Male Teenage Drivers How To Get Cheaper Car Insurance

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Saturday 1 August 2009 6:00 am

These days, young male drivers can face some of the highest car insurance premiums around. Even those with low value vehicles can be paying over ?3000 for their car insurance! With such high prices, and trends unlikely to change in the near future, young male drivers need all the help they can get when it comes to lowering their car insurance premium.

The main reason for these lofty premiums is that young male drivers are seen as very high risk customers for insurance companies. They are assumed to have a higher exposure to alcohol and illicit drugs; are more inclined to overcrowd their vehicles; more likely to drive irresponsibly, and consequently more likely to be involved in an accident.
While it is obvious that this does not truly represent all young drivers, and there are plenty of young male drivers who drive responsibly, their premiums are being raised by the growing number of young, reckless male drivers who taint the statistics.

But as well as these (possibly unfair) assumptions that the insurance companies make, there are other factors they take into consideration when calculating your risk, and therefore the price of your insurance. It is these factors that you can do something about to help lower your insurance costs.

Claims & Convictions
If you are driving for the first time, or are a very young driver, you hopefully will not have been able to build up any claims or convictions. Like any driver, try not to make any claims or get any convictions at all.
If are unlucky enough to have made a claim already then your insurance is likely to be even higher. If this is the case, try a specialist in young driver car insurance such as QuoteA who can offer discounted policies for younger drivers and high-risk cases.

Keeping Your Car Safe
The less chance there is of you needing to make a claim, the lower your premium will be. Therefore the insurance companies want you to keep your car as safe as possible.
If you can, keep your car in a locked garage as this makes it a lot more difficult for your vehicle to be stolen or vandalised. Keeping your car on a driveway can still help to lower your premium slightly, whereas leaving your vehicle on the road will not help your premium at all.
Other ways of securing your vehicle include having an immobiliser or a tracker installed. These can help to make a noticeable difference to your premium, but you must make sure your immobiliser is thatcham approved and your tracker is professionally installed.

Where you live
Although this isn’t necessarily something you can change, you should be aware of the effect it can have on your premium. When calculating your insurance, your insurance company will look at the area you live in and price your premium accordingly. They will consider the crime-rate of the area to give an idea of the chance of your car being stolen or vandalised. They will also assess the traffic-density of the area – heavier traffic flow means you’re more likely to be involved in an accident.

Pass Plus
The Pass Plus scheme may be one of the best ways for young drivers to save money when they first start driving a vehicle. It is run by the Driving Standards Agency and consists of a short course of further driving training after you have passed the standard driving test. The course covers town and country driving; dual carriageway and motorway driving; and all weather and night-time driving. Not only is it a great way to improve your skills and confidence, but because of the increased knowledge and safety you will learn, most insurance companies will discount up to 40% from your insurance premium! This is a lot of money you can save, but it is worth noting that the Pass Plus discount is only available for the first year of you driving. However, after this first year, you can still save a great deal with a No Claims Bonus.

No Claims Bonus
Drivers who do not make any claims are rewarded with cheaper insurance costs. They are seen as a much lower risk and pay a lower premium accordingly. Every year of claim free driving earns you 1 years No Claims Bonus. These bonus’s can offer huge reductions on your premium, from about 30% for 1 years NCB up to around 70% for 5 years NCB from some insurers. This means that if you get your Pass Plus certificate and do not make any claims during your first year, you can continue to make a saving in your second year because you will have earned your first years No Claims Bonus.
It is also worth noting that many young male drivers remain under their parents insurance policy to save them money. This may work out in the short term, but in the long term it is much better for young drivers to get their own policy and start building up their own No Claims Bonus. This way they will have built up a sufficient discount within just a few years.

For more information and cheap deals on car insurance for younger drivers, visit www.quotea.co.uk.

It Worked For Me: 3 Things You Can Do Today For Cheaper Car Insurance

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Saturday 1 August 2009 1:59 am

Have you ever wondered if why you are paying so much for your car insurance?

