Auto Insurance: What You Need to Know
July 22, 2009 by Auto Insurance Editor
Filed under Auto Insurance Articles, Test
Everyone needs the security of auto insurance even if never actually need to use it. Auto insurance protects you and the person you may someday have a collision with. So what do you need to know as you start researching auto insurance quotes? Before you choose your auto insurance company, make sure the company is reputable. Look for companies with a good reputation with the Better Business Bureau. Through the BBB, you can check to see if the company has had any complaints filed against it. How have these issues been resolved? When deciding on your auto car insurance company, you can also begin some of the work they will be doing yourself. These companies will begin your file by doing a credit check (something you can do online) and discovering how many car accidents you may have had. Shop carefully for an agent. Inquire about his or her experience. In some states, agents only need one week of training! The real pros have gone to school to get industry credentials. Look for the following: CPUC stands for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters and AAI stands for Accredited Adviser in Insurance. The first requires 1000 hours of study; the second requires 100 hours. There are several ways to make sure you get your biggest bang for your automobile insurance buck. You need to think about liability, collision, comprehensive and deductibles. Begin by using your car insurance dollars to your best advantage. Spend the majority of your money on the things that could wipe you clean out. You might be able to handle a $500 deductible by a $500,000 lawsuit would be an entirely different matter. Don’t carry a low deductible. Raise it, instead. And do carry much more than the minimum when it comes to liability coverage. This formula should insure that your premiums will stay roughly the same. What do you save in premiums? How much risk do you take on? The one exception may be when it comes to young people who generally have a low net worth. Being sued would not be an enormous issue. Honest, reputable auto insurance agents should be able to help you balance the equation. Automobile insurance agents should suggest another way to save on your premiums. If you have health insurance already, it should cover and medical bills you incur. Why pay twice? Check out online auto insurance. FreeAutoRater.com is a great place to compare the best automobile insurance quotes on the Internet. Auto insurance rates vary so take your time. An online Auto insurance quote looks at the details and the big picture. An Automobile insurance quote can and should look at more than just your total liability. Many people mistakenly believe, for example, that $300,000 in liability provides for $300,000 for each injured person, not $300,000 in total liability. Make sure your automobile insurance company agent writes a policy that gives you a total amount of liability per person, not just per total liability. Free auto insurance is not possible but free Auto insurance quotes are readily available. A site such as FreeAutoRater.com can help you with free insurance quotes. Sites like this are perfect in your quest for cheap Auto insurance. Before beginning your auto insurance search also consider looking for an umbrella policy. You can often buy one for both your home and your car. Umbrella policies can give you $1 million in coverage for between $200 and $300 per year. http://www.freeautorater.com/ http://freeonlineautoinsuranceratequotes.blogspot.com/ — FreeAutoRater.com We provide free auto insurance rate quotes online, save money quickly and easily by comparing multiple free auto insurance rates in minutes. Get free auto insurance quotes now.
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Auto Insurance: What You Need to Know
Credit scores and insurance premiums
July 21, 2009 by Auto Insurance Editor
Filed under Auto Insurance Articles
There’s something strange in the neighborhood. Who ya gonna call? Credit busters! The reality is that banks and credit card companies have suddenly taken to increasing interest rates and reducing the credit limits on existing lending facilities. According to the figures, nearly half the US banks reduced the limits on credit cards in the last quarter of 2008. The result is easy to see. Whether you are a good or bad borrower, your credit score is dropping. Why should this happen? One of the more important factors in setting the score is the ratio between the amount you borrow and the amount available to borrow. If the amount of credit is reduced, you are closer to your limit. This makes you look like a bad risk and the score falls. This would be true if you were recklessly increasing your borrowing, always close to the maximum allowed. But there is something seriously wrong with the formula for calculating the score when the customer has done nothing wrong. It’s hurting the good customers more than the bad because there is serious collateral damage. If credit scores were only used by banks for internal purposes, customers might weather the storm. But employers, landlords and, most importantly, insurance companies also use the scores to decide who is a responsible and reliable member of the community. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, half the nation’s employers routinely use credit scores when recruiting. The majority of insurance companies use scores when setting premiums for driving on the road. For some reason these companies have never been able to explain, they believe that people who have poor credit scores cannot drive safely on the roads. This is odd. If people cannot afford to replace their cars, they probably drive more carefully to reduce the risk of an accident. California, Massachusetts and Hawaii already have laws banning the use of credit scores for auto insurance purposes. A number of other states are proposing legislation to limit or outlaw the practice. As an aside, Maryland has a ban in place for home insurance purposes. In addition to its general unfairness, the use of credit scores is also potentially discriminatory. The problem is that people who have low incomes tend to have low scores. This concentrates poor scores among some minority groups. Civil rights campaigners suggest that African American and Latino drivers with low credit scores face unlawful discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity. Naturally, the auto insurance companies deny this but, citing commercial confidentiality, refuse to produce any detailed data that would allow the issue to be settled one way or the other. As a result, the poor and disadvantaged are left with the feeling they are being victimised. What is interesting in all this is that insurers continue to be profitable in the three states where credit score use is banned, suggesting that the continuation of the practice is based on convenience. A computer can take data, apply a formula and produce a premium. If human beings had to look at files and make decisions, this would be more expensive and eat into profits. — For other highly informative insights on numerous topics from Mario Vespucci visit http://www.findyourautoinsurance.com/credit-scores-and-insurance-premiums.html . Mario Vespucci is a professional journalist with 15 years of experience delivering news to the public.
