Good Driver Insurance
Reader Question: I am looking for better auto insurance for my new car than my previous insurance coverage. I had Sta@@ Far@ insurance for years, but they seem to slowly but surely raise their rates over the years. I got a new car and they have once again raised my rate, so I am ready to shop around.
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!
Cheap Senior Car Insurance Rate Quotes
Reader question:
I’m reaching retirement age and I know that means that there will be some changes on my auto insurance policy. Can you give me a hint as to what I have coming?
Gilbert
Great question, Gilbert.
Whenever you get to that point where it is time to retire, you reach the point of your car insurance history where you will have the lowest rates ever. This starts when you turn fifty and officially become a part of the car insurance industry’s lowest risk group, those who aren’t quit middle aged but aren’t quite seniors. It will last until you reach sixty five, generally, so enjoy it while you can.
Now that you are of this age, it is true that there are some changes that can be made, and not just in the initial rates. If you are around fifty five, you will be open to discounts marketed specifically for seniors, and as a retired person, you will probably be able to get some kind of car insurance discount through the American Association for Retired People, or AARP. Most car insurance companies will do whatever trey can to help you get better rates, because you are part of their favorite risk group.
If you have a long history of safe driving, you can get extra discounts for this, and you might want to consider taking a defensive driving course through AARP. If you take a course, you could get as much as a fifteen percent discount with some companies, and it couldn’t heart to remind yourself a bit. Another good way to go is to make sure you are doing well healthily. You are reaching the years in which the health states to decline, and getting regular eye and medical exams can help keep car insurance companies confident that you are road safe.
As soon as you turn seventy, though, your rates go up again because of failing health and the statistically greater amount of accidents in this age group. Save your money while you can.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
Car Accident Insurance Claim – What Not To Do?
Reader question:
I’ve made my car insurance claim. Now how do I get my money?
Estella
Great question.
This is the thing that hangs over all the thoughts of the person who has recently filed a car accident insurance claim. You are worried about your car, your injuries, your wages, and that check always seems to take too long. If you keep your head screwed on tight and maintain your patience, you only need to follow a few guidelines to expedite the arrival of that precious claims check.
- Remember your claim number. You don’t have to memorize it, but at least keep it written down on a piece of paper that you won’t lose. This will make it to where you can easily get into contact with whoever knows what the status of your car insurance claim is.
- If there’s only a difference of a few dollars between the amount that the adjuster wants to give and the amount you think you deserve, let it go! You should fight over the bigger things, but a hundred bucks isn’t worth it and it’s much better to just be able to get your car back.
- Don’t threaten to hire an attorney like that works. They get that a lot and won’t actually take you seriously until you really do hire an attorney, so save it.
- Always be polite and respectful to your claims adjuster. They’re just doing their job, and treating them like human beings can help speed up the whole process and get you the amount you want more easily.
- At the same time, don’t try to play buddy with the adjuster, because they won’t stand for that. Act professional and take the process smoothly instead of trying to get your adjuster to like you so that she will give you what you want.
- Be prepared. So long as you know the regulations your state that require a certain type of claims process, you have an idea of where things are going. Document everything from the accident itself to the actual claims process.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
What is The Cheapest Car Insurance State?
Reader question:
Do the cheapest car insurance rates differ by state?
Emily
Yes, they absolutely do.
Car insurance follows the same guidelines as does cost of living, as anywhere you move you will have different expenses. One place you might be able to afford comprehensive and collision coverage, and in another you might have to just stick with your basic liability as required by law. Some states are cheaper than others when it comes to the cheapest car insurance rates. Although car insurance rates do change in the same way cost of living does, though, that doesn’t mean that high cost of living corresponds to high car insurance rates. Living in L.A., for example, costs a lot, but the car insurance premiums aren’t so bad.
And while you can get the amount paid by the average car insurance policy holder in each state, you should also keep in mind that in every state there are significant highs and lows which can throw off the balance. Someone living in a rural area and not needing to driver very much may pay way less than the state average, while a dweller in a sprawled out urban area may pay much more, so that it all evens out.
Car insurance rates are always going up. For the entire country of the U.S., the average car insurance rate per year is about $2,500. That’s almost seven percent more than it was last year, and was gotten from a random sample of car insurance quotes.
On the subject of increases, there are certain sates that have more than others. Louisiana car insurance rates have gone up by 22%, probably because of all of the Katrina car insurance claims. State like South Carolina and Nevada are also seeing bigger rising rates. New Hampshire does the best with a decrease of almost fourteen percent, with North Carolina and Rhode Island close with it.
If you want to know who has to pay the most for car insurance, it’s the New Yorkers. This is the only state that you have to pay more than three thousand a year on average, although New Jersey is close. I would say it’s because of the billions of dollars gained by fraud in the state every year, about 70% of which is from car insurance fraud.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
What Is The Cheapest Used Car Insurance?
Reader question:
My parents have always dealt with my insurance before. Now I need to get the cheapest used car insurance policy that I can and I would like to know how to do that. Can you help?
Max
Sure I can.
The first time that you enter the real world and start handling all of your own affairs the way that you never did in college can be scary, so it is important to put extra thought into how you handle things like your car insurance and other bills. As a young person, you might not be making an amazing salary and getting the cheapest used car insurance can be key to getting your bills paid and still complying with the law. Here is a list of what NOT to do when shopping for a used car insurance policy.
- Do NOT fall in love with the first car insurance quote that you see. Like any relationship starting out, you have to get to know it first and make sure you don’t like looking at the other car insurance quotes better. Pick a link and go to a website that allows you to fill out a questionnaire and then get instant online car insurance quotes from several different companies, and the research each company to see which you like the best.
