Understanding How Your Credit History May Affect Your Car Insurance Coverage

Many personal auto insurance companies consider your credit information when determining how much premium to charge for your insurance. So if you are calling around for new insurance, keep in mind that many insurers are looking at your credit history. I hope that we will be able to let you know why and how they do this.

The reason that some insurance companies use credit information is because they feel there is a direct correlation between consumer's credit history behaviors and expected claims that may occur. Therefore, they feel that people with better credit behavior are less likely to severe insurance losses.

Many insurance companies still use your age, driving history, type of vehicle, where you live in determining how much you should pay for your insurance. Therefore, if you have not established a credit history yet, the companies that use credit history may not be best for you. They may not allow you to be eligible for certain discounts, which could result in higher premiums.

The companies that do use credit scoring will still use other factors in determining your premium. They will also use your age, driving history, type of vehicle, where you live in determining how much you should pay for your insurance.

Is it fair for an insurance company even look at my credit information without my permission? The answer is yes. The Federal Fair credit-reporting act says "Reasonable procedures. It is the purpose of this title to require that consumer reporting agencies adopt reasonable procedures for meeting the needs of commerce for consumer credit, personnel, insurance, and other information in a manner which is fair and equitable to the consumer, with regard to the confidentiality, accuracy, relevancy, and proper utilization of such information in accordance with the requirements of this title." This can be found at http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcra.htm

If you feel that your credit history is better then the insurer can find, make sure the insurer has your correct name, address, social security number, and date of birth.

Some insurance companies will look directly at your actual credit reports when determining your rate, however most will use what is called an "insurance credit score." An insurance credit score is developed by using statistical techniques and methods to predict the likelihood a consumer will have a higher than anticipated losses. These are similar to what lenders use to predict the reliability of an applicant repaying a loan.

Insurance companies use many factors in determining your credit score. Here are some examples of those factors:

• Public records: bankruptcy, collections, foreclosures, liens, charge-offs, etc.
• Past payment history: the number and frequency of late payments and the days between the due date and late payment date.
• Length of credit history: the amount of time you have been in the credit system.
• Inquiries for credit: the number of times you have recently applied for new credit, including mortgage loans, utility accounts, and credit card accounts.
• Number of open lines of credit: the number of credit cards, whether you use them or not.
• Type of credit in use: major credit cards, store credit cards, finance company loans, etc.
• Unused credit: how much you owe compared to how much credit is available to you.

Your insurance credit score may differ from company to company, as they will use different factors in determining your premium. Notice that we call it an insurance credit score. This means that it encompasses many factors including credit.

Since each insurance company uses different techniques to determine your credit score it is hard to tell you what a good credit score is. Usually a good credit score will result in lower premiums.

Your agent or company is not obligated to tell you your credit score. In fact, they might not even know what it is. All they usually know is that your credit score qualifies you for a specific rate or policy. Some companies also offer better rates under each qualifying tier.

If you feel that there is incorrect information on your credit report, you should tell the credit bureau. If you report and error, the credit bureau must investigate the error and get back to you within 30 days. You can ask the credit bureau to send a notice of the correction to any creditor or insurer that has checked your file in the past six months. Once the errors are corrected, it is a good idea to get a new copy of your credit report several months later to make sure the wrong information has not been reported again.

The three national credit bureaus are:

• Trans Union (www.transunion.com or 800-888-4213)
• Equifax (www.credit.equifax.com or 800-685-1111)
• Experian (www.experian.com or 888-397-3742)

Tell your insurance company. Do not wait until the credit bureau investigates the errors to contact your insurer. Tell your insurance company right away and ask if the errors will make a difference in your insurance. If the errors are big, tell your insurer that you are disputing the information and ask if they will wait to use your credit information until the errors are corrected. Small errors may not have much affect on your insurance credit score. If the errors are big, it can make a significant difference in your premium. Some companies are unable to adjust the premiums until the score is corrected, but it does not hurt to ask.

If you have taken the steps to improve your credit, score you should ask your insurance company to re-evaluate your credit score at renewal.

Visit http://www.carinsurance.com For Lowest Rates Available

Insurance for the Lawn Care Business

I've had several people contact me about what insurance is needed for the lawn business. Here are some explanations.

General Liability- for damage to someone or their property. Government and large businesses require liability insurance of 1 million coverage.

Health- If something happens to you while working, you need to make sure your health insurance will cover you if you can not work.

Workers compensation- Compensates employees for work related injuries and illnesses. Some states don�t require this type of insurance. Where I live (TN), workers comp is not required for less than 5 employees. Cost of workers comp varies by state.

Business Auto- covers company vehicles.

Cost depends on:

* Type
* Size
* Number of vehicles
* How far it�s driven everyday
* What it�s hauling

Business Owners Policy(BOP)- Package insurance which includes:

* General Liability
* Business Interruption Insurance- replaces business income andpays expenses such as equipment, office rent, fire, theft, or other loses. Cost $300- $400 a year.

Surety Bond -Covers the hiring contractors should you default on the job. Occasionally, this may be required for commercial jobs. Once you become established they may waive the bond.

Surety bonds are generally not needed for residential accounts, unless you are applying pesticides or herbicides. Ask your insurance agent.

Unless you have expensive equipment, I would think about not insuring the equipment, but to not insure you must always lock equipment with locks that are fast to open and close. I use the locks with the 3 numbers(Masterlock) or key locks, never do combination. Takes too long to open.

