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Car Insurance Basics

admin — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:41:28 +0000

Car insurance is basically insurance that drivers can purchase for any kind of vehicle in order to protect against losses sustained in traffic accidents. Auto insurance policies are, in reality, a bundle of different coverages. This insurance will usually cover the insured party, the insured motor vehicle, and any third parties involved. Different policies will identify the situations in which each of these entities is covered.

Below are the specific coverages involved when you purchase car insurance.

- Liability Insurance: Liability coverage is the most basic and foundational coverage in car insurance policies and is required in most states. This coverage ensures that if you are the one at fault in an accident, your liability insurance will pay for the physical injury and property damage expenses of any third parties involved. This coverage includes legal bills. Remember that third parties can sue you for pain and suffering damages. Minimum insurance may not sufficiently cover you in more extreme cases, which is why many people recommend that drivers purchase more than the state minimum required. Liability coverage limits are usually conveyed with three numbers. For example, liability limits of 20/50/10 indicate that there is coverage of $20,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 in property damage coverage per accident.

- Collision Coverage: In the case that you are in an accident, collision insurance will pay for the repairs that your vehicle requires. Collision coverage is usually the most expensive coverage that you will have to pay for. Insurance companies will declare a vehicle totaled or a write-off if the replacement would be cheaper than the repairs needed.

- Comprehensive Coverage: This coverage will pay for any damages to an automobile that were not caused by an accident. Qualifying damages include damages arising from carjackings, vandalism, natural disasters, and hitting an animal.

- MedPay, PIP, and No-Fault Coverages: MedPay will pay for the medical expenses of you and anyone else in your car after an accident, regardless of whose fault the accident was. PIP (Personal Injury Protection) and no-fault coverages are other forms of medical payment protection. They are broader than MedPay and may be required in certain states. These expanded coverages cover child care and lost wages.

- Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists Coverages: UM (Uninsured Motorists) coverage will pay for injuries you have sustained if you are involved in a hit-and-run by a driver who does not have auto insurance, and is mandatory in many states. UIM (Underinsured Motorists) coverage will pay for you if the driver who hit you creates more damage than their liability insurance can cover.

- Supplemental Coverages: Rental reimbursement is an add-on that will cover rented vehicles in case of damage or theft. Auto replacement coverage ensures that your automobile will be fully repaired for replaced even if the costs are more than its depreciated value. Coverage for towing and labor covers you in case of an auto failure on the road where towing is necessary. These supplemental coverages are usually offered as separate items or included in larger policies.

Car Insurance FAQs

admin — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 05:29:09 +0000

Can I insure a modified or classic car; who will offer insurance cover?

Yes, you can insure a modified car but because your car is a specialist car, not all auto insurance companies might be willing to provide coverage for it since it requires high price replacement parts and also skilled labor if the car is involved in an accident. Thus, you have to take a special car insurance that is designed especially for modified and classic cars.

How can I cut down my car insurance premium?

If you wish to cut down on your car insurance premium you must take care of a few things. Park your car overnight in the garage rather than leaving it on the drive. Fit insurance approved anti-theft devices; consider Third Party Fire and Theft for older cars. Find out discounts offered by the insurance provider when requesting quotes. Young drivers (under 25), who are often charged extremely high premiums, should have an extra driving course certificate.

What is ‘excess’?

It is the amount you have to pay when you make a claim for the loss or damage to your car. It can be voluntary or compulsory. If someone else causes the accident you may be able to reclaim the excess through the legal cover, which can be taken out with your car insurance policy. Otherwise you lose the excess. Voluntary excess is the amount you agree to pay to the company. It offers premium discounts. Compulsory excess is generally imposed to young drivers. Because their risk factors are high and the companies dont want to insure them. So, in order to insure, they have to surrender with this payment.

What is legal cover?

It provides expertise and assistance required to recover uninsured losses such as medical costs, loss of earnings and excess payments where the fault was not yours. It is available as an optional with most car insurance policies.

Can an insurance company cancel my auto policy?

Yes, you auto insurance policy may stand canceled if you fail to pay the premium or if your consumer’s license has been suspended or revoked during the term of an auto policy. Also, if there is a fraud or serious misrepresentation when completing the insurance application, if the you are convicted to a crime, or if changes are made to the property that increase the risk of loss then the company may cancel your insurance policy.

Gap Car Insurance: Do You Need It?

admin — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 10:39:48 +0000

What is gap car insurance and how do you know whether you really need it? Gap car insurance, like many other types of insurance isnt necessarily required. That is to say that you can certainly purchase a new car without gap car insurance; however, you could be leaving yourself open for some losses if you dont purchase it. Read on for more tips to better understand whether you need gap car insurance or you can skip it.

