Car Insurance Comparison Websites - A One Stop Shop

Working your way through the car insurance minefield can be a daunting prospect. Even in these days of the internet and the availability of a plethora of comparison websites, making sure that you get exactly what you want can still be challenging and you need to consider many factors, not just price.

Long gone are the days when you had to do all the work of ringing around insurance companies or getting an insurance broker to do the work on your behalf. Now, it is as easy as sitting down in front of your home computer, entering your personal details and letting the web quote engines do the work.

Or so it would seem; however, it's not quite that simple. Car insurance comparison websites cannot access all the insurers that would be willing to cover your vehicle, as some insurance companies prevent comparison sites from trawling their quotation engines. Therefore, any potential deal they may be able to offer is not notified to you - the potential car insurance buyer - in their summary results.

So, if you are going to use a comparison website to find your next car insurance policy, ensure that it is a reputable award-winning one - such as a site that has been independently rewarded by a neutral financial institution. If you see such awards on a comparison website then you know that it has genuine quality when it comes to finding you the best deal.

Once you have found such a website make sure that when you compare car insurance quotes you are not focusing simply on the premium quoted but the entire policy package; compare the level of cover offered including such items as the voluntary and mandatory excess levels in addition to other benefits offered.

When you compare car insurance quotes you may find that they can vary widely and in some cases it is because the benefits of cover are so different. If one quoted premium is far lower than the others then it may be because the level of cover is not as comprehensive as others. So, for example, make sure that it's not just third party, fire and theft cover, which can be an affordable alternative but does not cover your own vehicle if you are involved in an accident for which you are culpable.

Finally, make sure that when you request a car insurance quote - whether by a comparison website or directly to an insurer - that you fully disclose all the information requested. You must give details of previous claims and motoring convictions as they will affect the premium you pay. If you do not disclose all the information requested, your cover may be invalid.

Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

Auto Insurance Calculator - A Useful Tool to Use While Shopping For Auto Insurance

Shopping for auto insurance online is the easiest way to save money, but how do you know what amount of coverage you should purchase? The fact is that many people have no idea how much insurance they have on their vehicle. They are unsure whether or not they are covered if an uninsured motorist hits them, and they don't know how much the insurance company will pay out if people are injured in an accident.

All of the above scenarios can have serious financial, and in some cases legal, consequences. The reason people are often unsure of their coverage level is that they simply bought the amount of coverage that was suggested to them by an auto insurance agent.

When shopping for insurance online people don't even have the advice of the agent to go on so many people have found that an online auto insurance calculator is just the tool to help them figure out how much coverage they need.

An online auto insurance calculator is basically a web based tool that asks several questions ranging from your income bracket to you educational level. The questions are each aimed at discovering what your insurance needs may be and when they are all answered you will get a recommended amount of insurance to purchase.

The car insurance calculator is a good tool to use in order to get an idea of what you need, but remember this figure is still an estimate. If you have any unique financial situations this estimate may not indicate what the policy will actually cost. The only way to find this information is to speak with an insurance agent, which you can do after deciding on which company to use for your automotive insurance needs.

The automobile insurance calculator is a good tool to use in order to obtain a ballpark figure of your insurance needs, but it should be used in conjunction with other methods when searching for a new insurance policy.

Auto Insurance Questions - Answers to Important Auto Insurance Questions

Auto insurance is something everyone needs, but not everyone understands. This is not surprising considering that the average auto insurance policy is several pages long and is written in legalese. Unfortunately most of us are not lawyers so legalese needs to be translated for us to understand it. On the bright side, coverage is not as complicated as the dense wording in the policy would make it seem.

Auto insurance is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country and this is a good thing for the typical consumer. Most states spell out exactly how much coverage you need and every state, excepting New Hampshire, requires your vehicle to be insured.

The state recommendations are a good guideline for the type of car insurance policy you should consider, but remember the state recommendations are for the minimum amount of protection required. It is usually a good idea to purchase more than the minimum amount.

If you are in a higher tax bracket you should definitely have more than the minimum amount for protection. You should also carry more coverage if you have other assets. Basically you want your auto insurance to shield you from any repercussions that may result from an auto accident that you are involved in.

The good news is that increasing your auto insurance coverage does not usually cost much more money. In some cases you can buy fifty thousand more dollars worth of coverage for just a few dollars per month.

The best way to find an affordable policy that meets your financial needs it to search for a policy online. This will allow you to compare costs and benefits of policies side by side. The other benefit to shopping for vehicle insurance online is that it takes very little time.

Remember that the auto insurance company is working hard to earn your business. Any company worth doing business with will have an automobile insurance agent who can answer any other auto insurance questions you may have.

