Top 10 Misunderstood Things About Car Insurance

After spending many years in the insurance industry we have come up with a top 10 list of most misunderstood things about car insurance.  These car insurance myths are some of the most common questions that most people have about direct car insurance either buying or reviewing their  auto insurance coverage.  Its better to find out now before you have a claim and  it's too late.

I just got my 1st speeding ticket my insurance rates are going to go way up.
Reality:  If this is your first ticket your rates probably won't even change.  Most direct car insurance providers will give you a pass if you don't have any other tickets or claims in the past 3 to 5 years depending on the company.

That new Plasma TV I bought last year won't affect my Car Insurance
Reality:  If you didn't pay the credit card  you charged it on then it just might.  Almost all insurance companies now use some form of credit scoring when determining not only if you will qualify for insurance, but also what you will pay.  There can easily be 50% difference in rates for a person with excellent credit to someone with poor credit.

I just slammed my car door into my lawnmower parked in my garage, my homeowners policy will cover it
Reality:  Your homeowner's coverage has nothing to do with covering your car.  The only way your car will be covered is if you have Comprehensive (Comp) coverage for your car.  And then only after you pay you deductible.

I just cracked up my friends car and I tell him don't worry my insurance will cover it
Reality: It will but only after your friends policy pays first.  So let's say your friend has a $500 collision deductible and you have a $250 deductible.  You would have to give your friend the $500 for his deductible as his insurance company is Primary.  Meaning your insurance will only pay after his policy limits are exhausted.  So just remember in this scenario your deductible does not matter its going to be based on your friends.

 If you're riding your bicycle and get hit by a car your car insurance won't get involved
Reality:  If you get hurt or killed while riding your bike or even walking down the street you maybe surprised to learn that you may be covered by your direct car insurance policy.  If the person driving the car didn't have any insurance or not enough insurance to cover your injuries, your Uninsured or Underinsured coverage would pay for your claim. 

 Someone just broke into my car and stole all of my personal belongings out of it i.e. Cd's, Cell phone, Christmas Presents, my car insurance will pay for it.
Reality:  Your car insurance does not cover your personal belongings left inside the car.  You are going to have to file a claim with your Homeowners or Renters insurance policy to be compensated for these items.  The general rule of thumb is your car insurance will only pay for items that are attached to the vehicle

 I am going to be charged more for my  Car Insurance because my car is red, blue, black, pink...
Reality:  The color of your car has absolutely nothing to do with your rates.  If you like red buy a red car, if you like black buy a black car.  Don't ever let this silly nonsense stop you from buying a car.   

 I didn't have a car for the last 2 years, this won't affect my rates.
Reality:  Not having continuous car insurance is frowned upon by most direct car insurance companies now a day's.  Some companies won't penalize you for not having prior insurance.  If you don't have prior insurance make sure you have a good excuse like you took the bus, or you were in the military, or some other legitimate reason.  Oh and by the way I couldn't afford my insurance is not on that list

Telling a little white lie on my insurance application won't affect my coverage if I ever have a claim
Reality:  This is one of the worst things a person can do.  If you lie on your insurance application there is a good chance you won't have any coverage when you need it the most.  You think they won't find out?  Remember these 2 things when insurance company is on the hook for a ton of money.  #1 They are going to start asking questions and the first thing they look at is your application.  Wouldn't you if you were them?  And reason #2, the insurance companies have more money than god and they have people working full time to find this stuff out. 

 Buying a cheaper more reasonable car will be less to insure the a more expensive car. 
Reality: There are a lot of different factors insurance companies use to determine rates, however there are many times were the rate for the more expensive car is less than the cheaper car.  One of the biggest factors for the Comp & Collision coverage's are how much do replacement parts cost.  Sometimes on those cheaper cars or the more exotic cars the replacement parts can cost a lot to replace.

So just remember the next time your online looking for a cheaper insurance policy, to consider some of your options.  There are hundred's of direct auto insurance companies out there looking to get in your pocket, just make sure when the time comes you can get into theirs.

Learn How To Buy A Car And Car Insurance Without Breaking Your Budget

Do you ever wonder why different cars cost you different amounts for auto insurance premiums? Why is it that a new Corvette may cost you $1,600 dollars a month in auto insurance and an older Buick Regal may only cost you $90 per month? The new car insurance cost versus the old car insurance cost is a subject that you must review before you buy any car. Review insurance costs before you buy and you will not get caught in a financial trap.

