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What Is Car Insurance Excess

admin — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:21:50 +0000

The car insurance excess is the agreed upon amount your insurance company requires you to pay for any repairs that are being made to your vehicle due to a claim being filed.

Your insurance company will determine what your excess payment will be when you start your policy. The excess payments in most cases will be made directly to the garage or mechanic that is repairing the vehicle, the insurance will send the remaining amount due directly to them or send a check to you that you will need to bring to the garage.

When you file a claim where another motorist is responsible for the repairs done to your vehicle they may reimburse you the excess you had to pay or pay it their selves and deduct it from your settlement amount.

Too many drivers are on the road that have no insurance at all or coverage amounts that are insufficient to cover all your repairs or medical costs. It is illegal to drive while uninsured but this does not stop people from doing it. Your excess amount may not be able to be recovered if you are involved in an accident with a motorist who has insufficient insurance coverage. You can get protection from your insurer against underinsured or uninsured drivers and they will cover the costs that occur from the accident minus the excess payment originally agreed upon in your policy.

There are over 5% of drivers on the streets in the UK who are uninsured. The insurance companies provide protection but due to the fact they are at risk for paying for other drivers mishaps the insurance premiums continue to rise.

The minimum excess that your insurance provider will accept for your policy is the compulsory excess. This amount will change from one driver to the next. The insurer will use your vehicle type, age, experience driving, as well as your driving record to determine your compulsory excess payment. The amount will vary from $50 to $500 or $1000 depending on your criteria and the insurers guidelines.

A Voluntary excess is where you pay a larger excess amount even if you qualify for a much smaller one. Any agent should be able to explain the differences these excess amounts will do to your policy price and premium amount. The excess amount should be kept low enough to be affordable but not so low that it raises your premium very much.

You need to realize that if you have your car in the garage getting repaired due to an insurance claim the garage will not be able to release the vehicle to you until they receive full payment for repairs. The insurance company will pay the sum they are supposed to but the final payment will normally be the excess amount of the policy. This is why it is extremely important to be able to afford the excess amount you agreed on so that you will be able to easily come up with it when needed.

by Susan Reynolds

About the Author:

Susan Reynolds is the webmaster for a leading South African Insurance Portal that provides consumers with the best Car Insurance Options.

Insuring A Private Passenger Vehicle

admin — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:12:47 +0000

If you’re getting vehicle insurance for the first time then you may not understand the various aspects that exist. An important part of owning a vehicle is insuring it. This is true whether you vehicle is new or used. There are different types of coverage that you will encounter when you?re looking for vehicle insurance. It?s wise to choose your coverage based on your vehicle.

There are two different types of insurance for a passenger vehicle. The type of insurance that you choose to get should be based on the type of car you have, the year, and most importantly its overall value. If you car has a high overall value or is new then you will be looking to get full coverage. Full coverage will cover your car if it gets damaged in an accident.

When purchasing a new car you will be required to have full coverage for your protection as well as the lenders protection. Some people that have had new cars that they were paying off got into accidents where their car was totaled and didn’t have insurance. Since they didn?t have a vehicle they decided to not finish paying off the loan thereby causing the lender to have a big loss. However, if you have insurance the insurance company would pay off the car for you.

It’s important that you choose the right type of insurance based on the value of your vehicle. The easiest way to do this is to figure out how much insurance will cost you over 3 years. If your cars value is higher than this number then you will want to stick with full coverage.

Finally you may choose to add comprehensive coverage to your insurance plan. Comprehensive coverage is rarely used on an insurance plan except for full coverage plans. This is because comprehensive insurance will protect your vehicle from situations not pertained to accidents. A good example of this is vandalism or damaged caused by severe weather.

Comprehensive insurance is not a standalone insurance policy. It’s an add-on to your insurance to help cover damages that aren?t due to accidents. This type of damage is usually caused by vandalism or dangerous weather conditions. You will usually find this insurance in a full coverage plan however you will want to adjust the deductable accordingly. It?s important to note that if you change your deductible you will also change your monthly premium. This is handy if you?re looking to lower your overall premium.

It’s possible to also get a discount on your insurance by paying the 6 month or 1 year premium in full right away. While this may seem expensive at the time you may save hundreds of dollars on your vehicle insurance.

by Graham McKenzie

About the Author:

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator for Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading car insurance portal.

Tips on Getting Cheap Car Insurance for Young Women Drivers

admin — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:15:11 +0000

Due to the large insurance premiums that young drivers have to pay, it should be no surprise that people are looking for ways to reduce them. Young people are literally being prevented from driving because of this high expense. As such, we are going to recommend a few ways to lower costs, especially for young women drivers.

