Maryland Auto Insurance

Friday, December 23, 2011

Insurance Costs Can Be High, But Consider the Cost of Not Having It

Given the rising costs of owning a vehicle, some people consider car insurance as another seemingly useless expense. However, as tempting as it may be to ditch out on signing up for a policy, getting access to car insurance is definitely one of the smartest financial moves you'll ever make. Make sure you check out the rest of this article to find out why.

At its simplest, car insurance is smart planning in action that can help protect you and your family from expensive, sometimes devastating surprises on the road. It is basically a legal contract between you and an insurance company where should you get involved in a traffic mishap, the latter agrees to cover whatever losses you may incur along the way.

Did you know that you're running a huge financial risk each time you take your vehicle for a spin without car insurance? Whether you drive a shiny new sports car or perhaps a bona fide clunker, getting access to a policy as early as now is definitely one of the best ways to keep well out of harm's way. Besides the legal necessity to have auto insurance, there are several very good reasons why you need it.

A standard car insurance deal these days isn't just about paying for damages to your own vehicle when the worst happens. It also covers pretty much anything from payment if your car is damaged as a result of colliding with another automobile or object, injuries caused to someone else, reimbursement if your vehicle is stolen, payment for damage to someone else’s property caused by your automobile and various wreckage ranging from a few dings to total loss due to natural causes like earthquakes, hail, falling objects, vandalism and fire.

Even if you're a very careful driver who has never had as much as a minor fender bender over the years, zooming in on top-notch car insurance as soon as possible is certainly a priority. Don't wait until it's too late. Grab the safety and protection you and your family need behind the wheel right now by checking out our superb car insurance quotes to help you get started in no time at all.

Creative Ways to Lower Your Car Insurance Costs

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When looking to lower your car insurance costs, many people rely on the most common advice to just raise their deductible and keep a safe driving record to get lower premiums. However, there are some other creative ways to lower your car insurance costs you might not have thought of:

Are you Eligible for a Group Policy?

Some insurers offer rates to members of certain organizations or employees of certain businesses. Look at professional organizations you are a member of and see if they offer a group policy that is more affordable than your current policy. Also, call your current agent and ask him or her if you are eligible for a group discount.

Do You Have Duplicate Coverage?

Do you have health insurance coverage on your car insurance policy? If you also have health insurance coverage through your employer, you might have duplicate coverage for injuries in an accident. Some car insurance companies will give you a discount if you work with them to coordinate your car insurance coverage with your health insurance coverage so your car policy pays what your health insurance does not.

Is it Cheaper to Have a Different Kind of Collision Coverage?

Collision coverage pays for damage and repairs to your car if you have an accident. In some states, it is not required by law and you can decline this coverage. If a car is financed, most banks require collision coverage but, if it is not required, you can pay out of pocket for damages if you chose.

There are three types of collision coverage – limited, standard and broad. Limited is the cheapest and provides the least coverage. Standard is the middle range of coverage. Broad coverage offers the most coverage and is the most expensive. To save money, you might want to compare your current collision coverage and see if a cheaper option is better for you. If you have an older car, you might want to only pay for limited collision coverage and save yourself money to purchase a new car in the event of a major accident.

Do you Need All the Coverage You Have?

Look at your policy and cancel coverage you don’t need. Do you need coverage for towing or car rental? What would be your liability if you cancelled coverage for uninsured motorists? Talk to your agent about these different types of coverage included in your policy and make an informed decision if you can afford to cancel any of them. You might be surprised how much money you save each month.

Holiday Travel Tips to Keep You Safe and Save You Money on Car Insurance

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As you know, the more accidents and claims you have can lead to higher car insurance premiums. This holiday season, make some wise choices regarding holiday car travel and avoid an unhappy new year.

In 2011, the holiday travel from December 23rd to January 2nd will be one of the busiest on American roadways, according to the AAA. Cars remain the first choice of holiday travelers, accounting for 91% of holiday transportation and, during the holiday season, some 83.6 million Americans will travel over 50 miles to get to their holiday destination. With winter storms already hitting the middle of America, here are travel tips for your holiday travel season:

Don’t Drive Too Close

Be aware of the distance between you and the car in front of you. Leave enough room in front of you so you can avoid ice and snow blowing on your windshield to obstruct you vision. Also, leave enough room so you can see to maneuver around patches of ice in front of you. Be extra cautious at night.