What if you could shave hundreds of dollars off your current premium? Well, depending on your driving history and insurance company, that might be possible. And now, thanks to the Internet, it’s easier than ever to compare your insurance coverage to what other companies would offer to make sure you are getting the best coverage for your money. But before you hop online and start surfing for deals, here are some tips to keep in mind to help you get the lowest rate.

Compare Multiple Companies

Competition is great, especially when you are talking about a costly purchase like car insurance. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about hiring an insurance broker or spending hours on the phone talking to each and every company to compare their rates. A quick search online will lead you to a number of top-notch insurance providers that allow you to get free quotes from multiple companies. you are never locked in to anything and can see what sort of offers several insurance companies can make, all by filling out a simple form online. And since they know you are going to be looking at multiple offers, you can be pretty sure that their quotes will be the most competitive rates they can offer.

Be Sure Your Information is Up-to-Date

There’s a good deal of personal and vehicle information that factors in to your car insurance rate. You should be sure that items such as your marital status, number of drivers covered, your age and your car’s make, model and year are accurate. The wrong information can have a huge impact on how much money stays in your pocket versus what gets sent to the insurance company. Also, be sure any additional safety features (like if you’ve added such as an alarm system) or classes (like a defensive driving course) are something your insurance company is aware of. They might not take a huge dent out of the premium, but every little bit helps.

Have an older car? Check with the insurance company and see if you still need all the coverage you are currently carrying. Items that you probably had in the past like collision coverage might not be necessary anymore. In addition, if you’ve changed your driving habits for this car in recent years (perhaps you retired or changed jobs) then this should be updated as well since it could impact the amount of your premium.

Consider Changing Your Deductible

Say you got your car awhile back and recently got promoted. Back then, you might have wanted to have a $250 or $500 deductible since you were making less money. However, if you are more financially capable now, you might want to see what impact increasing your deductible would have on your insurance payments. This is especially true if you are a safe driver. However, keep in mind that this will be the amount you’ll have to come out of pocket with if you ever do get into an accident so when you increase your deductible, keep the amount reasonable.

Save time and money while trying to find auto insurance quotes online. Learn how to find very cheap car insurance without getting scammed, get lower rates and keep more money in your pocket by visiting us right now at www.AutoInsuranceInstantQuote.com

What The Auto Insurance Companies Know About You?

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Friday 31 July 2009 9:59 pm

American values have always given top priority to the right to privacy. But are you aware of the amount of information you unknowingly pass over to your insurance company, when you apply for auto insurance. Most of this information ends up in database companies who make profit out of selling information about you.

Your credit is what most insurance company wants to know. They use this credit data to decide about your auto insurance policy premiums. Use of this practice has expanded drastically because through your credit information they get a clear picture about your history with your previous auto insurer. Even before you approaching them they have already placed you in a category through which they will not end up in the loosing side. To be fair, they precisely know what type of claim you are likely to make and not to make and what is the best premium for you.

Every auto insurance company scrutinizes your credit history acquired from the database company and gives you a rank, of which you are unaware of. The rank will categorize you under preferred, standard or high-risk. Next they look is your payment history. If you are a timely payer you will move towards the preferred category. But if you have a bad history of payment then you move the opposite direction. This entire ranking, which takes place without your knowledge, is due to the information you have passed over to your earlier auto insurance company. An odd activity the month before you buy your new auto insurance will put you under the high-risk group. The odd activity might even stop an auto insurance company from selling you the policy.

ChoicePoint and the Insurance Services Office (ISO) provide auto insurance companies with all the necessary information they need. Your name, address, phone number, claims, credit report, criminal record if any, and the most curious aspect any auto insurance company would like to hear, your driving history. ChoicePoint has a database called Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange or CLUE. The information they gather from your credit history, gives you a rank. When you apply for auto insurance, the company you applied asks for your rank and they immediately get the answer into what category you fit. The All Claims databases maintained by ISO, mainly looks into fraud. Unusual or suspicious behavior in your credit history will be notified to the insurer. They also maintain a record about the claims that have dragged on to courts.

