Most people pay out way too much money for their auto insurance, because they don’t do a little scouting ahead of their decision to buy. A quick 2 minute drill with this playbook may help you come out on the winning end and save you hundreds of dollars in the process. If it turns out you haven’t researched low cost car insurance lately, you actually may be shelling out much more money than you need to. Why don’t we see if these ideas make it possible for you to preserve more cash in your pocket (and a player to be named later).

1) Online Car Insurance

I have friends that are local brokers in the insurance business. I don’t obtain my vehicle insurance plans through them. I value their friendship, but this is business. I obtain my car insurance on the Internet. Someone has to shell out that local broker’s commission and it’s sure not going to be the insurance firm. This cost is handed directly to you.

2) Comparison Shop

This is the most fundamental play I can draw up for you. If you want to obtain low cost car insurance, you have got to examine at a minimum of six company on-line sites and find quotations. It’s cost-free and the results will usually surprise you.

This practice routine may necessitate a few minutes of completing forms on every site to get a quote…but, where else can you save this much money? Another benefit to buying online car insurance is that you don’t have to speak directly with a smooth talking agent that can easily make you feel a sense of obligation.(And a multi-year contract?) Perform this comparison check every year, without fail!  You will save money!

3) Groups, Credit Ratings and Kids

Check for low cost car insurance companies that provide affinity group and “good credit” special discounts. If you belong to an affinity group like  AARP, AAA, travel clubs, RV organizations, Indianapolis Colts fans and other larger groups, you may qualify for lower rates.

Good credit scores mean more advantageous rates,too, so make sure to keep your bills paid on time. A further approach to decrease your vehicle insurance rates is to keep tabs on your kid’s study practices. Lots of insurance companies offer low cost car insurance for very good students.

4) Your Lifestyle

Very low annual motor vehicle mileage, an extremely good driving record and living in a place with a low crime rate all play a pivotal position in obtaining low cost car insurance premiums. The kind of motor vehicle you drive will have an influence on the price tag of your insurance coverage.

It’s apparent that the more valuable your car is, the more expensive it is to insure. Dump the expensive sports car you bought and get something more conventional. It’s probably not as much fun, but in this economy, saving money is the name of the game.

Also, to help hold costs down, try to make sure your motor vehicle is garaged every night, and, if you possibly can, use a security system. This kind of topic pops up time and again on insurance forms.

5) The Insurance policy Deductible

Your deductible needs to be looked at every year. Scenarios change and you may not have youthful drivers at home nowadays, or your free agency signing bonus  is such that you are able to self insure more of the deductible. Increasing the deductible on your vehicle insurance policy may be a good idea, especially if you have a history of no accidents.

Take a look at your car insurance coverage premiums on an annual basis, rather than automatically renewing your existing policy. Defense wins ball games. A savings improvement of a few hundred dollars is worthy of the effort and you’ll take home the game ball for low cost car insurance.

Rental car insurance is a gamble. You may get away without it, but the odds are not in your favor unless you have some form of additional insurance. Your regular car insurance policy probably covers any vehicle you are driving, but the gaps in your personal coverage may spoil your trip and cost you a lot of money.

DON’T WAIT until you’re at the car rental counter! Make a couple of phone calls to your insurance company and the major credit card company you’ll be using for rental. Ask what is covered and what isn’t. My guess is the list of non-covered rental car insurance items is longer than you think. Don’t feel alone in your confusion. Most people wouldn’t even think to ask about some of the possible gaps in coverage.

Here are some coverage items you need to ask questions about:

1) Am I covered if I have an accident that results in the “loss of use” of the vehicle to the rental car company, while the car is being repaired?

2) Am I covered for theft or vandalism to the car or my property?

3) How much coverage do I have on my current automobile, in terms of  comprehensive and collision. If you’ve dropped either to save money, your rental car insurance is not going to have either coverage.