Before I started locking my equipment down, I had equipment stolen from my trailer. Later on my trailer was stolen even being locked. Lawn equipment is stolen a lot. More than you probably think. How long do you think it takes to drive past a truck and steal a $500 blower? About 5 seconds. Thats a $100 a second.

When looking for insurance there are 2 classifications.

* Insurance agents- Usually represent 1 company
* Insurance brokers- Represent many different companies.

I like working with brokers since they are on your side and shop several companies for quality and price. Always get 4 or 5 quotes because prices can vary greatly.

Best of Luck!

Save Money On Young Driver Car Insurance

A study recently released has revealed that the average driver in Britain will be involved in a car accident every six and a half years.

When balanced out, that equates to every individual being the victim of nine accidents during their life. It seems a truly staggering statistic, and one that most people are unlikely to walk away from without suffering an injury at some point.

Even if you manage to avoid damaging yourself in all nine accidents, the likelihood is that your car will come off slightly less healthily. And that’s why there’s such a need for proper car insurance cover.

The Government have announced that they want to cut the number of car accidents by 40% by 2010, a big target but one that they feel is achievable. With driving tests becoming stricter, it is the young drivers of Britain who are being tasked with realising the objective; after all, they are the ones who are involved in the most amount of accidents.

But it is not just to satisfy Government targets that young drivers should improve their driving habits, it is for the sake of their own wallets too.

A result of the terrible reputation that they have means that young driver car insurance is horrendously expensive when compared to a motorist of more mature years. Some of the balance can be re-addressed by buying a motor insurance policy from a firm that deals specifically with young driver car insurance, and so is able to offer a significant discount, but the fact remains that young drivers will have to pay a large amount in order to insure their car.

If the Government’s 40% reduction in accidents is achieved, then in the future young driver car insurance will be more in line with that of older drivers. But until that time, there are several ways that young motorists can reduce their premium, and Hoot Car Insurance Services, specialists in providing young driver car insurance, have revealed a few tips that are guaranteed to save a couple of quid.

One of the best ways to get a cheap car insurance premium is to enrol on an advanced driving course such as PassPluss. The idea might seem like a massive hassle after all the driving lessons that you’ve already done, but it really will be worth it to save the money. And on top of that, the courses do teach some important skills that standard driving lessons just don’t offer.

Instead of having your own motor insurance, it might be tempting to become a named driver on a parent’s policy. Bad idea. It might save a little bit of cash now, but in the long-term you’re only going to lose out- and lose out big style. A no claims discount is one of the most important things that a driver can have to get cheap car insurance, and by becoming a named driver you won’t get one. As a result, a few years down the line when you do finally get your own motor insurance, instead of having a nice cheap premium because of your years of no-claims, you’ll have to start from scratch and pay out for an expensive policy. It’s just not worth it.

Ensuring the security of your vehicle is something that car insurance companies like to hear, and so will give you a discount if you can show that your car is not a thief’s paradise. Keep it in a garage, but if that’s not possible then a driveway will do- anything to keep it off the street. Invest in a steering lock, an immobiliser and an alarm, and if you really want to get a cheap car insurance policy, get hold of a tracker too.

On top of these few industry secrets, the one thing that you can do to keep your young driver car insurance premium at a low is simple. Drive sensibly.

Speeding points in your first few years of driving really rack up the price of motor insurance, as does any accident that you’re unlucky enough to be involved in. Drive carefully, follow the few tips above and be sure to buy your policy from a firm that specialises in young driver car insurance, and you’re guaranteed to save a lot of money. Money that can be better spent on far more interesting things than boring old car insurance.

Some Helpful Top Tips To Keep Costs Down

Thanks to the stiff competition in the car insurance industry, premiums have on average stayed at the same level in recent years. With over 100 car insurers vying for your custom, competition is hot and motorists can take advantage of some good bargains. If you shop around, you will almost certainly beat the renewal quote offered by your current insurer, but 23% of motorists ignore that fact, and happily renew their motor insurance with the same company year on year.

Until recently, getting a car insurance quote meant ringing up and going through the lengthy process of providing all your personal details, not to mention the many minutes spent trying to get through to them in the first place. Now, getting a quote has been made so much easier with the advent of the internet. Some websites allow you to input your details once, and can then give you quotes from 40 or more car insurers.

However, price is not the only consideration when choosing with whom to insure your car. Make sure that you’re not going to be faced with a large excess in case of an accident, and ensure that if your car needs to be repaired, you will be given a courtesy car. You also need to consider legal insurance cover and automatic windscreen replacement, and if you do have an accident, you may find an accident helpline extremely useful! To be sure of what is and isn’t included in your cover, it’s best to ring the insurer to go through the small print.

Our Top Tips to save you money on car insurance

1. Go through a car insurance broker’s website so you can get access to quotes from 40 or more car insurers, by simply inputting your details once. When you’ve received a quotation, call them to discuss the details of the policy, and maybe even request a further discount.

2. Keep your car in the garage overnight. You will pay more in insurance for keeping your car on the road because there is more chance of your car being broken into or damaged. As a second best option, put your car on a driveway.

3. Keep on top of how many miles you do each year, if you travel less then you will save on premiums.

4. Even your choice of occupation can affect your premiums – crazy as it sounds, if you’re a landlord, journalist or professional footballer (chance would be a fine thing) you will pay more. More run of the mill occupations like accountancy and government pay less.

5. If you’re married, male and under 30, you will probably pay less than your unmarried counterparts.

6. If you’re under 25, you’ll save money on your premiums by adding someone over 25 (and under 60) with a good driving record as a named driver.

