Posts Tagged ‘Car Insurance Companies’

Direct Car Insurance Made Easy

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Direct Car Insurance is the option of buying your car insurance directly from an authorized insurance company instead of going through insurance middlemen and independent agents.

To explain let us take this example. If you are sick with pain in your joints, there are two options you can choose from. You either go to a general practitioner and he would recommend certain medicines that would ease your pain. Or, you proceed directly to an orthopedic specialist, one who specializes in illnesses related to the bones of the human body. Chances are that the bone specialist would be able to diagnose the exact nature of your ailment and prescribe maybe some medicines or exercises that will at once have better effect on your condition. The general practitioner would probably have an idea about your actual condition but may not be in a position to accurately treat it.

Something similar happens when you choose a direct car insurance policy over an indirect car insurance policy.

One may argue that it is far easier to get quotes and information on car insurance policies from multiple indirect sources, as there are plenty in the car insurance market. It may also be a better idea as these indirect car insurers offer a wide variety of services in order to keep their car insurance policies better than the rest.

This is however not without its associated costs. Remember middlemen and independent agents and such indirect car insurers are in a business and not providing you the service out of charity. They obviously are looking for their profits. While on the look of it you may be offered multiple services at some good prices, you must never forget that you are paying a higher rate for the same. The independent car insurance agents are putting in their profits into the quote. The larger these independent car insurance companies are, the higher the hidden costs.

The direct car insurance agencies, on the other hand have their benefits. If you go at first to a direct car insurance company, you will directly be in touch with the car insurance provider itself. These direct car insurance providers are usually large companies which have in house services like emergency pick up vehicles, tie ups with official car service centers, legal advisors and such important services. What happens here is that these direct car insurance providers may not have to outsource their services to other car insurance agencies? Even if they do, they have clear and set procedures that are outlined. This removes the reasons for inordinate delays in providing emergency car services, settling claims and providing interim relief through rent a car services etc.

When you buy a policy from a direct car insurance agency you also save on costs. You can get cheaper car insurance with some very good facilities. Remember it is not the amount of services that you can get but whether those services can be used when you need them.

You may even be able to work out cheaper premiums for flexible periodic payments as well when you go to direct car insurance agencies. And to top it off you may even get some free extra covers along with your standard cover as well. These come in handy and end up saving you some money at a later stage. For example you may get free extended territorial cover or the direct car insurance agency may offer extended legal liability to family members. These would be specific to the district of residence of course.

There are some direct car insurance agencies that also offer you a better premium if you insure more than one car with them. This really gets you a good reduction in your associated costs and it always helps if there is just one direct car insurance agency that has to be co-coordinated with at all times.

There are quite a few car insurance companies which provide direct car insurance and you may need to shop around a little before you actually make your decision. This will also give you adequate knowledge about what the direct car insurance agencies are offering in the car insurance market. So remember, going in for direct car insurance is in the larger picture more beneficial to your pocket!

Car Insurance Deductibles in a Down Economy

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

Many consumers are looking to cut household expenses any way they can in these uncertain economic times.  The first place most households often look is car insurance premiums.  To clarify, a car insurance premium is the amount you pay to the car insurance company on a regular basis (ie monthly) so the car insurance company will fix your car in the event of a car accident.  Car insurance can be considered a necessary evil.  No one likes paying for car insurance.  You have to pay for car insurance when you don’t use it and when you finally need it; car insurance companies make it a major hassle to obtain your money from them to fix your broken car. 

One of the most common ways to reduce your monthly car insurance premium is to increase your insurance deductible.  What is a deductible you ask?  A deductible is the amount of money you pay out of your own pocket in the event of a car insurance claim (i.e. a car accident that is your fault).