Gap car insurance covers the difference between the market value of your car and your loan amount. Arent the two the same, you might ask. Not necessarily. You see, the moment you drive your car off the lot it depreciates, or loses value, immediately and quite significantly. Lets say you purchase a new car and pay $25,000 for it. On average a car will depreciate at least 20% right after it leaves the dealership. That means your brand new car is now worth only $20,000. What happens if you have an accident soon after the purchase? Even if you have full insurance coverage, including comprehensive and collision, your insurance policy will still only cover the market value of the car. Unfortunately, even though the market value and insurance policy are now worth only $20,000 you still owe in the neighborhood of $25,000 for the car. Without gap car insurance youll be stuck covering that additional $5,000 on your own.

Be aware that not all gap car insurance policies are the same and this is important. For example, some gap car insurance policies will cover losses due to theft and accidents but not all so be sure to ask questions regarding specifically what is covered in the policy before you take it.

Usually, gap car insurance is a good idea if you are about to purchase a new car and are concerned that you wouldnt be able to cover the difference between the market value and the amount that would be cover by the C&C policy. Be aware that gap insurance is not available for older vehicles in most cases.

While youre certainly not required to take out gap car insurance by your lender or the dealer, it can help you to rest easier in knowing you wont be stuck owing thousands of dollars on a totaled car in the event that you suffer an accident or theft shortly after the purchase.

It is also important to understand that if you finance your car through the dealership you can usually take out gap car insurance at the time of the purchase; however, youll probably end up paying more for the policy than if you simply took it out with your regular auto insurance agent.

Before taking out gap car insurance, always be sure to check your existing policy to find out whether gap insurance might already be contained within that policy. You never know, it might not necessary to purchase an additional policy at all. If its not included, give some thought to whether the price of the gap insurance would be worth the trade-off of not having to worry if you have an accident and cant afford to pay the difference between market value and coverage amount with a regular policy.

How To Slash Your Car Insurance Costs Up To 54%

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:13:49 +0000

How To Slash Your Car Insurance Costs Up To 54% In 10 Easy Steps – Part 1

How much do you pay for Car Insurance every year?

Eight hundred dollars a year? One thousand? Two thousand?

Whatever the amount you’re paying now, you can slash that amount by more than 50% by simply following a few simple strategies.

Can you cut your car insurance costs by investing only 30 seconds of your time? No, that can’t be done.

But if you’re willing to spend 30 minutes today, this week, or next, I’ll show you how to save up to $6,000 on your Car Insurance over the next 10 years.

Okay, here we go. Grab your Car Insurance declarations page (the page in your policy that details all the coverages you’re paying for) and follow along. Make sure you take some notes. If you don’t have your policy, or can’t find it, call your car insurance company and get one – they’ll send it to you pronto.

STRATEGY 1 – Make sure you’re getting all applicable discounts for your vehicles safety features, such as:

- Front, Side or Head Curtain Air Bags;
- Automatic Seat Belts;
- Anti-Theft Alarms or Tracking;
- ABS or Traction Control….and many more.

Think about the safety features you have….and write them down.

STRATEGY 2 – Review & Change Deductibles For Comp & Collision.

Most Car Insurance Policies have two deductibles – one for “collision” (you hit someone or someone hits you) and one for “Comprehensive” (all other damage or loss).

For both of these, have at least a $500 deductible – preferably a $1000 deductible.

Here’s why – If you are currently paying a $100 – $250 deductible, you’ll save up to 40% per year on your monthly premiums by moving it to $500. That means if you’re currently spending $1,000 a year on insurance, you’re going to get to keep $400 every year. If you jump to a $1,000 deductible, you could keep almost $600 extra a year in your pocket.

I can hear some of you saying, “Wow, a $1,000 deductible. That’s a lot of money.” Yes, it is.

So is paying $1,000 a year with that $100 deductible….versus $400 a year with a $1,000 deductible.

The odds are in your favor – go with the $1,000 deductible.

STRATEGY 3 – Review & Change Property Damage Liability.

Have you ever seen a $100,000 mailbox? Car Insurance Companies must have. Here’s why….

Property damage is not damage done to an automobile but rather “property” like a mailbox or a utility pole. So, why in the world would you need $100,000 dollars of coverage?

