Car Insurance How To Find The Best Policy

Car insurance and how to find the best policy for you (and the cheapest!). Find the best deal

Car insurance is something every car owner needs (it is required by law), but car insurance can be an expensive proposition. Depending on your age, driving record, the area you live in, the distance you drive in a given year, and type of car you drive, you could be paying thousands of dollars a year.

As with any purchase, it is smart to shop around, compare quotes and see what best suits your needs. The internet has simplified this process, with insurance companies offering online quote questionnaires that are simple to fill out and usually generate a quote amount quickly. These questionnaires are generally the same, asking for age, driving experience, accident history, whether you have been insured before, distance you drive in a year, distance you drive to work, and whether the vehicle is used for business or pleasure.

These questions give companies a basic profile of your driving record, but the questionnaire will ask other things you should not ignore. Be sure to note if you have any anti-theft devices, how many, and what they are specifically. This is less a problem with modern cars, since most come with at least an alarm pre-installed. However, the more anti-theft devices in the car, such as a kill switch, boomerang, even glass etching, can significantly reduce the amount you pay, especially if you live in an area insurance companies consider “high-risk”.

If you happen to have two or more vehicles, be sure note you’d like a multiple car discount. Generally, this won’t reduce your rate, but it won’t increase it much (if at all) either. If you’re planning on selling your other vehicle, one trick is to cover that vehicle for liability only, so you can get the discount.

If you’re part of any groups or organizations, see if you qualify for a discount. Many insurance companies will knock off a few dollars for people who are affiliated with professional organizations, alumni groups, even fraternities and sororities. Check with your credit card company, too. Credit card holders can also qualify for group discounts, depending on the card.

Consider combining your home insurance policy with your car insurance. Most companies will offer a deep discount if you do this, ranging from 5 to 20 %. This is usually an option you’ll find at the beginning of the online questionnaire.

Also be sure to check and see if the questionnaire enquires about any drivers education or defensive driving courses. The more you can show the insurance company you’re a safe driver, the more you will benefit.

One thing you should watch out for is redundant or unnecessary coverage. If you have a health insurance policy, you might want to avoid or reduce the medical coverage included in your car insurance policy. Consider getting only liability coverage on a car worth $1000 or less. You can also raise your deductible. Carrying a $500 deductible as opposed to a $250 or $0 deductible will lower your quote substantially.

Remember, you want to find the company that offers YOU the best rate. Be sure to compare multiple quotes from several different companies. What is the cheapest for one person is not always the cheapest for another.

Car Insurance for Teenagers

So, you’ve got a new driver in your household. That means you most likely need new car insurance for teenagers added onto your current policy. This can be a very stressful situation for many parents.

Not only do you have to worry about the safety of your teenage driver, but you’re also worried about finding an affordable and cheap car insurance policy. How can you afford a teenage driver on your budget?

Fairly easily, as long as you heed a few pointers.

Type of Car

The type of vehicle your teenager will be driving makes a big impact on the insurance premium. Insurance companies generally don’t like to see teenagers in expensive, fast sports cars and the average insurance rate increase for teenage drivers is much higher for these types of vehicles than the increase for an older, less expensive vehicle.

This is because the older cars are usually heavier and harder to drive, making them a safer vehicle. Insurance companies take into account the value of the car when figuring insurance rates, so an older, more economical car will help reduce this cost.

Driving History

Many insurance companies give large discounts for those with clean driving records. Making sure your teen drives safely will help reduce his or her insurance premium. Not putting in claims for minor damages such as scratches and fender benders will also help keep premiums low.

The more claims a driver makes the more likely it is that his or her rates will go up because he or she is causing the insurance company money.

Teen Driving School

Enrolling your teen in a teen driving school or driver’s ed course can help rates stay low as well. Graduating from one of these programs proves to the company that your teen has the knowledge and skill to be a good driver; therefore they are less of a potential threat.

Teenage drivers who are students and get good grades can also qualify for car insurance discounts. Most companies offer discounts for students who maintain a “B” grade point average or better. Some companies will give a discount of up to 25%!