4) Who pays for administrative fees, towing fees, diminished value of the rental car due to an accident, medical and ambulance fees or damages to private property.

5) Am I covered for auto rental insurance if this is a business trip, rather than a recreational trip?

Fortunately for you, most of these questions are easy to answer. Between your credit card company, auto insurance firm and your homeowners insurance policy, most of these areas are covered. If you still have some doubts about an accident, ask the rental car company about a loss damage waiver (LDW).  An LDW is technically not a rental car insurance product. It may cost you a few bucks a day, but it will protect you if the rental car is damaged or stolen.

After you’ve done some planning, you may find that no additional car insurance policy is necessary. Between your credit card firm and your regular auto insurance policy, you may have all the bases covered and you can just have some fun on your vacation. When in doubt though, ask your regular insurance company for a temporary insurance rider. It’s a lot cheaper than shelling out the big bucks if you do have an accident.

Slick advertising creates a powerful pull among consumers. Among the best at creating favorable brand awareness is the auto insurance industry. Unfortunately, some of those familiar household names don’t even show up on the radar of customer satisfaction in the latest auto insurance ratings.

Ready for a surprise?

According to some of the largest research firms in the world, the leading US company for overall customer satisfaction is one you probably never heard of. It has the highest auto insurance ratings in claims service, claim processing, service interaction and settlement. This Fortune 500 company has quietly built one of the best reputations in the industry. They’ve done it without expensive Madison Avenue advertising campaigns. For a quick look at the JD Power and Associates 2009 Car Insurance Company Ratings,  click here.

Schools Out!

Larger car insurance firms have finally figured out that cute ad campaigns can only carry them so far. In order to maintain and grow their companies, they need to take lessons from smaller, customer focused car insurance companies that are growing their business at a brisk rate. They realize they need to spend more time looking at their internal operations and improving all aspects of customer service. Paying more attention to auto insurance ratings from other companies is the key to changing their own company cultures.

Auto Insurance Ratings Benefit Everyone.

As you can imagine, the competition among car insurance companies is fierce. No insurer wants to be below average among their peer firms. No matter how powerful their ad campaigns are, being average in customer satisfaction will eventually pull them down. There are too many savvy consumers now searching online for information about which are the best car insurance companies.

This has forced most vehicle insurance companies to examine their performance and finds ways to improve. Competition for auto insurance ratings is one way the consumer receives the service they deserve.

A Little Work Pays Off BIG!

If you’re paying through the nose for car insurance online, it’s your OWN fault! Let’s face it, buying car insurance is not only mandatory, it’s smart personal business. However, just because you have to buy it, doesn’t mean you have to pay more than you should. Here are 4 tips on ways to get a cheap car insurance quote.

1. Shop around

Get at least three annual premiums, before you push the ” I accept” button. Many auto insurance companies offer the same products. Some of the more recognized brands have a much higher advertising overhead. Superbowl ads don’t come cheap. Those costs get passed on to you.

You can find a cheap car insurance quote among companies you may not recognize right away, but are just as good at handling claims as the big boys. If you would like to feel better about a less well known company, go the the National Association of Insurance Commissioners web site, where you’ll find each states insurance commission web site. You can find out about any complaints lodged against auto insurance carriers, as well as rate comparisons on file. A lot of the companies with a cheap car insurance quote have the best service records.

2. Check out insurance costs

Before you buy a car, check the rates. The year, make and model can play a big role on your affordable car insurance rate. Those expensive autos or sports cars cost more to insure than their plainer brothers and sisters. Also, you could still find a big difference, even when shopping among similar cars, depending on features.

If you’ve got it narrowed down to a few models, it still pays to shop around for the cheapest car insurance quote. Those anti-lock brakes and side air bags on one model, and not on another, might save you as much as 10%. In the auto insurance racket, those percentages add up to big bucks.

