All posts tagged car insurance

How To Choose the Best Auto Insurance

auto insurance

Auto insurance ensures that your vehicle is covered from injury and damage of property that occur after an accident. However, choosing an ideal insurance company is an overwhelming task since there are numerous options available. You should base the selection on reducing the cost and maximize on the insurance coverage. Here is an insight into how a car owner can select the best vehicle insurance wisely and at an affordable price.

Reflect On Your Insurance Needs

Before selecting an insurance company, you should first decide on the insurance cover that best suits your needs. Each state has a unique minimum vehicle insurance requirement, and thus it is imperative to know these limits before choosing an insurance policy. The minimum requirements are a guideline that might be referred to as one-way insurance. Although, you can settle on higher limits that seem favorable than the minimum.

You can choose between a collision and comprehensive insurance coverage depending on your needs or budget and consider the liability aspect. Moreover, you can take both insurance covers with the standard insurance policy. Selecting a collision and comprehensive coverage will require deciding deductible expenses that are favorable. Other coverage benefits include gap and emergency roadside services.

Select An Ideal Insurance Company

The first step of choosing an indemnity provider is researching if the company is licensed, its financial health, the ratio of complaints, and customer service. It would be best if you worked with a provider that has a state license to sell auto insurance in your locality. The insurance department website of your state should list the providers and assist you when problems arise. Furthermore, the state’s department gives information on how the carrier relates to its customers and their complaint ratio.

The ratio compares theinsurance company number of justified complaints with the total in the state. You should select an insurance provider with the lowest complaint ratio. Additionally, you should check the carrier’s financial strength because it indicates whether it can pay when a claim occurs. You can check company standing and reputation from sites such as A.M. Best, J.D. Power, Fitch, and Moody’s.

Furthermore, you can review the provider’s resolution, customer complaints, and years of operation through the Better Business Bureau. You should select a carrier that is easy to reach when you face challenges and require support. Additionally, it would be best if you compared the insurance company quotes, offers in terms of discounts and good driving reward programs, bundling liabilities, and check their social media handles. Lastly, it would be best to verify the claim settlement ratio and ensure that your preferred provider has a high ratio because it indicates the rate of claims settlement annually.

Type of Provider

There are numerous types of insurance providers available, and you should choose the one that offers coverage at an affordable cost and has the best coverage. Some of these carriers include agents, providers, online-only, and brokers. The agents are captive and independent, while the providers are national, local, and direct. These carriers differ in terms of the policies offered, coverage, and the area the insurance operates. A broker such as KBD insurance works with many companies while an agent only works for a single carrier.

Contact the Selected Provider

It would be best if you had important information ready when making contact with a selected provider such as the driver’s license number and questions regarding discounts to save you money. Discounts include winter storage, good driver, occupational, low mileage, retiree, green car, students, and telematics, among many more programs.

You should understand the insurance policy provided to select the one that best suits your needs. You should also get a list of frequently asked questions from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners site to ask your provider when calling them.

Choosing an ideal insurance for your vehicle requires effort, and following the above steps will help you find a perfect option. Always aim to get the best insurance coverage benefits with the discounts at an affordable price by first checking your coverage needs before researching the providers, and their policies.

image credit: envato.com

Cocktail of Danger: How to Avoid Accidents on the Road

Accidents on the road are frighteningly common, and you’ll never know when they will happen. But there are ways to diminish the chances of these accidents happening, and these tips could potentially save your life.

Drive Defensively

It is important when driving to remember that even if you do have the right of way, or the law is on your side in some other way, it will not matter in an accident. Make sure that you look beyond the laws of the road to avoid an accident. In a perfect world, everyone on the road would follow every traffic law, but this is not the case. Drivers run red lights, perform rolling stops at stop signs, exceed the speed limit, change lanes without signaling, etc. None of this can be prevented by you as another driver, you must simply recognize that this is happening and stay out of the way of a reckless driver who may cause you harm.

Limit Distractions

Although this may seem like a fairly obvious point, it’s a point which is lost on many new and experienced drivers. Make sure that when you get into your car, you put your cell phone and other pieces of mobile technology far enough away from you that you cannot reach it while driving. If you listen to the radio while you are driving, try to choose a station and then stick with that station. Moving your eyes away from the road for only a split second can have disastrous consequences. It is essential that you maintain focus on the road at all times. If you need to take or make a call, pull over to do so.