7. If you want to save on the initial costs, you could choose to have a higher excess (usually about £100). It means you’ll pay more if you have an accident and need some repairs, but it’s a risk that you could take.

8. If your car isn’t worth much, why not just get third party cover. Compare quotes for third party and fully comprehensive insurance and see the difference.

9. If you’re aged between 18 and 21 then you’ve got the option of pay as you go insurance. Norwich Union has pioneered the idea especially for younger people who find it hard to afford car insurance. You’re charged for the miles you drive, and it gets more expensive per mile between 11pm and 6am. For a one off fee of £199, your car is fitted with a Global Positioning System which communicates details of your mileage direct to Norwich Union, they then send you a monthly bill.

10. If you’ve only just passed your test, you could save money by improving your driving. Take Pass Plus lessons and you could save up to 35% on your premiums. The lessons include driving in rush hour, on the motorway and driving at night, costing £15 - £30 an hour. Visit www.passplus.org.uk for more details. Taking a course with the Institute of Advanced Motorists (www.iam.org.uk) will also reduce your premiums.

11. If you’re buying a new car then find out what insurance group it falls into before you buy. There are twenty insurance groups with 1 being the lowest and 20 the highest, so if you’re caught between two cars and one is in a lower insurance group, you’ll save money by choosing it.

12. High spec and performance cars cost more to insure because statistically speaking, there’s more chance of them being stolen or being involved in an accident. Save money by choosing something a bit less ‘racy’.

13. A speeding offence could affect your premiums. Most insurance companies will turn a blind eye to one fixed penalty fine but above that you can expect higher premiums.

14. If you’ve made it to that all-important four years of no claims, pay a bit extra to protect the discount, then it’s safe.

15. Some insurance companies will give discounts for cars with satellite navigation as it has proved to help prevent accidents by enabling motorists to concentrate on the road.

16. Having an engine immobiliser or alarm fitted could lower your premiums by 5 - 8%.

17. If you’ve got more than one car registered at your address, you can get extra savings by insuring them all in one policy.

How to Save on Car Insurance

Are You Still Paying Too Much for Car Insurance?

Everyone who owns a car needs auto insurance. This article will give you some tips on lowering your auto insurance costs. You will find a checklist of items to ask your insurance agent that may qualify for discounts. Keep in mind that not all discounts can be applied with all insurance companies in all states.

1. Shop Around

Go to your favorite search engine and type in "free car insurance quotes online". You'll see a long list of insurance companies that you may even be familiar with. Visit at least five car insurance websites and look for a link to free quotes. You will then be asked basic information about yourself, your driving history, and your car's make, model, and year. It just takes a couple of minutes, and shortly thereafter, they will email you a no obligation quote. Write down their website address, their toll free number, and customer service email address.

Each insurance company will ask you generally the same questions, and will give you options about how much coverage you will want. Find your current policy, if you have one, and take note of the coverage you currently have. Always provide the same information and ask for the same coverage at each company so you will be comparing apples to apples. Read the fine print and make sure nothing is excluded from the quote like Rental car coverage, towing, medical, etc...

For the purposes of the quote, the insurance company will not ask you your social security number, but keep in mind your actual cost maybe higher or lower depending on your credit history. If you're not sure about some of the terminology or coverage, take notes so that you can ask the insurance company about them directly.

Once you have at least five quotes emailed to you, take the lowest two or three quotes and see if they are less than what you are paying now. Most likely at least one of them is much lower. At this point you will want to call them directly to get the most accurate quote by providing additional personal information. For additional discounts, here is a checklist of things you should ask about.

[ ] $500 deductible
[ ] $1,000 deductible
[ ] Paying monthly, semi-annually, or annually
[ ] More than 1 car
[ ] No Accidents in 3 Years
[ ] No Moving Violations in 3 Years
[ ] Driver Training Courses
[ ] Defensive Driving Courses
[ ] Anti-Theft Devices
[ ] Low Annual Mileage
[ ] Air Bags
[ ] Anti-Lock Brakes
[ ] Daytime Running Lights
[ ] Student Drivers with Good Grades
[ ] Auto and Homeowners Coverage with the Same Company
[ ] College Students away from Home
[ ] Long-Time Customer
[ ] Other Discounts

2. Saving Insurance Premium on cars you own outright.

If you own a clear title to your car, meaning there is no bank loan on it, then you may want to consider dropping the collision/comprehensive coverage. As a rule of thumb, if the cars value is less than $3000, it may not make sense for you to pay for this additional coverage. Over time, the cost of the additional insurance premium will exceed the value of the car. It's pretty simple math.

Check the fair market value of your car either through Edmunds.com or even your local newspaper. See what other people are trying to get for the same car. Keep in mind your cars mileage, condition, and age. Has it been in an accident before? Does it have unusually high mileage in excess of 15,000 miles per year? Does it need new tires? You get the idea. Be realistic, because in the event that this car is in an accident and is damaged beyond repair, it is unlikely you will get the full value of the car.

3. Ask About Insurance Rates in Different Areas

Rates can vary widely even in the same state. Different locals have different accident rates, population, and crime. These all factor in to the final cost. If you are moving to a different area, ask about what the rates are for that town.

4. Ask About Getting Other Insurance Policies Together With Your Auto Insurance

Combining insurance policies with the same company can often give you additional discounts. If you own a home, ask about combining your homeowners insurance with your auto insurance. Also ask about other polices, such as life, health, and business insurance. Most insurance companies cover a wide range of policies and will give substantial discounts when you do business exclusively with them.

