Auto Insurance Term » Accidents

An Intro To Auto Insurance

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 12:38:42 +0000

Although premiums, policies and prices vary widely, the mandate does not. Automobile insurance is an unavoidable expense of driving. Ideally, you will never have use for your auto insurance. In the event that you do; however, you will considerably improve your satisfaction with the claims process by doing thorough research before policy inception.

Begin with an understanding of auto insurance terms:

• Bodily injury (also called liability)

This coverage offsets costs related to the bodily harm and property damage of the other driver(s) when you are at fault in an accident. Insurance companies impose limits on the amounts that they will pay to the victim(s), and for each accident. Your premium amount is determined, in part, by the limits you select. Higher potential payouts by your insurance carrier translate to higher insurance premiums for you, the consumer.

• Collision

In the event that you have an accident, your medical expenses and property damage will be covered if you select collision protection as a part of your plan (again, there are limits).

• Comprehensive

This category covers costs related to damage, theft, vandalism, etc. For example: if someone breaks your car window, you would access your collision coverage to repair the damages. Again, higher payouts mean higher premiums. If cost is a concern, increase your deductible to decrease your premium. The deductible is the amount, usually between $250.00 and $1,000.00; you pay toward accident/theft related expenses before the insurance company contributes.

• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

Although automobile insurance is legally required, some drivers do not comply. If you have an accident with such a driver this coverage will provide some compensation for medical expenses.

Auto insurance can be quite costly, but it is far more expensive to forgo. Many states arrest and/or fine drivers found to be uninsured. Additionally, accidents, theft and damage can create financial chaos for uninsured/underinsured motorists.

When choosing an insurance carrier, make sure that you have chosen a reputable firm that is accessible, responsive and financially solvent. The coverage is of no use to you if you can reach no one to file a claim, or if there is no money to pay it. Check with agencies such as Standard & Poor’s and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to get the information you might not get from a slick brochure or salesperson hoping to close a deal.

By: Nicole Soltau

How Does Short-Term Car Insurance Work?

admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 02:51:52 +0000

If you’re shopping around for car insurance there are dozens of companies willing to offer you policies for 12 months or more. However, what if you only need a policy for a month, a week, or even just a few days?

There are many circumstances in which short-term car insurance may be a better solution than a long term policy. For example, what if you are hiring a car or borrowing a friend’s vehicle? How about if you are allowing a temporary driver such as an overseas visitor to use your motor vehicle? What if you are lending a car to a friend or relative or you have just bought a new car and need to be insured as soon as you drive it away from the dealership?

Thankfully several car insurance providers now offer short-term car insurance. The theory behind it is simple. If you need to add a friend or relative to your policy for a temporary period, there is no risk to your own no-claims bonus. Or you could set up a policy even if you just need to drive someone else’s car for as little as one day.

With a short-term policy there is less risk for the regular policyholder, instant cover is available and the procedure is generally a lot quicker than adding a named driver to a policy.

So what should you look out for when buying a short-term car insurance policy?

Well, most policies are available for 1-28 days, but you should check the length of the term available. Also make sure you can take out another policy at the end of the period should it be necessary.

If you want cheap short-term car insurance than it’s vital to have a good driving record – avoid accidents and convictions, and if you are hiring a car pick something conventional with a small engine.

By: Alex Gregory

How Does Short Term Car Insurance Benefit You?

admin — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:05:19 +0000

If you are planning to drive your friend’s vehicle and don’t have a protective policy with you in case some thing inevitable was to strike, you can get a short term car insurance. You don’t have to get a long term expensive policy for being an occasional driver. Just, opt for a temporary vehicle policy and save a great deal of money in terms of annual premiums. Students who come back home and plan to go for a vacation, can drive down their parent’s vehicle. For this, they need a temporary cover to ensure that you get some kind of a compensation if there is a damage or collision.

You may have bought a new car and would like to drive away at the same time, without even having a proper protective cover. Have you ever wondered if there is any such cover? Yes, there is a cover which can help you drive away your new car. Temporary policies help you precisely with this, have your safe drive! You can also think of adding your wife on the same policy if she is planning to drive your vehicle occasionally.