Apart from this top auto insurance companies also have their own database. The government agencies of your state also have all the necessary information. If you are curious to know about your motor vehicle report you can approach your state’s department. TransUnion, Equifax, Experian are some of the companies who can provide you with your credit history. The CLUE report of ChoicePoint is also available but you have to pay for it. If you have any difference of opinion with the ISO’s All Claims report. You can acquire a copy and dispute it.

So, next time when you approach an auto insurance company keep it in mind that he knows a whole lot of things about you, which you are unaware of.

Ms.Grace Navas is an insurance agent and regular contributor to Super-Value-Insurance.com. Super-Value-Insurance.com helps consumers compare online insurance quotes.

Really Cheap Car Insurance

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Friday 31 July 2009 5:59 am

There are the usual tips for getting really cheap car insurance. You may need to be reminded of these. Then there are the secrets that you haven’t heard about. You’ll find a few of those here too.

1. Shop around. Call several companies for quotes, starting with those that advertise the lowest prices. be sure to include at least one independent agent, since they can check many companies for you. Use the tips here to make a list of questions to ask them.

2. Raise your deductible to lower your rates. If you really can’t afford the first $500 of an accident, you should rearrange your financial life. After all, you’re going to find away to afford more than that over time, on higher premiums.

3. Consider dropping collision. Why pay for it if the car is worth $1000? All you’ll get is $1000. The rule is: drop the collision if you can afford the loss. You can’t drop it if you owe on the car. However, if the car is worth only a couple thousand and you still owe a little on it, get a personal loan to pay off the car loan, drop the collision coverage, and the savings on the insurance may almost make the payments.

4. Round down your distance to work. You are charged more if you drive farther to work, so be sure to give the shortest distance on the application. Fifteen miles is a common cut-off, at which point you start to pay more.

5. Demand the legal minimums. Do this if you have no assets. Most companies will try to sell you their company-recommended minimums on liability, but you may not need that much coverage. Remember, if you are broke, you are not an attractive target for a lawsuit.

6. Get any discounts you are eligible for. Ask about any safe driver non-smoker or other special discounts.

7. Home and auto discounts. See if there is a discount if you insure car and home with the same company. This can often save you a lot.

8. Pay for 6 months at a time. Don’t take the easy monthly payment option. They always charge you more for that. Learn to budget and you not only get really cheap car insurance, but everything else is cheaper too.

9. Review your policy. Have your policy reviewed and get new quotes every year or so. If the speeding ticket you had is now past the three year mark (or whatever the company thinks is important) they won’t automatically drop the rate, so ask.

10. Consider the insurance costs when buying a car. Sports cars and others are charged higher rates. This isn’t a one time charge. You’ll pay more for as long as you own the car.

11. Keep policy current. I went without a car for a while, and let the policy lapse because I didn’t need it, and there wasn’t enough time left on it to request a refund. When I bought a car again, the cost for a six-month liability policy went from $167 to $400 because of my lapsed policy. Keep the policy active if you will be buying again soon, or cancel it, but don’t let it lapse.

12. Get paid for diminished value. If you have an accident, be sure the insurance pays what it should. Diminished value is often not paid unless you push the point, even though a car loses value from being in a wreck, even after it is repaired.

13. Remove kids from policy. If the 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.

14. Get older. Rates drop, especially after 25 years old, so get new quotes now and then as you get older. They may not adjust your rate automatically. Old safe drivers can get really cheap car insurance.