- Your used car is not a palace. If its exhaust smokes more than a tugboat, then you probably do not need comprehensive and collision car insurance coverage. The general rule is that if the car is worth less than a thousand dollars, you only need the basic liability insurance.
- Maybe you want to stick with the same auto insurance company that your parents have. If so, don’t let them take all the info you had on your parents policy and use it again on a new one. Get an annual review so that you can see what kind of discount you ca get now after several years of driving.
- Are you renting an apartment of condo? Buying a home? You can get renter’s or home owner’s insurance from the same company as your car insurance and thus qualify for a multiple policy discount, making all of them cheaper.
- If you get a fender bender, don’t report it. Cover the damage out of pocket so that you don’t create a claim history.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
Easy SR 1 Filing And Car Insurance Company Help
Reader question:
When I get in a car crash, what do I have to do besides making a claim with my car insurance company?
Melanie
Great question, Melanie.
Any car accident brings trouble, so arming yourself with information ahead of time is a good strategy. If you are already informed about your options and your requirements, then there is no panicked last minute research and easy to avoid trouble with your claim and the law.
If you are involved in a car accident, you are required to have proof of insurance. They don’t exactly ask you this while they are writing up the police report, so within a month of the accident taking place you have to go to the department of public safety office and file an SR 1 form. An SR 1 is similar to an SR 22, except that it is not used as a means of punishment. It is, though, filed to prove that you were financially responsible at the time of the accident, and is required by law in most states. If you don’t file the SR 1 in the amount of time allotted, you could face major consequences such as fines and the loss of your license.
You can’t just say that you flashed your insurance card at the person filing the report, because that doesn’t work. Rather, in order to show that you were insured at the time of the accident, you have to do one of the following.
- Have your car insurance company file an SR 21 form with the DPS
- Get the other driver that was in the accident to sign their name on a release of liability form
- Or you could get them to sign statement saying that they won’t sue you and have it notarized
- A letter from the car insurance company of the other driver that says you have gotten your claim money back
- A bankruptcy petition copy that has your creditors named
The best way to go is the first option.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
I Need Cheap Car Insurance For My Teen Driver
Reader Question:
I just turned 17 last week and just received my driving licence. Im still thinking of what car to get. What is the cheapest car insurance plan for me?
Allan D.
Good question.
The less expensive car you have, the less amount you will be paying for your car insurance. Popular cars like Honda Civic,Ford Focus etc are some examples of less expensive cars but not really advisable for young drivers since light vehicles have the highest death rate. You might also want to consider setting up safety features on your car like side air bags, anti lock brakes etc. These features can lower and provide you discounts on your auto insurance plan.
You can also save a lot if you stay on your parent’s policy. It will increase your parent’s premium but still less expensive if you start with your own policy. Young drivers like you can also avail for discounts if you have good academic record.
Just try to get a clean record for driving. In time you will notice having good credit history and clean driving record will lower your insurance rate.
Goodluck
-MariCAR
What Is Used Car Insurance Salvage Value?
Reader question:
How do I know the used car insurance salvage value for my totaled vehicle?
Interesting question.
When your car is in an accident and is declared a total loss, there are usually a couple of options available to you. Either you can accept the total cash value and try to fix your car if it is that important to you, or if you were without gap insurance, or instead you can use the total cash value to buy yourself a new car and the car insurance company can take your totaled car to the junk yard to be sold as parts, in a used car insurance salvage sale.
In some cases, you will be able to see some of the money gotten from the salvaging of your vehicle, depending on what car insurance company you are with. The salvage amount that a car can be got for is more often than not about five to twenty percent of the vehicle’s total cash value. There is no set price to determine what the value will be, but the people that salvage these things tend to have a computer database with information of all of the salvages they have done in the past. They use that information from before to determine how much they will sell a part from now, based on the type of car.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
Two Car Insurance Deductibles?
Reader question:
Could there ever be a situation in which I would have to pay two car insurance deductibles?
Great question.
It would be a weird situation, but it does happen, and all the time. The situation in which you would have to pay your car insurance company two deductibles for a collision would be if you ran into a car that belongs to you or is under the same policy. This happens a lot when drivers try to squeeze out of tight positions on a driveway, and for this reason taking your chances isn’t advisable, considering the costs.
It may not make a lot of sense at first that you would have to pay two car insurance deductibles when both of the vehicles involved in the accident belong to you, but if you think about the way the car insurance claims process works, then it begins to. First of all, if you get into a crash with someone else, then you won’t have to pay a deductible if they are at fault. But if you get into a car accident with yourself, it’s obvious who is at fault, but how can you accuse yourself as being at fault and file a claim against yourself? It just doesn’t make sense. So you have to take it as though there were two at fault drivers in the situation, one who didn’t back up right, and one who didn’t park right, and both of them are you.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
Will a Speeding Ticket Affect My Car Insurance Rate?
Reader question:
What happens to my car insurance rates if I get a speeding ticket?
Joe
Fantastic question.
There is a high likelihood that nothing at all will happen, because yolur car insurance company might not even find out. Car insurance companies learn about things like DUIs and speeding tickets whenever you first sign on board as a policy holder, and then once you have stared with them they check your motor vehicle report about once every three years to see what’s been going on. If you get your speeding ticket right after you sign on, then they might never even know, since most tickets drop off after three years.
However, even if they do know, in many cases they won’t raise your car insurance rates anyway. This depends mostly on whether or not the speeding ticket that you got was your first one. Like with at fault accident, most car insurance companies are willing to offer you forgiveness for your first serious moving violation without it affecting anything such as your rates or your safe driver discount. It’s also true that in many states the car insurance companies are required to let your first speeding ticket go by law.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.
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