Saturday, December 29, 2007

10 Factors That Can Raise Or Lower Auto Insurance Rates

Auto Insurance premiums are never computed on a flat rate. The premium payable by each individual varies and is dependant on several variables. There are several factors that are used by auto insurers to determine the premium payable for auto insurance coverage.

The rate of vehicle insurance is arrived at after taking into consideration the following:

1. Your age. Generally younger drivers are considered to be high risk and so the insurance rates are higher. Similarly older drivers too pay higher auto insurance premiums as with advancing age eyesight and coordination may become problems that affect driving.

2. The make of your car. Most insurance companies tabulate auto insurance rates based on the make of the vehicle. Compact cars and sedans have lower rates while sports models, exotic cars, and SUVs are assigned high rates of premium.

3. Gender is a factor too. Females get lower rates of auto insurance while males pay higher auto insurance premiums. Male drivers are consider high risk individuals as compared to females. According to statistics more accidents are caused by men than women drivers.

4. Financial stability. Auto owners with great credit scores and credit reports generally pay lower premiums than those with bad credit scores and reports. If you are considered to be a dependable individual then insurance companies offer lower premium rates.

5. Driving records have a say in premiums payable. If a driver has a clean driving record for three consecutive years then auto insurance providers will happily extend policies with lower premiums.

6. Where you stay. Those who live in the city pay more than individuals who live in the country or suburbs. Areas with lower crime rates and less congestion attract lower auto insurance premium rates. So if you live far from the maddening crowd then you will benefit by paying much lower premiums.

7. How many insurance policies you hold. If you approach for auto insurance the same insurance company that has you covered for life, health, hone and so on then you would automatically be eligible for great discounts on premiums payable for an auto insurance policy. Since the company already knows you and you have established credibility with them you will receive better rates as the insurers know what amount of risk you represent.

8. The condition of the car will be considered before offering a policy. The make, how old the vehicle is, its maintenance, and so on. A car in prime condition will get better premium rates than a rattletrap.

9. The distance traveled per year. If you restrict the number of miles traveled then you will be able to get auto insurance at lower rates. To do this you need to walk, use public transport, and car pool. Similarly a car used only for personal purposes will warrant lower premium than one used for business travel.

10. Whether or not you are eco-friendly. If you care for the environment and drive a non polluting vehicle then the auto insurance premiums will be lower. Auto insurers weigh the pros and cons of several factors before offering a viable premium rate. As a vehicle owner you can make an effort to lower your premium payable by keeping in mind all the factors that will affect your auto insurance premium. Most important always compare quotes from different auto insurers before deciding on a policy.

About the Author

Barry Allen is a freelance writer for http://www.1888carinsurance.com/ , the premier website to find Car Insurance Quotes including auto insurance quote, online auto insurance quote, free car insurance quote, cheap car insurance quote, on line car insurance quote and more. His article profile can be found at the premier Insurance Articles site http://www.1888articles.com/insurance-articles-41_4.html

Friday, December 7, 2007

The Very Best Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes

Now that you have the details about your car and your credit score, the next part is the insurance. What are your requirements in insurance? Do you need an agency that offers 24 hour service 365 days a year? Also, there are several types of covers that an agency can provide. Apart from normal insurance for the vehicle, you can also look at medical coverage or towing coverage.

Ways to trim hundreds off your auto insurance quotes ,

You need to provide the details about your zip code, safety features of your car, marital status and the annual commuting miles, if you do not do so the insurance companies will be quoting you higher auto insurance rates. Providing the details will also ensure an easier criteria check and that in turn will mean that all the discounts that you qualify for are given to you.

Next, increase the deductibles for getting cheaper auto insurance. The higher the deductible is, the lower the insurance premium will be. For example, if you increase the deductible from
$250 to $500, you can save up to a hundred dollars or more on the annual premium of your car insurance . It is also advisable to plan on having extra financial resources for covering the deductible in case of an accident.

Don’t just check one company and opt for it. When you compare the prices, you stand chances of saving hundreds of dollars per year. You must also check out your present insurance company; they may have lower rates for the new customers and this will require you to negotiate a bit.

Moreover, if you are married, do check the auto insurance quotes offered when the husband is the main driver and when the main driver is the wifemale” as the main driver and the “female” as the main driver. A lower quote is possible in this case, with the female being insured on a truck and the male being insured on the minivan. Teenagers must be insured on safer cars, like the family sedan.

You need to cut on the miles that you drive to obtain low auto insurance quotes. For instance, if you are a drivertraveling on an average of 40 miles or less a day, you qualify for a low mileage discount with a majority of the insurance companies. For decreasing your car's mileage in order to qualify for the discount, you need to consider taking public transit or the carpool. In order to reduce the number of miles on your car, you could take public transport or carpool for your
daily commute and fly or take a train for long distance travel.

Also, installing anti-theft devices like car alarms and tracking systems will reduce the risk of your car being stolen and hence make it easier for you to obtain cheaper auto insurance quotes. Adding the anti-theft devices to your car can also help you get discounts on the auto insurance quotes. Also, installing anti-theft devices like car alarms and tracking systems will reduce the risk of your car being stolen and hence make it easier for you to obtain cheaper auto insurance quotes. A certified defensive-driving class might also compel the insurance companies to decrease the auto insurance quotes for a period of three years.

Debbie Groves is the owner and operator of www.autoinsurancequotepeople.com">Auto Insurance Quote People which is a premier resource for Auto Insurance Quote information. For more information, go to: www.autoinsurancequotepeople.com

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Cheap Car Insurance For First Time Drivers

If you are new to driving it would be better, unless you have lots of money, to begin with a car from a lower insurance group. If you can build up and maintain a no-claims profile with no penalty points, you should be able to move up the car insurance groups without significantly increasing your premium.

The idea is that cheap car insurance for young drivers should be competitive because you are cutting out the middleman, so the insurer can pass the savings on to you. However you will have to do the leg-work though, which can take a few hours, but it will be time well spent. You should call at least three insurance companies before deciding on a policy. And remember that you can often save between 10% and 20% by going online. Most insurance companies offer cheap car insurance for first time drivers online. So if you get a telephone quote then you need to check you are not missing out on a deal which you can only get online, even from the same insurance company.

There is no shortage of websites that will let you compare car insurance policies and prices between different car insurance companies. But to get the best possible deal, then you need to spend a few minutes making certain that you are answering all of the questions correctly before you jump online.

Don't think, however, that you can get away with only looking at comparisons on one website. Each website only compares a small handful of insurance companies. If you really and truly want to make sure that you are getting the very best deal possible on your car insurance, then you really need to bite the bullet and take the extra time to make the same comparisons on at least 3 different websites.

Another way to secure cheap car insurance for first time drivers is to pay up front for the policy. Paying by monthly instalments may appear to be the cheaper option but many insurers will charge interest on the payments (up to 25% APR) and this could effectively clear any perceived savings you made on the policy.

Also consider adding breakdown cover to the policy if offered by the insurer as this could save you a lot of money in the long run and is usually quite cost effective considering the peace of mind it delivers. You can save £50-£100 by getting your breakdown cover this way.

So, before purchasing cheap car insurance for young drivers it would be wise to view the car insurance groups that a particular car falls into. These car insurance groups classify cars in a certain level of insurance and each car is assigned a group starting from one and ending at twenty. Buying a car relative to the most affordable group would be a more sensible way to save money on insurance.

Paul Hockney is a car insurance specialist who provides new drivers car insurance tips and best insurance reviews.