In most cases, almost 100% of all property damage claims can be taken care of with only $50,000 of coverage. So take a look at your policy to find out what you’re currently paying for. And if you have little or no Net Worth, drop your coverage even lower – to $25,000 or your States minimum. You can find your States minimum by doing a Google search for “car insurance state minimums.”

Here’s what to look for on your policy – Many will have your liability coverage’s listed like so – 50/100/100 – The first two numbers refer to bodily injury liability coverage. The 1st number is the dollar figure covered per person. The 2nd is the dollar figure per accident.

The 3rd number is the “Property Damage Liability.” That’s what you need to change. What does yours say?

STRATEGY 4 – Review & Change Bodily Injury Liability.

Although Bodily Injury Liability Coverage is a must, almost all of us end-up overpaying for the coverage we need. This type of coverage specifically covers:

- Any and all occupants of an automobile, whether it’s yours or someone else’s;
- Any and all occupants of another vehicle;
- And Pedestrians

Your only goal with this type of coverage is to have just enough protection to protect what is yours….in other words, your assets. And in order to protect your assets, you need to figure out what your Net Worth is – here’s a well known site for calculating your net worth – www.kiplinger.com/personalfinance/tools/networth.html?

A great way to slash your premiums is to have no more in bodily injury liability than what your net worth is. Here’s a common example of the coverage most people have – If your net worth is only $20,000 and you have $100,000 in coverage, you’re throwing money away.

And if you have little, or negative net worth, just get the required State minimums. You’ll need this info to get the lowest car insurance rates. Again, you can get see your state minimums by Googling “car insurance state minimums.”

Here’s what to look for when trying to figure out how much coverage you have now. As I said earlier, most Policies today have your liability coverage’s listed like so – 50/100/100 – The first two numbers (whatever they might be) refer to bodily injury liability coverage. In this example, there is $50,000 in coverage per person and $100,000 per accident.

What does your policy say? Are you paying more than your net worth? If so, change it.

STRATEGY 5 – Review & Change Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage.

The uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is a fantastic deal for car insurance companies….and a lousy one for you. This premium alone can increase your auto insurance by a couple hundred dollars a year.

Most folks think that uninsured/underinsured coverage is there to get your car repaired if it is hit by someone without insurance….or someone with lousy insurance.

Wrong.

Any damage done to your car is already covered – by the premium you’re already paying for collision.

First things first….check your policy if your paying for uninsured/underinsured coverage now. If you are, Google “uninsured motorist state requirements” to see if your State requires it.

If it’s not required by your State, cancel it.

If the State you live in does require uninsured/underinsured coverage, make sure you have the absolute minimum required. These minimums are not advertised, change every couple of years and are very difficult to find. So, here’s how you handle this.

Do a Google search for your State Department of Insurance, go to the “Contact Us” page, find a phone number, then call and ask what the minimums are.

Don’t try looking for it. Finding the minimums listed is almost impossible on most State Web Sites – they’ve buried it so deep you’ll never find it. Just call your State Department of Insurance.

I know it’s a bit of a hassle to get the info yourself. Yet relying on the Insurance Companies to give you the correct information isn’t very wise.

Next Part 2 of How To Slash Your Car Insurance Costs Up To 54% In 10 Easy Steps

Affordable Car Insurance – It Is Out There!

admin — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:34:18 +0000

Everyone wants affordable car insurance but nobody wants to pay the price. That may not have made much sense to you but the insurance buyer has to be better informed. There has to be some time spent on educating yourself enough to make intelligent decisions about your next insurance purchase. Too many folks avoid all responsibility when it comes to buying car insurance. You do not need an insurance course to understand the fundamentals involved in rating car insurance. Look at the declarations page on you car insurance and you will find all that you need to know.

The Declarations Page

1. Policy Period This is the specific time period that the policy is effective. Some car insurance policies have an annual renewal and others have a six month renewal. Do not shop for car insurance with a declarations page that shows that your policy period has expired. That could cause you to be placed into a sub-standard carrier. Shop at least one month before your insurance is ready to expire.

2. Vehicles Your vehicles will affect your physical damage rate. When shopping, make sure that you give the quoting company the vehicle identification number of all of your vehicles. This is usually on your declarations page.

3. Drivers in Household Every resident relative with a drivers license should be listed on the policy unless they have other insurance.

4. Liability Limits These are the limits for bodily injury and property damage insurance. This is very important coverage and not a good place to cut costs if you are a property owner. This portion of your policy pays benefits to the party that you have may have injured in an auto accident. It also pays for the damage to their vehicle.

5. Physical Damage This is your collision and comprehensive benefit that you see on your declarations page. This is coverage for your automobiles. Your deductible selection will raise or lower the rate.