3. Raise your deductibles

Consider upping your deductibles, especially if you’re a safe driver. In a way, you are self insuring on the first part of a repair bill with your deductible. Many times, you can save substantially on rates. By going from a $250 deductible to a $1,000, you may save as much as 25% on your cheap car insurance quote.

Set aside some of these savings to cover your costs… IF you have a claim. If you don’t have any claims, that savings goes right in your pocket.

4. Dump your collision

Think about canceling your collision or comprehensive premium on older cars. If you’re car is older, but still reliable, you may be paying for more in comp/collision than it’s worth.Take your comprehensive and collision premiums and add them together, then multiply that number by 10. If your car is worth less than the total, drop your coverage. It isn’t worth it.

Worried about your exposure? Remember that the typical insured motorist only makes a claim once every 11 years, and totals a car once every 47 years.

I hope these four tips have given you something to think about. I believe in insurance of all kinds, but I can’t stand paying inflated premiums. A cheap car insurance quote makes my day!

We all want to save money with discount car insurance. Expenses in all areas of our lives are getting out of hand. Everywhere we can trim a few bucks is money that can go for other purposes. My caution is make sure that certain things are included in your online car insurance policy, before you drop your existing coverage for budget car insurance.

You have general protections.

Let’s face it, all car insurance companies are regulated. They must have adequate reserves to cover losses. They must operate within guidelines set up by laws that protect the consumer. They must be responsible to their shareholders and not operate in a manner that would jeopardize the company’s value.  These protections are similar across the board between the larger insurers and the smaller discount car insurance companies. Where they differ is the types of coverage offered and the policy restrictions.

Here are a few “Fine Print” items to check out:

Does the insurer allow your repair shop to use OEM parts? OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts are most often guaranteed by the auto manufacturer.  Aftermarket parts can be cheap imports from who knows where? Will the discount car insurance company stand by those parts, if they won’t allow OEM? Some do, but most ask you if you’ve read the fine print in your car insurance policy. After grabbing your magnifying glass, you may discover that in the smallest print still legible, you are stuck if the aftermarket parts fail. Many large companies offer discount car insurance, too, and use the same tactics.  It’s just something to be aware of, so you can decide whether the money you save is worth it.

Does the fine print allow you the right to sue?

Retaining the right to sue is very important. Many discount car insurance policies force you to go to binding arbitration, if there is a dispute between you and the insurer. I don’t care to put my fate into the hands of arbitration. You never know how that will turn out. Many times, it depends on the whims of the person in charge.  I’d rather take my chances in court, where the law is clear and you have the opportunity to appeal if the outcome is in favor of the discount car insurance company. With binding arbitration, the decision is final and you live with it.

These are just a few of the areas to check on when buying cheap car insurance online. A very attractive quote may turn around and bite you, so don’t cancel your old car insurance policy until you are sure the new insurer meets your needs.

Check the Record

When you receive the car insurance supermarket list, you’ll most likely receive quotes from some highly recognized brand name companies. You’ll probably also get quotes from companies you’ve never heard about, like Cheap-R-Us Insurance. Most states have a way to research records on how the different companies respond to their policy holders. Just go to the Google search box and type in your state and the words “insurance commissioner”. That’s a good place to start.  If there have been complaints filed in your state, stay away from companies that don’t have excellent records.

The Devil is in the details

Now that you’ve gotten some car insurance quotes, compare them side by side.  There may be differing deductibles.  Uninsured motorist coverage may vary from policy to policy, depending on state minimums.  Start by laying several car insurance policies side by side and compare them. You may find more questions about car insurance supermarket coverage than you thought possible. What’s not in a quote is often more important than what is. You may have filled out the form completely and still not gotten back the same information, from company to company. Remember, what’s important is often buried in the fine print or not available at all.

Make sure you disclose EVERYTHING!

