Car Insurance Isn’t Very Hard For Everybody

Today, David tries to undermine the notion that the Republican wave is full of nutcases like O'Donnell or Angle or Miller. Mickey Edwards does the same:

Democrats are not losing to a band of unqualified unknowns. In Indiana, Republican senatorial candidate Dan Coats is a former U.S. representative and senator; Todd Rokita, who seems well poised to win a House seat, is the current Indiana secretary of state. In Illinois, Senate candidate Mark Kirk, who may capture Barack Obama's old seat, is a member of Congress; the Ohio governorship will likely fall to John Kasich, a former Republican congressional leader; Ohio's Senate seat will probably go to Rob Portman, a former House member and administration official; Democrat Tom Perriello appears to be losing his House seat to Robert Hurt, a veteran state legislator; Florida's likely new Senator, Marco Rubio, was speaker of the state House, etc.

Point taken. But one has to ask both Mickey and David: what exactly do they believe voters are repudiating that Obama has actually done?

Do they believe there should have been no stimulus or TARP (begun, of course, by Bush). No auto-bailout (which turns out to have been oddly successful). No financial re-regulation? I think the case comes down to health insurance reform, which included the first ever cuts to Medicare, and according to the CBO will help reduce the deficit. Now, I can see why the – dread word – optics of this might not be politically savvy, since it can be portrayed as "big spending" when, of course, it's carefully budgeted. But given the historical context of first term midterms, the big Democratic victories in 2006 and 2008, and an unemployment rate of almost ten percent, what big thing do Mickey and David think the Dems have done that they really, really shouldn't have?

Or rather: what lesson do Mickey and David want the Dems to learn? If it's a renewed focus on fiscal conservatism, great. I agree. I think Obama does too. But it's hard to tackle the long-term debt without tackling healthcare costs and Medicare, which the health insurance reform, for all its flaws, actually did. And which of the sensible experienced Republicans Brooks and Edwards touts have been candid about the scale of entitlement cuts necessary to address the long term debt without raising any taxes or even allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire?

Guy’s windshield lost a battle with a flying rock, and his insurance company gave him a similar cold-cocking when he tried to find a way to save some money on his deductible. His Sate Farm insurance agent said he wasn’t allowed to repair the windshield through a company that promised him $50 off his upfront costs.

He writes:

I recently had a run in with a large rock while driving down the highway. The damage requires that I have the windshield replaced, something that I have had to do far too often I’m afraid. Anyway it just so happens that last week I received a coupon in the mail from a local glass company offering $50 off of my insurance deductible. My wife called to schedule the appointment and mentioned the coupon and was told that State Farm (my insurance company) won’t allow a coupon to be applied towards my deductible.

This doesn’t make any sense to me. How can State Farm control whether an independent company chooses to give me a discount? If the auto glass company wants to give me $50 off my deductible how is it State Farms business? After all it is the company that is giving me a discount and making a lesser profit – not State Farm.

I’m not insured by State Farm, but have faced similar situations when looking for companies to replace my windshield. The competition is so fierce that some cut you checks in return for your business. I’ve found the best policy is to book the appointment and then let the contractor haggle with your insurance company to seal the deal.

Asking for permission from your insurance company beforehand is a sure way to failure, since insurers have preferred companies they work with who aren’t keen on passing along their profits to you.

auto insurance

Vehicle Insurance Is Not Really Difficult For Many

You are thinking about a car trip to Mexico but you’ve never been there before and you’re wondering about insurance. Is there special insurance needed for Mexico? What type of insurance is needed for my car? Will my insurance from home cover me in Mexico? Do I need medical insurance?

The first thing you should know is that your U.S. insurance will not cover you in Mexico. Mexico does not recognize U.S. insurance so yes; you do need special insurance in Mexico. You must have auto liability insurance and getting short-term health insurance is a good idea.

You could wait until the last moment and buy your auto insurance at the border but you can avoid the wait and the hassle by getting it ahead of time.

Get collision, certain weather events, total theft and fire. The main exclusions are vandalism and partial theft. Mexican insurance figures the deductible as a certain percentage of the value of the car. There are no claims for pain and suffering and personal injury lawyers do not exist in Mexico. This is either very refreshing or awful, depending on your point of view. What it means for you is that an ideal limit for liability insurance is about $100,000. Don’t go for a split like$40/$80/$40 thousand. It is best to go with large, proven companies.