5. A Clean Credit History Can Reduce Car Premiums:

Having good credit can also lower your insurance costs. Many insurance companies will use credit information to price auto insurance policies. Drivers with good credit and a clean driving record may qualify as a "preferred" customer with lower risk and will be rewarded with lower premiums.

6. Low Mileage Discounts

Some companies offer discounts to drivers who drive a lower than average number of miles per year. If you car pool, take public transportation like the subway, or work from home, you will most likely drive few miles per year than the average driver.

7. Group Insurance

Some insurers offer discounts to drivers who work for certain companies or belong to professional associations, and alumni groups. Ask your employer, group or clubs that you belong to if they have any special arrangements with different insurance companies.

Using all of these tips can save you hundreds of dollars per year, especially when you have multiple cars and multiple drivers in the same household.

What Is Liability And Collision Insurance?

You know full well that it’s the law, but you’ve been driving around without car insurance for a while now. Why? Car insurance is of supreme importance to any driver, no matter how good you think you are. Accidents happen, plain and simple, and you need to be protected in case it does. Not all car insurance is the same, though, and you may be a little confused as to the concepts.

The first term you need to know is liability car insurance. This covers you from claims arising from an accident where there’s bodily damage or damage to property. Generally, there are three main sections of any liability car insurance policy: bodily injury liability coverage, liability coverage for damage to property, and uninsured coverage. The first type of coverage protects you in the case of an accident, for which you are at fault, and others have been injured. Your liability car insurance company will pay any legitimate claims for medical expenses or lost wages. If you’ve run into someone’s wall, or the side of their house, you’ll need liability insurance for property damage, which will pay for repairs. In the instance where you are not necessarily at fault and the other driver does not have liability car insurance, you are protected by uninsured, or under-insured, motorist coverage.

Liability car insurance is not the same as collision car insurance. As you can see, nothing was mentioned about fixing your car in the above description. That’s because it’s not covered under a simple liability car insurance policy. You’ll need collision car insurance, unless you’re willing to pay out of your own pocket. Collision car insurance covers repairs to your car in the case of, you guessed it, a collision with another object. If you’re one of those people who gets their kicks by running over poor, defenseless animals, this coverage isn’t for you. You’ll need comprehensive car insurance to fix that cracked headlight.

Generally, you can choose you’re deductible rate, i.e., the amount that your car insurance company will pay out to repair your car. Typically, the higher the deductible, the lower the car insurance premium. You will definitely need collision car insurance if you are leasing a vehicle, if you own a fairly new car or if you are making payments to a finance company. Owners of much older cars may want to skip this form of car insurance altogether. If your car is totaled, the car insurance company will pay you that market value of your car, minus the value of your deductible. If you are able to absorb the cost of replacing your car yourself, you may want to forgo this.

Car Insurance: Protect Your Assets

We all need to make the important decision about which car insurance we'll choose for our car. These days, not only do we need to find appropriate insurance for the vehicle we drive, but it is also required by law in almost every country. As a result, you need to make sure you keep the expiry date of your car insurance in mind.

Now, when it comes to car insurance, the other important matter is selecting an appropriate and reliable company that provides car insurance. In some countries, there are only state-owned automobile insurance companies that are allowed to offer car insurance (http://www.carinsurance-4.info/) to customers whereas in several other countries in the world, there are lots of insurance companies in the private sector too dealing in automobile insurance.

With this in mind, it is essential you choose a reliable company that offers competitive premiums for its auto policy. You'll also want to make sure the company is fair and effective if you should need to make a claim for accidental repairs, or any other insurance claims that may arise. It is at times such as these that you'll need to depend on your insurance company, which is why choosing wisely is so important.

Cheap auto insurance (http://www.carinsurance-4.info/) is something of a gamble. On one hand, the expense of car insurance is considerable and a factor that cannot be ignored. A company that can provide low rates and high levels of customer service may be an excellent selection. However, if the company does not do a good job of following up on policyholders' claims, cheap auto insurance (http://www.carinsurance-4.info/) may do nothing more than illustrate the adage that you get what you pay for.

Another key feature of an automobile insurance policy is the online insurance (http://www.re-greatfalls.com/grtflls/36711-car-insurancecheap-auto.php) availability or lack of it. This feature is the most important for professionals, especially if their jobs include lots of travelling assignments. In such cases, access to online insurance becomes very convenient so that the customers can get extensions of their policies and make premium payments online, saving much time.

Life insurance is meant to protect our assets and, perhaps more importantly, our piece of mind in case of disaster. The knowledge that there is a large financial company looking out for you in times of trouble provides a sense of security at a time that is naturally highly emotionally fraught. If you can choose the right life insurance policy, then you can relax knowing that emergencies will be taken care of.

Young Driver Car Insurance

It has become increasingly difficult to get young driver car insurance in the UK. The reason behind this is because the statistics for young drivers having a car accident are not very good. By definition, young drivers have very little experience of driving and thus have a greater chance of having a bump in their vehicle. Car insurance companies are obviously in business to make money and are understandably reluctant to insure such drivers. In most cases, companies will either offer a policy at a very high premium or refuse to insure the person altogether.

However, there are ways to lower your premium. First of all you should purchase a car that has a low insurance group number. Insurance group numbers range from 1 - 20. Generally speaking the higher the number the higher your premium is likely to be. This is because cars with high insurance group numbers usually have bigger engines, are more expensive and go faster. A low insurance group vehicle will lower the premium for a young driver policy. Young drivers should also be encouraged to take an advanced driving test. Some companies look favourably on drivers who take this test as they are seen as more responsible and more careful about their driving. Finally, opting for third party fire and theft or third party only cover also lowers your quote. If you have purchased a vehicle that does not cost very much money then you should seriously consider whether or not you need a fully comprehensive policy.

