2/1/08

What are the cheapest autos to insure?

Cheapest Cars to Insure
The top ten cheapest cars to insure, regardless of who you are:

# Buick LeSabre
# Oldsmobile Silhouette
# Honda Odyssey
# Buick Park Avenue
# Pontiac Montana
# Mercury Grand Marquis
# Buick Century
# Chevrolet Venture
# GMC Safari
# Oldsmobile Bravada
The insurers go by credit scoring, loss avergaes, etc. not just by the car you drive, of course.

Answer :
For liability only, it depends mostly on the driver an possibly a little bit on how much damage the car will do. (motorcycles cheap, SUV's expensive)

For full coverage it is a combination of how much it usually cost to repair it and how likely it will be to get in an at fault accident.

cadilacs are expensive to repair, fords are inexpensive

volvos are driven responsibly, mustangs are always getting to wrecks.

The cheapest to insure will be a sensible, afordable, small sedan with the most safety features and the cheapest engine, trim, features etc..

hope it helps

Will a speeding ticket from another state affect your auto insurance?

Tickets in Other States
In general most US states belong to the Nonresident Violator Compact of 1977. This means that speeding tickets received out of your home state will be reported back to your home state and included on your record for drivers license and insurance points.

However there are certain states that do not put out of state traffic tickets on your record and others that will only enter speeding tickets that are over a certain mph above the speed limit.

Kansas, Wyoming, Minnesota, Arizona, Iowa, and South Dakota will not put a speeding ticket on record unless it is 10 or more mph over the limit. Georgia will not enter speeding tickets unless they are more than 14 mph over the limit. New York and Colorado will not enter out of state speeding tickets at all unless they are serious violations like reckless. Michigan also has special rules about out of state tickets.

You need to check with your own Department of Motor Vehicles to determine the regulations in your state. You obviously have recognized the importance of keeping any traffic violation off your record. Even one minor speeding ticket could increase your insurance premiums by as much as 25% for three years.

You should never just pay a speeding ticket. There are usually avenues available to keep the citation off your record or to reduce its impact on your insurance costs.

More input:


According to the DMVS web site license suspension occurs if you accumulate 15 points within 24 months, including violations committed out of state. So you should expect points on your record.

I once received a speeding ticket in the state of Virginia while living in North Carolina for 78 in a 55. I never saw any increase in my insurance and the ticket was never reported. I have learned that some states do not recoginze tickets from other states. I also have a cousin who had 4 speeding tickets and a moving violation (wrong way down a one way street) and his insurance was never affected either.

Of course it will (usually). A ticket is a ticket. It doesn't matter if it happened in Georgia or in California. The person getting a ticket decided to act on their deliberate risk-taking behavior (by speeding or driving drunk, etc). That's how your insurance company will view the ticket. The only thing that may help you is if the state you got your ticket in doesn't share information (like a MVR) with the state you hold your license in. But remember, if you decide to switch insurance companies and you tell the agent about that ticket in another state, even if it doesn't show up on your MVR, you'll be surcharged for that ticket (if the agent is ethical).

Most likely, though it depends on the reciprocity laws between the states (ie, does your state share information with other states?). Also, your insurance carrier likely has resources to do a search for traffic tickets, etc. So, you can wait until your carrier eventually finds it (and possibly backdates your premium payment), or fess up to them now. One way or the other, they're likely going to find it.

Under the DLC (Drivers Liscense compact), each state is required to report a conviction of a traffic violation that occurred within its jurisdiction to the licensing authority of the motorist's home state. Upon receiving report of a conviction of a violation, the states must take appropriate action (for example suspension, revocation or limitation of driving privileges). Every state is a member of the DLC except Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Unless the out of state infraction happened in one of these five states, chances are it WILL be reported to your home DMV!

I am 17 years old and i got caught doing 50 in a 35 and less than a week later 60 in a 45 how much do you think my tickets will cost and do think i wi

Answer 1:
I got one in a 45 zone and was sited for 56 mph. The bill came in at $140. An additional $30 fee if I want to go to traffic school to erase the point. Traffic school is another fee and depends on the school. I found one for $24 and is an online course.


Answer 2:
I just received a ticket in San Diego, California for going 84 in a 65...$273.00 bail, $24.95 traffic school; total = $297.95.


Answer 3:
I got stopped doing 85 in a 65 zone on the 101. Total ticket was $213.84.