Be Careful Around Trucks

When sharing the road with big trucks, be aware that larger trucks have blind spots. Some trucks have signs which show you their blind spots so you know how to avoid them. Remember, the driver of a truck cannot see you if you cannot see the driver in his or her side mirrors. Also, keep in mind big trucks are heavier and cannot easily make a complete stop. Avoid cutting in front of a truck and wait until you are at a safe distance in front of the truck before you move into the truck’s lane so the driver can slow down if it’s necessary to avoid hitting you.

If You Can, Avoid Extreme Weather

Be flexible and try to avoid driving in snow, ice or hail. You might want to plan to get to your destination early or cut your travel into two days, instead of one, to avoid being in a hurry. It’s also okay to get to your destination later than planned, if you are safe. If possible, do not drive during a storm and try to travel during the day. If you must travel during a storm, bring an emergency kit with you with a battery powered radio, blanket, jumper cables, flares, a first aid kit, bottled water and non-perishable food.

If you take these precautions when driving during the holidays, you should have a safe and claim-free new year.

Tips to Keep your Car Insurance Costs Down In Arizona: Stay Awake Behind the Wheel This Holiday Season

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Per a survey by the AAA Foundation, one out of every 6 car accidents in the United States is caused by driving fatigue. During the holiday season, more people are taking long road trips, driving after a large meal or are too busy to get enough sleep before getting behind the wheel. Men are at bigger risk with only 30% of women reported having fallen asleep behind the wheel while 52% of men reported having done so. Drivers under the age of 24 also reported falling asleep behind the wheel more than any other age group. With more accidents and more claims, your car insurance costs will go up. To avoid an accident due to driving fatigue, keep these tips in mind:

Plan Ahead

Before a road trip, make sure you get at least 7 hours worth of sleep hours before driving. Take water and caffeinated beverages with you. If you can, have a passenger with you on road trips so you can share the driving. Also, avoid driving at night and other times you would normally be sleeping.

Recognize the Symptoms

Some of the signs of driving fatigue are difficulty focusing, blinking more than normal, heavy eyelids, yawning, nodding head, drowsiness and rubbing your eyes. You also might find yourself drifting in your lane or have trouble remembering the last few miles of your trip. If you have any of these symptoms, stop driving or take steps to wake yourself up and make you more alert. It’s better to stop driving, than have an accident and a car insurance claim.

During the Drive

If you find yourself getting sleepy while driving, open a window or turn on the air conditioning. The colder air will help keep you awake. Also, turn on the radio loudly or start a conversation with a passenger to stay awake. If you are feeling yourself falling asleep, stop to get coffee or walk around a bit at a gas station.

Take a Break

Make sure you factor breaks into any road trip. A guideline for this is a break once every two hours or every 100 miles. Studies have also shown that a 15 minute power nap can significantly increase your alertness and awareness levels. You may want to consume caffeine prior to this nap, as caffeine takes about 20 to 30 minutes to begin to work to wake you up. When you awake from your nap, you should feel better and be more alert if the caffeine has been absorbed into your system.

If you think ahead and use these tips, you will be a safer driver with a better driving record. In the long run this will not only keep you safe from accidents but will keep your car insurance premiums and out of pocket costs lower.

Keeping your Teenage Driver Safe This Holiday Season

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When a teenager is added to a car insurance policy, premiums can go way up. Teenagers can be dangerous, distracted drivers. The rise of crashes per mile driven is three times higher for drivers 16 to 19 years old than for drivers 65 to 69 years old. With more accidents and more claims, car insurance premiums rise. The hectic holiday season is a perfect time to have a talk with your teenager about making the right choices to keep themselves safe and your car insurance costs down.

Don’t Drive Under the Influence

Talk to your teenager about DUIs. Not only are teens drinking alcohol this time of year, recent studies have found marijuana use is at an all-time high for teenagers. Using drugs or alcohol and getting behind the wheel is reckless behavior that can lead to death and injury. Further, if a teenager receives a DUI ticket, their car insurance coverage can be cancelled and, if you keep their coverage or apply for future coverage, their rates will be significantly higher for up to 7 years following a ticket.

No Speeding

The holiday season seems to move faster each year. Explain to your teens it’s better for them to late to an event than to drive over the speed limit. Not only is speeding dangerous, if your teenager gets a speeding ticket and points added to their license, your premium at renewal of the policy will go up. With multiple speeding tickets, a company can cancel or refuse to renew your policy. Also, a speeding ticket now will result in your teenager paying more for car insurance in the future.

Keeping the Car Safe

Talk to your teenagers about keeping the car safe from being stolen or broken into this holiday season. Make sure they don’t leave presents or valuable such as a GPS device or a backpack where criminals can see them. Tell your teenager to never leave the keys in the ignition, to always park in a well-lit, secure area and always close all windows and lock the car doors when leaving the car unattended.