Car Insurance For High-Risk Drivers

If you are classified as a high-risk driver, finding car insurance can be quite a hassle. Some insurance companies will deny insurance to high-risk drivers, while others just choose to charge extremely high premiums. No matter which insurance company you choose, you will most likely end up with a high rate. However, every insurance company is different, so it is important to shop around for the best rates available.

There are many different factors that can contribute to a high-risk driver classification. However, your driving record is the most important factor in determining your risk status. If you have been involved in several accidents over the course of a year or within two to three years, these incidents will negatively affect your record even if they were not your fault. Being involved in any accident can deem you a reckless driver with a penchant for getting into dangerous situations. Also, if you have received multiple speeding tickets, you are also increasing your risk of getting into car accidents. You may be labeled a high-risk driver just by the number of speeding tickets you have received.

There are also several personal factors that contributed to the high-risk label. Unfortunately, many of these factors are beyond your control. Men are typically deemed a higher risk than women, and those who live in the city are considered higher risk than those who live in the country. If you are a city dweller, you will probably pay higher car insurance premiums than if you live in the suburbs or in a rural area. Also, drivers with newer cars are charged higher premiums than those with older automobiles.

Unfortunately, even your credit history can affect your car insurance rating. Those with low credit ratings are usually charged higher premiums than those with better credit scores. Whether or not you have been covered by car insurance continuously is also a factor. If there are gaps in your coverage, they will assume that you have had periods of uninsured driving. Because driving without insurance is very unsafe and also very illegal, insurance companies take this into consideration when considering your rate.

Though it can take several years of clean driving to erase the high-risk driver label, it can still be done. Three years is the industry standard for reassessing a driver’s safety standing. If you have a clean record for a three-year period, you can work your way back to the benefits of lower premiums. However, three years’ worth of high premiums can really add up over time. If you are a high-risk driver, there are still ways to lower your insurance payments. With a little research, you can reduce your payments by a fair amount.

There are many car insurance companies that offer free quotes online. Rather than meeting with salespeople or playing phone tag with agents, Internet sites will give you a quote in minutes. This makes comparison-shopping easier than ever. There are even websites that will find a list of quotes for you. Sites like Netquote.com allow you to enter all of your information one time rather than repeating the process for every insurance company you investigate. Netquote will generate a list of rates organized in an easy to read fashion. This process may take a few days, but the results are typically worth it.

Working toward a clean driving record is the best way to ensure that you will get the best car insurance rates. Avoid congested areas whenever possible, and be sure to slow down in reduced speed zones. Be aware of your surroundings and never speed, and you will be on your way to a successful reduction in your rates.

Car Insurance Pricing Plans

The law requires liability insurance for all drivers and vehicles. This means that if you are involved in a serious accident, and it turns out that it was your fault, your insurance company will pay out any claims that are made against you. Extra coverage on your own vehicle, called comprehensive insurance, is optional.

Insurance companies based on a number of risk factors will calculate the price you pay for this insurance. Basically how it works is the more they feel you are at risk of crashing, and the more they think the resulting crash will cost them, the higher the premium you’ll pay.

Assessment

Common factors that will be used to assess the premium are the value of the car you’re driving, the safety of that vehicle, the coverage you want, will there be deductibles or limits etc.? How much you’ll drive the car, how your driving record stands, how long you’ve held your license, your age, and if you are young, also your sex.

The premium is then calculated. Usually there is a flat per car, per year rate that everyone pays, regardless of other factors. The other factors will then alter this rate, generally upwards. So if your car is especially fast or dangerous your rate will be increased by a set amount. If it is very old, your rate goes up. If you’ve had one or more accidents in the past, your rate will go up. If you’re young and male, your rate will go up. The more of these factors you satisfy, the more your rate will be going up.

Discounts

As a sales enhancement, many car insurers offer a "low estimated future mileage" discount to customers who predict that the car's mileage will be below some stated limit during the next premium period. There is no verification involved and no additional charge if the car is subsequently driven more than the stated amount. This arbitrary discount tends to foster customer belief in the mistaken idea that "miles" are just one of many classification factors used to raise or lower prices from the territorial base rate. In fact, odometer miles (which insurers do not use) are not a factor but a metric - the only valid basis for measuring each car's consumption of insurance protection in on-the-road use.

The best way to save on car insurance is to shop around, keep a good clean driving record, drive safely, and choose reliable cars that are not known for their power and speed.

Car Insurance For Lady Drivers

Car insurance companies prefer lady drivers to their gentlemen counterparts because they are considered as much less risky drivers. It is not that the accident rates of ladies are low. They face as many accidents as males do. However, the damage caused by them is not as much in most of the cases. So, their claims after the accident are also less. That is why on an average women’s car insurance premiums tend to be 30% lower than that of the male counterparts having same demographic profile.

They drive at speeds lower than men. Hence, accidents caused by lady drivers are not serious. So, even if they might claim as often as males do yet, in all they claim less amounts, giving insurers lesser premiums. Since the male drivers drive at higher speeds so even if they crash on their own, the loss is high. In case, the accident involves two vehicles in high damage state, it becomes an insurance company’s nightmare.