Use Your Mirrors

When driving, it is easy to only focus on what is in front of your vehicle, it is of utmost importance that you do not fall into this habit. The mirrors which are provided in your vehicle are there for a reason. You must know what is going on around your vehicles on all sides at all times. As difficult as this sounds, it becomes intuitive after falling into this habit.

Avoid Impairment

Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is not only dangerous but a serious legal offense. While many people believe that they can have a few drinks and then drive home without issue, even light drinking can put one over the legal limit. Even if you stay beneath the legal limit, in Georgia you could be deemed "less safe" and charged with driving under the influence to the extent that you are less safe behind the wheel (learn more at http://athenscriminallawyer.com/). The best way to avoid this is to abstain from alcohol if you plan to drive later or call a taxi if you’ve been drinking and need to get somewhere.

Anticipate Every Possibility
When you drive, you need to foresee the actions of other drivers and pedestrians before they perform the action. It is also important that you see and recognize the behaviors of pedestrians, to make sure they do not accidently put themselves in peril of being struck by your vehicle. Make sure that your eyes are constantly moving around and assessing what could happen in the next few seconds.

Accidents on the road are a terrifying thing. They are unforeseeable, and they happen in a split second. Luckily for us, there are actions we can take to minimize the risk of being in a situation which could result in an accident.

The Big No-No’s of Car Insurance: A Look at the Biggest 5 Mistakes You Can Make

While car insurance is a requirement, paying an arm and a leg in monthly premiums is not. Each year, thousands of consumers across the country purchase car insurance blindly, without finding out the best ways to maximize monthly premium savings. Before you hand over your hard earned cash for car insurance, avoid the following five biggest mistakes you can make when getting quotes from agents:

Rushing the Process

Because the process of shopping and buying insurance can cause massive headaches, consumers understandably want to get it over with as soon as possible. Like any other major purchases, rushing through the process can be a mistake. Be prepared to answer a variety of questions and complete some tasks that can save you money prior to getting quotes.

  • Get a printout of your driving record from the DMV. You’ll be able to have an accurate picture, and may be able to dispute any records that appear when you apply for insurance.
  • Take defensive driving course. If you have a poor driving record, this will greatly reduce your monthly premium.
  • Always ask for discounts. There are many discounts that both you and the insurance agent are likely overlooking. Remind them to look at any potential discounts that might be missing.

Choosing the Wrong Deductible

The deductible you choose plays a large part in how high or low your monthly premium will be. Choosing a higher deductible means your premium will be lower, but you’ll have to shell out more cash if you’re involved in an accident. A lower deductible means a high premium payment but will require less out-of-pocket money after a collision. Be sure to consider how the price of your deductible will work into your monthly budget before signing on the dotted line.

Always Read Before You Sign

Like any other contract, signing an insurance contract binds you to its terms and conditions. Take time to read through the paperwork. While it may take several minutes to complete, it could save you money in the long run. Finding out later after you’ve been involved in an accident that you’re not covered because of a clause in your contract can lead to a huge, unexpected dent in your expenses.

Buying Too Much Coverage

How much do you really care for your old beat up car? Do you really need full coverage or a large deductible? Buying too much coverage for your car is a mistake people make every day. If your car is more than a decade old, you’ll likely only need the minimum amount of insurance required under state law. Double coverage is also an issue that can cost you hundreds of dollars every year. Towing and vacation coverage clauses aren’t needed if you’ve got those covered when using your credit cards.

Everything Must Be in Writing

Some agents might promise everything under the sun, but may forget to leave some details out of the contract. Get everything in writing before you sign on the dotted line. Not doing so could potentially leave you open for financial headaches down the road.

Saving money while getting enough coverage should be your top priority when purchasing car insurance. Ask for a policy and cost breakdown so you have a better chance of cutting out coverage that you don’t need. The more informed you are about your own policy, the more likely you are to save money.

The information for this article was provided by the professionals at Steers Insurance Limited, who provide car insurance in Corner Brook.