Don’t Let Friends Use Your Car

What makes sense to us as a long-time car owner might not be as clear to a teenager. Take the time to talk to your teenager and explain to them that, if a friend borrows their car and has an accident, your insurance company will likely end up paying and your rates will go up. Make sure your teenage does not allow friend to drive their car or borrow their car, even for a short trip.

As a parent, you take steps to keep your teenager safe on a daily basis. During the holiday season, you can use this as an opportunity to talk to them about their use of the car and guide them as parents. The habits they develop now will pay off in lower car insurance policy premiums for them in the future.

A Look at the Cheapest and Most Expensive Cars to Insure in Ohio and Around The Country In 2011

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At the end of the year, companies come out with statistics regarding the best deals for consumers in the prior 12 months. Car insurance is no exception. From a look at current studies, here are the facts about the cheapest and most expensive cars to insure.

Overall Cheapest and Most Expensive Cars to Insure

Three companies, InsWeb, Edmonds.com and Insure.com have recently come out with results about the cheapest and most expensive cars to insure in 2011. Overall, the least expensive vehicles to top the lists are minivans, wagons and Small SUV’s. Not surprisingly, the most expensive are luxury and sports cars. Overall, family cars cost less to insure than flashier luxury or sports cars, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Coupes, Sedans and Trucks Are Cheap To Insure

Edmonds.com released a rundown of the types of cars with the lowest insurance costs. Among coupes, Edmonds.com cited the Kia Forte, Chevrolet Cobalt and the Honda Civic. As for Sedans, the Chevrolet Aero, Volkswagen Jetta, and Suzuki SX4 top the list of cheapest to insure. Edmonds.com also reviewed trucks and found the GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger and Chevrolet Colorado to be the cheapest to insure. They based their data, in part, on national average annual premiums paid for coverage, projected out to five years.

Which Minivan is the Best Deal to Insure?

Insure.com also released results of a study of the least expensive cars to insure. Leading in their study was the Chrysler Town and County Lx minivan, with an annual average premium of $1,092. Experts also expect the Dodge Grande Caravan to be equally as affordable.

SUV/Minivan crossover

InsWeb Corporation found the Kia Sedona, an SUV/minivan crossover to the best least expensive SUV/minivan vehicle to insure.

Most Expensive To Insure

In the most expensive category, Insure.com found the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG roadster to be the most expensive to insure with an annual premium of $3,544 for a safe, single driver buying coverage. InsWeb and Insure.com cited the sporty Acura ZDX as one of the most expensive cars to insure.

If you are thinking about purchasing a new car in the new year, these studies should serve as a guide when making your choices for the most affordable option to fit your monthly budget.

Can I be Denied Auto Insurance Coverage in Michigan if I Use My Car for Work or to Volunteer?

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Michigan law prohibits auto insurance companies from denying or limiting auto insurance coverage if a consumer uses their car for business use or to volunteer. Michigan drivers have a right to full coverage and, if they are denied coverage, there are a series of steps consumers can take to report this violation and resolve the situation.

Right to Full Coverage

Auto insurance in Michigan cannot be limited or refused if a car is used for volunteer work, charity work, business use reimbursed by an employer or contractor, door-to-door delivery or reimbursed sales use. If a driver uses their car for any of these, they are still eligible for full coverage in Michigan. Coverage option in Michigan includes: bodily injury liability, personal injury protection, property damage liability, property protection insurance, protection against uninsured or underinsured motorists, collision coverage and comprehensive coverage, which covers you against theft, fire or other disasters. Further, auto insurance companies cannot deny consumer claims for damage or loss when the car is used for these types of activities.

Smart Business Practice

Businesses that use these types of drivers should take steps to make sure they have sufficient coverage to limit their liability in case someone driving for them causes damage. Businesses can limit their liability by doing background checks and training and monitoring drivers. If the business fails to take some preventive measures, they can be sued for negligence.

What if a Consumer Is Refused Coverage?

If a consumer is refused coverage, they can write the auto insurance company a complaint letter and explain to the insurer that the denial violated Michigan Law MCLA 500.2118(2)(f), which prohibits denial of this type of coverage. If a letter does not resolve the situation within 30 days, the consumer can also file a complaint with the Michigan Office of Financial Services and Insurance Services’ Consumer Services Division. This division can be reached toll free at 877-999-6442. Be sure to send the auto insurance company a copy of the complaint to the Consumer Services Division. Hopefully, the insurance company will quickly provide coverage, upon receiving a copy of your complaint.