7 November 2009

Where To Find Cheap Car Insurance Online

Posted on November 7, 2009 at 9:43 am in

Many people find car insurance confusing – and as a result end up paying more than they should in a very competitive market. The monthly payments – or premiums – depend on several things – your level of cover, the company insuring you and how much of a risk the insurance company deems you to be.

The popularity of the internet has made it easier than ever to find, compare and choose car insurance on line. Most companies can give you a quote fairly quickly – in general, it will take from between ten to twenty minutes to enter the required information into one of the online application forms. There’s also usually a free number to ring if you want to talk to a person.

Comparing car insurance quotes online

Obtaining car insurance quotes online is fairly straightforward – although there are some things you should keep in mind. Not all insurance companies will provide an instant quote on the screen in front of you; some companies may email the quote to you or ring you at a later date.

Some car owners don’t realise that even if their current policy isn’t up for renewal just yet, most insurance companies will allow a customer to cancel the policy, if they decide to switch insurance companies. In this case, you are generally entitled to a proportionate amount as a refund.

One way to easily compare car insurance rates and products is to use one of several web sites which offer comparison shopping. Two of the better sites are the aptly named
confused.com and moneysupermarket.com. Most sites compare the UK’s top insurance companies, including AA, Norwich Union and First Direct.

How to keep your premiums down

There are several ways you can reduce the cost of car insurance. Premiums are lower if you keep your car locked up in a garage overnight – over 50% of cars are stolen at night. Otherwise, try to park in your driveway, rather than on the street – this will also decrease the chance of vandalism.

Make sure you accurately report the mileage that you drive in a year – don’t pay for too much mileage. A change in employment or lifestyle may mean less mileage – many people don’t bother to change their car insurance details when this happens.

Having a car alarm or immobiliser installed in your car will also usually result in lower payments. An additional driver using the car may mean increased premiums. And of course, your past driving record also has a significant effect on the cost of your car insurance.

Basic car insurance policies

A recent – and welcome – innovation in car insurance is the concept of so-called basic coverage, as offered by both Tesco and Norwich Union, in an effort to simplify the often confusing process. Basic coverage also allows car owners to take out adequate insurance without paying more than they need to.

Norwich Union’s product is appropriately named Simple Cover and is available online only. The product also eliminates some of the unnecessary extras that customers tend to unknowingly pay for. Another big difference is that the premium is payable in a yearly lump sum, rather than monthly.

Tesco value car insurance is also available online only – even the application form is simpler – and Tesco has taken some of the unnecessary extras out, which can increase the cost of premiums. For example, Tesco value car insurance doesn’t offer a replacement car for use during repairs, or cover a broken windscreen.

Shopping for car insurance online shouldn’t be difficult. With a little bit of research and the right list of web addresses, choosing the right car insurance can be easy and stress-free.

Simon Christopher
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/where-to-find-cheap-car-insurance-online-124574.html

Cheap Car Insurance Quote

Posted on November 7, 2009 at 9:43 am in

If you are seeking a cheap car insurance quote there are recognized steps to take that will result in you obtaining the cheapest car insurance quote possible for your car and your circumstances. Many people honestly believe that auto insurance companies are doing their best to provide them with the cheapest quote they can, and trust them to do so. They are both right and wrong.

A company will provide you with a cheap quote if it is liable to make them money. That is the purpose of any company: to make money. They are not philanthropists and like any other company are in existence only to make money. If they feel that they can make more than the average quota of money from your premium then they will offer you a bit back.

Therefore, if you hear of somebody who has found a fantastically cheaper car insurance quote than you have been offered, then that is because their circumstances are different to yours. So what could be different? Perhaps they have never made a claim from previous policies. Perhaps their car is older than yours and they have declined collision and comprehensive cover. Perhaps their company have an agreement with the insurance company they deal with for their car fleet for cheap auto insurance quotes for employees. Perhaps . . .

There are so many perhaps’s that you are probably best to ignore the deals other people get and concentrate solely on what you can get. You should listen to their experiences with various ins companies, such as their willingness to pay out on claims or their speed in providing a courtesy car in the event of yours being damaged, but pay no attention to what they pay because their circumstances are different.

