Stanley,

Boston MA

Stanley,

Good for you!  Checking your auto insurance rates every 3 years is a great idea.  This is a pretty common tactic for many agents, they slowly raise your premiums but the increase is so low that they know you will just put up with it. But over the years, so incremental increases really add up to a lot.  Checking around will almost always result in lower rates….at least until year 3 until the new company starts to jack up your rate ever so slowly.

The zip code form above is for Comparison Market, they are a leader in comparison insurance shopping. They will compare 12 companies for you….instantly, and for free…and there is no obligation to do anything.  Once you see the results, which you will online, you can select each carrier and learn more about their offer and the coverage they are offering you and of course the price.

Honestly, this is the fastest and easiest way to shop around for car insurance.  Try it now…and post your comments after you get the rate quote. We want your feedback!

I heard from a friend that she is going to file for a protest regarding her auto insurance. If I am not mistaken it’s about her auto insurance premium. I am curious, can anyone just file for a protest? Or there are reasons that are needed to be justified first? What is auto insurance protest by the way? I am from Southwest Colorado if that would help in any way.

Carrie

Southwest Arapahoe, CO

Let me first define what a car insurance protest is. According to the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), if there is a modification made on a person’s auto insurance policy, that person or policyholder could make a formal objection and that is known as protest.

However, such protest is only applicable to personal automobile policies only. So that answers your first question. In addition, there are certain reasons why policyholders usually make a protest. And these are the following reasons:

• Change on the auto insurance premium, usually an increase;
• Auto insurance company’s decision not to renew a policyholder’s coverage;
• Policy’s cancellation; and
• Reduction on the auto insurance coverage.

For more information about auto insurance protest, you can contact the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA).

Is it true that insurance providers offer car insurance discounts for teenager who take a Driver Education course?

Blanche

Los Angeles CA

Insurance providers do give a car insurance discount for young drivers that have taken a driver education class. These insurance providers believe that it is important for new young drivers to take a driver education class if offered by the insurance provider since it is helpful as they learn to drive automobile for the first time.

In some states it is required for the young drivers to take a driver’s education class and that is why no car insurance discount is given to some. Defensive driving class or driver education course are also used by most states in lieu of driving points after receiving an individual receives a traffic offense violation.

I have a boyfriend who serves the U.S. armed forces. If he is assigned in another country let’s say in Afghanistan (but I’m hoping he won’t) what should we do with his auto insurance coverage? Do we need to keep on paying for that even if he’s not in the United States? Oh I forgot to tell you, I have my own car too. And there’s no way that I would be using his car if ever he is stationed outside the country. We both live in Kendall-Perrine, Florida.

Josephine

Kendall-Perrine, FL

I’m hoping that your boyfriend would never be assigned to go to Afghanistan.

Going back to your question, according to the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS), a person serving the U.S. armed forces who is required to serve outside the United States is not required to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and Property Damage Liability (PDL). This is given that there is no one who is going to use that person’s vehicle.

To be exempted from carrying these policies, you need to write your auto insurance agent or company and request for the exemption and also inform the Florida Department of
Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV).

For additional information, ask you car insurance agent and also the Florida DHSMV.

I had an accident two weeks ago in Sacramento, California where I live, but I found out that my insurance will only cover the hospital bill of the driver I got into an accident with. My insurance said that my coverage will only be limited to personal injuries and not property damages. Was I swindled by my insurance agent?

Joseph,

Sacramento, CA

Well, Joseph, it seems you are a classic insurance buyer where you sign first and then ask questions later, when you’ve already gotten into an accident. Thinking you have an insurance coverage but not really understanding what and how much your insurance will cover is just the same as wearing a body armor made of cardboard in the interior. You’re giving yourself a false sense of security this way, if I may add. Joseph, I think what happened is, you bought what is called the Personal Injury Protection auto insurance or better known as PIP. The PIP is mandatory in 46 states and their cities including Sacramento, California, so, we might call them your basic insurance. Well, at least your PIP covered injuries inflicted. When accidents really are that bad, injuries to persons are much expensive rather than those damages to properties. Imagine, you or the other driver were put into comatose or needing surgery and will be confined to around 3 months in a hospital, can you imagine the bill that would amount to? If you’re really on a tight budget, personal injury protection auto insurance wouldn’t be that bad. As we say, as long as I breathe there is hope, at least being alive or having the means to stay alive is more than anything we can ask for. Damages to property won’t really be that a big thing when you know you just cheated death. So, drive safely.

Tags: auto insurance, car insurance, car insurance agent

I heard from my cousin who is an auto insurance agent by profession that there are different types of auto insurance coverage in Lakewood, Washington. Can someone tell me the different types of auto insurance coverage?

