Auto Insurance - The 4 Factors That Affect How Much You Pay

OK, let me put it on the table: I hate insurance companies. I hate them like some people hate the government. But the sad fact is, auto insurance is something that we all need -- and, in most cases, are required by law to have.

But while having car insurance is usually not an option, how much you pay for it is. Here are the 4 greatest factors that can influence how much -- or how little -- you pay for auto insurance. You

Sadly, you can't do too much about your own personal demographics. Car insurance actuaries (the bean counters who pore over the statistics) "know" that a male that under the age of 25 is involved in more accidents than than a female driver of the same age.

So if you're a young man, you'll pay more. Sorry about that.

Want to pay less? Get married -- you'll often see a reduction in your insurance rates. Why? Because the mass of married males are involved in fewer accidents than the mass of unmarried males of the same age. It is what it is.

Another way to save money is to take an approved driver's training, or driver's safety, course. That can often result in a modest discount. Ask your agent for details.

Of course, your driving record has more to do with your rates than almost anything else. If you have any points on your record, or a past accident (or two) within the last three years, your rates will be higher. And if you are not careful, eventually you can have your policy canceled.

Lastly, how much you drive each week can affect your rates. So see if you can carpool or take mass transit to and from work, at least some of the time. Hey, listen -- you'll also save money on gas as well as wear and tear on your car. Not to mention doing your part for the environment. How good is that?

Your Car

If you drive a car that car thieves like to steal, your insurance carrier is going to charge you more for insurance. Similarly, if you own a car that is expensive to repair, you'll pay more for insurance, too.

Bought a brand-new car? You'll probably pay more. But you can reduce your rates if your car has certain safety features like daytime running lights, anti-lock brakes, airbags and automatic safety belts. And if you live in an urban area, you might want to consider anti-theft devices like a steering wheel lock, and/or a car alarms.

Your Neighborhood

And speaking of the big city, you will find your car insurance rates will be much higher than if you live in the suburbs or out in the country. This is mostly due to the fact that increased traffic will lead to increased accidents. And theft is always a reality as well.

Your Policy

The kind of policy you choose, or more specifically the coverages you elect, will also effect the cost of your auto insurance payments.

So seriously consider increasing your deductible, especially if you drive an older car. It all depends on how much your older car is worth. If the value of your car is low, Why pay a high premium every month to insure against a collision that you may not want to repair? Also consider dumping some of the other coverages you may never use, like medical (if you have other medical insurance) or roadside assistance (if your credit card already gives you coverage).

Conclusion

There you have it -- a few factors that can have a great impact on how much (or how little) you pay for insurance. Check it out and save.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
For more info on Auto Insurance, visit Ara Rubyan's Auto Insurance Money Saver.

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What You Want To Know About Breakdown Cover

By:Smith James

By definition, breakdown cover is a form of car insurance policy that provides assistance to motorists whose vehicles have suffered a mechanical failure that is serious enough to leave them stranded at the spot of the accident. Like any other technical terms in insurance, this definition also needs some explanation. Anybody who is going to buy an insurance policy should know all that is meant by the technical terms; otherwise he may come face to face with nasty surprises.

One can claim for breakdown cover compensation only if the accident leaves him stranded at the place of accident – this is what is indicated by the definition. Unless one knows this fact, he may rest assured that breakdown cover will compensate for any kind of accident his car meets with. With this understanding in mind, he may remain satisfied. So, when he will make a claim in future, he is sure to be disappointed.

This and several other facts are related to car insurance that one should know before he purchases a policy. Particularly, if he is going to buy a breakdown cover, he should ensure that he understands all the terms and conditions of the policy fully. For this, he should read the small prints minutely and ask questions to the agencies if he is not sure of any clause and term.

Breakdown cover can be purchased from the agency from which one buys the car. Either they will sell it directly or make arrangement for it. Generally, car selling agencies have association with other firms that sell insurance policies. So, when you buy a car, they will certainly ask you whether you want to go for breakdown cover or not. It is good if they come up with some nice offers. But unfortunately, they sometimes become pushy and try to thrust a policy. It is better to avoid such agencies.



About the author:- The author is an expert in van insurance, car insurance, breakdown cover, home insurance UK and has written a number of authoritative articles on this subject. His articles are widely read because of the clever tips and valuable advices he provides in them.

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_232265_19.html

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Car Insurance - Size isn't Everything

By Chris Rowlands

As with everything in life size matters, this is perhaps why some people may feel they need to compensate for their perceived shortcomings by buying the biggest most expensive looking car they can find. Of course if you are successful you may want this to reflect in your choice of car and for that I can’t blame you. If your car could sum up the sort of person you are, mine would say about me; small, practical and reliable. Leaving that worrying thought behind us and whilst I make a call to the garage to order a new much more impressive one, let us move on.

Generally most insurers follow the insurance group rating system of 1-20, 1 being the cheapest and least risky car and 20 the complete opposite. Some insurers have now also increased the top end of this scale to as much as 40 or 50, as you can imagine cars at this end of the scale would be very expensive to insure to say the least.

Up until recently the majority of cars have received their insurance group rating based on the size of their engine and the performance statistics and safety features of the vehicle. This has now been visited by a period of change in which we see grouping swinging more towards the general size and weight of the car and the damage it is likely to do to a third party. Those with large car’s such as Landrovers or similar will find their car insurance premiums rising with as much as an extra £1-200 tagged on to already expensive policies. Of course you may argue that these cars are safer to those in them but this is unfortunately not the point. When a car of this size collides with a much smaller vehicle little damage may be suffered but to the other party considerable damage and injury may be caused resulting in this type of vehicle carrying a much higher risk factor.