So what affects whether or not you can get the cheapest quote going? What are these circumstances that can make so much difference to whether or not you get a cheaper policy than the next guy or gal? They are basically common sense, and if you can’t work it out for yourself then you probably don’t deserve a cheap car insurance quote.

Do you have all the car safety features fitted in your car? Stuff like air bags, not only for you but for your front and rear passengers? Are their also air bags on the sides of the doors to protect you from side collisions? Do you have ABS braking that doesn’t lock when you hit the brakes, or a burglar alarm and window etching with your number plates? If so you can likely get your quote reduced.

Never accept the first quote given – that is Rule Number One in the book of cheap insurance seeker’s rules. Compare cheap car insurance and keep something up your sleeve, even if it costs you. If you agree to pay $500 deductible your premium cost will be reduced, but don’t tell them that till after your initial quote, or it will likely just be the same as if you didn’t mention it. $500 might seem a lot, but that’s your estimate of what you can afford to pay calculated against the likelihood of you having to pay it.

There are lots of other variables that you can use to reduce your premium such as dropping the collision cover and going third party, or simply that you are willing to switch your other insurances to the same company, such as house and travel insurance for example. How about simply buying it online: most companies offer a discount if you purchase your auto insurance online.

Whatever way you achieve it, a cheap car insurance quote should be easy to get if you know the right steps to take. Ins companies will give you a serious discount if they believe that you are less likely to make a large claim than the next guy.

Bren A. Kenny
http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/cheap-car-insurance-quote-280159.html

Pssst – Want to Know a Secret That Banks and Car Insurance Companies Don’t Share With you

Posted on November 7, 2009 at 9:42 am in

Pssst – Want To Know A Secret That Banks and Car Insurance Companies Don’t Share With You

Every single driver in the U.S. is required to have Car Insurance. And most of us drive around confident that we have adequate coverage to protect us should we ever be involved in an accident.

Yet, almost 97% of all drivers are not adequately protected….and don’t even know it. Here’s what I mean.

Let’s say you’re involved in an accident and it’s serious enough that the car is considered a “total loss” by your Insurance Company. Or, maybe your vehicle gets stolen. A few weeks later, you get a check from your Insurance Company.

When you look at the amount, you’re shocked. It’s thousands less than what you owe on your car. How can that be, you ask?

Well, like most, your policy has this short clause buried somewhere in all that legalese -

“In the event of a total loss, the policy holder will receive the actual cash value of the vehicle, minus any deductible.”

Did you catch the 3, very important words in that clause? The three words are – “actual cash value.”

Actual Cash Value means you’re going to get a get a check for….

“What it’s worth” not “What you owe.”

Isn’t that a nasty little surprise.

And like most, you owe quite a bit more than what the car or truck is worth. What would you owe your Bank or Credit Union if your car was totaled today?

So, how do you avoid this situation?

Well, when you buy a new or used vehicle, add a “rider” to your policy or purchase a separate “rider.”

If you have Homeowners or Rental insurance, a “rider” might sound familiar. For a homeowner’s policy, if you own expensive items, like fine jewelry, you need to add a rider to your policy. The reason – Insurance Companies won’t cover those types of items as part of a regular insurance policy.

So, you pay an extra $5 or $6 a month to have those items fully covered by the “rider.”

If anything ever happens to the jewelry, it gets replaced.

A rider for your car or truck is called GAP Insurance or GAP Protection. It’s just like the rider for your Home – except it’s only for cars, vans, trucks or suv’s.

It covers “What You Owe”, not “What its worth.”

It doesn’t matter what the reason is – if it’s ever totaled due to theft, fire, accident, flood, tornado, vandalism, hurricane, it’s covered – and paid-in-full!

You can protect yourself four different ways.

1. Put at least 20%-30% down on any new or used car purchase to erase any gap;

2. Purchase a “Rider” – AKA GAP Insurance from your Car Insurance Company or Bank;

3. Purchase Gap Insurance from another Insurance Company;

4. Buy Gap Insurance from the Dealership you’re buying at.

Any one of these options is great way to protect yourself. Whether you’re getting ready to purchase a new car or truck, or purchased a vehicle in the last 12 months, make sure the “gap” between what your vehicle is worth and what you owe is covered.

Tom O’leary
http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/pssst-want-to-know-a-secret-that-banks-and-car-insurance-companies-dont-share-with-you-133494.html

Top