As we have all heard, women drivers do tend to get lower rates than men. In the case of young drivers, this is extremely true. This is based on the fact that young men tend to drive a little more aggressively as compared to young women.

With that said, lets discuss a few strategies to lower insurance premiums. First, a young driver should choose a practical car that isn’t flashy (such as a Toyota Yaris). If the young driver disregards this advice and procures a Dodge Challenger, they are going to be stuck with higher insurance premiums.

The second thing a young driver can do is take a defensive driver course or a drivers safety course. These courses focus on the two items the concern insurance companies the most: lack of experience and lack of attention while driving.

The third thing that you can do to get cheaper car insurance is explore the options the insurance company offers. Do you get a discount for garaging the vehicle or adding a car alarm? Can you have lower premiums if you adhere to mileage restrictions?

A fourth option is to ensure you are doing well in school. You will find that many insurance companies will discount your premiums if you are able to maintain a certain GPA.

The last option that you should consider is to get multiple insurance quotes from numerous companies. It will simply amaze you when you see the range of price quotes that come in. Additionally, you may be able to negotiate your rates down lower if you can skillfully play the insurance companies off of each other.

As we have demonstrated, there really are ways for a young driver to pay less in the form of insurance premiums. We recommend you implement a few of these strategies, as we know that they will help keep your hard earned cash in your pocket, where it belongs.

by Sara Boughton

About the Author:

The Cheaper Car Insurance for Women Guide was designed to aid women in finding cheap, low cost car insurance. As part of this mission, this website is dedicated to finding Cheap Car Insurance for Young Female Drivers, as well as exploring other aspects of the insurance business.

Changing Your Auto Insurance Policy

admin — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 20:47:34 +0000

Auto insurance policies can be terminated for any number of reasons. Getting rid of an old car, moving to a different state, or just changing to a different insurance company are all legitimate reasons. The important thing is to do it properly.

The “Standard Operating Procedure” for most insurer’s when changing your auto insurance policy is that you can cancel your policy simply by sending written notice with your desired termination date. Keep in mind that your policy may not necessarily stop at the end of your term, it may have an auto-renew clause. You also shouldn’t assume that your policy gets canceled by simply not paying your next premium.

You also shouldn’t expect this to be clear on your policy. Most insurers will be quick to let you know that your coverage terminates at the end of the policy period if you don’t pay your premium, but they aren’t always so quick to let you know of the repercussions you may face for not providing formal notice of your policy termination.

You should also keep in mind is that your chances of obtaining auto coverage in the future may be impacted is your car insurance policy is canceled. A policy cancellation in your insurance history may end up getting you labeled as a high-risk applicant. Usually though you can avoid this trap by officially terminating your policy properly and in a timely manner.

Switching your coverage to a different insurance company carries additional considerations. Most people who switch plan to drive their car throughout the process. If this is you, be careful not to allow a lapse in your car insurance coverage. Coordinate your new policy’s effective start date on or before the your old policy becomes terminated.

Providing you are considerate about giving proper notice to your old insurance company when you want to cancel your auto policy, and go through the official termination process, you probably won’t have to worry about any potential negative repercussions.

by Marty Allen

About the Author:

Click here for tips on getting Dirt Cheap Auto Insurance.

Michigan’s No Fault Auto Insurance Is A Little Different

admin — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:48:11 +0000

Michigan auto insurance is a lot different from insurance elsewhere in the United States. Required by law in Michigan, no fault insurance has three basic parts. These are personal injury protection, property protection insurance and residual liability insurance (bodily injury and property damage coverage). If you want to register a car in Michigan, auto insurance has to be purchased, and you have to prove that you have it. Like most other places in the US, driving a car without insurance is against the law.

Policies under Michigan’s no fault auto insurance provide for reimbursement of medical costs plus lost income from your injury for up to three years. The amount you can receive for this was around four and a half thousand dollars as of 2007. This amount also applies when someone who has died in an accident and who has Michigan auto insurance. His or her family will receive up to that amount every month for three years to make up for the lost income.

In addition, if someone is injured and can’t provide housekeeping or other services for their family, they may be entitled to up to twenty dollars per day to hire other people to do this for them. It’s possible to synchronize this kind of coverage to any disability or health policy you currently have to reduce your premium. However, Medicaid and Medicare policies cannot be synchronized. Synchronized policies then become the primary payer, with your Michigan auto insurance covering remaining expenses.

