Posts Tagged ‘car insurance quote’

Common Car Insurance Claims

Monday, April 30th, 2012

Car insurance claims drive up the total premium cost for everyone insured by a particular provider. Therefore, it’s smart to know the most common risks associated with driving — and do your best to avoid those risks — to keep insurance affordable for everyone. Have you ever filed one of these common car insurance claims?

Fender Benders, Whiplash & Back Injuries — Oh My!

The most common types of car insurance claims involve minor accidents that cause $2,000 of damage to a vehicle’s fenders, bumpers, and doors. With any small collision, the vehicle being impacted suffers a jerking motion that often injures people’s backs and neck. Although “whiplash” is seen as a cash cow for lawyers, it is costing motorists a pretty penny. In the UK, the cost of insurance has been driven up 20 percent by whiplash claims alone!

Broken Windshields & Flying Animals

Sometimes there is little you can do to avoid a car insurance claim. For instance, what if a pebble flies up and cracks your windshield? Or what if a deer suddenly leaps across the road and careens right into you? The best you can do to avoid these unfortunate circumstances is to focus intensely on the task at hand, drive the speed limit, and be aware of your surroundings. You can also buy special “deer whistles” that should deter the animals from running into the road.

Thieves & Vandals

The average cost of a stolen vehicle is just over $6,600, so you can expect your premium to soar if you have to file a theft claim. Therefore, it’s worth investing in the extra security features when you buy a new car. Having these features installed will also lower your car insurance premium. Vandalism often costs under $300 to repair scratched paint or a smashed window, so most drivers just pay for this out-of-pocket, rather than deal with the insurance hike.

car insurance

Want a better rate on your car insurance? Avoid premium hikes by getting quotes and switching providers!

 

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Car Insurance Rates, General Car Insurance |

Car Insurance FAQs: What Is Uninsured Motorist Coverage?

Friday, April 20th, 2012

Even though some type of car insurance is mandatory in every state, the Insurance Research Council estimates that roughly 1 out of every 6 drivers (or about 16% of the US population) is operating a motor vehicle uninsured. Given people’s propensity to break the law, you may want to protect yourself by purchasing Uninsured Motorist coverage. This policy kicks in if someone causes an accident, but does not have enough money to cover all your expenses — be it medical bills, property damage repair bills, lost wages, or funeral expenses.

Will Health Insurance Cover An Uninsured Auto Accident?

Health insurance providers will pay for your medical treatment, ambulance and hospital stay in the event of an uninsured auto accident. If you have UM/UIM coverage, this will pay for expenses before your insurance kicks in. It is important to keep in mind that your health insurance provider will not cover things like lost wages, pain and injury suffering, funeral expenses or collision repair. Your only recourse would be to take someone to civil or small claims court. However, that is an expensive and long process. Also, since most drivers avoid buying car insurance because it is expensive, you are unlikely to squeeze any pennies out of these deadbeat drivers anyhow.

Laws Vary By State.

States like Illinois, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania make uninsured motorist coverage mandatory, so your provider will build this coverage right into your policy. In other states, you can add coverage for underinsured motorists onto your existing policy. So, for example, if you were in an accident that caused $25,000 in damages and the other motorist was only insured for $10,000, your UIM policy would cover the other $15,000. Some states charge whoever is at fault, while other states are considered “no-fault” and punish both drivers equally.

Searching For Car Insurance Quotes Will Keep Rates Low.

To avoid sky-rocketing rates after a UIM claim has been filed, it’s a good idea to shop around for better car insurance rates. This will ensure you don’t pay more than you have to and keeps the market competitive. Try our site’s quote shopper. It only takes a few minutes!

uninsured motorist coverage

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Car Insurance Rates, General Car Insurance |

Recommended Coverage for Auto Insurance for Consumers

Sunday, July 24th, 2011

When it comes to recommended coverage for auto insurance, consumers should use the minimum level of coverage required in their state as a general guideline only. Drivers must have this level of protection in place to stay legal, and insurance providers must provide quotes for at least this level of protection to anyone who requests one.

Limiting the policy coverage to the minimum amount required by law may not provide a driver with enough protection in the case of a serious accident. Liability insurance pays for medical bills and lost wages incurred by the occupants of the other vehicle when an at-fault accident occurs.

In a tort state, drivers have the right to sue to get compensation for damages. This type of coverage is also needed in a no-fault state, since people who have incurred serious injuries which meet the threshold established by the state have the right to sue for damages.

The insurance company will cover damages in an at-fault accident. but only up to the policy limit the driver has chosen. Any damages owing above this amount must be paid for by the at-fault driver personally.

If the accident resulted in permanent injuries or there was more than one victim who required hospitalization and/or surgery, the available coverage with a minimum-limit policy will be exhausted relatively quickly. A  much better choice is to buy a policy with a higher limit which can provide more protection.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in General Car Insurance |

Should You Buy Auto Insurance Liability Only?

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

Is buying auto insurance liability only a good idea? Depending on the driver’s situation, this choice may not provide the best level of protection.  The best auto insurance policy is the one which provides the driver with a good overall level of protection to fit his or her needs.

Liability auto insurance coverage is put in place to protect the policyholder from being personally responsible for paying for damages he or she causes in an accident. It pays for medical expenses and economic loss incurred by the occupants of the other vehicle following an accident. This type of coverage also pays for funeral expenses in the case of a fatal accident.

Limiting the coverage to third party liability only doesn’t protect the driver’s vehicle from claims for physical damage. Collision and comprehensive protection must be bought to pay for repairs to the driver’s own vehicle or to compensate the owner if the car is totaled or stolen and not recovered.

In some states, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) must be put in place. This part of the policy covers the policyholder and the occupants of his or her vehicle and pays for medical bills following an accident.

The level of liability insurance coverage required by the state should be a starting point for consumers. Unless the car is an older model with little cash value, a better choice is to consider keeping full coverage in place.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in General Car Insurance |

« Older Entries