It has been estimated that insurance premiums will have risen by 18% by the end of this year. Add to this the increase tagged onto large vehicles such as 4x4’s and you may have an expensive motor insurance policy on your hands when it comes time for renewal.

The massive increase in the purchase of larger vehicles has burgeoned the phrase “Chelsea tractor” to give a name to this rapidly expanding group of large and more dangerous cars on our roads.

Unfortunately there’s more bad news for those of you who may have thought you were doing your bit to help the environment. Mid range Turbo diesel cars whilst regarded as generally more economical have much more pulling power (torque) than their petrol counterparts. The extra power this can deliver to an unsuspecting driver increases the risk of the vehicle being involved in an accident and therefore becomes more expensive to insure. At least this is the way the insurance companies see it regardless of the fact that the majority of diesel car owners are well aware of the performance of their vehicle.

Combine the above with the increases in motor tax set to also target the same group of drivers and it seems it is becoming more and more expensive to own a car of this size or capable of any level of performance. This is obviously the intention of the Government who seek to reduce the number of these vehicles and indeed all vehicles on the road.

Will you be targeted with car insurance premium increases due to the size and weight of your car?

Cheap motor insurance it seems is limited only to those who drive cars seen as small and sensible by the insurance companies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Rowlands

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Finding a Quote for Car Insurance

by Matthew Walker

Looking for a quote for car insurance in the UK? Here's something worth reading before you make your final decision.

Shopping for the cheapest quote can be a time consuming process if you want the best deal. It's not necessarily as simple as getting to the first comparison site you come across, filling in your details and clicking the "Buy" button. That would just be way too easy, along with the missed opportunity of finding a cheaper quote.

You've probably heard of the numerous sites that compare a whole host of insurance companies to find you the best deal, advertising often on television. Comparison sites are not bad places for finding cost effective motor insurance but better deals can also be found from insurers who decide not to affiliate themselves with these sites.

Though there are many advantages, there are also downsides to comparison sites. When getting a quote for car insurance or buying a policy the insurer has to pay that comparison site a commission for every quote or sale made. Effectively the site is acting as a middleman and the amount for that commission is in the end passed on to the customer. Good news for the comparison sites that make quite a large sum of money from this process, though not such good news for us customers. There are, however sites that have chosen to remain independent. Just take a look around, you're sure to find them. Direct Line is a good one to try.

Now, I might have been a little too hard on comparison sites so far. As I've said, they aren't bad places to find motor insurance. In fact they can be the great places to find a quote. Go take a look at Comparison.com and GoCompare.com. Both the biggest players in the game with a mulitude of insurance companies under their belt vying for your custom. On the plus side, these sites have helped make the motor insurance industry competitive almost to the point of being cut throat. That's more of what we like to see!

Ultimately though, you are also looking for more than just price when shopping around for a car insurance quote. You should check the excesses and exclusions carefully so they match what you need. MSN's insurance service is certainly worth a try. Powered by Insurancewide, it includes car, home, travel, life and various other forms of cover and does look at more than just price when it is comparing quotes. The benefits of using Insurancewide's service are that it uses innovative technology to provide the fastest, most independent and easy-to-use way to compare insurers in the UK and no insurer can buy their way to 'top spot' on the service. There are three vital elements making up their method of insurance comparison: the insurer's relevance to customer needs; the price, which is influenced by underwriters' risk factors and loadings; and the success rates achieved by insurers when dealing with similar customer profiles. Our comparison system takes into account all three of these elements before directing you to the best value provider, not just price alone.

Before buying your policy there is another thing to be aware of. If once insured for your own car, are you allowed by the policy to drive other cars? In other words, once insured can you drive someone else's insured car with their permission?. Policies used to allow this more often than they do nowadays and it's a huge advantage to have. You never know when you might need to drive someone else's car. With a policy that states you can well, then you can!

For more information go to:www.aquoteformotors.co.uk

About the Author

Matthew Walker is an insurance consultant and professional webmaster.

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What Car Insurance Is The Right Type For You?

Jason Hulott

When it comes to deciding what car insurance is the right type for you, you will have to take certain factors into consideration. Of course whether your car is a brand new one will play a huge part in whether you have any choice in the matter, a car over £5,000 will mean that you dint have an option. However if you have bought an older car or a second hand one then you do have options, these are usually third party and third party fire and theft.

The internet can help you in many ways when it comes to helping you to decide which type of car insurance would be the most suitable for your needs, one of the biggest advantages it offers is the vast amount of information that can be gained on the different types of insurance. Once you have decided which type of car insurance is most suited to your needs then again the internet is the easiest and cheapest way to purchase your insurance.

Online insurance companies can and do offer you the cheapest deals on your car insurance, the most popular types of car insurance include fully comprehensive, which is the dearest, third party only and third party fire and theft. There are a lot of factors that have to be given consideration and these include the age and size of your car, your age and gender, younger people will have the highest premiums and how many years no claims bonus you have.

When deciding what type of car insurance you need all these and more have to be researched, it is imperative that you understand the policy you are taking out and what is and is not covered in it, even if you take out fully comp this doesn’t mean you are covered for all eventualities.

About the Author:

Jason Hulott is Business Development Director of Protection Insurance, an internet based insurance business dedicated to getting consumers the best rates and the best products. Visit our Car Insurance Directory.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

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