Answer 4:
I just a got a Ticket Speeding Ticket off of San Diego, between El Centro and Yuma , the officer clocked me at 92MPH, yet you only put me down for 85 on a 70zone. Ok so I calculated the 86 and the 65 = 273. Which is 21miles over the speed limit, which in 13 dollars per those 21 miles = 273. SO in my Case I was recorded for 15 miles over the Speed limit so I will probably pay about $195 plus $20 -$30, for traffic school. I can pay it, and also do the traffic school , and will not get reported, and must not get another speeding ticket , for the next 18 months otherwise is goes on your record. Am I correct.


Answer 5:
I was on I-15, west bound just 20minutes outside of Baker,CA.... I'm not use to the Mountain driving, I saw the trooper ahead, eased on my brakes, as I was about to pass him, I was doing 95. It was stupid I know, but he did indeed write me up for 90+ in a 70. I was told it would be around $250 per the officer. Another thing, maybe I should fly back out to Cali, he put my temporary (not legal) Michigan address on the ticket, city of Ann Arbor (Michigan), but acknowledged it as in the State of Florida (my drivers license).....I may have a case


Answer 6:
i got a ticket on the I 10 for going 110 in a 70 zone, was told it would be around $600. let you know in 3 weeks. COST ME 420$ AND A MONTH SUSPENSION ON LICENSE AND 2 POINTS ON RECORD. IF YOU GET A JUDGE PRO TEM, REQUEST A REGULAR JUDGE--------- TRUST ME!


Answer 7:
A 91 ticket in a 65 zone on the 395 N just south of Bishop, CA slapped me for exactly $350.


Answer 8:
Out of Staters, from: http://www.inyocourt.ca.gov/

"Vehicle Code Section 40902 allows a defendant to contest citations in writing, without having to make a personal court appearance. This procedure is called a "trial by declaration." Trial by written declaration are available in cases involving infraction violations of the Vehicle Code or of local ordinances adopted under the Vehicle Code."

I'm not sure if this is a regional vehicle code, or a state code. But definitely worth investigating.


Answer 9:
just a few nights ago i got a speeding ticket going uphill for doing 72 in a 45 in Torrance Cali on Hawthorne blv. luckily since it was really late at night and no-one was around he didn't get me for reckless driving. im fearing the total outcome to be over 500 but from the sound of things i may not have to worry too much. we'll see


Answer 10:
Well if you are smart you will get a traffic court attorney. I got 2 tickets one week apart FROM THE SAME COP! Well they were 45 in a 30 and 42 in a 30. yeah, same road and yes, same spot. Well the cop told me they would be around 225 each plus court fees and insurance premium raise. And I got an attorney for 200 each ticket. so I only paid 400, so....better look into it. you don't have to go to court and you don't have the hassle of nothing else


Answer 11:
I was going 45MPH in a 25MPH zone and my bail was 846.00!


Answer 12:
I got a 97mph on a 65 mph on South I-15 entering Escondido, how much will the citation be.? plus i also got cited for front side tinted windows and my license plate missing from my front bumper, but those were fix it tickets so i fixed them


isn't speeding fun.
"I was going 45MPH in a 25MPH zone and my bail was 846.00!"

I wonder why it was so much.

I got one for doing 80 in a 65 zone on the 405, the cop wouldn't even give me an estimate. I read somewhere it would be $370 or more...but after this I hope it's less, I'm not exactly Bill Gates. Thank Jesus for cheap online traffic school. It's almost been two weeks, I'll update on the cost when I get the letter in the mail. But let me get this right:

When I choose to go to traffic school, I don't have to go to court (or do I still need to?), my ticket will be dismissed, and my insurance costs won't go up, right?

.edit $114.00 for bail...$39.00 more for traffic school, but I still have to pay for enrollment of a traffic school, which I don't really understand, but hey, it's a lot less than I imagined.


speeding too
I got a ticket yesterday (holiday) for going 92 in a 65 (on hwy65 near Marysville). I have no idea how much this will cost, but I'm hearing that if the speed is 25+ more than the speed limit that you can NOT take traffic school. I don't know how accurate this info is. Also, from the same friend, I heard that if I fill out a "trial by written declaration" form that I don't have to go all the way out there for court, and can plead not guilty. If the judge decides that I am guilty, then I can also ask to have traffic school as an option. I guess the court can override that 25mph limit on traffic school...

Has anyone ever done something like this?