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Credit scores and insurance premiums
What to do if the worst happens
July 21, 2009 by Auto Insurance Editor
Filed under Auto Insurance Articles
The most important fact is, of course, you are unhurt. Secondly, it was not your fault. The worst has happened. Despite all your best efforts, there’s been a traffic accident. The vehicles involved are damaged and someone else is injured. You take a moment to draw a breath and steady yourself before getting out of the vehicle. It’s not going to help anyone if you start shouting in anger. There’s a checklist to work through, and it saves time and stress if you just get on with it calmly. This always goes more smoothly if you have planned in advance. Keep a pen and paper in your vehicle. Never assume you will remember everything after an accident. Write as much as possible down at the time. When you first receive your policy and any other information from the insurer, go through it and list what information your insurer wants you to collect at the scene and from the other driver(s). There will be serious problems in filing the claim if you do not have all that’s required. Carry the list of the details you need to collect in the vehicle. Start by calling the police and an ambulance. If your own vehicle is not drivable, do you have the cost of towing covered in your policy? Either way, your vehicle must go to a garage. You will also need to trigger the rental provision so you have something to drive while your vehicle is off the road. 1. Exchange your name, address, driver’s license and insurance details with the other driver(s). This is easier if you carry a printed listing of your details in the glove compartment. You can simply hand this over and collect the other driver’s information. Now work through the list of information you need to collect from the other driver. 2. Draw a rough sketch of the scene of the accident and the position of the vehicles. Write a brief outline of what happened. You can flesh it out into a full description later. Having notes about exactly what damage was caused and the injuries obvious to you is also desirable. 3. If your mobile phone has a camera, take pictures. If not, you should carry a disposable camera in the vehicle so you can have a full record of the damage sustained by all vehicles and where they ended up after the collision. 4. No matter what other commitments you may have, always wait for the police. Remember, it’s an offense to leave the scene of an accident. Make a note of the attending officer’s name. Encourage the officer to file a report. Also record the names of the paramedics who take away the injured in the ambulance. The apparent extent of those injuries could become very important later. Now you have done everything to prepare for the auto insurance claims process. This is often stressful but, so long as you have all the necessary information, you should prevail in the end. Hopefully, when you collected the multiple auto insurance quotes , you also checked out the website your local state’s Department of Insurance, and picked an insurer with the fewest complaints. — Mario Vespucci has shared his vision on numerous subjects throughout the years working with http://www.get-auto-insurance-quotes.net/what-to-do-if-the-worst-happens.html on a frequent basis. You can see most of his professional contributions there.
