Find Cheap Auto Insurance: Guide to Car Insurance Quotes and What Affects Rates

The cheapest up-front rate for car insurance isn't always the best option for many drivers as they could end up paying more money in the long run. Even if you follow the minimum insurance guideline in your state, you could still have to pay a lot of money out of pocket if you are found "at fault" in an accident. When you are trying to find cheap auto insurance, keep in mind that there are more considerations than just the rate itself.

There are also personal factors that play a role in how much your car insurance rate will be. For instance, if you are a younger driver under 25, or older than 65, you will likely end up having to pay a bit more money since you are considered more "at-risk". Gender sometimes plays a role as well, as females are generally believed to be more cautious drivers, and will, therefore, be eligible for lower rates.

However, even if you are between 25-65 and do consider yourself to be a cautious driver, there are some other factors that could potentially cause your rates to go up. For instance, if you have bad credit, insurance companies might think that your financial situation is bad and that you are a risky person to insure. As a consequence, it will be more difficult to find cheap auto insurance. Another factor is the vehicle itself. The make, model, age, and current condition affect the insurance quotes you receive.

How to Find Cheap Auto Insurance Which Considers Your Living Area

There are also factors such as where you live and work. Living in a rural area will likely be less costly for drivers than living in an urban area since fewer people on the road means there is less of a risk of getting into an accident. Professions that include a lot of "on the job driving", such as a caterer, delivery service, journalist, etc. will sometimes be quoted at a higher rate than someone who stays in the same office or stores all day and just has a short commute to/from home.

If you're not happy with the kinds of quotes you are receiving, you might want to check and see if you qualify for any discounts. Some car insurance companies and quote sites really do offer a huge range of discounts and coupons.

When comparing quotes, once again, it's important not to just select the one with the lowest monthly rates. Think about your type of car and how much money you'll need to pay in repairs or replacement should it badly damaged. Will you be able to afford the huge deductibles? It might be better just to pay a bit more on monthly payments.

A good place to find cheap auto insurance is insurance. Discounts of all kinds are available ("Paid in Full", "Fast 5", "Claim-Free", etc. There is even a quiz you can take at the Esurance site for a personalized quote.

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Florida No Fault Insurance No Fault Auto Insurance Laws in FL and Other States

What is Florida no-fault insurance? What exactly is no-fault insurance in the first place? Where is it available and what are its advantages and disadvantages? If your life in FL and have questions about how the Florida no-fault car insurance laws work or really if you live in any one of the twelve states that use a no-fault system, knowing the answers to these questions will help you understand how your car insurance policy works. Read on to learn some of the basics of no-fault car insurance in Florida and in other states.

WHAT IS NO-FAULT INSURANCE?

Under 'pure' no-fault insurance each driver would be completely covered by his own auto insurance (up to his policy limit), and drivers would be barred from suing another driver regardless of the severity of the accident, the injuries incurred and even if a death were involved.

However, no state uses 'pure' no-fault insurance. In general, no-fault is an auto insurance system in which both drivers must carry insurance for their own protection, and their ability to sue other drivers for damages is regulated by certain limitations. States impose these limitations by determining which cases are permitted to go to litigation.

Under this system, motorists may sue for severe injuries and pain and suffering. Some states MI, NJ, NY, and PA use a verbal threshold system, where the severity of the injury is defined in verbal terms (verbal threshold). Other states use a monetary threshold, a set dollar amount in medical bills and lost wages that must be met before a motorist may sue for damages. Insurers generally favour laws that provide for a verbal threshold on suits instead of a dollar threshold. Setting dollar targets for medical expenses may encourage the submission of fraudulent claims in an effort to reach the total dollar amount whether the expense it justified or not.

WHY THE NEED FOR NO-FAULT INSURANCE?

The desire for a new way of handling auto insurance claims rose out of a dissatisfaction with the way in which insurance claims were processed. This dissatisfaction was not only on the part of those purchasing auto insurance but also on those companies and agencies marketing auto insurance and the state officials regulating it. The issue focused on the often expensive and time-consuming process of determining who was at fault in the accident and who was legally and financially responsible.

The delays in determining liability caused legislation to be introduced in many states in the 1970s that allowed victims to recover financial losses such as medical and hospital expenses and lost income from their own insurance companies. This became a forerunner of today's no-fault insurance.

The concept of no-fault insurance was first widely introduced to the public in the early 1900s. Its two main tenants, stemming waste, inequities, and lengthy delays in the liability system, and providing affordable coverage for medical care and rehabilitation costs had its appeal among the populace. However, the process that was to be put into place to pay for no-fault insurance was anything but appealing to the voters. A pay-at-the pump initiative was introduced as a way to pay for no-fault insurance by collecting a fee on gasoline sales. In every state in which the initiative was considered, the plan to tax gas in order to fund no fault was defeated. Legislature in many forms was even introduced at the Congressional level but it never made it to a vote.