A lady is regarded to be a better risk right from the age of 17. There are many premium discounts available for a young lady driver, like pass plus certificate. It is a series of extra lessons that a young lady driver learns following their test. It can gain you a discount of around 30% for the first year.

Some car insurance companies specialise in auto insurance for women drivers. Literally, these companies try to insure women drivers only. They don’t even encourage getting a lady insured with her husband under combined policy. Because they can’t give too much discount, as they have to think about her husband’s high risk factors as well. So, they would prefer woman with woman. It means providing less risk in total, meaning lower premiums in total. That really clicks for them.

So, the calculation is simple - the lower premiums might mean that they don't make much profit. However, if they can get as many women as possible, then the volume of business can go high. Look out these companies if you are a woman. Lady car insurance quote includes legal cover as well. It helps you to claim back your excess from the third party in the event of a non-fault claim. You can further lower your premium by parking your car overnight in the garage, by getting extra driving license course, and maintaining a good driving record.

Long-Term Care Insurance

Are you prepared for retirement and old age? While it may still be a long way off and there are usually a lot more urgent things to take care of, dealing with some of the requirements of old age, either for yourself or for someone you care about, a huge difference can be made by a few simple steps.

While saving for a pension and having good medical insurance are two of the most common steps, there is also the scope for long term care insurance, which may also be of great potential use in certain situations. This type of insurance covers the need for assistance in old age. Old age, as well as mental and physical illness can lead to many people needing assistance with such everyday tasks as eating, bathing and dressing. Simply looking after you can be too much for many people and when they are faced with this situation, assisted living and long term care can be an option.

Long-term care insurance can step in to help pay for the costs of such care. Do you think you may need such care? Will you be able to afford it if you do? Long-term care can last for many years and it is very expensive. Without the proper insurance, many people simply could not afford it. You may be planning to rely on Medicare or your own private health insurance policy. However, Medicare does not pay for custodial treatment of this kind. It is simply too expensive and you will therefore have to seek alternative living arrangements. Even private medical insurance will not foot the bill for long-term care.

If you think you will be very short of money by the time you need long term care you may qualify for Medicaid. Medicaid steps in to pay for medical care for the very poor. The good thing about Medicaid is that it will pay for long-term care. It is difficult to qualify for it though. You must be in the right wealth level and this is difficult to guarantee. The provisions of Medicaid are also liable to change so there’s no guarantee that just because long term care is provided for now, that it will be in the future. If you are in serious doubt as to your ability to qualify for Medicaid, then it is unwise to rely on it.

Long term care can make a huge difference to your quality of life and well being in old age so if you think it is something you would like to make use of, the sooner you look into insurance for it, the better.

Car Insurance Quotes And Comparison -- The Foundation For Savings in Car Insurance

There are many things on which you spend a lot more for a lot less just because you don't have access to certain information. Car insurance is one of such things. You could be spending $1000 and more because of where you got your car insurance quote from. I know it looks as if I am laying it on a little too thick, but, please, read on to see if I am right or wrong...

Let's say there are twenty factors that are generally used by insurance companies in preparing your car insurance quote. Now, although they'll all calculate your premium based on these factors, they will not weigh each of them equally. These factors have to do with how risky or otherwise it will be to insure you. The more the risk the insurance company sees in insuring you, the higher they charge you. And this is not constant...

We all know that the highest risk age group are under-25 as far as car insurance is concerned and for good reason. However, we also know that marriage has a sobering effect on young people. The level to which we agree with this differs. So also does it differ among insurance companies.

For one company, the fact that you are married may not give you considerable savings (if any) once you are under-25. However, for another insurance company, your marital status may totally override your high risk status because they believe that you are a lot more responsible since you are married.

If you are in a situation like the above, you'll easily agree with me that your premium will be dramatically higher if you only got a quote from the insurance company that considers your age group risk factor far above your marital status. If you add to the fact that you may even get better service for your situation from a company that favors your marital status in spite of your age, you'll see you are even getting more for paying less.

If money is not one of your concerns, this shouldn't be any problem. Every top insurance company will deliver high quality car insurance. But for those of us who do mind paying more for less, you'll do well to shop around.

One thing is also important: You have to know what an insurance company stands for. There are insurance companies that are committed to a special group of persons. Their services and pricing will also be designed to favor such people groups.

And although we are talking about savings here, it is also necessary to note that we are not talking about having them slash out things that mean so much to you. If what you require most is slashed out, you've not really made any savings. Have you? Quality always counts!

On a final note...

It is important that you shop around well. The internet provides the easiest way to do that with search engines. Get as many car insurance quotes as you can. Filling out the forms should take you only a few minutes per site at most. If you factor in the amount you'll save over the years for spending those minutes, you'll discover it is a very smart move.

And did I tell you that apart from being more convenient, doing your reasearch and getting your car insurance quotes online will get your further savings?

Car Insurance. Uninsured Cars To Be Crushed.

Are you one of the one in twenty motorists who regularly drive without insurance? You'd better watch out - your car could be heading for the crusher and shipped off to the world's biggest scrap smelter in China!

New powers now allow the police to seize, impound and crush any car found on the road without insurance. A pilot scheme was introduced in Durham last spring. Since then, police have impounded more than 1,200 cars. Of those around half have been crushed into cubes and packed off for smelting.

Operation Takeaway as the pilot scheme was known, has been such a big success, that police forces throughout the UK are enthusiastically polishing up their tow trucks. The scheme is now supported by a new national police database that's supported by the insurance industry. It enables the police to check the insurance status of every car in the UK whilst they're sitting in their patrol car.