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What to do if the worst happens
Making a claim against the driver at fault
July 21, 2009 by Auto Insurance Editor
Filed under Auto Insurance Articles
You have been in a traffic accident. Your vehicle was damaged. Hopefully, you were not seriously injured. Now you are looking at a claim against the driver at fault, so you send a demand letter with all the details of the loss and damage suffered to the other driver’s insurance company. This is the start of a sometimes stressful process of trying to negotiate a settlement with a claims adjuster. This person may be employed directly by the insurer or may be a freelance negotiator brought in to deal with your claim. Either way, this is your main point of contact during the first part of the process. If you are not confident to do this yourself, you will need to find an attorney to do it for you. The problem is knowing how much to claim. Only experienced attorneys know the guideline figures laid down by your state’s courts for personal injuries and can put a general number on the value of your claim for pain and suffering. However, if there are no more than minor injuries and almost all the expenses and losses can be quantified, you can deal with this yourself and avoid giving up a share of the claim to an attorney. Just put together a package of the medical bills, receipts for all the other expenses, details of lost pay, and so on. If you want to be slightly more passive, send off comprehensive information and wait for the claims adjuster to make an offer. Everyone who works as a claims adjuster is given a settlement range by the insurer. Human nature being what it is, adjusters always start off at the lowest possible number. As you negotiate, the adjuster will slowly move up but, as and when the maximum number is reached, there will be no more offers. If you feel this “final” offer is still too low, you now need to move up through the chain of command in the insurance company. The adjuster does not have the authority to increase the offer. You have to find the person who can improve the offer. If you have kept back some of the evidence, now is the time to bring it out in support of your claim. Otherwise it’s down to your powers of persuasion. Should this fail to produce results, you have reached the big decisions. This is when the gloves come off and the real fight begins. You can go find an attorney to deal with it for you or you can take on the auto insurance company yourself. There are two options for self-help. The first is to file a complaint with your state’s Department of Insurance. If the Department finds the insurer at fault in not offering more, the majority of states have the power to order the insurer to increase the settlement offer. The fact of a valid complaint is also logged against the insurer. Some states name and shame the auto insurance companies. Alternatively, many policies contain terms allowing mediation or arbitration. You can pursue the company yourself. If the mediator or arbitrator agrees with you, the settlement increases. Should all fail, an attorney can sue if his or her professional opinion supports pursuing the claim. — With over 10 years working as a professional journalist Mario Vespucci has contributed many interesting materials to http://www.get-auto-insurance-quotes.net/claim-against-the-driver-at-fault.html that many users around the globe regard as a benchmark for professional writing.
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Making a claim against the driver at fault
Is it true that men file more insurance claims than women?
July 21, 2009 by Auto Insurance Editor
Filed under Auto Insurance Articles
Should we also mention that there’s quite a big difference in the way men and women are actually driving cars? Do you see a woman speeding that often? Women in general tend to be much more respectful to traffic rules than men. In fact, this respect to rules often becomes the topic for debates and arguments between sexes, because men find it irritating the way women drive vehicles according to rules and recommendations. Either way, the truth is behind those who have less claims filed and lower insurance rates set, and men are definitely losing the argument at this point. We all know that there’s a war between sexes on who are better drivers, men or women? And as men are claiming to be far better at the wheel the statistics are actually on the opposite side. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Report dated 2004 notes men being involved in 27,000 more fatal accidents, 432,000 more injury accidents and 1,369,000 more incidents with damaged property, resulting in total 1,828,000 more insurance claims filed by men in 2004 only. And since then the trend hasn’t changed. And it’s hard to tell that the most risky drivers - men younger than 25 years old - are contributing to these statistics. These are actually men of all age groups. As an insurance agent from Ohio, Brad Vermillion has stated: “Men are more aggressive in their very nature and pursue a riskier attitude when driving a car. You see a man not wearing a seat belt, speeding and driving under influence far more often than a woman. The amount of miles driven throughout the lifetime is also quite higher with men than with women, which of course means a greater risk of being involved in a traffic accident and filing an insurance claim. The less you drive the safer you are.” A righteous question rises consequently, whether do insurance companies take into account the statistics provided by the NHTSA and other organizations? “Insurers know about such statistics very well and they are reflected in their pricing guidelines,” stated Vermillion. “A man will always pay a higher auto insurance premium than a woman, even if he lives in a safe area and has a perfect driving and credit record.” But the overall trend has started to shift in recent years, making the gap between men and women smaller in what concerns auto insurance premiums. “The last couple of years have shown more and more women driving at longer distances and for more extended periods of time. This results from a wider access to cars among women and more intense and active lifestyle attitudes, forcing women to move around a lot more than in previous years,” states Dave Roush, CEO of Insurance.com. “Women spend more time behind the wheel and raise the stress levels, which inevitably results in more aggressive attitude from women on the road. This trend is only starting to take shape and it’s a matter of time to judge whether it will minimize the gap between men and women in what concerns auto insurance rates. But for now men are well ahead in this competition.” — David Mayer is always ready to share his professional point of view on a topic. To see what David Mayer has written about other things visit http://www.get-auto-insurance-quotes.net/men-file-more-insurance-claims.html .
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Is it true that men file more insurance claims than women?
