Article
| Exposing the Car Insurance Quote Mystery |
| By: Jay B Stockman |
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Congratulations, you have just purchased the car of your dreams; you worked a great deal, now it is time to insure it. Car insurance is mandatory in all states, and must be maintained throughout ownership. Insurance quotes can vary from company to company, and there are a few factors that you can control, and other factors you cannot. A full understanding of how insurance quotes are arrived at, will give you the best rate, and maximum coverage.
Factors that cannot be controlled include the age of the driver. Common sense tells us that a new driver would be more of a risk to an insurance company, than an established driver. Therefore a driver in their early 20's would pay a higher premium than a driver in their 40's.
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Further, elderly drivers have poor reaction time, and similarly would pay more of a premium. The ideal driving age would be between 35 to 55 years; anyone younger, or older would pay more.
Gender is another uncontrolled factor that insurance quotes are based on. Statistically, insurance companies see females as safer drivers than males. As a result, female drivers pay less than their male counterparts.
There are factors, which we can control, namely the amount of traffic tickets and accidents. A ticket is a violation of law that could potentially result in an accident. Insurance companies frown on this, and will penalize the driver with higher rates. Similarly, accidents could indicate a pattern of behavior; as such the driver is penalized with higher rates.
Where you live is another controlling factor that effects insurance quotes. Living in a rural area, puts the driver at much less risk of accident or theft as compared to living in a city. As a result, city drivers will pay a larger premium than rural drivers with very few exceptions.
Want to drive a Porsche 911 Carrera? It will cost you. The more your car is worth, the higher your insurance quote will be. The logic should be obvious.
Car insurance companies are now looking at your credit worthiness. Do you have excessive, outstanding credit, or no credit at all? If so, you are a risk in the eyes of the insurance companies, and will get socked with higher insurance quotes. Keeping your credit in check will show the insurance companies you are responsible, both financially, and on the road. As a result, you will pay lower premiums.
Your occupation can put you at a higher risk. Jobs that require many hours of driving, or driving in hazardous conditions, or places will put your quote at a higher rate. Less driving, and exposure to high-risk opportunities, will result in lower premiums. Additionally you want to keep your annual mileage down to a minimum. The more miles you drive, the greater the risk of accident.
Vehicle theft is a risk factor that can easily be minimized. Most companies will give you a discount for having better security for your vehicle. An alarm, or another approved anti-theft device will usually result in some discount. Some companies may insist on having such devices installed on more expensive and desirable cars before they even consider offering you a price.
Some companies look favorably on drivers who have taken a defensive driver’s course. They see this as a commitment to safer driving, thereby lowering the risk of accident, resulting in lower premiums.
Keep in mind these are just general guidelines, and the difference in price between various companies can be significant. What one company may consider a high-risk factor another company may not view as so important. The bottom line, keep your credit in check, be careful on the road and choose a car that fits your budgets.
About the Author
Jay B Stockman is a contributing editor for Car Insurance Quotes Resource Visit http://www.car-insurance-usa.com/ for more information. |
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| 5 Steps To Cheap Car Insurance Premiums |
| By: Simon Markham |
Although car insurance is compulsory, it's not necessary to pay more than you have to. A few simple steps combined with some time surfing for competitive car insurance rates really can save you serious money.
Step 1 - Cut The Insurer's Risk
The easiest way to cut your car insurance premiums is to cut the insurer's risk and accept a higher voluntary excess. An insurer's standard excess may be £100 but if you meet the first £250 of any claim, you'll see a reduction in your premium. This is because you're taking on more of the risk so you get a discount. But it's a gamble, be aware that you might have to meet the cost of a broken window after an attempted theft, then a bill for repairing bodywork damage after a car park crunch.
Step 2 - Security
Fitting security devices can also result in cheap car insurance premiums. All major insurers insist on Thatcham rated security equipment, usually a minimum of an alarm. If you live in a high-risk area for car crime, it makes sense to fit extra security. It saves you money when your insurance renewal is due and gives you extra peace of mind.
Step 3 - Annual Mileage
If your annual mileage is, 5,000 miles or less, ask insurers if they offer discounts for agreed mileage restrictions.
Step 4 - Named Drivers
Adding a named driver to your policy can increase or reduce your premiums depending upon the named drivers age, sex and driving record. Adding a young driver will increase your premiums, particularly with a limited or poor driving record. However, adding a driver over 30 years old with a long and clean driving record can cut premiums, particularly if the named driver is female!
Step 5 - Shop Around
The biggest car insurance savings come from shopping around. This has been made much easier with the explosion of the internet. There can be massive differences between the lowest and highest car insurance quotes for exactly the same car and driver(s). Start off using good comparitive online car insurance quote sites like Moneysupermarket and Screentrade, take their best quotes and go direct to the cheapest car insurance companies for more detailed quotations.
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