If you have Michigan no fault insurance, your policy will pay up to a million dollars in damage done by your car to other people’s property, such as fences, buildings, lamp posts and other objects. If you do damage to someone else’s vehicle, and that car is properly parked, this policy will also pay for that damage.

The no fault law in Michigan is also useful for protecting people covered by Michigan auto insurance from lawsuits, though there are situations where you can still be sued. If you caused an accident where someone else was seriously hurt or killed, you were involved in an accident with an out of state car, or your accident occurred outside of Michigan, you may still be sued.

If you were at fault for an accident (more than fifty percent) it’s also possible that you might be sued for up to five hundred dollars worth of damage to another car. However, you can still get payment from Michigan no fault auto insurance plans for up to your coverage limits, even if you’re legally responsible for damages.

In this state, you’re required to carry a certain amount of coverage. That includes at least twenty thousand dollars worth of coverage for bodily injury and property damage for every person hurt or killed in an accident. Forty thousand dollars worth of coverage is required in case of accidents where multiple people are injured or killed. Another ten thousand dollars worth of coverage is required for property damage outside of Michigan, and you’re responsible for the excess paid in all cases where the award exceeds your coverage.

So what doesn’t Michigan no fault insurance cover? Collision insurance, which covers repairs to your car, is not required. Comprehensive insurance is also not mandated by law, and covers damage to your car if it is stolen, or damaged by fire, flood, animals, vandalism, or falling objects. If you are hit by an uninsured motorist and have not voluntarily purchased coverage for this, you will also not be covered by regular Michigan auto insurance.

by Aaron Winslow

About the Author:

Before you purchase online auto insurance, discover how to acquire dirt cheap auto insurance for Michigan Auto Insurance.

Auto Collision Repair Shop: Best Way To Find Them

admin — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 02:46:42 +0000

If you vehicle does need auto collision repair, one of the biggest concerns car owners face is how much money will be coming out of their wallet. So, what you need to be doing is not only checking on the qualifications of the shop but also checking their prices by getting quotes to repair what you want and need repaired.

Getting quotes can be challenging and time consuming. You will find yourself repeating your vehicles problems and the concerns you have about your vehicle. You may even want to do some additional enhancements to really get your vehicle to shine. It is important that you first make a list of what you think you need done or problem areas on your vehicle and also write down the additional things you are thinking of investing in.

However you want to make sure that they are using the latest technology to color match your vehicles color to the new paint they are applying. The auto body shop should not be simply guessing or getting “close enough”. They should be able to provide an exact match. With an exact match it will be almost impossible to tell that any paint work was ever even done on your vehicle.

One way that you can get quotes is by calling auto body shops in your area. This can help you to get around a bout idea of how much your repairs will cost. You can also speak to them about additional services they offer. It would be great if you could get all the work you want done in one place.

Next you should look for an auto body shop that will give you a warranty on the paint job that paid for. That paint job is going to cost you some time and money and you want to get a guarantee that it is a quality job that will hold up against the elements. Any shop that provided a warranty for their work must have confidence that their work is of good quality.

If you can’t physically go to the shop you can always check out their website. Their website should list the services they offer and a little bit about each one. That way you are a little more familiar with what each repair service entails. Some of them even have the option to get a quote online from them. This can be better than a phone call because you can even upload photos on to some of the sites which can get you a more accurate estimate than the phone call.

So, make sure you really check around and get the most qualified specialist and a great price as well. Oh yes, you should not be paying for all those quotes either!!!

by Cedric Zbikowski

About the Author:

Everything they never told you about auto body collision repair revealed! For more insider tips and information be sure and check out auto collision repair shop aventura

Insurance for Classic Cars

admin — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 01:00:47 +0000

The term “classic car” can mean a lot of different things.
Cars made up to 1904 are considered “veteran cars,” while the Edwardian period stretches from 1905 to 1918, and the Vintage age lasts from 1919-1930. For the most part, cars are usually called “classics” if they were manufactured at least 25 years ago, but even some relatively recent cars which are thought of as especially rare and collectible are thought of as classics.

For the purposes of insurance and traffic laws, many US states have their own specific rules as to what can be considered a “classic car.” In the United States, certain cars from the “muscle car” era are considered classics with a special prestige, while other popular worldwide classics include the original Mini and the original Beetle.