You remember that “little” speeding ticket you got 2 years ago. Aw heck, the cop said to just pay the “little” fine to him, and you wouldn’t even have to show up in court. You may think, because you didn’t make a court appearance, all is forgiven and forgotten after you paid the fine. This “little” non-disclosure could cost you some big bucks! The car insurance supermarket companies usually hit all law enforcement data bases. Just because your ticket was a “little” misdemeanor, doesn’t mean they won’t find it.  In fact, you better hope they do find it and charge you the correct premium from day one. If the car insurance supermarket company doesn’t, and you have an accident, all bets are off on your coverage. You are guilty of non-disclosure of a material fact and they don’t have to pay off!

Visit with an agent

If, after reading this article, you don’t feel comfortable with your knowledge, maybe the car insurance supermarket concept is not for you.  Your car is usually your second largest investment. A face to face meeting with a car insurance agent may be more appropriate for you  than the brave new world of shopping for car insurance on-line.

Do you really need small business car insurance? It’s a good question and there dozens of factors that go into a reply. Most of the time, the correct answer is a big YES! Just a few errands? Lot’s of small business owners, with a limited number of employees, are under the impression that if their employees are driving their own vehicles for company business, the business doesn’t need a commercial auto insurance policy.  Employees may just be running to the post office or office supply store in their own car. It seems like their own personal auto insurance policy should cover them…right?  Not always.

The Insurance Blame Game

Who should pay the claim? If your employee tries to run a yellow light while on company business, and gets T-boned in an intersection, you may be in for a dogfight about who should pay the claim.  That could drag on for months, even though the employee’s personal auto should theoretically cover them. Your attorney will cost you a bundle to straighten things out.  A settlement could wipe out your profits for the year.

20-20 Foresight?

Is it worth it to save a few bucks? I owned some radio stations in the 1980′and 90′s. We had a station van for promotional appearances, and a dozen salespeople on the road selling advertising.  I could have put the station van in my personal name with a  policy covering anyone one driving it. I also could have let my salespeople sort things out for themselves with their personal car insurance companies. Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t try to save a few bucks and go without a small business car insurance commercial policy.  With that many employees driving the roads on company business, we had a few pretty good sized claims. Now I realize how badly I could have been hurt without small business car insurance.

Sub-contractors for your deliveries

It goes without saying that if your small business owns a lot of rolling stock, you have to have small business car insurance commercial coverage.  It gets trickier if you contract out your delivery and/or pick up to sub contractors. Even though they may be bonded and insured, they are still working for your company. In fact, they may work for several companies simultaneously.  It doesn’t matter who they are supposedly hauling for at the time of an accident.  You are probably going to be named in any lawsuits. It’s great for your peace of mind to just turn it over to your small business car insurance carrier and move on to things that make your company money.

Don’t be left holding the bag!

Small business car insurance coverage is a little different than a personal insurance policy and allows you a little more flexibility on your vehicles and who, exactly, is behind the wheel. The policy will cover employee vehicles during business hours, as well as company owned vehicles with various employees behind the wheel. That means your company is not going to be left holding the bag, if an accident takes place.

If your Florida car insurance policy is canceled for any reason, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles will suspend your driver’s license, vehicle tag and registration. Fines may also result. Your Florida car insurance carrier may terminate, or non renew, your car insurance policy for several reasons. These include excessive claims or accidents, traffic violations, nonpayment, and failure to obtain new car insurance coverage.

As a Florida car insurance consumer, you have the right to:

•Choose your own insurance company and agent

•Purchase your policy without the influence of discrimination

•Obtain a fair coverage quote

•Receive copies of all forms and applications, including your policy, within 60 days

•Have your claim investigated in a proper and timely manner

•Acquire payment for necessary repairs, or for the value of your car, within 20 days of signing a settlement agreement

•File a complaint with your insurance company

On the other hand, your responsibilities as a Florida car insurance consumer are:

•Read and understand your policy.

•Obtain adequate insurance, as mandated by the state of Florida.

•Verify agent and company licenses.

•Fill out your application accurately and completely.