Why Just One Speeding Ticket May Significantly Increase Your Auto Insurance Rates

Most drivers drive faster than posted speed limits, at least now and then, and many speed every time they get behind the wheel. It does not seem to matter that average speed limits across the country are higher now than they were a decade ago. Whatever the speed limit is, a substantial percentage of drivers are going to push beyond it; whether its because they are running late, because they are not paying attention to their speed, because they have a new sports car or because they just plain enjoy driving fast, and so on. Clearly, there are not enough highway patrol officers to give speeding tickets to all those who speed, which means that the odds always favor the speeder in terms of not getting caught and ticketed.

Until they do have a speeding ticket, most drivers give little thought to how this may affect their auto insurance rates. They may be in for an unpleasant surprise. To the cost of the ticket itself may be added an even more expensive increase in their auto insurance rates. In cases of extreme speeding, a drivers cost for auto insurance could double even on a first offense.

Why do insurers often raise rates after only one speeding ticket? Its simple. Numerous studies by highway safety experts show that the faster you go, the more deadly it is, says Jeanne Salvatore, spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, an industry trade group. Theres a higher possibility youre going to cause a lot of damage to people or property.

If youre cited for speeding, your insurer may tack a temporary surcharge on your policy for three years. At one large auto insurer, the surcharge may raise your rate by up to 26% the first year, then will gradually decline and disappear after three years, as long as you have no more moving violations.

The size and duration of the increase varies depending on several factors, including:

Your driving record and your relationship with the insurance company. Some insurers waive the surcharge if the customer has had a long relationship with the company and previously had a clean driving history.

Where you live. Insurance is regulated by the states, and different states have different laws regarding rate increases. Some states dont allow insurers to impose a surcharge for first-time speeding tickets, while others require insurers to raise rates for some speeding violations. For example, a single male driver who lives in Phoenix and receives one speeding ticket will experience an average rate increase of 16%, but the same driver will pay no more if he lives in Philadelphia.

How much you were exceeding the speed limit. An analysis by USA TODAY found that 10% of ticketed drivers in 2002 were extreme speedersdrivers who exceeded 90 mph or 15 mph above any speed limit. Extreme speeding is considered reckless driving, a major violation. Even a first-time citation can more than double your insurance rates.

Speeding may also affect insurance rates other than for auto insurance. Insurance companies may look at your driving record when deciding whether youre a high-risk customer and could charge you higher rates for life, health, disability or long-term care insurance.

On average, auto insurance rates are expected to rise by 6% in 2004, following an estimated 8.5% increase in 2003, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The average annual cost for auto insurance is estimated to be $898 this year, up $51 from 2003. Avoiding speeding can keep your costs from going up even more.

Once upon a time in the ancient pastat least 30 years ago, anywaythere was a series of public service ads on television and radio with the overall message, Speed kills. One showed a clock and then a car speedometer pushing up past 65: Dont try to catch this hand [the clock] with this one [the speedometer], the announcer advised. In other words, it might be better to be late than dead or seriously injured. Its been a long time since there was a public campaign aimed at getting Americas drivers to slow down and save lives. But that doesnt mean speeding is any safer. Speeders are still more likely to have accidents injuring themselves and/or others than drivers who obey speed limits. An increase in insurance rates caused by speeding is troublesome, but even worse is the increased risk of death or serious injury.

Can you buy full coverage auto insurance for salvage vehicles?

Vehicles can get a "salvage" title when they have been salvaged or repaired when damages incurred are close to the total replacement value of the vehicle. These vehicles generally have a lower value due to factors such as safety, reduction of structural stability, major damage repair etc. By laws, a salvage vehicle will hold that title and will be indicated on the registration or title.

Auto insurance companies may look at salvage vehicles as unsafe, high risk or even unacceptable vehicles. That is why some insurers can reject or charge additional premium (surcharge rates) for salvage vehicles even when purchasing liability coverage only. Although some carriers may accept salvage vehicles for full coverage, one must be aware that in case of a total loss, one may not receive the full value from the insurance company.

Most carriers will not insure salvage vehicles for full coverage or comprehensive and collision coverage; however, if one does come across one that will, it is important to find out what their rules are on vehicle value assessment and how much you may receive in case of a total loss such as theft. It is common that an insurer will pay out 50% of what the vehicle would be worth with a clean title (not salvaged). Some vehicles can get listed as salvage even for damages from water, fire, theft, accidents or any damages resulting in a high cost vs. value ratio.

If needing full coverage for a salvage vehicle, one can shop for auto insurance quotes from a variety of companies in order to find out which insurer can offer the coverage for the specific vehicle at an affordable rate. OnlineAutoInsurance.com allows consumers to complete one simple form and instantly obtain the rates of multiple insurers.