Get Better Insurance

Moving from a small urban area to a large city in California can present a world of opportunities, but with those opportunities come the potential of higher auto insurance rates. In most heavily populated areas, the streets are congested with more motorists, automobile accidents are more common, and the level of car-related crime is considerably higher than in suburban locations. All of these details and statistics are used by insurers to rate vehicle owners, and the common characteristics of big cities frequently translate into higher coverage costs.

In the Golden State, there are unique auto insurance nondiscrimination laws that prohibit insurers from raising rates in small geographic locations while setting more reasonable rates in the surrounding area. However, location can still have a considerable impact on how much a resident pays for vehicle coverage. Companies are permitted to consider past loss experience and expenses in their rating process, which includes geographic areas that are at least 20 square miles. In areas that see greater economic loss as a result of greater population density or accident frequency, providers are permitted to charge more for car insurance.

?Red Bluff vs. Los Angeles: A Case Study

For example of how moving to a big city could affect rates, look at information pooled from the CA automobile premium survey. Regulator-provided premium data show that for a single male motorist with 9 to 15 years of driving experience, an annual mileage between 7,600 and 10,000, and no violations or accidents, the average price for standard coverage for a Honda Accord is roughly $1,400 for someone living in Red Bluff, which is located in rural Tehama County in Northern California. If the same driver were to live in the Wilshire/La Brea area of urban Los Angeles in Southern California, however, the average premium increases to over $2,400—a 71 percent jump.

The difference between Red Bluff and the Wilshire/La Brea is significant. Information provided by state and federal records ranks Red Bluff 332nd highest population in the state with just over 14,000 people as of January 2012. According to the latest census data, it has about 1,800 people per square mile. The Wilshire/La Brea area, however, is in the county with the highest population in CA (nearly 4 million people) and rests near Wilshire Blvd, part of the famous Miracle Mile and one of the busiest streets in Southern California. Los Angeles’s population density was about 4.5 times as high as Redbluff’s, at nearly 8,100 people per square mile.

Location Matters, but Driving Record Still Matters Most

Although companies in California are allowed to make rate adjustments based on geographic location, all coverage providers must have their rating plans filed and approved by the CA Department of Insurance before they can be used. Additionally, voters in 1988 adopted proposition 103, which requires all insurers to consider three mandatory primary factors before considering any secondary factors when calculating premiums. These three factors include the applicant’s driving record, annual mileage, and years of driving experience.

Where a motorist lives is actually at the bottom of the list of qualities that can affect how much someone pays for vehicle coverage, but a person’s driving record is very important. Getting the cheapest insurance in California means maintaining a clean driving record, so before moving to a heavily populated area, residents should take into consideration the increased accident potential. If a policyholder is forced to file a claim, it can negatively affect their premium for up to three years.

Source: http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/california/

Driving a more fuel-efficient vehicle can have a number of important benefits. Hybrid and electric-cars help their owners save fossil fuel, reduce their carbon footprint, and commute with the knowledge that they’re helping to preserve the Earth for future generations. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that driving an environmentally friendly auto can lead to significantly lower driving costs, even though they may initially appear more expensive to insure.

It’s no secret that gas prices have been steadily climbing since the invention of the automobile and show no signs of slowing down. Many of the people who purchase alternative-fuel-source vehicles do so to avoid watching their life savings disappear at the gas pump. But when they initially see insurance quotes for these vehicles, they may worry that an equal amount may be siphoned off by coverage costs.

For example, a premium analysis of 20 quotes from 10 different California insurers shows that, when comparing the cost of insuring a gas-only Toyota Camry with a hybrid version of the same model, on average motorists who own hybrids pay just over 10 percent more for vehicle coverage. This price increase is generally accredited to higher repair costs, but before writing off fuel-efficient automobiles as a cost-effective means of transportation, drivers should take discounts into consideration.

Coverage providers across the nation are beginning to offer special savings and rate reductions for insuring hybrids and other alternative-fuel vehicles. In California, for example, as of March 2012, there are at least three companies that offer insurance discounts as incentives for driving greener cars. These price reductions range from 5 to 10 percent, which could effectively nullify the increased coverage costs of having a hybrid or electric vehicle.