Health care in Mexico is generally good although there are some exceptions.

Health care in the larger cities is often at the cutting edge. You can purchase short term travel medical insurance for from 15 days to 12 months. Your coverage should include the cost of medical evacuation back to the States and this can cost from $15,000 to $25,000. One place on the Internet to find Mexican Health Insurance companies is Med to Go.

Now that you have good auto and health insurance, you can travel to and around Mexico with peace of mind. Hasta la vista.

It’s Time To Save Money On Insurance Premiums Now!

These days, it seems as though there are just two types of people in the world- those who will buy online and those who still prefer to hand their cash to a real, live person. There are two perspectives of this, the determination of whether to purchase auto insurance online or buy it in person. One of these is just how much you really trust your computer, and the other is how much human interaction you really need to buy an auto insurance policy.

The security issue of doing business online is still a tricky one; a problem which in all honesty is one which has not yet been fully resolved. If this is your reasoning for not wanting to commit yourself to purchasing auto insurance online, keep one thing in mind: even if you go to visit your friendly local insurance agent to purchase your auto insurance, they’re going to have to send your personal info (including your credit card number) into the limbo that is the internet from there, too. The question then becomes: how much upselling are you willing to put up with for that peace of mind?

Laying aside the threat of identity theft, purchasing auto insurance over the internet is a quick, safe, and painless process that can take less time than it takes to finish your morning cup of coffee. You’ll receive a no obligation quote (so long as you are dealing with a reputable company) and should you choose to purchase, you’ll often be able to print out your insurance card, or at least a temporary one, immediately. The other benefit to buying auto insurance online is that you can quickly check quotes from as many different insurers as you want, making comparison shopping equally painless. So, to review the positives for buying car insurance online:

1. It’s a quick, easy painless process
2. You can often print a temporary insurance card immediately
3. You can compare multiple quotes from several sources quickly

And the negatives:

1. Potential for identity theft

Purchasing from a flesh-and-blood insurance agent also has its benefits, however. You can always do your comparison shopping online and then go to an agent if you feel at all confused about your coverage. The internet, while uniquely suited to providing information, falls woefully short of acceptable in appropriate information. Skeptical? Try typing “auto insurance” into your search bar. If you’ve hit upon this article, than you’ve done well. There are so many insurance companies out there that rifling through them for information of a non-biased sort is going to be practically impossible to find. This is where an agent can step in and clear the air, so to speak.

Your auto insurance agent is uniquely suited to provide the right information at the right time. If you have questions concerning coverage, an agent is the one to ask. If you have questions about discounts, an agent is the one to ask. Be willing to spend some time with them to really understand what coverage you’re getting and under what circumstances you’ll be covered, and what circumstances you won’t. Be aware, though, that first and foremost, your insurance agent is a salesperson, and that it is their job to sell you the farm. Be aware of what you don’t need, and don’t let them talk you into something you don’t understand.

Both methods have their positives, buying car insurance online and in person, and by and large, it comes down to which method you’re most comfortable with. If you’re comfortable with the internet, by all means, use it. If you have your doubts, however, and still prefer that handshake before you leave the office, then there’s someone there to take care of you, too.

Begin To Save The Most On Automobile Insurance

In the state of Michigan, auto insurance is the law. Michigan’s mandatory auto insurance is called Michigan No Fault Insurance. Michigan’s no fault system has been in place since 1973. No fault means, if you are involved in an accident, it doesn’t matter who is at fault. Your auto insurance covers you, and the other party’s auto insurance covers them.

Michigan No Fault Insurance applies to owners of passenger vehicles, light trucks, vans, and motorcycles. In Michigan, owners of these types of vehicles are prohibited from registering their vehicles until the minimum liability auto insurance requirements have been met. Michigan insurance laws state that all drivers must carry $20,000 bodily injury liability for one person, $40,000 bodily injury liability for all injuries in one accident, and $10,000 property damage liability (20,40/10). Because Michigan’s minimum requirements are low, most insurance providers will recommend purchasing higher amounts than the bare minimum and/or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

In addition, proof of liability insurance must be carried in the vehicle at all times. Once you obtain auto insurance from an agent or company licensed to do business in the state of Michigan, you will receive a Michigan No Fault insurance certificate. This certificate must be carried in the vehicle at all times. Under Michigan law, a la enforcement officer can request proof of insurance for any reason at any time. If you fail to provide proof of auto insurance upon request, the Secretary of State will suspend your driver’s license. Your driver’s license cannot be reinstated until you provide proof of insurance. And according to Autoinsurancetips.com, until proof of insurance is shown, the Secretary of State will not renew, transfer, or replace your vehicle’s license plate. The cost to have you license reinstated could cost up to $50 plus any other fees required by Michigan law.

