Auto Insurance Law

Florida Auto Insurance – A Simple Way To Pay Less

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:49:10 +0000

Some states pay more for auto insurance than others. Florida is one such states. Does that mean that there’s nothing that you can do to lower your Florida Auto insurance rates? No! You can do something now to get lower rates.

But first, let’s take time out to understand the minimum requirement if you drive in Florida or have a vehicle that stays up to 90 days a year in the state.

The state requires that you have coverage that takes care of you despite who’s at fault. It’s called the No Fault Law. The other law is only for those who have shown financial irresponsibility and is known as Florida’s Financial Responsibility Law. Florida’s Financial Responsibility Law demands that you have a certain coverage limit for when you’re at fault.

For the No Fault Law, you need a minimum of $10,000 each for personal injury and property damage. The Financial Responsibility Law stipulates as minimum coverage for others when you’re at fault: $20,000 if an accident involves more than a person, $10,000 if it’s just one person and $10,000 coverage for property damage.

Now that we have made sure everyone understands what we are expected to do by law, how do we lower your Florida auto insurance costs?

By using auto insurance quotes sites.

You can get up to five quotes from an insurance quotes site (especially those run by independent insurance brokers like the ones I recommend). You’ll get Florida auto insurnace quotes immediately after giving the details required in the forms provided. This will take between 3-5 minutes.

But for you to really be sure you’ve got the lowest Florida auto insurance quote make sure you request quotes from up to five insurance quotes and comparison sites.

By: Chimezirim Chinecherem Odimba

Georgia Auto Insurance – Requirements and Tips to Reduce Rates

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 23:15:04 +0000

Auto insurance is necessary for all vehicle owners in Georgia . You need to have valid proof of sufficient auto insurance even before you register or secure the title of your vehicle. These days it is a simple process to insure your vehicle in Georgia , which is in deep contrast to extensive law jargon until very recently.

How can I prove my insurance?

GA auto insurance providers give you an insurance card or tag as proof of your insurance. Card provides all details of your vehicle, available coverage, policy number, policy’s validity period, coverage details, full description of vehicle with details of make, model, identification number, etc. Additionally, you need license of Regulatory Services Division of Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner’s office (ICO).

Do all vehicles need similar coverage?

Certain vehicles like mopeds, bicycles, and golf carts, non-motorized vehicles like campers and trailers, and all-terrain vehicles are exempt from registration. These do not require any auto insurance.

Where to look for my auto insurance

You can come across innumerable insurance companies offering GA auto insurance through their web sites on the Internet. You can gather details regarding premium amounts, coverage, etc. and collect different quotes. You can then compare rates and coverage and choose the best auto insurance suited to your needs.

What happens when I do not use my vehicle at all?

Sometimes you may not use your vehicle for long periods. You can then cancel your auto insurance tag with county’s tax commissioner. You need not surrender your tag.

Can I reinstate my insurance tag?

Yes, you can reinstate your insurance tag by paying all accrued taxes and other fees like registration etc. You also need to prove adequate coverage amounts. Thereafter, you can operate your vehicle after passing satisfactory emission inspection.

However, according to Georgia auto insurance laws, you cannot operate your vehicle if you have insufficient liability coverage or a suspended or canceled insurance tag.

By: Austin Davis

California Auto Insurance – The Complete Lowdown

admin — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:31:33 +0000

How many times each week do you get in your car? Twenty? Thirty? Or maybe you’re driving to work and to run errands, and you’re shuttling your kids from activity to activity. Forty times? Fifty? With gas costs rising, you’re probably paying more attention to your driving habits. But how long has it been since you thought about your car insurance?

Every state in the United States requires that licensed drivers carry auto insurance, and California is no difference. California auto insurance laws are similar to laws in other states. The minimum level of auto insurance in CA is called “liability insurance.”

Liability auto insurance in CA must meet the following statutory minimum limits: it must cover bodily injury of one person in one accident up to $15,000; it must cover bodily injury of every person in one accident up to $30,000; and it must cover property damage up to $5,000 for any one accident. It is crucial to note that this is the absolute minimum level of coverage – and that it is required by law.

Every driver must carry proof of insurance at all times. This is done for your safety and for the safety of others. It ensures that, in the event of an accident, both parties will be able to trade accurate information and resolve the situation as quickly as possible.