•Get a binder (proof of coverage) until you receive your policy.

•Keep track of your policy-renewal date.

•Pay for any additional premium costs.

•Report any changes affecting your policy to your insurance agent or company.

•Contact your insurance company or agent immediately following an accident.

You should also report any suspected fraud to the Florida Department of Financial Services by calling the Fraud Hotline at 800-378-0445. For more information, contact the Florida Department of Financial Services at 800-342-2762. I know this sounds rather dry and factual, but these are things that are important to know if you’re going to insure a car in Florida.  Many “snowbirds” choose to insure in their home state, even if they own a second home in Florida. Many retired people live in Florida and use it as their primary residence. Sometimes it’s not easy to keep track of renewal dates and Florida car insurance premiums when they travel back and forth to other homes. This article shows you what can happen if you are non-renewed.

Don’t let it happen to you!

Before you start your search for cheap car insurance , you need to separate the myths from reality. Everyone has heard some kind of misinformation about car insurance, at one time or another. Here are the most common car insurance myths you’ll find when you look for discount car insurance.

No-fault insurance means it’s not my fault!

False. The no-fault insurance laws in most states require your insurance company to pay your claim for damages, no matter who’s at fault. Then your insurer contacts the other person’s carrier to be reimbursed if it’s the other persons fault.

If I loan my car to a buddy and he’s in an accident, his insurer pays for the damages.

False. It’s your car and your responsibility! However, your ex-pal’s insurance carrier could come up with excess insurance, if the damages exceed your policy’s limits. To add insult to injury, even though you weren’t there at the accident, that incident will go on your insurance record and instead of cheap car insurance, your rates could go up. You may end up starting a new car insurance search.

I recently paid my car insurance premium, so the new car I just bought is covered.

Mostly false. If you don’t contact your insurance company within a pre-set time limit and ask for a binder, you may be in trouble if there’s an accident. Your insurer has no idea that you just purchased a new $50,000 SUV and they are going to be cranky about paying out any claims. If you don’t notify them in a timely manner, you could be starting that cheap car insurance search again. Your best bet, is to get on the computer or call and contact your insurer right after you pick the new vehicle up.

My credit rating doesn’t effect my insurance rates.

False. Your credit score really does matter, when it comes to car insurance rates! Most insurers take your credit score into consideration. They are like any other business and want to get paid for premiums. If you have a lower credit score, you may have a tough time when you start your car insurance search, or when you want to change, or renew your coverage.

Even without comprehensive coverage, I’m still covered for theft, hail and deer accidents.

False. Too many drivers, when they start looking for cheap car insurance,  believe that if they only purchase collision insurance and liability insurance they’ll be pretty well covered for any eventuality. Comprehensive insurance  covers damage to your car resulting from incidents that involve vandalism, hail, animal accidents, fire and even potholes. You need to purchase both collision and comprehensive car insurance coverage to protect yourself in any of these situations.

My personal auto insurance covers both my personal and business use of my car.

There’s no true or false here, but I’d be very careful and check with your car insurance company. If you use your personal car for business purposes such as transporting clients, going to and from meetings or hauling business equipment, you probably should extend your personal insurance to cover business use. In addition,  if your employees use their car while in the course of business for you, you should obtain a separate non-owned car insurance policy.

I hope your quest for cheap car insurance goes smoothly, now that we have those myths out of the way.

Know The Differences

If you don’t know the difference between vintage cars, antique cars, classic cars and other types of valuable older automobiles and trucks, you may end up paying too much for collector  or antique car insurance. In this article, I’ll try to help you through some of the subtle variations and how to classify your collector car for insurance purposes.

Antique Cars

The history of the automobile dates back to the 1880’s, when they were called Horseless Carriages.  Many experts use the period from the 1880’s to about 1916 to date the Horseless Carriage era. When you talk to ten experts, you’ll probably get five to agree upon definitive dates for antique cars. That’s why antique car insurance is difficult. I tend to believe that antique cars were built before the first World War.