There is no more of long waiting period. You can get them fast and drive right away!

If your vehicle has hit the other person’s property then your policy will pay a compensation for it. This will also comprise of theft damages and fire to a certain limit. In case of a collision, it is covered under a collision policy. And a comprehensive policy covers all the other things other than a collision. Theft, fire, explosion, accidents, glass breakage etc are covered under comprehensive policy. Talk to your agent and arrive at the most suitable one for you.

By: Arush Keerthi

Auto Insurance Student Driver

admin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:06:39 +0000

There are many issues, concerns, and considerations when thinking about automobile insurance for a student. Many of them have to do with discounts and savings, some have to do with options on coverages. Let’s dive in.

If the student is just getting their driver’s license, the parents can expect to see a hike in their insurance premiums. These hikes historically have been greater for boys than girls (though statistically girls are proving to have more accidents, so this trend is reversing). It is not unheard of for premium rates to increase as much as 50 to 100 percent. Yes, you read that correctly.

That leads to one of the primary courses of action one should take (whether you’re adding a student driver to your policy or not), and that is to do some comparison shopping. Not all insurance providers are created equal and one of the greatest differences may not become apparent until you see how they handle drivers in the 16 to 25 age range. It could pay you greatly to take the time and comparison shop.

The insurance industry is all a numbers game. That is they have researched which types of people tend to be better drivers (have less accidents and claims) than others. They have found a correlation between good grades in school and fewer accidents. Therefore, if a student maintains a B average they can qualify for a “good student discount” which may be as much as 5 to 10%.

Driver’s education program have become pretty much standard fare. Discounts do apply. Some states require such courses for a teen to get their license at age 16, otherwise, it will be at age 18. Driver’s education can provide a discount of up to15%.

Related to a driver’s education program is the safe driving programs that are specifically tied to some insurance providers. Some insurance companies offer their own driver’s safety program. Teens who apply for a complete these programs can qualify for another discount of up to 15%. Check with your insurance provider, or, this may be a consideration when doing your comparison shopping.

Another consideration that can greatly affect automobile insurance premium rates has to the with the car itself. Younger drivers (and many older ones) are greatly enamored with a certain kind of car – their dream car. Many times that translates into much higher premium rates. Cars with more safety features and less horsepower can be much less expensive to insure.

One final insurance matter that often applies to students has to do with short term auto insurance. Of course, the cheapest option is for a student not to be a full-time insured driver. That’s not always possible, but many university students can get by without having or using a car regularly. But the time does come when that person is going to have to drive. Temporary insurance can be secured for as short a time as one (1) day and up to twenty-eight (28) days. That may just fit the bill for a university student needing to drive home for a break or the end of a semester.

By: David Deffenbaugh

Auto Insurance Breakdown

admin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:40:27 +0000

Auto insurance is an important, and, in most states, legally required protection for drivers. Auto insurance applies to vehicles such as cars, trucks, and motorcycles, but also applies to boats. It is primarily designed to protect motorists, but also protects individuals, such as pedestrians, who may be injured by an auto, or property owner’s whose property is damaged by an auto.

There are many different types of auto insurance, so I would like to give you a general overview of the available options. Fortunately, the different types of auto insurance can be easily broken down by the level of coverage that they provide. The levels range from the highest possible to the bare minimum required by law.

First of all, there are two basic categories of auto insurance: collision insurance and comprehensive insurance. Collision insurance covers damage to the vehicle if it is damaged in an accident. Comprehensive coverage offers more protection because it applies to a wider range of situations including theft of the automobile.

It is easiest to start with the minimum level, which is know as liability coverage. Liability insurance pays for injuries or damages sustained by other vehicles and people involved in an accident that is caused by the policyholder. For example, if the motorist causes an accident in which both party’s vehicles are damaged, liability coverage pays only for the damage to the vehicle of the driver who was not at fault in the accident, and not to the driver who was at fault.