Steve Gillman has been hunting down obscure knowledge and useful secrets for years. Learn more and get a free gift at: The Secret Information Site (http://www.TheSecretInformationSite.com)

Car Insurance Online Benefits Of Applying For Auto Insurance Online

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Thursday 30 July 2009 10:00 pm

Drivers are applying for auto insurance online not just for the convenience of comparing quotes, but also to find the best insurance rate. The benefits also include discovering new discounts and not being locked into a long term relationship with an insurance company.

Comparing Quotes

Before the internet, getting real quotes from auto insurance companies was difficult. But, now with a few clicks of a mouse, you can get instant access to insurance quotes based on the coverage you choose. Online insurance sites also allow you to look at the details of each plan, so you can compare the quality of coverage as well as the price.

Finding Discounts

You can reduce your auto insurance premiums by hundreds a year by finding and qualifying for discounts. For instance, installing an alarm system in your vehicle or taking a certified defensive driving course can reduce your premiums with some insurance companies. You can find additional discounts through online auto insurance sites.

Saving Time

By applying for insurance over the internet, you don?t have to schedule your life around keeping an appointment with an agent. You can fill out the forms in the middle of the night, stop, and come back the next day to finish. Online insurance sites will mail the final paperwork for your signature, and you will finish the process without having to miss a day of work.

Changing Insurance Companies

Applying online for auto insurance makes it very easy to change insurance companies. In the past, a driver stayed with one company even if they didn?t have the best rates. With online auto insurance companies, you can regularly check to be sure that you are getting a low rate. If you find a better quote, then you can quickly switch to the better auto insurance company.

Research Before You Buy

Insurance rates can vary widely between vehicles, and you can find out the cost before you purchase. By researching insurance rates for different makes and models, you can make an informed choice. Also find discounts for safety features and vehicle options, and add those to your vehicle package to ensure the lowest insurance rate.

To view our list of recommended companies for auto insurance online, who can give you multiple insurance quotes from different companies, visit this page: Recommended Auto Insurance Companies Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of eZerk, an informational website with articles and the latest news about various topics.

Cheap Car Insurance

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Monday 27 July 2009 6:00 am

Finding good car insurance can be very difficult. Here are a few tips:

  • Try a few different insurance companies. Companies are different. So are their prices. You may find that one company wants to charge you $1000/month for insurance and another will only charge you $400/month. You might be one of the lucky ones who only gets charged $30/month. Regardless of who you are, call multiple carriers even if the first quote you get appears to be low. You may find another company with a lower rate for you.
  • Talk to friends and family. Other people are just like you, they want cheap insurance too. Chances are, you know someone who has already called all over the place and can give you some good pointers on which car insurance companies were the cheapest for them. Remember, nobody likes to spend money on auto insurance.
  • Use the internet. The internet is a great place to find auto insurance. You can find out information about insurance companies, compare rates, get quotes, and shop around without leaving your house. There are also websites out there like 1carinsurance.org who have organized insurance company data and user data and will tell you which companies people are having success with in finding the best car insurance for them.
  • Get auto insurance quotes. Don’t just trust them. Get a quote. They’re free (or, if the quote isn’t free you know you don’t want to use that company). If you can get quotes from 6 or 7 different companies, you then have hard data to compare the companies against each other. You’re also pretty sure you’re going to get the lowest rate.
  • Try local companies. Often times people only think about the big auto insurance companies like Geico or Progressive. They don’t even look around their local communities for auto insurance companies that might exist. Often local companies can offer cheaper rates because they don’t have the large buracracy that larger companies have.

Just remember to shop around as you look for cheaper car insurance. The first company isn’t always the best.

John Jonas is an entepreneur and a family man with interests in real estate, marketing, and financial products. You can find out more info at John Jonas Blog.

How To Choose The Right Auto Insurance Plan?

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Thursday 23 July 2009 10:00 am

OK let?s face it. There are many different auto insurance company that wants you to join their insurance policy and every company looks like they have the best deals to offer. However, to be honest with you, I think they all look the same to me. So How do you choose which company and which plan for you?