Prepare Your Car for the Winter
July 21, 2009 by Auto Insurance Editor
Filed under Auto Insurance Articles, Test
During the winter season you definitely think of having a good time on the beach more often as you do in summer. And if you dwell in the Snow Belt, such thought may be accompanied by worries, seeing snow and wind outside your window. It may be a very good way to make great winter landscape photos, but ice and snow are not the best conditions to go driving and keep your car safe. Securing yourself from such hazards implies winterizing the vehicle Here are certain things to consider doing before the first snows come to your place if you don’t want to get in trouble on the road: * Perform a seasonal check of your car with a certified and experienced mechanic. See if your tires are inflated enough and have a good grip of the road, check your antifreeze, defrost and heating systems, setup new wiper blades if necessary and see if your brakes are working properly. * Make sure to have the following items in your car during the winter season: ice scraper, cell phone, snow shovel, flashlight, tire chains, jumper cables, blankets, lock deicer, food and water. * Make an extra copy of your car key to avoid locking yourself outside of your car. * It’s better to keep your vehicle in the garage during the cold season in order to avoid start up problems. * Auto clubs are a very good help in the winter, especially when you need a free jump start or tow. * Keep your auto insurance in order and make sure it’s sufficient/ Winter is the season of increased traffic risks and it’s more likely to have a mishap during that time. So keep your coverage amounts over the minimum. Additional tips on winter car driving Besides following the car storage tips, there are also some guidelines on how to drive your car in the winter that you might find helpful: * It’s better to keep all of your windows clean to have a better view during bad weather. Wipers and defrosters are your best helpers in this, and don’t hesitate to stop your car and clear your windows if you have a bad view from your car. * Try using highways and main roads during the winter time, because the back roads are more likely to be covered with snow and ice. * Keeping your tank full with gas is a must because running out of it in the cold means much more trouble than during the warmer seasons. * Defensive driving is a must. Being aggressive on a snowy road is the same as driving 100 mph with a blindfold on. * Know how to drive your car in snow. See how the vehicle responds to complicated weather conditions. Try practicing at an empty parking lot for that. * Test your brakes on a regular basis when driving in complicated conditions, and see how their respond changes with the shift in environment. * In case your car breaks down, stay with your auto until help arrives and use the heat of the running motor to stay warm. However make sure to not run out of gas. * Be as rational as possible. Drive responsibly, or don’t drive at all if the weather is too poor and the visibility makes it impossible to drive a car properly. Have good auto insurance coverage for emergency. — Want to read the latest news and discussions from David Mayer? Visit http://www.allstatescarinsurance.com/prepare-your-car-for-the-winter.html to get his latest insights on many different subjects in the world.
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Prepare Your Car for the Winter
Travelers Cos. Personal Auto And Home Insurance Head Announces … - Hartford Courant
July 16, 2009 by Auto Insurance Editor
Filed under Auto Insurance News
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Travelers Cos. Personal Auto And Home Insurance Head Announces …
Hartford Courant … select accounts operations, including the development of direct-to-consumer sales. Travelers has sold most of its auto insurance through independent agents. |
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PSU auto insurers losing biz to pvt players: JD Power
Business Standard PTI / New Delhi July 15, 2009, 16:41 IST State-run auto insurance providers are fast losing ground to private players and their market share could be under … JD Power APAC ranks ICICI Lombard highest in customer satisfaction … |
 CharlotteObserver.com |
Agreement set to roll back NC auto insurance rates
Forbes Goodwin said the agreement caps auto insurance rates for the period of 2006 to 2011. The rate bureau can't file for another increase until 2011. … NC auto insurers to cut rates, provide refunds NC drivers to get refunds on auto insurance Agreement rolls back NC auto insurance rates |
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Understanding Your Car Insurance Policy
InjuryBoard.com For many drivers, their understanding of their auto insurance policy consists only of paying the premium and hoping that they never have to know what it is … |
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Mexican Auto Insurer Sets Up Claims Tracking Service
Insurance Business Review By Staff Reporter BestMex' auto insurance customers are likely to be able to follow the status of their claims online. It permits the clients, … |
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• Don't give in to auto insurance industry
Hamilton Spectator The auto insurance sector is crying poor and wants to cut its costs. It wants savings in what it describes as an ailing industry. One of the recommendations … |
[*Partnered News]
PSU auto insurers losing biz to pvt players: JD Power - Business Standard