California requires that you carry proof of auto insurance. Failing to have this available so can cause significant problems. Without proof of proper CA auto insurance, you can not register a new vehicle or even renew an existing one. Also, if you are caught without the necessary proof, either by the Department of Motor Vehicles or a police officer, then your registration may be suspended until you are able to provide proof. Losing the right to drive until you resolve this can really be a hardship.

You know now how important it is to have auto insurance in CA. Minimum liability coverage might sound like a lot of money, but many insurance companies currently offer minimum coverage at affordable rates. If you do a little bit of research, you can get insured for a reasonable price – and if you have a good driving record, that price will go down. Ultimately, it’s much safer, and much cheaper, to abide by the law and get car insurance. If you get in an accident, you’ll save money, and if you drive safely, you’ll be a law-abiding citizen.

By: Daniel Wright

Auto Insurance Rates – Does the Color of Your Car Matter?

admin — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 03:28:35 +0000

Someone at some place during some point in time started a rumor that owning a red car means you will get more speeding tickets and have higher insurance rates. The reason I have heard most often is due to red standing out more from other cars and therefore the police officers eye sees the red car and pulls it over even though other say, black cars driving near the red car are speeding as well. This reasoning seems somewhat logical, but what about for car insurance rates? Does owning a certain color of car affect your prices?

Perhaps the primary reason for the continued presence of this alleged myth is the psychology behind how a certain person chooses their car color of choice. Studies on this matter have determined a theory that people who purchase a red vehicle like to drive fast or feel as if they need to speed through everything in life. That statistic provides a direct correlation between the “more speeding tickets” portion of the myth, so maybe there really is something to this.

Not to ruin the article, but the short answer to ‘Does the color of your car affect your auto insurance rates?’ is no, it does not. The only time this may be possible is if the insurance agent that sees your car when you pull into their parking lot or as they take pictures of your vehicle for their records does not like the color of your car and takes it out personally on your policy. If you feel this is being done, it’s probably best to move on from that company anyway, but that’s another story.

Sometimes the suggestion has been made that the Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN has a certain code to notify the color of the car, but this is not the case. The VIN does not store details on car color in its code.

Car insurance companies look at several other factors though, such as the year, make and model, how big your engine is, and also your previous driving record and where you live. Where you live is usually determined by zip code. So, if your favorite color is candy apple red, go ahead and buy that car or paint your current car without worry of being pulled over more or getting robbed with high insurance rates.

By: Tod F.

Phoenix Car Insurance – Getting Low Quotes Online

admin — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:27:51 +0000

If you live in Phoenix and want to save on car insurance there are a few things you can do. Here are some tips.

Car insurance rates for Phoenix drivers, and other drivers in Arizona may be a little higher than other parts of the country but are still competitive. The key to saving is to take some time and get some comparison quotes. This is because rates can vary from one company to the next. An easy way to do this is online.

First, gather some information about your desired coverages and deductibles. You want to provide the same information for each quote in order to get an apples-to-apples comparison. One way to do this is to get your existing Arizona auto insurance policy out. Or, write down on a piece of paper the limits of coverage, deductibles, car make and model information and drivers license numbers.

Also, keep in mind the minimum requirements for coverage by Arizona law:

Bodily Injury. Minimum of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident.

Property Damage. Minimum of $10,000 per accident.

These are the minimums and you may want to increase those for added peace of mind. Unfortunately, there are also quite a few underinsured and uninsured drivers in Phoenix so you might want to add those coverages.

Then go online and either visit individual insurance company Web sites and request quotes, or go to an insurance quote comparison Web site. These sites gather quotes from several different insurance agents or companies so you only have to enter your information once.

You can also save money by raising your deductibles. This can lower your premium quite a bit. And take advantage of discounts. For example, if you insure your home and auto with the same company you typically get a discount on your premium — up to five percent sometimes. If you a have a teen driver or college student driver, you may qualify for a good student discount. Senior drivers in Arizona may qualify for a senior driver discount with some companies. Make sure to check all the discounts available when you get your quotes.

By: Justin Scott

Fraud – Auto Insurance Fraud

admin — Tue, 11 May 2010 22:14:36 +0000

In the United States auto insurance fraud is becoming one of the biggest fraud problems this country is faced with. In this article we’re going to discuss some of the more common auto insurance fraud scams and what somebody can do to prevent them.

Today one of the most popular insurance fraud scams involves auto insurance and auto accidents. More specifically, staged auto accidents. These have actually become quite complex to the point where they involve multiple participants. There are many variations of these. We’ll cover the main ones here.