Vintage Cars

Most experts will agree that vintage cars were built between 1919-1930. I know what you’re thinking. What about those cars manufactured during WW1? How do you classify them? History will show that American auto plants were shuttered during the war and turned into production facilities for war vehicles. That’s where we get Vintage Cars, for purposes of classifying vintage car insurance.

Classic Cars

Some car buffs believe Classic Cars are state of the art automobiles born between 1925-1948. Others believe that any car that was built before 1973 is a Classic Car. There are as many definitions as there are “experts”. I believe The Classic Car Club of America states that an Antique Car is one manufactured before 1948.

Insurance Terminology

The purpose of all the preceding terminology is to show you how confusing it gets when trying to buy collector car insurance.  Your true antique car may be worth millions, is probably stored in a secure building and is never driven. A restored vintage car may just be driven a few times a year to car shows and parades. A classic car may be the one you drive every day, because you love the look and it’s easy to work on.

Specialty Car Insurance

With all the experts tossing around confusing dates and terminology, your best bet for collector car insurance is to contact an independent insurance agent, that works with specialty insurers.

Describe the year, make, model, your total investment, where it’s stored and the way you use your old car. Take pictures of the car, inside and out and of the storage facility.  Try to find copies of all records, including original bill of sale and all restoration bills.

I believe that an independent insurance agent will find a good specialty insurer that works with collector car insurance all the time.  These specialty insurance companies take all the information from your independent agent.

They have their own determination of what constitutes an antique car, vintage car or classic car insurance, based on their own expert’s advice. At the end of the day, it’s the specialty insurer that will determine how much you pay for collector car insurance. 

When the subject of discount car insurance for senior drivers comes up, a heated discussion may be inevitable. Many seniors feel the issue should be defined in terms of road safety, not the age of the driver.  There’s little evidence to suggest that senior drivers should be required to take a road test, but annual medical and eye tests are good ideas and may help with discount car insurance rates. Anytime there’s a suggestion to put the brakes on senior drivers through mandatory retesting or stringent new license renewal requirements, a touch of road rage is perhaps inevitable.

Drivers 65 and older are among the safest

Older drivers don’t hesitate to point to the fact that young drivers between the ages of 16 and 24 have the highest collision rates , not seniors. They can also cite  “driver inattention, inexperience/confusion, distraction, drinking and impairment were the most frequently identified human conditions” contributing to casualty collisions in recent car insurance studies. Those factors can occur at any age. But, statistical evidence from around the world shows that drivers 65 and older are among the safest and have some of the lowest accident rates. This may contribute to discount car insurance rates  for senior drivers.

Self Policing Among Seniors

That doesn’t mean there isn’t an issue here. Reflexes, vision, hearing and flexibility all decline with age and can seriously impact driving ability. Many seniors are good at “self policing” themselves and either stop driving altogether or closely restrict where they go.  It’s human nature to deny our declining powers and some seniors who closely identify their independence with continued driving, might ignore or downplay health issues for fear of being told they must quit driving, for safety’s sake or their collision car insurance may be canceled.

Fair legislation may be enacted.

In the US, each state is free to determine their own standards for renewing licenses of senior drivers. Addressing this issue requires treating senior drivers with dignity, while keeping road safety paramount and cheap car insurance available. If you have strong feelings about this subject, contact your state and federal legislators. The more dialogue that is established on this, the better chance that fair legislation may be enacted. Discount car insurance rates are important to everyone, not just senior drivers.

Hello World! I got my drivers license yesterday and today… here I come!  Teen drivers are pretty excited to get behind the wheel and establish some independence.  However, many insurance companies don’t share their enthusiasm. Most teen age drivers get hammered on insurance rates. You, as parents can take some steps to bring down those car insurance rates. Here are three money saving tips on cheap car insurance for young people.

