for higher car insurance rates in Florida has been the claims from storm damage. A greater risk of losses due to hurricanes and flooding can increase rates. We’ve certainly seen this with a rise in home insurance rates in Florida. This is pretty hard to control — or predict.

However, there have been high incidences of auto insurance fraud in Florida, including such things as staged crashes. These would lead to lawsuits and a high rate of claims. According to the Insurance Information Institute, a recent study showed that the costs of auto injury claims has risen faster in Florida than the national average. Some of these costs could be related to fraudulent medical office visits. Insurers compensate for this fraud by raising rates. Everybody pays for the actions of criminals.

Florida is one of the states that has a no-fault auto insurance law designed to combat auto insurance fraud. With a no-fault law, if a motorist wants to sue for injuries or pain and suffering there are certain thresholds that need to be met before the case is considered.

Florida continues to work on reducing the opportunities for insurance fraud in the state. However, Florida’s no-fault law is scheduled to end in 2007.

You can help by reporting any incidents of insurance fraud to the Florida Department of Financial Services. You can help yourself save on your Florida car insurance by shopping around. You should get at least three comparison quotes, and make sure you’re comparing identical coverages.

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