First there is what is called the swoop and squat. This scam involves three vehicles. Two are driven by the criminals and the third is driven by the victim. The driver of the “squat” vehicle positions himself in front of the victim. The person driving the “swoop” vehicle pulls ahead of the squat vehicle and intentionally cuts the vehicle off. This causes the driver of the squat vehicle to slam on his brakes and stop short. Usually, the victim can’t react quickly enough and rams into the squat vehicle. In the meantime, the swoop vehicle that caused the accident takes off and is never seen again. The victim tells police that the swoop vehicle caused the accident, but because that vehicle can’t be located the victim ends up having to pay for the damage and any personal injury claims.

Then there is what is known as the side swipe. This type of accident usually happens at busy intersections with dual left hand turn lanes. The criminal positions his vehicle in the outer left turn lane. When the victim’s vehicle drifts into the outer turn lane the criminal side swipes him. To make sure the scheme works the criminal does preliminary surveillance to make sure that the intersection is busy enough where drifting will occur because of the amount of traffic.

Another common auto accident scam is what is known as the Panic Stop. In this scheme the criminal drives a late model car filled with a lot of passengers. The criminal will then position himself in front of the victim and have one of the passengers look out the back window watching to see for any signs of distraction such as answering a cell phone call or changing a station on the radio. Any sign that the victim is taking his eyes off the road. Once this happens the passenger signals the driver who then slams on the brakes thus causing an accident. The victim will claim that the criminal stopped short for no apparent reason but usually to no avail. In the meantime the victim has to pay for all damages and injuries reported.

Unfortunately there is only one way to avoid these type of accidents and that is to be observant at all times and keep a safe distance from any vehicle ahead of you. The sad truth is, if all motorists would just obey the speed and distance laws and rules, accidents like these would never happen. But people drive too fast and too close and thus these type of frauds will always be pulled off. Drive safe and smart and your chances of being the victim of auto insurance fraud will be greatly diminished.

By: Michael Russell

Insurance For Illegal Immigrants!

admin — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:24:10 +0000

Do you think that illegal immigrants should be able to buy auto insurance?

New Mexico’s legislature passed a law in 2003 that allows illegal immigrants to get driver’s licenses so that the public would be safer. States regularly deny driver’s licenses to foreign citizens no matter what there immigrant status is. Some states like California began tightening their requirements for driver’s licenses, and many immigrants couldn’t renew their licenses, and their car insurance was cancelled automatically.

Some car insurance companies have seen this as a new golden market. Even though many states deny driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, the law doesn’t prevent insurers from selling insurance to unlicensed drivers and car owners. Big companies like Progressive are writing car insurance for illegal immigrant drivers.

My first reaction to this story was anger. How could those insurance companies reward illegal immigrants with car insurance? But then, I calmed down and began thinking like an insurance claims professional.

The legal arguments about immigration are not my immediate concern, and they shouldn’t be yours, either. The most important thing you should consider is what happens to you if you get into a traffic accident with an unlicensed driver who has no car insurance.

How many times have you heard a news story that told about an illegal immigrant driver that caused an accident, and then took off on foot, abandoning their car? Sometimes, they’ll beg the other driver to let them pay for damages in cash, just so they are not discovered driving without insurance or confronted by police.

I like the fact that the insurance companies are taking a pragmatic position. Illegal immigrants are going to drive cars in North America. Few things will stop them. They are going to drive to and from work whether or not they have a license. Nothing prevents them from owning a car in any state that I know of.

By serving this growing market, the auto insurers are offering protection as they rightfully should. They are staying out of the political fray, and correctly staking their position in the free market. Certainly, this market of illegal immigrants is high-risk insurance, and so the insurers are charging high-risk rates for auto policies. But that’s no different than charging higher rates for American citizens that have had a DUI. Risky behavior gets you higher rates.

But the insurance companies are finding that the illegal driver segment is very profitable. The insurance companies experience good “retention,” meaning that the policies renew regularly. Just as important is the fact that illegal immigrants seldom report small accidents to lower the chances that they’ll have a brush with the law. Companies like Progressive, Farmers Group, Bristol West, Infinity P&C and Alliance United are putting a lot of effort into expanding this part of their book of business.

So, in this case, I think the insurance companies are doing the right thing. The more illegal immigrants that have car insurance, the more we all will be financially protected.

By: Russell Longcore

Medical Payments Coverage in Arizona Auto Insurance Policies

admin — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:56:03 +0000

Understanding the medical payments coverage in Arizona auto insurance policies can seem tricky. Most insurance companies come with several different and optional plans to choose from and buy. Medical payments is just one of those options. Having medical payments is highly recommended, but not mandatory to have on your Arizona car insurance policy.