Now if you're caught red handed without car insurance you're forced to hand your keys to the police at the roadside. There are no exceptions - this applies to everyone; it doesn't matter if it's just a forgetful mistake or conscious driving without insurance.

Then you'll have to get your skates on! You've just 14 days to produce a valid insurance policy to the police and collect your car. And other costs mount up. Before you can collect your car, you have to pay the cost of kerbside recovery (around £105) and the cost of secure storage - and that could easily amount to £15 a day. So, if you leave collecting your car to the 14th day, you could be in for a bill for £315.

And if you don't reclaim your car, off to the crusher it goes!

During the pilot scheme, the cost of crushing the cars was partly funded by Direct Line. They have estimated that Operation Takeaway prevented up to 2,000 accidents. And many of the cars impounded by the police were found to be un-roadworthy.

A police spokesman said, “ Uninsured drivers are often guilty of many other offences. Such as having neither driving licence nor MOT certificate. We are doing everything in our power to get these dangerous and illegal drivers off our roads”.

Indeed, uninsured drivers are much greater problem than many of us would expect. The Department of Transport recently reported that 1 in 20 motorists regularly drive without insurance. Furthermore, research from the Association of British Insurers discovered that uninsured drivers are amongst the most dangerous on the roads. On average they cause one accident every six months and are three times more likely to be convicted of driving without due care and attention.

And who pays for those uninsured accidents? We do! The average car insurance premium is loaded by £30 to cover the cost of damage caused by uninsured motorists. Across the UK that adds up to an extra £500 million paid out each year by the law-abiding motorists!

But that's not the end of our financial pain. If an uninsured vehicle collides into your car, it's still recorded as a “fault claim” on your policy. This means you'll have to pay the excess when your car is repaired and unless you've got Claims Protection on your policy, your no-claims bonus will take a knocking. Over a two-year period, the reduction in your no claims bonus could easily cost £275 in higher premiums.

The move to take cars off the road and crush them has been warmly welcomed by the Association of British Insurers. The ABI has long criticised the leniency of punishment handed out by the courts to uninsured motorists but they still want tougher penalties. Offenders are typically fined just £150 to £200 - with time to pay - and this is much less than the average car insurance premium. Surely this cannot be true justice!

Save Money On Your Car Insurance.

Most drivers are paying too much for their car insurance. Lets take a look at how they can reduce the cost without sacrificing essential insurance cover.

As the majority of car drivers tend to stay with their present insurer and happily pay whatever renewal price they are offered the company has no incentive to offer you its lowest quote. So it pays to shop around for insurance. The market is fiercely competitive and many insurance companies offer an introductory bonus simply to entice you to switch.

Only pay for the cover you need. While this seems like an obvious statement, it is surprising just how much extra cover we pay for but will never use. Again, shop around for policies that suit your circumstances.

For example, a growing number of companies are offering extremely competitive quotes for particular low risk groups such as older drivers, women, reduced mileage drivers and drivers with low risk jobs.

Qualifications such as the advanced driving or police driving tests can make a huge dent in your insurance bill and it may be worth your while searching out insurers that specialize in that field.

For the average driver, savings can be made by fitting accessories that reduce the risk of accident or theft. Features such as airbags and anti-lock braking systems can reduce the number of accidents on the road while vehicle immobilizers and satellite tracking systems will lower the chance of theft.

Many car manufacturers are including safety and security accessories as standard now so it pays to consider them when buying your next vehicle.

Where you store your vehicle also makes a difference to your insurance cost. Is it garaged at night? How secure is the garage? Do you have CCTV, security patrols or a manned gateway? All these factors make it harder for thieves to take your vehicle and so attract reductions in your policy cost.

While looking at ways to cut your insurance premium costs many people are tempted to reduce cover or raise the excess they are willing to pay. I personally think that this is a false economy that could cost you dearly in the event of a claim.

It is much easier and cost effective to simply select the parts of the policy that are relevant to your driving style and cut out the cover that you do not require. In this way, you are still fully covered for minimum cost.

Classic Car Insurance: Discover The Essential Facts.

Do you want to learn more about buying classic car insurance? After reading this article you will have the bare essential facts involved in classic car insurance. You can find many types of information about classic car insurance on the Internet today, but when you boil it all down, here is what you'll find:

Specialty car insurance providers often have lower rates. Although many people will just add their antique or classic rod to their existing family policy, you can often receive discounts by getting classic car insurance tailored to your needs. Classic auto owners have widely varying needs than the typical car owner. Although it might be easier to add your car onto an existing policy, if you desire the best rates, you will research specialty coverage. There exist quite a few classic car insurance companies providing this special service.

You will often be imposed a mile restriction. If you intend to drive your classic car for more than simply events in the public interest, be sure to get classic car insurance that allows for this. The point is to get car insurance which will fit your individual needs.

If you get a discounted rate, don't expect a larger discount during months your vehicle is in storage. Your reduced classic car insurance rate is already taking into account the decreased usage. As such, your policy will remain in effect during all seasons.

When you sum it all up, it makes most sense to do what is best for you. If finances are most important to you, then buy a specialty policy. If you instead want to do what is simplest, your family insurance company will be more than happy to insure your car.

You now have enough information to begin. Now that you have read these classic car insurance facts, you are prepared to begin taking action. You can always learn more as you need the information, but just keep in mind that more information won't benefit you unless you use it.

Car Insurance - Inflated Quotes Costs Consumers Millions Yearly.

