January 31 2009 by author in Uncategorized |
Reader’s Question
I saw a car that was totaled on a tree as I was whizzing past through the highway. At the time, I was taking a road-trip using a rental car, and was thinking ‘the insurance policy of the guy had better be good.’ Then it struck me: what would happen if I got into an accident in a rental car? Would my auto car insurance policy cover any damages I’ll incur while I was driving a rental car?
N. E. Polson
Salem, Oregon
Here’s a quick question right back at you: when you rented the car, did it come with insurance? If yes, then having to pay for the damage incurred is one less problem off your mind. You’ll still have a boat-load of problems with the folks you rented the car from, though.
If no, then you’re in a pickle. You may have an auto car insurance policy slapped on your own car, but that doesn’t extend to the rental car. If you get into an accident in a rental, and the rental doesn’t have insurance, you’re going to have to fork out the dough from your own wallet. You’ll not only have to pay for the damage you incurred, but there’s going to be some penalty that you’ll have to pay to the folks you rented the car from. That is the most likely scenario if ever you get in an accident in a rental.
So if you ever plan to rent a car, make sure that the rental car is also covered by insurance. That’ll make life a lot easier for you if ever you get into an accident on the road.
January 31 2009 by author in Uncategorized |
Reader’s Question:
The auto car insurance quotes I’ve been getting are a bit expensive for me. How can I lower the premium down to a more manageable level?
Trixy
New Orleans, LA
Here are a couple of tips to nab a lower insurance premium:
o Ask around – you can ask your friends and family to recommend insurance companies. Not only are you extending your list of auto car insurance quotes to choose from, but you also get some advice about the company you’re going to scope out.
o Collision coverage – if your car is old an inexpensive to repair, consider axing this coverage to lower the premiums in your car insurance quotes. However, if you just got a brand new car that cost you a small fortune, do not axe this coverage. You’ll regret it later when you do get in an accident.
o Stick to one insurance company – chances are, the insurance company you’re signing up for has a whole host of other insurance packages. By signing up for other insurance packages, you can avail of discounts that are available only to ‘loyal’ clients.
o Choose to get higher deductibles – deductibles are what you’re going to pay in an accident before the insurance company will step in to cover the excess costs. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium, and vice-versa. Just be careful: you may have a lower premium, but you’re going to have to fork out more money out of your wallet when you do get in accident.
o Keep your credit in line – if you can show the insurance companies that you can manage your finances decently and responsibly, you’ll get a lower auto car insurance quote from them.
These five simple tips ought to help you negotiate for a lower auto car insurance quote. Hope they help.
Reader’s Question:
Have you guys noticed that so many websites nowadays offer auto car insurance quotes? Are these even any good? I’m thinking of switching because I saw some cheap quotes on the net.
Alex
Columbus, OH
Yes, a lot of auto car insurance companies do offer online quotes now. There are even websites that offer auto car insurance quotes from several insurance companies in one go. I think these sites are the best as they save us consumers a whole lot of time from sorting through several auto car insurance quotes coming from different companies if we did the work ourselves.
I think the quotes are reliable enough, but you shouldn’t just sign on with the cheapest provider. I suggest you take a look at the role the auto car insurance policy will play in your life. Does it offer enough coverage? Is the customer service of the company okay? How does it compare with other auto insurance companies in terms of value added services or benefits?
I think by answering these questions, you would be able to find the product that fits you best. You will have to take into consideration how much you are willing to pay for premiums and the amount of auto insurance coverage you will need. Don’t get too stingy with the premiums. Remember, if something happens, and you do not have enough auto insurance coverage, you will be paying for the costs out of your pocket! I do recommend that you leverage on the power of technology and use those auto car insurance quotes websites out there.
Reader’s Question:
My mom just gave me a car as a birthday present. I would just like to ask if I can get my auto car insurance with just my learner’s permit.
Dominic
Los Angeles, CA
Hi Dominic! Well congratulations on your new car, and Happy Birthday, too!
To answer your question-yes, you can get auto car insurance with your learner’s permit. A person who has a learner’s permit means he or she is allowed to drive a car, but with certain restrictions (as compared to a driver’s license). This permit is given to those individuals who are learning to drive but haven’t met the requirements for a full driver’s license yet. (Actually, having a driver’s permit is one of the requirements in applying for a full driver’s license).