I have no idea what to expect for a ticket like this. I'm just glad my front windows were both down (dark tint), and he didn't go towards the front of my car (no front plate). I was really going about 140, but the cop couldn't get me with his radar 'til I slowed down a bit. I know it's near the end of the month (near quota time), and it was a holiday weekend - I shouldn't have been going that fast anyway. Following boats and RVs on a one lane highway sucks - DON'T GO TOO FAST!!!


Answer 13:
I've only been caught once, going 106 in a 65. Too bad he didn't get me on his radar. DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE COPS!! The new radars they have these days, automatically print out tickets for speeding, If they say you were going (whatever speed) so fast, request to see proof. If they really caught you, they will have a printed ticket in hand. Otherwise they are lying.

I got let off with a warning :)



Answer 14:

I-395 going north 10 miles south of Bishop. Doing 105 mph in 65 mph limit. Clear highway. No traffic in both directions. $416. Traffic School Denied. Ouch!

How much do rates go up after an accident?

Answer 1:
I just had an accident and I have Allstate insurance. I'm fighting the citation I got so I have no points as of yet, but they raised my rate approx. 30%. I was told that they did not raise my rate, but because they had to pay off my car I lost my Good Driver Discount. So they don't admit to raising your rate , only taking away your Discount!! Hope I was of help.


Answer 2:
As a 25 yr Ins. Agent with the largest auto insurer in the U.S., I believe I can speak with some authority.

With my company...if the accident is your fault AND we pay over $750 (in Indiana) you will get a 10% increase in your premium (or lose 10% of your accident free discount) for the first accident.

If you have been with us 10 yrs or more...the first accident will be forgiven (ignored).

The surcharge stays for 3 yrs and then drops off. If you have a second or third chargeable accident while the first is still there....a second larger surcharge is given. For a third accident and even larger surcharge is added. Each will stay on for 3 yrs and then drop off.

Other companies use different formulas and amounts. Some remove your good driver discount even if you are NOT at fault.

The correct answer is "it depends on what company you are with"

How much money do you get if your car is totaled?

Answer 1:
Never what you owe or what it will cost you to replace it. So the answer to the problem is GAP insurance! Small amount to pay for peace of mind that pays you the difference between loan/cost and adjusters appraisals, (which start at the bottom, wholesale)The haggling is what the adjuster is paid to do, not to be fair, but to save the insurance company the most they can, they are not your pals! Wife rear ended, she's ok totalled car retail $20,000, offered $15,500


Answer 2:
You should get ACV (actual cash value)

Do your homework before settling with the adjuster. Check newspaper ads, dealers etc., to see what a car like yours, similar condition and like mileage is worth in your area. Have 3 or 4 bona-fide local examples to take with you and show the adjuster.

A new car should not be a problem unless you have over-financed.

Some folks borrow more than the vehicle is worth to pay off an old one and you are what is termed to be "upside-down", meaning you owe more on the vehicle than its worth. If this is your situation and the car is totalled, you will be paid off the value of the vehicle but not what you over-financed.


Answer 3:
Having been in this situation in WVa, the insurance people have a standrd which is used. Usually it involves the the NADA book value. The low value - a certain amount if the the engine milege is 100,000 or more = settlement. My experiance was not good as I did not receive enough to pay the vehicle loan principle, even though the loan was for less that the purchase price.



Answer 4:
Ok. So I have just been told by the Claims Agent that my car it totaled. In my case to repair the damage would cost $3500. The value of my vehicle was only $4200. If it cost more than 70% of the total car value to fix, it is considered totaled.

So now I have two things to do. 1)Check the value of my car for myself. 2) Locate what it would cost to replace my exact car in the market today.

For the first item I will use these three websites and take the best results to use as a basis for determining what I will expect to get paid from my Insurance Agency. www.kbb.com, www.edmunds.com, and www.nada.com. Be sure to include your milage and all your vehicle features before caculating a price with these sites. Also, always use the RETAIL price that they generate because that is what you will have to pay to replace your car in the open market.

The second item takes a little more leg work. But thankfully for the internet this process is now a lot easier. Use the website www.autotrader.com. This will allow you to locate your specific car to see what people are actually selling it for. Most often is will be selling for more money than what your first step revealed.

Note: If you are having trouble locating a vehicle within 200 miles of where you live, then try and find a similar replacement vehicle you are interested and use that as your leverage.

I have been told that by law, your insurance company is only require to pay out the wholesale price of the vehicle. This is usually at least half of what the blue book value is. So don't get your insurance company mad at you, but also stick to your guns when trying to get more money to replace or fix your vehicle!