When you are ready to begin shopping for Michigan auto insurance, you should have the following information on hand: car year, make and model, how much you drive, and prior insurance coverage (if applicable). In addition, auto insurance agents will ask a series of questions to help assess risk. These include: age, gender, where you live, employment, number of drivers, and driving record. In addition, many Michigan auto insurance providers will ask you to provide a social security number. Insurance companies use credit history to help assign an insurance risk score. Auto insurance companies believe that individuals with a low credit score are more likely to file claims. In some cases, a low credit score will cause higher rates or the insurance company may refuse to extend an insurance offer altogether.

In 2008, Michigan residents paid an average of $980 per year for auto insurance making Michigan the 13th most expensive state in the nation for auto insurance. At $1,140 per year, the most expensive place in the U.S. for auto insurance is the District of Columbia, followed by New Jersey at $1,104, and Louisiana $1,096.

For more information about Michigan Auto Insurance, the following links may be useful:

Michigan_Auto_Insurance – Autoinsurancetips.com

http://www.michigan.gov/sos – Department of State, Michigan

No-Fault Insurance Explained: What Is It? What Does It Mean For You? – Autoinsurancetips.com

Save More On Car Insurance

Most teens are insured under their parents’ auto insurance coverage the first couple of years that they start driving. However, many teens, when they graduate high school and either go to college or begin a new job, wonder if they should now get their own car insurance. There are both pros and cons to staying under your parents’ car insurance policy.

One of the pros is that there are certain discounts your parents can get by buying a group auto insurance policy. For instance, many insurance companies offer discounts for multiple cars. Plus, your parents can probably get cheaper rates because they can get breaks for owning a home and having an established credit history. And if there are multiple drivers listed under one policy, then all of the driving records are taken at average, so if you don’t have a good driving history, then their good driving records will help you obtain lower prices. Last, you don’t have to go through the process of getting a quote, deciding what coverage to carry, or have the responsibility of paying the bill.

The cons are that you have to pay your share of the auto insurance to your parents rather than directly to the auto insurance company. Your parents could get a bit angry if you don’t pay your share on time and family disputes could arise. Plus, you aren’t getting the experience or learning the responsibility of having to pay your own bills on time. Next, if your parents have an expensive car, chances are their rates are going to be higher because a group auto insurance policy mandates that all drivers be insured under every vehicle. Your parents, consequently, may not like that their rate is higher because of you.

Those are some of the pros and cons of staying under your parents’ car insurance. Granted, there are a few more pros than cons. However, the cons could be weighed more heavily by your parents.

Save More Money On Car Insurance

It is no secret that car insurance is expensive regardless of your vehicle, age, gender, and driving record. However, obtaining an affordable car insurance plan is not impossible; it just takes a bit of negotiating and research before you start the process. This article will include a checklist with 10 tips and tricks for getting cheap car insurance.

1. Do you know the competition?

Insurance companies may have a set quote they offer you, but with a bit of haggling you can get that quote lowered significantly. Knowing the prices and offers from the competition gives you a huge advantage when it comes to taking down the cost of your car insurance policy.

2. Know the blue book value and risk of your vehicle

Knowing both the blue book value and the risk your vehicle poses (theft, damage rate in accidents, and reliability) helps you get a lower cost insurance policy. Knowing both these values will insure that you are not overpaying for your policy.

3. Shop around

The absolute best way to get a cheap car insurance policy is to shop around at multiple auto insurance companies.

4. Know your driving record

Nothing jacks up a car insurance rate like moving violations in your vehicle. Before shopping for cheap car insurance make sure that you have your driving record available since it will be asked for.

5. Make, model, year, millage, VIN, and previous accident reports

When shopping for car insurance make sure that you have the make, model, year, mileage, VIN and all previous accident reports. All these documents or information will be asked when filling out a car insurance application form.

6. Do you have multiple vehicles?

Having multiple vehicles will help you get a cheap car insurance policy by offering a substantial discount on the policy. If you insure your vehicle on the same plan as your home you will also get a substantial discount.