Good Grades

Car insurance for young people is driven (no pun) by good grades. Fender benders, traffic tickets and other factors certainly make cheap car insurance for young people more difficult. But, if those items aren’t a factor in your teenager’s case, then maintaining those grades up is the best way to obtain decent rates. I think it’s a mistake to have your teen try to pay for their own car insurance. That means getting a part time job after school. If you make study time mandatory, instead, you’re much better off. Good grades result in better possibilities for college. They help boost your teen’s self esteem. Best of all, the money they save on cheap car insurance for young people  could be put to better use buying high priced gas for your car!

Increase your deductibles.

Let’s face it, if your young driver is studying at home or at the library, chances for an accident decrease. They aren’t out driving around with their friends if they’re at the study table. With this in mind, you can raise the deductible on your car insurance for young drivers with some added confidence. However, if there is an accident, you’re going to have to pay a little higher amount for the repair bill. I had two young drivers on my policy. They were high honor students and never had an accident on my watch! Higher car insurance deductibles saved me quite a bit on cheap car insurance for young people, over the years.

Maintain clean driving records

This should be pretty clear to anyone who pays insurance. Every time your teen gets a ticket, the chance of a raise in premiums rears it’s ugly head. Most states keep a point system, based on the violation. Cheap car insurance for young people is usually tied into police or public record data bases. Depending on the severity of the citation and the length of time between them, rates go up. One or two traffic tickets can mean fair size increases. More than three or a license suspension could mean cancellation, not just of car insurance for young drivers, but also of your family policy.

I hope these tips on cheap car insurance for young people help save you some money and some grief!

Women are better drivers than men. That is a fact,  men, even though you may not like to see it! I’m not trying to get get guys all shook up about male or female superiority. Male egos just seem to make them more aggressive drivers. Women are a little more on the careful side and pay more attention to the rules of the road. That’s why womens car insurance rates are generally better. I’m going to try not to be judgmental and I’ll stick with the facts, as seen by insurance companies. If you have a man in your life, ask him to read this article and see if he happens to agree with this position.

Women are more cautious.

Many male drivers push the speed limits by 5-10 miles per hour. They may not be impetuous or irresponsible…they just want to get there faster. It’s a guy thing. Law enforcement data shows that higher speeds cause more accidents, especially in congested traffic areas. Women approach speed limits differently. They’re a little more cautious, which is one reason womens car insurance premiums stay lower. It’s not that they can’t or won’t drive fast, it’s usually just because they don’t want to get pulled over for a speeding ticket (which drives insurance rate up). I like to play a game. When I see a man pass me going quite fast, I pick a point somewhere ahead. It may be an exit or stop light, but I usually get there within seconds of the man, while driving the posted limit.

Women drive less miles.

Women drivers usually average less miles per year than men. That may be due to job differences, car pooling or stay at home moms. Lower mileage equals less time on the road and lower risk of an accident. When traveling, women are much more likely to let men do the driving. Again, less mileage driving…lower risk of accident. These factors may be social and culturally biased, but they translate into statistics that influence womens car insurance rates.

Women are content with small cars

Women like smaller cars. They’re easier to park, maneuver in traffic and need less maintenance. They also like safety features built into their cars.  They don’t consider driving as an adventure, as men do. A small, gas efficient engine will do just fine, thank you very much! On the other hand, men seem to go for the big engines with power and speed. Those big engines are just another rate increase factor that female drivers car insurance doesn’t have to deal with.  Most car insurance companies use databases and profiles to arrive at rates. It is just business for them and doesn’t reflect badly on men. They’re in business to make money and they don’t have to pay off as often on women’s car insurance.

These are just a few factors that go into pricing car insurance rates. Don’t be upset guys, when your gender costs you more money.  It’s just business!

I call my car insurance agent. His secretary says he’ll call me back. I miss his call, Three days later we finally connect. Sound Familiar? My time is too valuable to waste chasing down an agent, to get a conventional insurance quote. With today’s hectic lifestyle, We all want an instant car insurance quote, so we can move on to other things. That’s why many people are switching to purchasing car insurance online.