First, you need to ask what your budget is. You need to know what your finical status is and how much you can afford every month for auto insurance. Then you can narrow down some of the more expensive coverage in your insurance plans.

Second, decide the amount of coverage you want. Decide whether you want 15,000$ coverage per accident or 30,000$ coverage per accident. Normally, people will try to save money and choose a lower coverage. Personally, I would recommend choosing full coverage that would an accident fully. The reason is because the price difference between the two are minimal compare to the amount of they cover. For example, the difference maybe 10$ amount which means 120$ a year; however, if you get into an accident, the insurance policy will pay you maybe 50,000 than 15,000. You see the difference?

Lastly, find out what is the price range is for the coverage you have selected. After you know how much you want for your coverage. Go to different companies and ask how much their price is for the same coverage by calling them or checking it on their website. After you know how much different insurance companies cost find a well known brand with the lowest price on the same coverage.

**hint: you can higher your deductibles and lower the cost of the insurance company. However I would not do that since, you only save maybe 5$ a month and you have to put up with more if you get into an accident.

For more information about insurance, visit Articles on Life, Auto, Health Insurance

Car Insurance And Young Drivers: Should You Increase Your Limits?

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Wednesday 22 July 2009 6:00 am

I was looking for car insurance for my teenage daughter and my initial thought was How can I save money? After all, I knew I would be getting high quotes. But when you’re talking about insurance for an inexperienced, high-risk driver, is saving money all you should focus on?

A teenaged driver represents a greater insurance liability because of their inexperience, and because statistics have shown that they are involved in more fatal accidents than any other age group.

When you take out a car insurance policy, you have to at least get the state minimum-required limits of liability. For example if you get Arizona car insurance, you need a minimum of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident Bodily Injury and $10,000 per accident for Property Damage. If you want to raise those limits to have more protection, you’ll pay a higher premium.

Now think about this scenario with a teenage driver. His or her friends are riding along, singing to the radio and being a distraction. The driver runs a red light and causes a collision that puts three people in the hospital and totals two vehicles. The costs of this collision for hospital bills alone could be well over $100,000, hardly covered by the $30,000 per accident minimum. After your insurance pays, you are responsible for the rest.

What’s more, you may be open to a lawsuit from the other driver — a lawsuit that may drain every asset you have.

In the end, I decided to raise the limits on Bodily Injury, Property and both Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverages. It only amounted to a few dollars more a month but added plenty of extra peace-of-mind. I then decided to do some shopping to compare my current auto insurance company’s quote with a couple of other insurers. As it turned out, my current company was still a better value with all things considered but at least I knew that I was getting the right insurance at the price I was comfortable with.

Scott Lunt is a freelance writer with over 15 years experience writing insurance-related articles. You can compare car insurance quotes for teen drivers and find more tips on saving on car, home, life, health and long-term care insurance at LowerYourInsurance.com. The site also includes a handy worksheet to help you when shopping for car insurance.

Eleven MoneySaving Auto Insurance Tips For Senior Drivers

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Monday 20 July 2009 6:00 am

Following a few simple tips and taking these measures will ensure that you are getting the lowest rates possible on your auto insurance policy.

1. Avoid more Accidents, Pay Close Attention at Intersections. Auto accidents involving seniors often occur at intersections. Make sure to look ahead if you plan to quickly change lanes after an intersection. Pay attention to protected left turn lanes with their own arrows, and always keep your tires pointed straight ahead when stopped, so that a rear-end accident doesn’t push you into oncoming traffic.

2. Follow the flow of traffic, Drive at the at or near the speed limit. Driving too slowly can be just as dangerous as speeding, especially when entering or exiting interstates or freeways. It can also trigger dangerous road rage in less patient drivers. You don?t have to be Mario Andretti, but keeping to the right and following the flow of traffic is the safest bet.

3. Many violations include failure to yield right-of-way, improper turning or incorrect lane changes, so keep current on the traffic laws relating to new traffic designs.