You can apply for your own auto car insurance from your chosen insurance firm; however you must look for an insurance company that will allow you to apply for an auto car insurance even if you only have a learner’s permit. I’m sure there are lots of auto car insurance companies in Los Angeles. Of course, you can also check the Internet.
On the other hand, if you can’t find your ideal auto car insurance company, you might want to ask your parents that you be covered under theirs. You can do that, actually.
Again, congratulations on your new car. It’s just that owning a car entails financial obligations, I’m afraid.
January 26 2009 by author in Uncategorized |
Reader’s Question:
I heard from a female co-worker that being a female has its advantages and one of them is getting cheap auto car insurance for females. Is this true? Just for the record, I’m a 100% female so I’m very much interested in getting this kind of car insurance discount.
Bella
Miami, FL
You are correct Bella. If you are a female, you will find some advantages on your side and one of them is getting cheap auto car insurance for females.
In general, auto insurance companies tend to be more favorable to females when setting car insurance rates. In most cases, female drivers are not usually involved in car accidents as compared to male drivers. Statistics shows that female drivers are considered low risk drivers thus car insurance companies offer them lower auto insurance rates as opposed to male drivers.
In addition, in a situation where female drivers are involved in vehicular accidents, damages on the car incurred are still lower as compared when male drivers are involved in car accidents.
However, remember that low cost auto car insurance rates are not entirely dependent on you being a female or on the gender. There are still other significant factors that affect getting cheap auto car insurance for females like driving record, age, place of residence, driving miles etc. One of the things I always do to make sure I’ll always get cheap auto car insurance for females is to drive carefully at all times. I hope you’ll do the same. Happy driving!
Reader’s Question:
How can I keep my auto car insurance costs low? I’m planning to purchase a second vehicle here in Florida.
Vincent
Miami, FL
Good question! And a very relevant one considering how we have fallen on economically troubled times. Everyone should know how to keep auto car insurance premiums in check, so here are some effective ways to manage your insurance costs once you add a second vehicle to your policy there in Florida:
1.See if you can get multi-vehicle discounts from your carrier for adding a second vehicle. Most auto car insurance companies offer these.
2.If you haven’t done yet, take defensive driving classes that teaches how to stay safe while on the road, as well as makes you eligible to get Defensive driving discounts.
3.You expose your vehicles to less risk if you park them in a secured garage, this can help keep premiums from getting expensive.
4.Check to see what other types of discounts you are eligible to get to help you make for relatively cheap auto car insurance coverage.
5.Raising your deductibles is actually recommended, if you are comfortable with it or if you are buying an inexpensive second vehicle. A higher deductible actually makes for lower premiums.
6.Consider taking out an annual payment option. Making bigger payments actually costs you less as companies usually give incentives or discounts for paying in bulk.
7.Finally, take advantage of the many auto insurance websites and portals, like this one, where you can run free insurance quote checks to find cheap auto car insurance rates and offers. Not only that, you can also compare offers between many insurance carriers simultaneously, increasing your chances of keeping low cost auto car insurance coverage for your vehicles.
Reader’s Question:
While I was in my mom’s car, she was talking about renewing her auto car insurance. Why should she? Is it, like, required or something?
Mary
Brooklyn, NY
Auto car insurance is important because not only will it protect you and your possessions, but it is mandatory in most states here in America, as well. All states require financial responsibility when driving a registered car or any type of vehicle. This is fulfilled by following the auto car insurance requirement and maintaining at least the state’s minimum insurance which is typically liability insurance. One could even get higher coverage if one so desires.
States differ in their mandatory requirements. In your state, there is a minimum amount of liability insurance of $25,000 for Bodily Injury to one person, $50,000 for Bodily Injury to all persons, and $10,000 for Property Damage in any one accident. This is usually referred to as 25/50/10 coverage. A ‘no-fault” coverage of $50,000 is also required in New York (unlike in other states where this coverage is not mandatory).