Driving Less: Another Way to Go Green and Save

Consumers can be environmentally friendly motorists through more ways than just owning a hybrid or electric car. Spending less time behind the wheel can help reduce a person’s carbon footprint while significantly lowering their driving costs, both at the pump and on their insurance bill.

A large portion of how much a motorist pays for protection is based on annual mileage. To an insurance company, more time spent behind the wheel translates into more opportunity to be involved in an accident, which in turn leads to higher prices.

Like any good environmentally friendly commuter, vehicle owners may want to look for ways to avoid driving. Biking to work, joining a car pool, or giving public transportation a try can all cut down on annual mileage and can lead to cheaper premiums. Motorists are encouraged ask their policy provider car insurance questions about how much they would need to cut their annual mileage to receive a rate reduction.

If a vehicle owner drives infrequently enough, they may want to consider signing up for a pay-as-you-drive insurance program that charges motorists based off of the distance that they commute. The California Environmental Defense Fund estimates that if 30 percent of CA residents took advantage of these programs, roughly 5.5 billion gallons of gas could be saved between 2009 and 2020, in addition to $40 billion in car-related expenses. Taking these steps to become an environmentally friendly motorist could lead not only to guilt-free commuting, but also to considerable savings.

Source: http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/learn/

Recent negative economic trends have impacted virtually everyone in one way or another. Many people are looking for ways to decrease spending, but for vehicle owners, auto insurance is a necessary expense that unfortunately may only be increasing. An economy with rising health care costs, ballooning car costs, and a bad job market usually translates into higher coverage costs overall. If an insurer suffers greater-than-expected financial losses because of fluctuating prices in other industries and bad investment performance, these losses may be passed on to policyholders in the form of higher premiums. In addition, consumers’ eroding credit may push their individual costs upward.

When an insured motorist is involved in an accident, an insurance company is usually the one that pays for vehicle repairs. And when the cost of cars goes up, the amount that those insurers have to pay for repairs also increases. Recent information gathered by TrueCar.com places the average transaction price for a new car in April 2012 at $30,303, up 4.2 percent from April 2011. Higher vehicle value and improved technology has made modern cars increasingly expensive to repair, resulting in greater losses for coverage providers when they have to pay out on individual claims. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), the average cost of property damage, collision, and comprehensive claims went up 17 percent, 10 percent, and 28 percent, respectively, between 2000 and 2010.

Another trend that has impacted the price of vehicle coverage is the rising cost of health care. Automobile accidents often lead to bodily injuries, which are commonly covered by insurers. Unfortunately, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have found that national health expenditures reached over $2.5 trillion in 2010, nearly twice as high as the $1.3 trillion in expenditures in 2000. Of these expenditures, hospital care accounts for over $800 million. And according to the III, bodily injury claims rose a whopping 43 percent between 2000 and 2010.

The cause of skyrocketing health care costs and the resulting car insurance premium inflations remains a heavily debated subject. Some institutions, including the Kaiser Family Foundation, accredit these price increases to a combination of technology, prescription drug, and administrative costs which have all steadily increased in recent years. If emergency medical procedures and medication costs increase, it means that policy providers may lose revenue, and motorists are charged more to compensate for this economic loss.

Personal Economic Troubles Can Mean More Expensive Coverage

Apart from changes within the insurance industry, lifestyle changes for individual motorists can also lead to higher premiums in an economic slump. When times are tough, many people are forced to turn to credit cards to cover their expenses. When drivers begin to borrow excessively, their credit scores begin to drop. In states where credit scoring is a common rating practice, a poor financial history could easily translate into a higher priced policy.

To counter the rising price of coverage, one of the best actions that a motorist can take is to shop around to find one of the top insurance companies that are willing to provide adequately priced protection. Although there isn’t much that a motorist can do to impact industrywide changes, drivers are still capable of exploring all of their options to find cheaper alternatives.

Source: http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/companies/ratings/

As people drive down the road of life, they need auto insurance to cover their assets. But over time a person’s priorities change, and often the same policy won’t always offer the best protection. Consumers should review their policies on an annual basis, but, at the very least, there are three distinct moments when coverage needs drastically change, and drivers need to stop and shop for a new plan.