As tempting as it may seem to raise your car insurance deductible to reduce your monthly insurance payment, you need to evaluate your financial situation first.  For example, ask yourself, “If I raise my deductible from $1,000 to $2,000 do I have the $2,000 deductible set aside in the event I get into a car accident?”  If the answer is no, you may want to postpone raising your car insurance deductible until you save $2,000 and can comfortably put it aside.  If the answer is yes, you still need to consider your car driving habits and your risk of a car accident.

Your car driving habits can alter your car insurance expenses significantly.  If you are a safe driver and can go a long period of time without getting into a car accident, raising your deductible may be a smart move.  If you are not a safe driver and you frequently get into car accidents, raising your insurance deductible may not be worth it.  The longer you go without getting into a car accident, the more money you save on car insurance expenses.  If you get into a car accident shortly after raising your deductible, you may end up losing money.  Let’s look at an example.

If increasing your deductible from $1,000 to $2,000 decreases your monthly car insurance premium by $25, then it would take 40 months (starting from the date you raise your car insurance deductible) for your monthly savings to cover the $1,000 increase in deductible (40 x $25 = $1,000).  So that means if you have an accident during those 40 months, you are better off keeping your deductible at $1,000.  With your driving record, can you go 3 years and 4 months without a car accident?  If not, you may want to reconsider or change your driving habits.

So, you are a great driver and fully confident in your ability to go 3 years and 4 months without a car accident.  Too bad it’s not that easy and too bad we don’t drive on roads without other vehicles.  You also have to consider other drivers on the road.  We all know there are plenty of dumb drivers on the road.  Due to congestion and higher population, there are a larger number of morons on the road in the city than in the country.  Your chance of getting into an accident in an urban environment is a lot higher than in a rural environment.  So carefully take into consideration where you live, work and play before you raise your car insurance deductible.

Is raising your car insurance deductible right for you?

Car Insurance 

Protect Your Family with Car Insurance

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010

Many families do not think about car insurance until they need it. That’s perfectly natural. However, to save your family some stress and anxiety, be sure that you always have current car insurance. Your car insurance protects you and your car in case of an accident.

Policies vary, so it is critical to check your car insurance policy. Most car insurance policies will cover you if you have a car accident with another car at either you are at fault or it is a no-fault accident. Your car insurance will pay to have your car repaired. This car insurance will also pay to have the other car repaired as well.

Most car insurance policies have a deductible that you must first meet. This is a dollar amount of a claim that you must meet before the car insurance company will pay anything to repair your car. Typically, the more expensive your policy the lower your deductible. When your car insurance is inexpensive there is a strong chance you have a high deductible. It is a wise step to confirm what your deductible is before you have a car accident.

Most car insurance companies offer a variety of deductibles and you can change your deductible limit by paying either more or less. The decision to do this is very personal, and only you can decide which policy would be best for you. There are people who haven’t had an accident in twenty years that want a low deductible. Then there are people who have had a recent accident that want a high deductible. Everyone is different.

Some states in the U.S.A. actually do not require that you have car insurance. However, many states do require that you have both a registered and an insured car. This protects you and the other drivers on the road from any possible accident. Were you to get in any type of car accident, an insured driver is covered for the most part by putting in a claim. An uninsured driver often winds up getting a personal lawsuit from the other driver as a result of the accident. Sometimes the uninsured driver does not have enough assets to pay the other driver what they are owed. Car insurance is a great benefit that certainly protects your family from a potential lawsuit and any other stresses.

Many car insurance policies will also cover your medical bills if you are in a car accident. This includes hospital and surgery bills. Some car insurance policies will pay for physical therapy or reconstructive surgery. There are even car insurance policies that will protect your pets from possible harm. It is nice to know that were your pet to be harmed during a car accident, that the car insurance company would pay their medical bills as well.

Some people may complain about the cost of car insurance and having to pay for it. No one likes having to pay an additional bill. However, the benefits of car insurance far outweigh the negatives of possibly having this type of insurance. There are so many reasons to be happy that you have car insurance. Anyone that is driving a car should have car insurance. To drive without car insurance is to take a real gamble.