Auto Insurance Secrets

Archive for the ‘auto insurance advice’ Category

According to the article “Syracuse car insurance quotes continue to rise” by Chris Rowe on viploan.com, Syracuse, NY continues to see rates increase.  Analysts are not concerned about the increasing car insurance quotes.  This is the trend is many parts of the country. But a different article “New York State Auto Insurance Rates Decline 20.3 Percent in 2009? found on money.cnn.com, paints a different picture for New York over all.  This article states that the average 6 month auto insurance rate in NY has decreased more than 20% since the start of 2009 according to insurancerates.com. The article also goes over some other interesting facts on New York auto insurance quotes.  Men in NY pay an average auto insurance premium about 12% higher than women drivers.  NY drivers who are under the age of 19 pay 100% more than drivers 60-74.  NY auto insurance rates declined over two percentage points more than the national average which declined 18.1% since the beginning of 2009.  Car insurance quotes will continue to flucuate in NY as well as the rest of the country so that is why it’s important to ensure you continue to shop around so you know you have the best deal on your premium.

According to the article “Credit Scoring Is Hurting Customers” found on sacbee.com from The Dallas Morning News, even if you are a responsible driver you may end up paying higher car insurance rates if you have blemishes on your credit file.  Whether or not this is fair is currently a huge debate.

The Dallas Morning News analyzed the insurance industry and found that people with poor credit paid 35% more on home and car insurance.  In certain cases, the insurance rates were more than double people with good credit, even if they had similar claim history.  This just goes to show how crucial it is to stay on top of your credit score.

Auto insurance companies believe that using credit as a risk factor helps to identify higher risk customers.  They cite The University of Texas research that shows drivers with lower credit ratings file more claims with their insurers.  They say that if it weren’t for the credit rating factor everyone would pay higher rates.  Credit scoring is no where near an exact science and can often hurt good customers.

As you are shopping around for car insurance quotes try to identify if your credit may be affecting your premiums.

According to the article “Additional Auto Insurance May Not Be Needed For Rental Cars” by Lawrence Shipman on usinsuranceonline.com, rental cars have auto insurance through the state of Minnesota.

Auto insurance to cover a rental car can be up to $10-$15 per day.  This is a lot of money, especially if you are renting the car for an extended period of time.  That’s why it’s important to understand what type of coverage you have through the state of Minnesota and Minnesota auto insurance.  The minimum coverage for covering a rental car in the state is $35,000.  This is probably plenty to cover the car you are driving but the only thing to consider is that if you wreck multiple cars it could end up costing you more.

You will also want to check with your personal auto insurance policy to see if there is any additional coverage for rental cars.  When you are shopping around for Minnesota auto insurance quotes you can ask if there are any policies that offer such a benefit before making a purchase.  The Insurance Information Institute says consumers are usually covered when they rent a car.

Taxi auto insurance is extremely important for taxi drivers who want to financially protect themselves and their business.  According to the article “Taxi Drivers Can Protect Business With Taxi Insurance” from Insurance Agents Press Release on 1888pressrelease.com, taxi insurance is the only policy that’s designed to protect the taxi company.

The article points out that over 2 million passengers are injured in the taxi industry which is why it’s so crucial for these drivers to have coverage.  Taxi insurance provides options that are specifically designed for taxi cabs.  Liability coverage is available which protects the taxi company, the driver, as well as the taxi company’s assets.  Comprehensive coverage is also available which protects in case of vandalism, theft, fire or other damages that may be caused by an accident.

To qualify for a taxi insurance policy companies must have taxis that function as fare based and that keep up with maintenance.  Drivers must be between the ages of 25 and 65 and they need more than 2 years of driving experience in the US and have a current, valid driver license.  You can receive taxi auto insurance quotes online or contact an insurance agent.

As of October 1, there was a new Arizona auto insurance law implemented according to an article by Adam Rolnick found on usprwire.com about Oasis Insurance.  The bill was passed the previous legislative session and it’s known as HB2224. 

October 1 and going forward judges are required to assign penalties for Arizona drivers who don’t carry auto insurance coverage.  About 87% of tickets that were issued because drivers were not carrying insurance were dismissed or the fines were lowered.  The new law says there will be no dismissal of these charges. 

The first offense will carry an approximately $720 penalty which cannot be waived.  About $970 will be the fine for second time offenders.    If you are caught a third time driving without auto insurance the fine will be up to $1200 and your license will be suspended for a year.  Not only will your license be suspended but you will be required to carry SR22 insurance documentation once you get your license back. 

Before this law was passed, Arizona residents who were caught driving without insurance would often purchase the insurance before the court date and show their proof upon the judge’s request.  The new law says this will not be possible going forward and the fines still must be paid.

California has a low-cost auto insurance program which offers lower auto insurance rates, according to the article “Requiring Auto Insurance Requires That It’s Also Affordable” by Peter Luke on mlive.com.  The program covers basic auto insurance for less than $400 a year.  Drivers must be 19 and have a relatively clean driving record.  There is also an income requirement of less than $27,000 for a single person or $55,000 for a family of 4. 

The article points out that one of the main arguments over the health care debate is that if there is going to be a mandate on health insurance then premiums must be made affordable.  The same concept should be applied to auto insurance since it is required in most states.  The policies need to be readily available for everyone, fairly administered and with reasonable auto insurance rates. 

There is also much debate over how auto insurance companies determine their rates, especially in Michigan where previous posts discuss how they are debating the use of the credit score.  Many believe not only should credit score be excluded from auto insurance companies’ formulas, but also income, gender, zip code, marital status, and bankruptcy.  Some states are considering excluding employment status, which is important for today’s high unemployment rate.

As the unemployment rate increases and the state of the economy continues, more and more people are expected to drop their auto insurance.  This is according to the article “More Motorists Expected To Drive Without an Auto Insurance Policy” by John Pirro found on live-pr.com. 

The article states that many people see a strong correlation between unemployment rates and the number of people driving without auto insurance.  According to a study from the Insurance Research Council, about one in six drivers will be driving without auto insurance by 2010.  One of the main problems with this trend is that responsible drivers who follow the law and carry the proper auto insurance coverage end up paying more to account for accidents caused by uninsured motorists. 

The consequences for driving without auto insurance are getting harsher.  For example, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will suspend a driver’s vehicle registration if they are caught without proof of insurance.  Many of these people driving around uninsured believe they simply cannot afford the month to month cost of carrying auto insurance, but the truth is that it can end up costing you a lot more money in the long run if you are in an accident or caught driving uninsured.