Bill

Lakewood, WA

There are certain types of auto insurance coverage that are mandatory in the state of Washington and there are those that are only optional. Let me just give you the more popular types of auto insurance policies:

Liability: This kind of auto insurance coverage is required by Washington state law. This covers property damage and bodily injury to the other party involved in an event that you are involved in a car accident;

Personal Injury Protection (PIP): This offers a limited coverage to medical bills, expenses from funeral, and lost of income.

Uninsured/underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury: Offers coverage for physical injury if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver;

Uninsured/underinsured Motorist Property Damage: Offers coverage for damages to your car if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver

Medical Payments: Offers coverage for medical bills and funeral expenses to the insured person;

Collision: This covers your car for damages in an event that collision with another car happened;

Comprehensive: Offers coverage to damage to your vehicle for non-related collision incidents like fire, robbery, vandalism etc.

If you have more questions about auto insurance coverage in Lakewood, Washington you can always opt to ask your car insurance agent or the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

I’ve just recently relocated to Birmingham, Alabama. I have a teenage daughter who is just starting to learn how to drive. My question is—Should I buy insurance for her, or since she’s going to be using my car, will she be covered under my auto insurance policy? Thanks!

Sue

Birmingham, AL

Everyone I think aged 25 and above needs to have his or her auto insurance for the car he or she is driving. If you already have your own license and your own car, you must have the car insured. But, of course, since your daughter is just learning how to drive, I don’t think she’s already 25. Kids who are just learning how to drive cannot have their own auto insurance policy because you need a valid drivers’ license to get car insurance. If your daughter is just currently learning how to drive, I’m pretty she would be covered under either the high school’s insurance policy or the driving school’s policy. After she gets her drivers’ license, then that is the time to take an insurance policy for the car you’re giving her this Christmas!

Since she only has a learners’ permit now, and the car she’s going to drive is yours, she would covered under your policy. I think that most auto insurance policies are whole-family policies since they don’t expect that each family member has his or her own car to drive. Of course, there will be car-borrowing involved. If I were you, I’d call an insurance company/agent there in Birmingham, Alabama to ask the necessary questions. Choose wisely because things are different from one company to the next. Tell your daughter, Sue, that I said happy driving.

I would like to make sure if it is illegal to have your car insurance registered to a different address than where you live? I live in Los Angeles, CA right now, but if I place the address for my car insurance to my parent’s house in another city, the rate is reduced by at least half.

Victor

Los Angeles, CA

It is illegal and a form of fraud to give false information on an insurance application, especially for the express reason of lowering your insurance rates. According to the California Department of Insurance, fraud happens when an individual knowingly lies to obtain some benefit or advantage to which they are not otherwise entitled or an individual knowingly denies some benefit that is due and to which someone is entitled.

An alleged wrongful act may be handled as an administrative action by the Department of insurance or the Fraud Division may handle it as a criminal matter depending on the specific issues involved. Trying to obtain car insurance from your parent’s address instead of your own address where the car is actually garaged would be misrepresentation and could get both you and your parents in trouble if done. If you did acquire car insurance using their address and this lie was later uncovered your car insurance could be cancelled and if an accident occurred it may not be covered since the insurance policy was set up using false information.

This can also be classified as material misrepresentation which as defined by the Department of insurance is a false statement given by an applicant of any important fact that, had the insurance company known the truth, it would not have insured the risk. Instead of committing fraud it is best to be upfront and truthful with an insurance company and use your correct address. If you want to try and reduce costs for your car insurance in Los Angeles, California ask about discounts or if there are driver programs in which to participate so that you can reduce your premiums.

How will I find out how many insurance points I have? I live in Glendale, Arizona.

Molly

Glendale, AZ

You should be able to know how many insurance points you already have by speaking with your auto insurance agent in Glendale, Arizona regarding this issue.

In most states the insurance regulator permits the insurance provider to determine the surcharges and/or car insurance points depending upon the insurance carrier’s own rating system.

In most states, such as Massachusetts, the state determines the insurance surcharge points but your insurance broker or agent should still be able to inform you how many insurance points you already have.

Is it possible to get auto insurance in Massachusetts if I have an unpaid moving violation in another Illinois? I am a safe good driver with no speeding tickets or anything like that

Frank

Medford, MA

You may be able to obtain car insurance in Medford, Massachusetts if you have unpaid moving violations in another state if your license has not been suspended due the unpaid tickets in Illinois.

In Massachusetts traffic tickets, such as unpaid parking tickets, can prevent you from car registration or renewing your license. Without having a full valid license it will be hard to get car insurance in a different state or the same state. Also always remember that many states have extra fees for license reinstatement or car registration.

To keep your license from being revoked or suspended it is advisable to either fight it in court or pay the traffic ticket.

So if it is the traffic ticket affecting your driver’s record you may want to check if you can get the ticket removed or taken care of in such a way that your driving history is not affected.