New cars cost more to insure than old cars for three reasons. First, an auto theft of a new and exotic car costs much more than the auto theft of an older and average style car. This is because of the large value difference of the new car versus old car. For example, a new Chevy Caprice is much more costly to insure than an older Chevy Caprice. It simply costs more money to replace a new, expensive car than an older, less expensive car.

Second, the cost to repair a new car is much more than the cost to repair an old car. As such, this fact shall also increase your insurance premium cost for a new car. For example, if a new Chevy Caprice is damaged in an accident, the auto repair shop will charge you much more money for repairs than if the subject car were a ten-year old Chevy Caprice. For this reason, your insurer will charge you much more insurance premiums on a new vehicle than an older vehicle because of such repair costs.

Third, the style and type of car also shall greatly affect the cost of automobile insurance premiums that your car insurance company will charge you. Insurance companies use actuarial statistic tables which show them the past loss experience on particular styles and types of cars. They use these tables, to help calculate what premiums to charge their customers in the future. Statistical tables show these insurance companies that owners of certain styles and types of cars, such as sports cars, engage in more risky driving behavior than owners of cars that are of average type and style.

For example, insurance company statistical tables show that the insurer has experienced more losses with sports cars than with average cars. It is because the owner of a Corvette will probably drive such car faster and riskier than the owner of a Toyota Camry. With such speed and risk also comes along more losses for the insurance companies. With such risk and loss increase, the insurance company must then increase their return and charge more for auto insurance premiums.

Another example of how the type and style of vehicle may present an insurance company with more risk is the off-road style vehicles such as the Hummer line of vehicles. These vehicles are designed to perform in the off-road type environment. They are raised up off the ground more than regular automobiles for under carriage clearance. Additionally, they also have four-wheel drive capability.

With such design capabilities, the statistical tables show that the insurance company has experienced more losses with these types of cars than regular cars. This is because the owners of such vehicles will engage in off-road driving which is both risky to the vehicle and driver. In fact, some insurance companies may bar recovery for such damages, when the owner of the insured vehicle was damaged while any engaging in risky, off-road driving. Again, with more risk, the insurance company will increase return and thus auto insurance premiums. Now that you know that certain styles and types of cars cost more to insure than others, you have to be smart about what kind of vehicle you are going to buy.

Rather than take a guess at what you believe a vehicle's insurance costs are, call your car insurance company and ask your insurance agent for a free car insurance quote for the exact type of vehicle that you are interested in buying. You can get a definitive answer to your question of whether or not you can afford both the car and the insurance premiums required to cover your car against insured losses.

The time to make such assessment is not after you purchase a vehicle. At that point in time, it is too late. The time to make such assessment is way in advance of your purchasing an automobile. You definitely want to be able to make both car payments as well as insurance premium payments. Get a free auto insurance quote ahead of time and avoid financial problems.

Find The Right Car Insurance

While most people know whether they have liability, collision and/or comprehensive coverage, few people pay much attention to their insurance coverage until after they've been in an accident. In this article, we'll go over car insurance coverage and give you some tips to help you get the most for your money.

The Basic Types of Coverage

Protecting your assets and your health are two of the primary benefits of car insurance. The following are the main types of car insurance coverage:

• Liability Insurance: This coverage pays for third-party personal injury and death-related claims, as well as any damage to another person's property that occurs as a result of your automobile accident. Liability coverage is required in all but a few states.
• Collision Insurance: This coverage pays to repair your car after an accident. It is required if you have a loan against your vehicle because the car isn't really yours in this case—it belongs to the bank, which wants to avoid getting stuck with a wrecked car.
• Comprehensive Insurance: This coverage pays for damage incurred as a result of theft, vandalism, fire, water, etc. If you paid cash for your car or paid off your car loan, you may not need collision or comprehensive coverage, particularly if the blue book value of your car is less than $5,000.