3 Things Insurance Companies Don’t Always Tell You

Finding the great combination of insurance is a goal for many savvy consumers. Whether it’s home, auto, or health-related, the process of filing a claim or even the application process can be daunting. Many insurance agents use a variety of calculations to come up with rates and claim procedures. There are a few things that consumers should be aware of with insurance.

Demographics and styles can play a key role in rates

Believe it or not, the town you live in and the style of car or home can dramatically change premium rates. Many insurance companies use statistics that determine areas that are higher risk for theft or crime. They also assess areas prone to flood. Many areas that are not labeled as a flood zone can be rated by a claims adjustor after recent flooding for home insurance. Different occupations or marital status can play a role in the financial aspect of calculating rates.

Car makes and models also play a role the type of insurance premiums available. For example, a rear-wheel drive vehicle can be considered a sports car and carry a higher premium. It is in the best interest of consumers to research neighborhoods or vehicles before making that purchase.

There are many discounts that consumers forget about

Many Calgary insurance companies include several perks and insurance incentives to people such as students or senior citizens. Some of the more hidden features are good driver discounts or rate reductions for energy efficient vehicles. Many insurance agencies can provide additional benefits when requested.

Bad driving of any car occupant can affect premiums

A positive driving record can have a cumulative effect of lowering premiums and enhancing the stability of insurance. Inversely, it can cause premiums to go up and stay high for a considerable length of time. Many consumers do not realize that even a friend or relative driving the vehicle can raise your rates if they get into an accident.

The Bottom Line

It pays to do research in advance and inquiring about services with a local insurance company. Insurance companies can sometimes have vague or arbitrary language that makes it difficult to file a claim properly. Consumers can work with this language by claiming ambiguity and allowing more leverage for getting a claim filed more quickly. The insured should also make detailed note of exactly what is insured and place a sticker price on everything in that package. Using good detective skill and maintaining communication with an agent can help decipher the mystery of insurance.

Article credit: Calgary insurance company Thomson Schindle Green Insurance & Financial Services Ltd,

Five Of The Best Companies To Buy Car Insurance From

The average person spends a total of 101 minutes driving per day, making it a common activity that is often necessary to maintain a career and fulfill daily responsibilities. With a significant amount of time spent on the road, the type of insurance used is often just as important as the type of vehicle that is driven. Although there are thousands of companies to purchase insurance from, there are a few in particular that offer the best services.

State Farm Insurance

State Farm Insurance continues to grow due to the easy and professional claims processing that it offers. They have a high level of coverage options, as well as strong financial strength ratings. The company’s rates are also based off of mileage and how frequently the driver is on the road for fair pricing options.

Farmers

Farmers Group offers accident forgiveness and new car replacement to its customers with a number of discounts that reward drivers for their vehicles and driving performance. 30 percent of their current customers were recommended to the company through a friend due to the high level of customer service and overall value of the policies.

USAA

USAA is well-regarded for its 12-month auto insurance policies that it offers and a no-drop promise for drivers who have accidents or traffic violations. According to Anthony Clark Insurance Brokerage, a company that offers auto insurance in Calgary, USAA is most recommended for their affordable policies and variety of discounts that are available.

Nationwide

This company has high levels of customer satisfaction due to the coverage options that include vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness, and a convenient mobile app to use on the go. Customers report great customer service with an easy process when filing a claim.

Geico

Perhaps one of the most popular car insurance companies, Geico offers competitive prices with their policies and an abundant amount of discount options to drivers. Since 1936, it’s continued to grow as a company and also offers coverage for RVs, ATVs, motorcycles, and even boats.

Although finding the right policy can be a challenge due to inexperience with certain companies, the reviews of customers often prove to be effective when ranking the top insurers. With accidents and injuries that commonly occur while behind the wheel, it’s crucial to choose a quality insurance company that will offer an easy and convenient process after filing a claim.

Savannah Coulsen is a freelance  writer. She lives in Raleigh. Savannah loves to read and write and she hopes to write a novel someday. Savannah also loves learning and is a self-proclaimed health guru. Savannah got information for this article from Anthony Clark Insurance Brokerage, a company that offers auto insurance in Calgary.