Liability is required by law in many states because it also covers personal injury protection to people injured in accidents. Thus, it ensures that any person injured in an auto accident, through no fault of their own, is covered by the insurance of the responsible party.

Personal injury protection (PIP) and medical payments (MP) are not included in liability. However, the next level of insurance, collision insurance does covers these two expenses.

Personal Injury Protection covers the policyholder for time and medical expenses required for the maintenance of a vehicle. This covers lost wages should a person need to bring a vehicle to a mechanic and must miss work as a result.

Insurance can also cover medical payments, which refers to the cost of treatment if the policyholder is injured in an accident and the cost of that treatment exceeds the limits of personal injury protection.

Collision coverage includes the liability of the driver to other parties, personal injury protection, and medical payments. It also covers damage to the policyholder’s own vehicle in the event that it is damaged in an accident, regardless of whether the insured is at fault in the accident or not. Therefore, even in a single car accident, the policy of the driver covers the damage that his or her car incurs. In a two car accident, all damage is covered by the person found to be at fault in the accident.

If the policyholder’s vehicle is damaged so badly in an accident that it must be replaced, collision insurance will pay for the value of the damaged vehicle towards the purchase of a new one. However, collision insurance does not cover the theft of the vehicle, damage from a fire, or damage due to weather, such as hail.

Comprehensive coverage offers a higher level of protection for the policyholder. It covers liability, PIP, MP, and damage to the vehicle if it is involved in an accident. Comprehensive coverage will also pay for a new vehicle if the vehicle of the policyholder is stolen or damaged in a fire.

Although both collision and comprehensive coverage can protect the policyholder from the cost of vehicle replacement, it is not perfect. This is due to the fact that the value of vehicles depreciates over time. These types of insurance will only pay for the value of a totaled (destroyed) vehicle, regardless of the cost of the vehicle when new.

However, there is a third type of insurance that can protect the policyholder from this kind of depreciation. GAP insurance protects the consumer from the depreciation in value of a vehicle.

It is obvious that auto insurance is complex, and it is important to understand all of the available options before making a choice. Different states have varying requirements, so it is important to ask question not only about the type of coverage you are purchasing, but about the requirements of your state, as well. Remember, accidents are called accidents because they are not deliberate, and always come as a surprise. Make sure that you have the appropriate coverage for you and your family in advance, to protect against unforeseen events, such as accidents.

By: Gena Woodard

Is Short-Term Car Insurance Right For You?

admin — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:52:51 +0000

Taking out car insurance on a year’s contract can be wasteful if you only need a policy for a few days a year. However, it is now possible to take out short-term car insurance which can give you the cover you want for just as long as you need it.

What is short-term car insurance?

Driving without insurance is a risky affair – the police have stepped up their efforts to clampdown on offending motorists by working in collaboration with the Association of British Insurers which has found that accidents involving drivers that are uninsured add around £40 a year to an honest motorist’s premiums.

That’s why it’s important to ensure you’re covered no matter how short the term may be that you need a vehicle for. However, most traditional policies need to be taken out for a year – which is why short-term cover was created.

With a short-term policy you can get cover for anything from one day to six months (periods vary depending on the insurer). As you’re only taking out insurance for a short period, it is comparatively low-cost.

Who is it right for?

There are many reasons why you may consider a short-term policy. Some of the most common include:

- Adding a named driver – Perhaps someone needs to use your car, such as a visiting friend or a child returning from university for the summer. Instead of adding them to a policy for the full year, you can take out a temporary policy.

- Car hire vehicles – You may need insurance to cover you while you use a car hire vehicle or a removal van, for example.

- Learner drivers – If the plan is for a teenager to buy their own vehicle as soon as they pass a driving test, then consider taking out short-term car insurance for their learning period so they don’t cause your car insurance premiums to rise substantially. Specific learner driver policies are available.

How can you get short-term car insurance?

Generally policies are defined as temporary (one-28 days) or monthly (one-six months). They are offered by a host of insurers in the UK so it’s well worth shopping around online before you buy.

By: Alex Gregory