4. Sit high enough in your seat so that you can see at least 10 feet in front of your car, advises the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If your car seat does not adjust to allow this, add a cushion. This will make it easier to see pedestrians and bike riders, and reduce problems from oncoming headlight glare at night.

5. Do not wear sunglasses or tinted glasses when driving at night. For many older drivers, night vision is reduced, so safety dictates not driving at twilight or after dark.

6. Make sure you learn how to operate a New Car. Things like Anti-lock brakes, for example operate differently in slippery situations. If you have never driven a car with anti-lock brakes, sure to get training on proper use.

7. Senior drivers can refresh their skills and knowledge — and get a discount on auto insurance in many states — by taking a refresher driving course, such as the eight-hour 55 Alive course offered by AARP. More than two-thirds of states mandate auto insurance policy discounts for such courses, and many insurance companies offer the discounts voluntarily.

8. Look for cars with rear-view mirrors that automatically dim and filter out headlight glare.

9. Air bag technology has become more advanced, with sensors that deploy air bags based on the weight of the occupant, reducing air-bag-related injuries. Some new cars also have side air bags in the seats or door frame that offer better protection.

10. Consider fit and comfort in your new car. Seat belts that comfortably fit over your shoulder and low on your lap will keep you safer. Automatic transmission, power steering and power brakes require less physical effort.

11. Last but definitely not least, Check to see which companies offer specific ?Senior Discounts? While shopping around for the best auto insurance rates is important, which insurance company you choose might depend on how they treat senior drivers. You’ll get their best rates if you’re healthy and drive a safe, modern vehicle.

Reprints of this article are allowed (and encouraged) for your site or newsletter with inclusion of a simple link to http://www.hometownquotes.com.

Matt McWilliams is one of the co-founders of HometownQuotes.Com, an online insurance quotes web site. He is originally from Pinebluff, NC and attended Middle Tennessee State University in 2002. He is considered an expert in the field of online insurance shopping and finding new ways to help consumers save money on their insurance. For more information visit http://www.hometownquotes.com

7 Tips Toward Helping You Reduce Your Insurance Costs

Posted by How To Choose Insurance | How to choose insurance | Monday 20 July 2009 2:00 am

Not a year goes by that insurance rates go up. At least it seems that way. You can control ? even reduce ? your insurance expenses by following these seven easy to remember tips.

1. Combine Policies. If you own a home and you own a car, purchase your insurance from the same company. Some insurance companies reward those customers who choose to bundle their insurance together with discounts as high as 10%.

2. Adjust Your Deductibles. Perhaps you don?t need a $200 home deduction. If you can live with a deductible of $500 or more you can save significantly from year to year.

3. Special Discounts. Depending on your age, there may be special discounts you can take that will also reduce your premiums.

4. Examine Your Policy. Oh, we do think they are correct ? right? Well, if your address is incorrect you could be paying more than you should. Check to make sure that your correct zip code is listed…it could cost you money if your insurer has you living in another neighborhood.

5. Abstain From Bad Habits. If you do not smoke or drink, make sure that your insurance company knows this. Your rate will drop accordingly if this is news to them.

6. Eat Your Losses. If you have a small claim, consider not submitting this information to the insurance company. Any claims you make can push up your rates down the road thereby costing your more in the long run.

7. Pay Now, Save Later. Instead of breaking up your premium into monthly payments, consider paying the entire premium at one time. Usually, insurers tack on a surcharge for the privilege of monthly payments.

You may also be able to save yourself some money by sticking with one insurer as they will reward regular customers with ?loyalty? discounts. In addition, it may pay for you to have an alarm installed on your car or home, especially if you live in a higher crime area. Finally, meet with your broker from time to time to see how you can reduce your payments.

Matt Keegan is The Article Writer who covers topics from business to human interest to politics. You can view his site at http://www.thearticlewriter.com