What’s stopping you?

Many people are uncomfortable with shopping online for an instant car insurance quote. They worry about the security of their personal information. Every few months, we hear about some whacko hacker getting into a confidential website. However, we almost never hear about a hacker accessing secure financial transactions. That’s because most Internet e-commerce uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate Authority encryption techniques that are so advanced that they handle literally millions of sales a day, without a hitch. Your instant car insurance quote is backed by sophisticated software that is probably more secure than being in the paper files of your local car insurance agent. Imagine how many employees wandering around the local insurance office have access to your files! That security fear is real to many people, but they’re finally beginning to realize that it’s out of date.

Do the online forms make you nervous?

To get an instant car insurance quote, you do need to fill out a quick questionnaire. Many folks aren’t real comfortable with their computer skills. They worry about getting the little information boxes right. Well, I can tell you from experience that the insurance companies have made giant strides in that regard. When you fill out the instant car insurance quote form, a series of built in system checks tell you if you’re doing something wrong. They’ll suggest things or ask if you really meant something. They also give you a second chance to look everything over before you submit.

Are you looking for the best price?

Instant car insurance quotes online make it easy to save money. Most websites dealing with multiple companies have a selection that makes it easy to find cheap car insurance.  Even the biggest car insurance companies have tutorials on how to save money with their products. Their goal is to attract you as a permanent customer, no matter whether you want a Cadillac plan or the VW program. Instant car insurance quotes, no matter what the company, are just a click away!

Some car insurance terminology is easy to understand, like cancellation or non-renewal. On the other hand, there are some terms that you had better know, like comprehensive car insurance. It’s one of the most misunderstood coverage items, when you purchase a policy.

We didn’t have the money to buy gas, much less buy car insurance.

When we were young and broke in 1968, my wife and I drove a 1954 Ford. It was a great old car.  We bought it for $125.00 and drove it for three years, until we got out of college.  We didn’t have the money to buy gas, much less buy car insurance.  However, we knew we were toast if either of us were involved in an accident, so we cut our “entertainment” budget and purchased a liability only policy.

A More Inclusive Policy is Needed for Higher Value Autos

Our next car was a brand new 1970 Plymouth Duster with a 4 on the floor and the big 340 engine.  I loved that car! I think we paid $2,900 for it and our insurance agent said we should think about a more inclusive policy that covered the car at book value. Knowing nothing about it, we said to go ahead. When we got the quote, we almost turned the car back in to the dealer. After paying that first six month premium, our car sat in the driveway a lot, until we could afford gas.

Comprehensive Car Insurance is for Accidents That Don’t Involve a Collision

To protect your valuable automobile, there are two coverage’s that go hand in hand. The first is comprehensive car insurance, which reimburses you for loss due to theft or damage caused by something other than a collision with another car or object, such as fire, falling objects, missiles, explosion, earthquake, windstorm, hail, flood, vandalism, riot, or contact with animals such as birds or deer. I’m not sure I want to think about missile damage, but the other instances could occur. Comprehensive car insurance will also reimburse you if your windshield is cracked or shattered, which happens a lot in states that use gravel on icy roads. Some companies offer glass coverage with or without a car insurance deductible.

Collision insurance even covers damage from potholes.

Collision car insurance pays for damage to your car resulting from a collision with another car, any type of object or if you flip the car. It also covers damage caused by potholes. Even if you are at fault for the accident, your collision coverage will reimburse you for the costs of repairing your car, minus the deductible. If you’re not at fault, your insurance company may try to recover the amount they paid you from the other driver’s insurance company. If they are successful, you’ll also be reimbursed for your deductible.

Thanks for visiting Car Insurance Journal. I hope this article on comprehensive car insurance has helped you.  Come back soon. I post new articles very consistently.