Young, First-Time Buyers: The first time that the thought of car coverage enters a person’s mind is when they get their license. Ambitions are high, assets are low, and the best insurance policy appears to be the cheapest one they can find. Unfortunately for teenagers and other inexperienced drivers, being young also translates into steeper rates. Producers base prices off of accident risk, and teens have a long history of taking unnecessary risks while behind the wheel, making automobile accidents the leading cause of death for youthful motorists in the U.S.

Many companies interpret risk differently, so by comparing car insurance policies it may be possible to find an affordable plan. Although it may be tempting to get the lowest amount of coverage necessary to legally drive, young drivers are urged to consider higher liability limits to adequately cover other people’s damages that they may cause.

Family-Friendly Motorists: When it comes time to settle down and start a family, a motorist’s priorities often take a drastic turn toward safety. Old junky cars are traded in for minivans and spacious sedans equipped with safety features designed to keep both driver and passengers safe from harm. Insurance needs change as well. Drivers start to consider purchasing umbrella policies and bumping up liability limits to better protect their assets, which are now more important than ever.

When looking for a new insurer, these shoppers should compare policies that include as much protection as possible for the lowest price. To offset the cost of more extensive protection, motorists can usually find discounts for insuring cars with advanced safety features or for belonging to certain auto clubs.

If they haven’t done so already, insured families also should merge separate auto policies into one in order to possibly save on coverage.

The Experienced Driver: Retirement and a home free of children ushers in a new set of auto insurance considerations for many people. These drivers are likely to have more assets that they need to adequately protect, but they also know what coverage they are looking for and frequently spend less time driving than younger motorists.

When shopping for coverage, drivers who are 55 and older can usually end up saving money by taking advantage of special discounts. Many states promote safer driving for mature drivers by offering rate reductions for taking a state-approved training course. They also can get discounts for having reduced mileage.

Source: http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/compare/

Motorists around the world are in the middle of a technological renaissance focused on keeping drivers safe while they cruise the open road. But safer cars with futuristic features means more than fewer accidents and injuries behind the wheel: It can also translate into cheaper car insurance. Producers rate applicants based on their accident risk, so if people are less likely to file a claim because of highly regulated safety features, policy prices might be lower.

State and federal government has made it a priority to ensure that all vehicle owners are as safe as possible while driving. To do this, legislation has been passed that requires all new motor vehicles to be equipped with certain safety features. For example, as of Sept. 1, 2011, all new light cars must be equipped with electronic stability controls (ESC). This feature detects and reduces loss of traction to help prevent drivers from losing control of their vehicles.

Once all light vehicles on the road are equipped with ESC systems, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates (based on extensive research) that between 156,000 and 238,000 automobile accident-related injuries could be prevented annually. In addition to having ESC systems, many modern cars also contain other advanced safety features, including lane-departure warnings, forward-collision warning, advanced air-bag systems, and many other features that can significantly reduce accident risk.

New Technology Translates into Lower Insurance Rates

A vehicle owner who is surrounded by advanced safety features is better equipped to avoid car accidents than a low-tech driver. This increased level of protection can often lead to significant auto insurance saving. Often producers will give special discounts to people who insure automobiles that are equipped with technology designed to reduce collision probability and accident damage. Cars and drivers that are well protected often translates into fewer or smaller claims that companies are obligated to pay, which are savings that producers are happy to pass on to policyholders. These technologies, however, have to be proved to statistically lower crash risks before warranting a discount.

Coverage costs may also be indirectly affected by modern safety equipment. If vehicle owners are able to avoid accidents and claims, they are also likely to maintain a clean driving record. Because policy prices are largely based on claims history, a driver who avoids accidents and moving violations is more likely to make an auto insurance quote comparison that produces inexpensive results.

Before taking off to buy an expensive new car loaded with exciting equipment, drivers should check with their insurer to see how much a specific vehicle will cost to insure. Buying a new automobile almost always results in higher coverage costs because of their increased value. Luckily, as many new safety features become standard in the marketplace, it will become more and more common to find cheaper (or slightly used) automobiles that are adequately equipped to keep drivers safe on the open road.

Source: http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/