HOW DOES NO-FAULT WORK?

The 'no-fault' part of an insurance plan is usually called PIP, Personal Injury Protection, or it is sometimes referred to as OBEL, Optional Basic Economic Loss. Different state's PIP's cover different aspects associated with personal injury. Generally, the coverage is related to medical expenses, loss of wages, and compensation for loss of services incurred because of an auto accident. Funeral costs and death benefits are also usually covered.

STATES THAT HAVE NO-FAULT INSURANCE LAWS

MI, NJ, NY, PA, HI, KS, KY, MASS, MI, ND, UT, and DC and Puerto Rico have a no-fault insurance system. Florida's no-fault insurance expired Oct. 1, 2007, but was re-enacted in Jan of 2008. However, when the system was re-instated, significant reforms to curb fraud were added. This may have been due in large to a letter sent by Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink in July of 2007 to the Governor and state officials. This letter stated that more than 3,000 complaints about PIP fraud had been received in the last twelve months and 329 cases were opened with 225 convictions being obtained. Under the former system, unscrupulous medical clinics and attorneys could run up medical costs for minor accidents.

The following states had no fault Insurance in place at one time and chose to repeal it, with the exception of Pennsylvania who repealed theirs and then reenacted it.

Nevada: - effective 1974 - repealed 1980
Pennsylvania: - effective 1976 - repealed 1984 - reenacted 1990
Georgia: - effective 1975 - repealed 1991
Connecticut: - effective 1973 - repealed 1993
Colorado: - effective 1974 - repealed 2002

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF NO-FAULT INSURANCE?

No-fault is intended to reduce legal and administrative fees that are associated with insurance claims and reduce premium costs. Also, the long delays associated with determining which party is at fault and the haggling between insurance companies over who is financially responsible is done away with. This plan also ensures that no matter who is responsible for an accident each party will be covered to his policy limit.

CRITICS OF NO-FAULT INSURANCE

Critics point out that this insurance system carries some of the highest insurance premiums in the nation. The liability issues that still remain intact actually drive premium costs up. States with no-fault insurance also carry the highest incidences of fraud and abuse. Another criticism of no-fault insurance is that reckless or negligent drivers are not punished because many cases do not go to trial and these drivers may continue to drive irresponsibly.

NO-FAULT AUTO INSURANCE QUOTES

Whether you are in a no-fault state or not - it is always a good plan to shop around and compare car insurance quotes at least once every 6 months to ensure that you are getting the best deal.

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Alabama Auto Insurance

If you are planning to buy a car in Alabama and register your car for Alabama car insurance, then you must first be aware that unlike other states, you have to prove that you are taking the responsibility to financially cover yourself in the event your car is involved in an accident. This is one legal requirement in Alabama, which you must keep in mind while applying for Alabama auto insurance, otherwise, you would not be allowed to drive your car on public roads in the state of Alabama.

One of the easier ways to meet with this requirement of Alabama car insurance policies is to purchase insurance from carriers licensed to sell insurance in the state of Alabama. There are other options available too - you can obtain a Motor Vehicle Liability Bond for a minimum amount of $50000 or a Certificate of Cash Bond for a minimum amount of $50000.

By purchasing a basic Alabama car insurance policy for liability coverage, you are ensuring that you meet the minimum financial responsibility requirement of the state of Alabama. There are a lot of ways by which you can prove your financial coverage responsibility to entitle yourself for Alabama Car Insurance. You can show a copy of your insurance card or premium receipt or a certificate of liability policy from your provider. A copy of your liability insurance policy or a copy of the invoice of vehicle purchase would also suffice. In the event you are renting a vehicle in the state of Alabama, you can also show a copy of the rental agreement. Finally, a copy of the Motor Vehicle Liability Bond or a Certificate Cash Bond is also a valid proof of your financial responsibility coverage for obtaining Alabama auto insurance cover.

If you do not meet this important financial responsibility coverage provision for Alabama auto insurance, you are running the risk of your registration being suspended. Reinstatement of registration is a very complicated process and involves hefty monetary penalties which may not necessarily guarantee reinstatement of your registration. Car owners in the state of Alabama cannot circumvent these legal requirements for obtaining Alabama car insurance but what they do is to look for cheap and budget car Alabama car insurance quotes which most insurance companies willingly provide. Most of these insurance companies have the facility of providing instant cheap Alabama car insurance quotes by filling up simple online forms so that you can decide which quote suits you the best

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