Classic cars often don’t have modern safety features, and are thus prone to damage and possibly expensive to insure.
They do not have things like seatbelts, crumple zones, airbags, or any type of rollover protection, as these things were mostly added in the time since the generally accepted “classic” period. Despite the fact that it’s commonly thought to be expensive, insurance for classic cars is a must, even for owners who do not intend to drive them on regular roads, because, among other reasons, maintenance and repairs can be surprisingly expensive, meaning that any serious owner should think about having insurance and get several classic auto insurance quotes

When looking at classic car insurance, the owner must think about a number of factors. Issue number one is the valuation of the car. Policies can be sold based on the actual cash value of the car, in which case a book value with depreciation will be paid out by the provider in the event of a claim; then there is the “stated value” policy, which can still depreciate, but is based on the owner’s valuation for the car; and agreed value, which might not necessarily depreciate, and depends on a consensus between owner and provider.

Other factors to consider include: whether or not the policy liability covers public events; coverage including events and shows; coverage for damages incurred during restoration; and moveable premiums taking into account mileage, which naturally varies significantly for classic cars from year to year.

Some owners assume that specialist-provided insurance can’t help but be especially expensive, but this is not necessarily a correct assumption. Insurers that deal specifically with classic cars are much more likely to understand the aforementioned issues, and thus, ultimately, classic car owners might actually seriously reduce their insurance costs, and end up with a much better policy, from a specialist in classic car insurance.

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For more tips about getting classic car insurance, and a free quote, visit the Classic Car Insurance Blog…

http://freeclassiccarinsurancequote.com

Getting Good Florida Automobile Insurance for your Needs

admin — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:32:33 +0000

Living in Florida, having good Florida automobile insurance is absolutely critical. In order to ensure that you are fully protected though, you need to take the time to carefully review all of the state requirements, and then start reviewing your present coverage to ensure that they match up properly. Not having the correct insurance can be not only really expensive, but also create legal problems and hassles that you really do not want to deal with.

As a motorist, it is critical that you always keep in mind that carrying Florida automobile insurance is required. You are not permitted to drop your coverage, or at any time not have your vehicle properly insured. To be up to standard with the Florida automobile insurance laws, you need to have not only personal injury protection coverage, but also property damage liability coverage. While personal injury protection coverage only covers yourself, the property damage liability coverage will pay for any damages that you cause as the result of an accident.

Purchasing additional coverage from your insurance company to help close these gaps can be a huge savings. One of the most popular added options includes bodily injury liability. This helps to reduce the amount of money that you are paying out of pocket in the event of an accident, and also makes it much safer for your finances and assets to help prevent any unexpected disasters from occurring should an accident take place.

As you can imagine, getting proper Florida automobile insurance means that you need to use an insurance provider that is licensed to offer insurance in the state of Florida. While there are insurance companies all around the country, there are many that are not licensed to offer insurance in Florida. Ensuring that you only obtain coverage with someone who is licensed will enable you to be certain that you are getting the cover that you need to actually protect yourself.

Picking up a policy at a good deal is important and with this in mind, shopping around is always a good idea. Buying the first policy that you are offered could be an expensive mistake, and might even find you lacking the coverage that you want or need in order to cover all of your obligations and still keep your expenses to a level that you can afford.

Obtaining affordable Florida automobile insurance is really simple and easy. By contacting local insurance companies in your area, you are going to have more luck looking for someone who is actually licensed to offer insurance legally in Florida. Of course, looking around to find the best deal possible for price and coverage is still very important and can allow you to get the greatest benefit for your money.

Picking the right Florida automobile insurance policy for your needs will take a bit of work, but allows you to ensure that you are not only in alignment with the laws, but also getting an affordable rate on the coverage. Knowing that there are some great deals available can also make it much easier to shop around for a good policy that fits all of your needs, and keeps you within the insurance laws for Florida.

by Marcus Werthein

About the Author:

If you happen to live in the great sunny state, then you need florida automobile insurance. There is no way around this law and it is best to just follow the rules. Do yourself a good deed and get some quotes to help ease the search of finding the right insurance company.

How To Protect Yourself in America’s Most Treacherous Industry – Get The Right Truck Insurance

admin — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:26:45 +0000

“A tractor-trailer loaded with Christmas trees skidded out of control and slid off the highway west of Des Moines, closing a ramp on Interstate 80. Police said the trailer was on the exit ramp to Interstate 80/35 about 3 a.m. when it began sliding on the rain-slickened highway. The trailer began to fishtail and rolled with its load of trees.”

“U. SAUCON TWP. | Canned goods were strewn onto the highway, oil spilled and pieces of the cement median were launched into another truck late Tuesday night during a wreck on Interstate 78.”