Arizona Medical Payments Coverage Explained

Medical payments pays for medical expenses in the event that you and those in your car are in an accident. It can also pay for your family members who are riding in another vehicle, or walking down the street. It is completely optional for Arizona policy holders, but is highly recommended because it pays for hospitalization, medical and dental treatment, funeral expenses, prosthetics, and/or nursing services.

Do I Need Medical Payments Coverage In My AZ Auto Policy If I Already Have An Arizona Health Insurance Policy?

If you already have health insurance, having medical payments coverage on your Arizona auto policy may be unnecessary because your health insurance should cover the same events. Of course this is something that you should discuss with your insurance agent to be sure.

It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to you and your family’s protection. If you don’t have health insurance and are looking for a good way to protect yourself in the event of a life-threatening accident, medical payments would be an excellent option to put on your Arizona auto policy. It’s a relatively cheap way to increase your protection on the road so be sure and ask your agent how much this optional coverage will cost to add on to your policy.

All you have to do to start finding out just how cheap your medical payments coverage on your Arizona auto insurance policy can be is to get started comparing rates!

By: James J. Robinson

Car Insurance – Advantages of Owning a Classic Car (Part 2)

admin — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 05:34:38 +0000

As pointed out in the previous article, there is a considerable amount to be saved for those that invest in a classic car compared to purchasing a modern-day car; particularly with regards to insurance, MOT costs and overall value.

Petrol costs are generally similar to an equivalently powered modern-day car. Interestingly, many classic cars can be converted to run on LPG, using the same procedure as modern-day cars. This will obviously have a positive affect on annual fuel costs.

The cost for replacing headlamps, radiator grills, bumpers etc. is usually considerably cheaper than that of modern-day cars. A typical rear lamp for a Morris Minor will cost in the region of

Car Insurance is the Law in Canada

admin — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 23:49:06 +0000

In every Canadian province and territory, whether you are a first time driver or a senior driver, it is the law to have car insurance when you drive your vehicle. If a driver is pulled over by the police, or in a car accident, and found not to have car insurance, the ramifications can be serious. Fines can be severe, demerit points will be applied to the driver’s record, the driver’s license may be suspended or canceled, and the car may even be seized and a substantial fine may be given before one can get the car returned.

If you are involved in a car accident and you do not have car insurance, you find yourself serious financial turmoil. For instance, if another driver is seriously hurt and their car is severely damaged, you may be responsible to pay their medical costs, vehicle repairs, a new vehicle, or the driver may be awarded punitive damages. It could result in financial damages of hundreds of thousands of dollars. You will also be responsible for your own legal costs as well as the other driver’s legal costs.

As well, if you do not have insurance, you may not be able to afford to pay a lawyer to represent you if the other driver is found at-fault for the accident. In some provinces there is a capped amount for the amount of compensation that one can receive. For example, in Nova Scotia, the capped amount for pain and suffering is $2,500. Pain and suffering claims are not part of claims for loss of income, medical expenses, and damage to property.

Having car insurance will protect you against financial devastation. Two important types of car insurance coverage are Liability and Collision Coverage. In Canada, liability is mandatory in every territory and province. This type of insurance covers you if another driver, another person’s property, and the other driver’s car is damaged in the event of an accident. Collision coverage will cover you if your car is damaged in an accident as the result of a collision. Collision is not mandatory in Canada but is recommended for drivers with expensive cars.

There are a number of criteria that insurance companies take into consideration when determining the insurance premium for a particular driver. Drivers with a clean driving record will pay less for their insurance because they are considered low risk compared to drivers that have a history of speeding and other traffic violations. Teen drivers are considered ‘high risk’ because they are less experienced. However, most insurance companies will offer discounts for teen drivers who maintain a specific school grade average or have taken a driver training program.

As well, there are other discounts any driver can take advantage of such as: anti-theft device discount, a discount if one is a member of an auto club, multi vehicle discount, ‘green’ vehicle discount, discount for maintaining low mileage, and more. It is important to ask your insurance company what discounts they offer. As well, the make, year, and model of the car will affect the cost of insurance premiums.

Without having car insurance when driving in Canada one runs the risk of serious financial loss. It makes sense to obey the law when it comes to car insurance because the premium you pay is much lower than what you will pay if you are caught driving without it.

By: Adriana N.