July 16, 2009 by Auto Insurance Editor
Filed under Auto Insurance News
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PSU auto insurers losing biz to pvt players: JD Power
Business Standard PTI / New Delhi July 15, 2009, 16:41 IST State-run auto insurance providers are fast losing ground to private players and their market share could be under … JD Power APAC ranks ICICI Lombard highest in customer satisfaction … |
CharlotteObserver.com |
Agreement set to roll back NC auto insurance rates
Forbes Goodwin said the agreement caps auto insurance rates for the period of 2006 to 2011. The rate bureau can't file for another increase until 2011. … NC auto insurers to cut rates, provide refunds NC drivers to get refunds on auto insurance Agreement rolls back NC auto insurance rates |
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Mexican Auto Insurer Sets Up Claims Tracking Service
Insurance Business Review By Staff Reporter BestMex' auto insurance customers are likely to be able to follow the status of their claims online. It permits the clients, … |
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Travelers Cos. Personal Auto And Home Insurance Head Announces …
Hartford Courant … select accounts operations, including the development of direct-to-consumer sales. Travelers has sold most of its auto insurance through independent agents. |
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• Don't give in to auto insurance industry
Hamilton Spectator The auto insurance sector is crying poor and wants to cut its costs. It wants savings in what it describes as an ailing industry. One of the recommendations … |
|
Understanding Your Car Insurance Policy
InjuryBoard.com For many drivers, their understanding of their auto insurance policy consists only of paying the premium and hoping that they never have to know what it is … |
[*Partnered News]
Mexican Auto Insurer Sets Up Claims Tracking Service - Insurance Business Review
July 16, 2009 by Auto Insurance Editor
Filed under Auto Insurance News
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Mexican Auto Insurer Sets Up Claims Tracking Service
Insurance Business Review By Staff Reporter BestMex' auto insurance customers are likely to be able to follow the status of their claims online. It permits the clients, … |
|
PSU auto insurers losing biz to pvt players: JD Power
Business Standard PTI / New Delhi July 15, 2009, 16:41 IST State-run auto insurance providers are fast losing ground to private players and their market share could be under … JD Power APAC ranks ICICI Lombard highest in customer satisfaction … |
|
• Don't give in to auto insurance industry
Hamilton Spectator The auto insurance sector is crying poor and wants to cut its costs. It wants savings in what it describes as an ailing industry. One of the recommendations … |
CharlotteObserver.com |
Agreement set to roll back NC auto insurance rates
Forbes Goodwin said the agreement caps auto insurance rates for the period of 2006 to 2011. The rate bureau can't file for another increase until 2011. … NC auto insurers to cut rates, provide refunds NC drivers to get refunds on auto insurance Agreement rolls back NC auto insurance rates |
|
Travelers Cos. Personal Auto And Home Insurance Head Announces …
Hartford Courant … select accounts operations, including the development of direct-to-consumer sales. Travelers has sold most of its auto insurance through independent agents. |
|
Understanding Your Car Insurance Policy
InjuryBoard.com For many drivers, their understanding of their auto insurance policy consists only of paying the premium and hoping that they never have to know what it is … |
[*Partnered News]
Consumers Could Pay More for Car Insurance with New "Cash for … - PR Web (press release)
July 11, 2009 by Auto Insurance Editor
Filed under Auto Insurance News
 NewsOXY |
Consumers Could Pay More for Car Insurance with New "Cash for …
PR Web (press release) (PRWEB) July 11, 2009 — "Auto buyers participating in the new 'Cash for Clunkers' program should be aware of the financial impact to their auto insurance … Car Tax Rebate: Government Car Allowance Rebate System |
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Get Cheap Atlanta Car Insurance Quotes Fast And Easy
OfficialWire (press release) With so many Atlanta Auto insurance providers it can be hard to find the right one. Now you can get free fast easy quotes on one site by Tim Zuckerbee If … |
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Vehicle dealers not last stop for auto insurance
Economic Times A Mumbai resident who recently bought a midsized car was stumped when the dealer demanded Rs 48000 premium for the annual comprehensive car insurance. … |
 RTT News |
Progressive Posts First Gain in Net Income Since 2006
Bloomberg “Allstate's auto insurance franchise is better than Progressive's auto insurance business,” Moazami said in a note to investors last month when he … Progressive Q2 Profit Rises - Update |
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Right role for government
Barre Montpelier Times Argus As a comparison to auto insurance, would you want to pay the same premium as someone with multiple car accidents or tickets, just because they work for the … |
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Auto Insurance Verification System Now in Place in Oklahoma
Insurance Journal Oklahoma Tax Commission spokeswoman Paula Ross says validating insurance electronically gives immediate confirmation that a driver has a valid policy. … |
[*Partnered News]