“SPRINGFIELD – A 58-year-old U.S. Postal Service employee died last night after the driver of a tractor-trailer backed into him at a loading dock of a mail distribution facility on Brookdale Drive, police said.”

“LAFAYETTE, La. — Two little girls, who apparently couldn’t sleep, got out of the bed they shared less than a half-hour before a tractor-trailer plowed through their bedroom.”

“Motorists may have been driven bananas over the years by Route 119, but perhaps none more than John Q. Jones. Jones, 52, of Garland, Texas, was driving a tractor-trailer Monday when it overturned and spilled its 22-ton load of bananas.”

“WEST PALM BEACH ” Workers were rushing to close holes left in the southbound lanes of Interstate 95 on Monday after a 12,000-pound machine fell off a flatbed rig, the Florida Highway Patrol said.”

These are just a few of the many tragic reports of trucking accidents in America’s most treacherous industry.

From 1999 to 2009, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes has increased by up to 10% due to driver fatigue, unsafe vehicle operation, large, unstable loads or defective equipment.

Commercial trucking growth is good news for the trucking companies and the nations economy and it’s important to keep truckers on the road and delivering America’s goods. According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), in 2008 large trucks hauled the majority of all freight transported in the U.S. over nine billion tons. Trucking revenues totaled $710 billion last year and revenues are predicted to nearly double by 2015.

So, it’s important to keep you truckers on the road and to help protect you and the drivers around you, here are some tips:

Double-check your mirrors before turning right. Motorists may not know that you need to swing wide to the left to make a right turn and they may not realize that you are turning.

Signal early and often when maneuvering through and around intersections. In heavy traffic, motorists who drive alongside the truck may not see your turn signal. Signaling early gives motorists the information they need to decide whether or not to pull alongside you.

Leave extra space between your truck and cars around you whenever possible. Many motorists don’t know how long it takes a truck to stop or how much room you need to pass safely. It makes motorists uneasy to have 80,000 pounds of truck on their rear bumper. Don’t tailgate.

Use proper parking areas when pulling off the road. Trucks are four times more likely to be rear-ended than cars. It is especially important to use designated parking areas when possible. If you can’t do this, pull completely off the road and set out flares, safety triangles or other devices to alert other drivers.

Properly insure your trucking business to keep you rolling when the unforeseen does happen.

by Terry Michaels

About the Author:

T. Michaels is the trucking insurance specialist at Insurance Pro Agencies. Visit http://www.insproagencies.com and get your free Rand McNally Deluxe Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas just for permitting us to provide your truck insurance quote. You are welcome to reprint this article – but get your own unique content version here.

Are You A Young Driver And Do You Need Inexpensive Car Insurance? The Facts

admin — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:19:37 +0000

Car insurance for young drivers are often affordable. Checking out the correct spots is all a person needs to do. The ideal place to locate the information you need would be the internet. There are companies and websites that are more than willing to help you find cheap car insurance for young drivers.

However, don’t ever go with car insurance, even if you think you can’t afford it. While young people may think they “don’t need it,” parents should certainly pay attention and make sure they have it. Young people often won’t understand why car insurance is so necessary, but you as a young driver need to make sure you have this right. In addition, if you join a club, you may be able to get less expensive car insurance, too. A lot of the time, auto club members can get discounts with some insurance providers.

This is one good way for you as a young driver to save money. Many insurers will give you a discount on your insurance if you belong to an association. Take advantage of any offers the association you may already belong to has. It’s not necessary to join all associations to get these types of discounts.

Take the cars price into consideration in order to benefit from cheaper car insurance. High end cars offend command a higher insurance rate. Also, other examples of expensive-to-insure cars would be those with poor crash ratings and those with high theft rates. When in the market for a car, choose wisely. It is important for all, including the young, to use insurance.

If your local carpool is if a member has obtained a lower premium. You will reduce mileage by carpooling, which may lead to a lower insurance rate. It is known that anything you can do to keep the mileage low will help keep your auto insurance at a reasonable rate.

See whether or not an insurer will give a group discount to your company; they’ll often do this to encourage members of the association to buy policies with their company, too. They’ll save money on costs entailed when they acquire customers, and you’ll save money because they return the favor.

If you are a young driver, you certainly don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for insurance. You do have to do a little homework and find the right company to provide the insurance for you. Many policy providers will indeed give you a good insurance rate if you are a young driver. However, you do have to do your homework and choose the right insurance for you.

by Jeff Paullmen

About the Author:

In need of more information on Young Drivers Motor Insurance? Discover how to save more money on Cheap Car Insurance For Young Drivers and get the cheapest insurance possible.