These are some of the many policy benefits that you will find on your declarations page. Ask your insurance company about discounts and tort option. Learn all that you can and you can help make your car insurance more affordable.

Low Cost Car Insurance – Where To Cut Costs

admin — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 07:25:07 +0000

Car Insurance can be simplified once you begin to understand the declarations page. The declarations page is issued every time your car policy renews. The information on your renewal declarations page will give you all you need to know about how your policy is rated. The actual policy is very complicated because it is written in legal language. The declarations page is a synopsis of your protection and is divided into sections.

Section I Liability This section indicates the bodily injury and property damage liability limits. This section of coverage protects you in the event that you are found liable in an automobile accident. Most car insurance policies have split limits. 100/300/50 is a common split limit. The first two limits are the bodily injury limits. The 100,000 refers to the amount per person bodily injury liability limit and 300,000 is the amount per accident limit. The third limit is the property damage liability limit of 50,000.

Tort Option Some states have a tort option. Full tort gives you an expanded right to sue for pain and suffering. Limited Tort limits that right and also reduces your overall premium.

Section II Physical Damage – This section is all about the physical damage to your automobiles. It is divided into two basic benefits. Collision insurance covers damage to your vehicle in an automobile accident. Comprehensive insurance covers your vehicle for theft, hitting an animal, glass coverage, fire, and several other miscellaneous occurrences.

Section III First Part Benefits This section applies to the first party insured and all resident relatives. This can vary from state to state. Medical expense, income loss, and life insurance are examples of first party benefits.

Cost Savings Your greatest risk for financial loss is when you are liable in a car accident and so it is not wise to carry low limits for liability. Higher deductibles for collision and comprehensive are an excellent way to reduce costs. Make sure that your home policy is with the same company in order to qualify for the multiple policy discounts. The limited tort option can save you up to 20%. The tort discount is only available in some states.

What Makes Classic Car Insurance Special

admin — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:12:27 +0000

Anyone who owns a vintage vehicle or a collection of enduringly stylish classic cars knows that a standard automobile insurance policy cant adequately cover the specific needs of someone who drives a classic vehicle. A classic car owner is more likely than a standard driver to make a claim for repainting after a tiny scratch, for example; whereas a typical driver will be much more likely to get into a highway pile-up than a classic car owner. The habits and requirements of the drivers who spends time behind the wheel of a classic 1950s Ford are obviously quite different from those of a driver who gets around in a used 1997 Taurus; so it makes plenty of sense that insurance companies would create policies specifically for drivers who own vintage cars.

One of the most useful facets of many classic car insurance policies has to do with the idea of flexible usage. This unique idea allows drivers to attain full coverage at a variable rate depending on how often they drive their car and in what situations. Most drivers with antique automobiles drive their vehicles over less than one thousand miles each year, but some collectors drive up to five thousand miles a year in their prized cars. Some drivers are extremely careful about distance because of its potential wear and tear on the vehicle, but just as many classic car enthusiasts are more concerned about what kind of situation they are driving in than how far they are driving.

Many vintage car owners only take their precious vehicles out for special events like auto shows or parades, but there are some drivers who enjoy taking the occasional drive outside of the umbrella that these events provide. With an insurance policy that supports flexible usage, a driver can pay only for the coverage that he or she needs to cover his or her classic car driving habits. This means that a driver who enjoys a leisurely weekend afternoon of driving through town in his or her car will be able to do so without risking the investment that the car represents, but also that a driver who only starts the engine during a special event will not have to pay extra money for open road privileges that he or she wont use.

In addition to what is and is not covered, there are many conveniences that a classic car owner can enjoy by having classic car insurance instead of a standard auto policy. For one thing, having the agent who is responsible for the policy be knowledgeable about and sensitive to the needs of classic car owners can save quite a bit of hassle and phone time. Vintage car collectors are understandably very selective about where they get their cars repaired, and often will be unwilling to let anyone but their personally trusted mechanic look at their car. The reasons for this fact will be obvious to an agent who understands the needs and desires of people who own classic cars, but for an agent who is not experienced with these kinds of customers it can be a difficult fact to swallow.

Compare car, travel and more cheap insurance quotes » Car Insurance Policies

Car Insurance Basics

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Car Insurance FAQs

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Gap Car Insurance: Do You Need It?

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How To Slash Your Car Insurance Costs Up To 54%

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Affordable Car Insurance – It Is Out There!

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Low Cost Car Insurance – Where To Cut Costs

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What Makes Classic Car Insurance Special

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