Policy Preparation

Initially, adding a teenage driver to a parent’s existing policy can be costly, but as time goes on and the teenager proves to be a responsible driver these premiums will go down. If the teenager is listed on the policy as an “occasional” driver lower premiums can result because they are not on the road very much.

On the other hand, if the vehicle they are driving is an older, safer vehicle it may be more economical to place them on their own individual policy. This is where shopping for the best plan comes into play; select and compare many different companies and policies before deciding on one.

Adding a new teenage driver to a household is an exciting and stressful time. Keeping these tips in mind when you go to find auto insurance for your new driver will help you save money

Save On Insurance When Buying A New Car

Save on insurance when buying a new car. Find out how to get cheap, safe auto car insurance. You can also find out about reducing car insurance rates with your current auto insurer.


(NC)—Dreaming of a new car while looking out at your driveway each day? A new car, whether it's new off the showroom floor or just new to you, is one of the largest purchases you will make, but remember to consider your insurance costs before you sign the papers and drive off the lot.

Insurance rates are partly determined by the type of car you own. “When you have a few cars in mind, you should call your insurance agent to see how much insurance would cost for each model you're considering,” said Eric Michalko of Allstate Insurance Company of Canada.

If a car is difficult to steal or has lower repair costs than other models, this can help to lower your annual insurance rates. “And despite what you've heard, red cars are not more expensive to insure than other colours,” said Michalko.

Other factors that help determine car insurance rates:

• Cars with higher safety ratings will save you money because they keep occupants safer if you are in an accident;

• Older cars cost less to insure because the cost to replace or repair them is lower;

• If you have a higher deductible on your policy (e.g. your share of the cost of a claim), then you will lower your monthly insurance rate, though you will have to pay more out of pocket if you are in an accident;

• A consistent accident–free and conviction–free driving record will help to keep your rates lower;

• Tell your insurance agent if you are only using the car on weekends and not for driving to work. This can help to reduce rates.

Most insurance companies, like Allstate Canada, will reduce your insurance rates if you have both auto and home insurance policies with the same insurance provider or have multiple vehicles on your policy.

More information about reducing car insurance costs is available online at goodhandsadvice.ca.

Some Tips on car Insurance

Cutting The Cost Of Teen Driving might not be as difficult as you think. Find out if your teenage driver is eligible for these policy discounts.


(NAPSI)—With high unemployment, plus concerns over rising gas prices and inflation, parents are seeking ways to cut the costs associated with getting teen drivers on the road.

A recent Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company survey shows that households with teen drivers shell out an average of nearly $3,100 each year to allow their teens to drive. While other factors are involved, the cost of having a teen driver is a major one.

On average, parents of teens pay or will pay nearly two-thirds or more of all costs associated with their child driving, ranging from auto insurance to gasoline. Further, 40 percent of parents will pay for all the costs associated with their child driving, while 33 percent will share these costs with their teen. Only one in six parents of teens say that their teen will pay for all the driving expenses.

To help offset the cost, here are a few tips to manage the cost of car insurance:

Good Student Discounts:

Many carriers offer discounts for young drivers who excel academically. These good student discounts reflect that responsibility in the classroom often leads to responsibility behind the wheel. Nationwide Insurance, for example, offers a 25 percent reduction in premium for drivers under age 21 who maintain a B average or better.

Education Pays Off:

Some insurers provide a discount to families that register their teen to participate in a driver certification program.

Family Plan:

Check to see if your insurer provides a family plan that provides discounts earned by the adults in a household to their teen driver(s). Discounts extended to teens as a part of the family plan include multicar, multipolicy and financial responsibility. These reductions can help save up to 25 percent on auto insurance premiums.

Multiline Discounts:

Bundling policies—such as home, auto and life insurance products—with one company is a great way to save money on the overall cost of insurance.

Deductible Options:

Having a higher deductible on an auto policy, combined with programs such as Vanishing Deductible and Accident Forgiveness, can keep out-of-pocket expenses stable. For example, those who can afford to pay $500 when a claim occurs may want to select this as their deductible amount in order to lower insurance premiums.

Other Discounts:

Having your payments made electronically can save you up to $48 annually.