Even though lower car insurance quotes are occurring through competition from warring insurance companies vying for new business, as well as increasing online quote houses, millions of consumers are still paying dramatically more for their car insurance than they have to, to the tune of millions every year, and hundreds of dollars per household.

Online quote houses, such as Insurance-Info-Center.com, states on its site that on average, customers can save $451 on their car insurance by comparing car insurance quotes with them.

But these typical savings won’t affect the average consumer unless they take action and compare their rates, both online, and with national and local agents in their area.

All auto insurance is not the same. In one study by a major insurance company conducted between 1999 and 2004, a six-month auto insurance policy fluctuated between a low of $481 to a high of $586. This translates to a year policy costing as low as $775, to as high as $1256 for the exact same coverage.

This means one thing: for consumer to save, find good service, and get a good rate on their auto insurance, they need to shop, shop, shop.

It may seem simple, but according to studies by a major online carrier, only 20% of the people surveyed actually get more than one quote before buying their insurance.

Experts agree that getting a mix of quotes from large as well as small insurers will give you a good mix. Insurance-Info-Center.com lets you pick from a wide variety of national insurers through their automated providers.

Experts also suggest that, even with the convenience and speed of online quotes, you should consult local providers as well.

In the long run you should shop around, and get quotes from as many places as you can before making a final decision. In the end, it will save you big money.

Inexpensive Car Insurance.

I learned a lesson about inexpensive car insurance when I was younger: Insurance agents lie. I would love to be able to say this is rare, but my experience tells me it is depressingly common. Apart from lying, they just won't tell you some things you need to know to save money.

Car insurance was just a legal requirement as far as I was concerned. I didn't have valuable cars when I was young, and I had no assets to protect from lawsuits. All I wanted was the minimum legal coverage needed to be on the road. I always made this very clear to my insurance agents, using many rephrasings, like "Just what the law requires, and nothing more," just to be sure they understood.

I assumed that this minimum was what my insurance company was giving me. Only after paying the premiums for many years did I learn that they had lied. I didn't have the most inexpensive car insurance policy, as they claimed. They gave me not the minimum coverage required by law, but their own "company minimum." I was pissed off.

I went to other insurance companies and they tried to do the same thing, passing off their own normal liability policies as the state-mandated minimum requirements. Only when I pushed would they provide the policy that I wanted - as long as I signed more paperwork, acknowledging that I was "under-insured." That was fine. I had no assets to protect at the time (Having few assets means you're less of a target for a lawsuit).

The bottom line is that by commission and omission, you will likely be lied to by insurance agents. I overpaid by hundreds of dollars over those years, because of one such lie. Now you know what to watch for if you just want a basic liability policy. Here are some other things you should know about getting inexpensive car insurance.

Secrets Of Inexpensive Car Insurance

- Get several quotes, of course. The important part here, though, is to be sure that each quote is for the same thing. Write down and compare the specific policy limits, deductible and a other parts of the policy.

- Review your policies annually. Ask for a policy review and get new quotes every year or so. Suppose that speeding ticket you had is past the three year mark (or whatever the company guideline is). They will often "forget" to drop the rate, so you may need to remind them.

- Take the kids off your policy. If your kids are at a college that's more than 100 miles away, you can have them taken off the insurance policy and save a lot of money. You can't let them drive the car when they come home to visit though.

- Raise your deductible. You will always get more inexpensive car insurance with higher deductibles. Plan to pay the first $1,000 of that accident if it happens someday. In the meantime, you may save far more in premiums over those years.

- Drop collision coverage. Once the value of your car is below a certain amount (an amount you can afford to lose), drop the collision coverage. It doesn't make sense to pay out thousands over a few years to insure a car that is worth just a few thousand.

- Ask about special discounts you might be eligible for. Non-smoker discounts, car/home policy discounts, and others are a possibility. Ask what discounts you may be eligible for in the future, too, and remind your agent when the time comes.

-Look at every part of the policy, and don't pay for things you don't need. Ask about anything you don't fully understand. Asking a lot of questions and really understanding the policy is one of the surest ways to get inexpensive car insurance.

Car Insurance Uncovered.

There are many ways in which you can make savings on your car insurance, the best, not to mention the quickest way to make sure you get the cheapest car insurance is to shop around for your insurance.

You can do this yourself by going online or by getting a specialist insurance broker to do the legwork for you.

Things to bear in mind include combining your car and home insurance. There are companies who can offer savings by you taking both policies together. Sometimes you can make savings of around 40% on your car insurance simply by combining the two.

The safety features that are installed on your car can help bring your premium down. Simply by having top notch alarms and window etchings, you can attract huge savings.

Your postcode can make all the difference between the price you are quoted for your premium as certain areas and their postcodes are deemed as high risk crime areas and as such you pose a greater risk just by living in an area such as this.

Younger drivers will normally pay a higher price for their car insurance, due to their inexperience on their road and statistics that say they are more likely to be involved in an accident.

Women drivers - despite the man jokes about their driving - are classed as safer drivers and there are specialist sites aimed particularly with these people in mind who can offer discounted premiums.

If there is more than one driver and two or more cars in the family then you can get a great deal on your insurance by taking a package for two or more drivers. This can save you a whole lot on your insurance, which of course benefits the whole family of drivers.

One mistake that the majority of people make is to stay with their insurance company year after year and not even consider changing. People who don't look around when it comes to renewing their insurance could be paying around 30% more than they should be for the same level of cover.

So when it comes to purchasing your car insurance don't become complacent! By putting a little time and effort in to shopping around - or getting your broker to do it for you – can save you hundreds of pounds on your insurance.