Additional Car Insurance Coverage

In addition to the coverage listed above, other optional coverage types include the following:

• Full Tort/Limited Tort: You can reduce your insurance bill by a few dollars if you give up your right to sue in the event of an accident. However, giving up your rights is rarely a smart financial move.
• Medical Payments/Personal Injury Protection: Personal injury protection pays the cost of medical bills for the policyholder and passengers. If you have good health insurance coverage, this may not be necessary.
• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage: This option provides for medical and property damage coverage if you are involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist.
• Towing: Towing coverage pays for a tow if your vehicle cannot be driven after an accident. If you are a member of an automobile service, or if your vehicle comes with roadside assistance provided by the manufacturer, this coverage is unnecessary.
• Glass Breakage: Some companies do not cover broken glass under their collision or comprehensive policies. In general, this coverage is not worth the long-term cost.
• Rental: This insurance option covers the cost of a rental car, but rental cars are so inexpensive that it may not be worth paying for this coverage.
• Gap: If you demolish that $35,000 sport utility vehicle 10 minutes after you drive it off the lot, the amount the insurance company pays is likely to leave you with no vehicle and a big bill. The same thing applies if your new set of wheels gets stolen. Gap insurance pays the difference between the blue book value of a vehicle and the amount of money still owed on the car. If you are leasing a vehicle or purchasing a vehicle with a low, or no, down payment, gap insurance is a great idea.

Factors That Impact Your Rates

In addition to the specific coverage options that you select, other factors that affect your auto insurance rates include the following:

• Your deductible: This is the amount of money that you pay out of your own pocket if you get in an accident. The higher your deductible, the lower your insurance bill. In general, a deductible of at least $500 is worth considering, as damage to your vehicle that comes in at less than $500 can often be paid without filing an insurance claim.
• Age: Younger, less experienced drivers have higher insurance rates.
• Gender: Men have higher rates than women.
• Demographics: Though actual risk is determined by the zip code you live in, city residents statistically have more accidents, which drives their premiums higher than those who live in rural areas. Additionally, more people living in an area means more claims, which is reflected in the higher premium prices in such places. If you've recently taken up residence in New Mexico, Alabama, Oklahoma or Florida, expect to pay higher premiums. According to the Insurance Research Council, these states have the greatest concentrations of uninsured motorists, which ultimately seeps into insured drivers' premiums.
• Claims: Accident-prone drivers pay more. If you want to keep your rates low, keep the number of claims that you file to a minimum.
• Moving Violations: Speeding and other moving violations all have a negative impact on your insurance bill. Obey the law to help keep your rates from rising.
• Vehicle Choice: Sports cars cost more to insure than sedans, and expensive cars cost more to insure than cheap ones do. Looking into the cost of insurance before you purchase that new car could help you save a bundle on your car insurance.
• Driving Habits: The number of miles that you drive, whether or not you use your car for work, and the distance between your home and work all play a role in determining your rates.
• Theft Deterrent Systems: If you have an alarm on your car, you'll pay less to insure your vehicle.
• Safety Devices: Airbags and anti-lock brakes both work in your favor by keeping you safer and lowering your insurance bill.
• Accident Prevention Training: Some companies offer discounts if you take a driver's education training course.
• Multiple Policies: If you have more than one car and/or also have homeowner or renter's insurance, keep in mind that many insurance companies offer discounts based on the number of policies that you have with them.
• Payment Plan: Some insurance companies offer discounts based on your payment plan. Paying your entire yearly bill at one time, instead of in installments, may lead to a discount.
• Credit Score: Good credit lowers your car insurance rates. Bad credit increases them.
• Not having auto insurance: If you ditched your auto insurance in an effort to save some money, you've committed a classic case of being "penny smart and pound foolish." Not having any auto insurance, even for just over 30 days, will cause your premiums to jump.

Tips for Lower Car Insurance

1. Compare Rates for Various Cars

If you are shopping for a new car, call your current insurance (or a new insurance company) to compare premiums for the cars. Car insurance costs vary because of the safety record, repair costs and likelihood of theft as well as the price of the car.

2. Avoid Gaps in Coverage

If you are switching policies, make sure you are completely covered at all times. If you let your insurance coverage lapse by forgetting to make the premium payments, your rates are likely to be increased.

3.Claim all Your Discounts

If your car has extra anti-theft or safety features such as anti-lock brakes, most insurance companies will give you a discount on your premiums. You may also be eligible for a discount if you have taken a defensive driving class or, if you are a student, you have good grades