7. Know the discounts

Discounts such as good student, safe driver, multiple vehicle discounts, and safe vehicle discounts are all common discounts that drivers may be eligible for. Make sure you apply all discounts to get the best possible rate.

8. Higher deductibles?

To save money on your car insurance premium you may want to opt for a higher deductible plan.

9. What plan do you really need?

There are many different car insurance policies available, make sure you know exactly what you are looking for; if you get more than you want you will be paying much more than you expected.

10. What is the minimum insurance requirement of your state?

One of the most obvious ways to get cheap car insurance is to look at what the minimum requirements that your specific state requires. You may be paying hundreds less per year by knowing this information instead of being up sold by an insurance agent.

Sources:

Personal experience

www.edmunds.com

Save The Most On Insurance

When it comes to auto insurance, most people try to obtain the lowest price possible, whether that be a charge per month, quarterly or per year. That is certainly understandable, for auto insurance can be a very costly necessity for adults over age sixteen, these days. However, individuals should realize that sometimes you get what you pay for when it comes to this type of insurance. If an auto insurance quote is extremely low, it is very wise for consumers to examine the details of the plan closely before purchasing. For spending a little extra on your insurance for a better contract sometimes far outweighs paying a very low amount for a raw deal. One needs to look at the benefits he or she will receive from the auto insurance in the long run.

One major inclusion that some auto insurance agencies offer is management in the incidence of theft. While it would be nice to believe that we are excluded from the possibility of being a grand theft auto victim, due to our place of residence or area of employment, or simply due to extra precautions we may take to protect ourselves from such a crisis, auto theft can happen to anyone. Even people who properly secure their autos in a garage at night or who have the most top notch, high class security locks. People need to be aware that they could be an auto theft victim at any time and thus, select an auto insurance carrier accordingly.

So what does one look for in a potential auto insurance carrier in terms of theft management? Each auto insurance company offers varying agreements but here are some questions to ask the sales agent when inquiring about the particular auto insurance quotes:

1) Find out how serious the auto insurance company takes car theft.
Ask the sales representative the general policy of his or her auto insurance agency when it comes to handling a policy holder’s stolen car. The goal here is to guage how much emphasis and dedication the auto insurance company places in regards to one of these dire situations. When your auto is stolen, you want to know you have the most devoted experts on the case. You also want to know that the auto insurance employees take great concern in your situation. All auto insurance companies offer different services but pry a little into the happenings behind the scene of your auto agency. You may hear that auto agency A assigns individual case managers to each theft file; you may learn that Agency B has an entire department strictly devoted to auto theft; or you may be disappointed to find out that your once favorite Company C has a very vague procedure for dealing with the theft of your auto and therefore, seems likely to leave your paperwork in the dust and/or leave your voicemails unreturned in the crucial moments following your auto disaster. Basically, the rule in finding the proper information out about auto theft and your auto insurance agency is just to not be afraid to bombard the representative with questions and use your intuition depending on how well they are able to answer this concern to ascertain whether or not auto theft is an important matter to the agency.

2) Determine the auto agency’s policy on rental cars in case of auto theft.
If your car gets stolen, you are obviously going to need a new form of transportation right away. Be sure before choosing auto insurance agencies that you are fully aware of how long it would take to receive a rental car that is covered by your auto insurance policy in case of theft and any requirements that exist around the ability to be eligible for one. Car rentals are expensive and some auto insurance agencies only cover a few days. Consider the length of time it might take to buy another auto while you explore this factor.

3) How much?
This is an obvious one, but definitely something not to be neglected. How much money will your auto insurance company give you toward a new car? Be sure to inquire thoroughly about this ahead of time. Ask your agent detailed scenarios such as “What if I left my doors unlocked?” or “What if I opted out of the security alarm function?” Auto insurance agencies try to reduce their own payouts as much as possible so things like consumer mistakes very often cause them to happily withhold money. Make sure you are fully aware of these contingencies.

These are only a few of the factors to consider when it comes to choosing an auto insurance agency according to the way they deal with auto theft, but they are crucial points. Overall, individuals should simply use common sense and do extensive research with many questions to a auto insurance representative before making an auto insurance agency commitment. Just as individual humans have their own specialty and niche areas of expertise, so do all companies and auto insurance agencies are no different. Don’t be afraid to investigate each and every option until you find the right auto agency for you.