It is then one’s responsibility to have himself protected against events such as accidents, thefts and the like, which I hope you do not encounter in the future. When the time has come for your mother to renew her auto car insurance, take note of it and remind her to do so.
Reader’s Question:
Hi, I am planning to change my auto car insurance company as we are moving from Illinois to Alabama. Will my previous auto car insurance policy still be honored in Montgomery? What are the major factors insurance companies consider when giving auto car insurance quotes?
Andrew
Springfield,IL
Your plan of changing insurance companies as you move to Alabama is a good idea as each state sets their own laws and statutes regarding motor vehicle requirements. With that, there is really a need to obtain a new auto car insurance policy to meet the requirements of the new state. You are lucky if the insurance company you are currently enrolled in does business as well in Alabama. Then you can contact them and ask them if it is possible to just change your policy from your old state to your new state. Keep in mind, too, that you have thirty days to register and acquire plates and obtain a local sticker. You also need to acquire a new insurance policy in Alabama within 30 days or less upon moving there.
For your other question, these are some of the factors that most insurance companies take into account when giving auto car insurance quotes:
- General Information includes address and contact information, including e-mail address.
- Vehicle Information includes make and model, annual mileage and ownership.
- Driver Information such as age, education and occupation for each driver in the household.
- Incidents which includes accidents, violations and auto car insurance claims in the last 5 years.
- Coverage includes name of current auto car insurance company, policy dates and amount of coverage you wish to purchase.
The Alabama auto car insurance minimum coverage requirement is $20,000 for bodily injury/death of one person, $40,000 per accident, and $10,000 for property damage per accident.
Good luck!
Reader’s Question:
I heard auto car insurance companies offer discounts to senior citizens. What other discounts am I qualified for?
Borge
Helena, MT
Though it may seem simple, there are a lot of factors that need to be considered for getting discounts. Most states mandate insurance companies to give discounts to senior citizens reaching age of 50 and above, more commonly referred to as mature driver’s discount. Every senior citizen has the privilege of getting lower premium rates, though sometimes it is never automatically given. You should still make queries about this policy because an agent would not always readily offer it. An insurance company would rarely remind their agents to make this discount available for senior citizens. What a senior citizen should do is to remind their agent about auto car insurance discounts for senior citizens if they are opening an account for the first time. If they currently have a policy, they should always update it, so that their carrier will have the opportunity to review the policy and make such auto insurance discounts available for them.
Mostly, insurance companies offer rates of up to 5 percent to 10 percent discounts for mature drivers. Another one you might want to check is mileage discounts given to senior citizens. This is because the senior citizen age group is deemed less likely to drive or be on the road a lot than those from other age groups. The rationale is that the lesser you use your car, the lesser the probability of you getting involved in an accident – and, of course, the lower the premiums get. Aside from this, seniors citizens are also eligible for retirement discounts; those whose age bracket ranges from 50 to 55 and above may avail this discount of up to 5 percent reduction on premiums.
Reader’s Question:
I got involved in an accident where my car got totaled. I was thinking that instead of buying another car, I’d buy my totaled car back from the auto car insurance company. Would that be possible? Thanks.
Ricky
Chicago, IL
Regarding your first question, as per Illinois laws applicable in your case, you may not be able to buy back your totaled car. As stated by the Illinois Department of Insurance, a resident is normally not allowed to retain a vehicle when it has been cleared as a total loss. You are not allowed to keep whatever is left of your car should the auto car insurance company declare it a total loss, as per the Illinois Vehicle Code. This measure is done by the state of Illinois to avoid what is called “chop shop” crime.
However, having said that, there are actually two instances in which Illinois laws do allow an automobile owner to salvage his/her vehicle after having it totaled:
1. If the car has suffered only damage from hail, and it does not hinder the operational safety of the car.
2. If the car is 9 model years old or more.
(In the above instances, a salvage certificate should be filed with the Secretary of State.)
Therefore, the state, through the auto car insurance company, has the right to determine if your vehicle is still fit for its operational safety and road worthiness. They basically won’t allow for hazards on the streets or on its citizens. And they surely won’t allow you to suffer another bout of serious accident, would they?
So, if your car does not meet the above requirements, consider having just a portrait of your totaled car to remind you of such happy memories.