Smart Auto Insurance Blog

Getting into an accident is a very stressful situation, whether it’s your fault or not.  It’s important to ensure that you know what to do in the case of an auto accident and even more important to remain calm.  The article “5 Steps to Filing Your Auto Insurance Claim” by Bobbie Sage on About.com discusses some key points to remember if you are in an auto accident.

First, evaluate if you actually need to file a claim.  If the damage is minor and you can pay for it out of pocket without any financial stress that may be the way to go to keep your driving record clean.  Second, document every detail of the accident to be sure you have the information to give your insurer if need be.  If deemed necessary, file your claim as soon as possible.  Most auto insurance companies, including Bristol West Insurance, are available 24 hours a day, every day to receive your claim information.

Be sure to prepare for a call from the insurance company of the other driver involved.  There may end up being a dispute in which case you will need to have all your information available.  Once your claim has been accepted you may get a visit from an insurance adjuster to access the damage and let you know where you can go to get your car fixed.  Getting in an accident is a complicated mess many times, but it doesn’t have to be.  Being prepared is the first step to a smooth resolution.

According to the press release “The Impact Accidents Have On Auto Insurance and Keeping Rates Affordable” found on wiredprnews.com, accidents affect auto insurance rates in numerous different ways.  Just because you have an accident doesn’t mean your rates will automatically increase.  It’s beneficial to understand what will ultimately affect your rates.

A very critical aspect of an accident is whose fault was it?  If the policyholder is found to not be at fault then it’s likely their auto insurance rates will not be affected.  Being at fault is what will probably change your rates.  Depending on the company’s underwriting guidelines, one may lose their good driver discount which can be up to 20%.  Injuries can affect your rate as well with the more serious the injury the higher the rate is affected.  If the collision is with an emergency vehicle like an ambulance or police car this can spike rates.  And of course if there are any drugs or alcohol involved rates can be severely affected.

Many insurance companies such as First Acceptance Insurance try to offer fair rates whenever possible.  If you are in an accident and your insurer raises your rates, it may be worth your time to shop around since different insurers have different underwriting policies and an accident may not affect your rate as much.

Identity fraud is a growing problem with the rise in popularity of Internet quotes on auto insurance and online banking.  Although victims can end up not being liable for lost money, it can be very pricey for the victim to prove their innocence.  Their credit rating can also be destroyed which may take years to repair.

Many insurance companies are offering protection to their policy holders to help them avoid this disaster.  Encompass Car Insurance is one of those companies and on their website they outline what their Identity Fraud Protection covers.  They will pay up to $20,000 for expenses incurred as a result of identity theft.  They will also cover lost wages up to $500 per week for up to 4 weeks for time away from work because of the fraud.

Some other benefits of the products are covered loan fees if you are denied a loan due to incorrect information caused by the fraud and any new application fees incurred.  With prior approval from Encompass Car Insurance they will also pay for reasonable lawyer fees.  If a lawyer is used to defend you against any lawsuits are filed against you by any merchants or collection agencies, Encompass will help you.  This is an extremely valuable benefit to have through your insurance company, and not all companies offer it.  Be sure to look into what kind of protection you may have.  It could save you a lot of time and money.

Chicago car insurance quotes are managed by Illinois State Law according to the article “New Minimum State Requirements for Chicago Auto Insurance Quotes” by Cathy Wilson on youronlineinsurance.com.  Some of the mandatory coverage options are discussed in the article.

Car insurance continues to be mandatory in Chicago so anyone driving must be covered.  Liability coverage is also mandatory.  This covers the driver for injuries to other people, other cars and property.  The minimum liability is at $20,000 per driver in a car accident.  The max coverage is $40,000 and property damage excluding the car caps at $15,000.

Illinois drivers who are not insured properly or not insured at all will be responsible for the costs from the injuries up to the state minimum liability amounts.  They may also be responsible for damages that are not covered.  It’s important to be familiar with all of the driver and insurance laws in your state if you plan on operating a vehicle.  They can change from year to year as well, so keep up with the changes. It’s a good idea to periodically get Illinois auto insurance quotes as well.

Infinity Auto Insurance has been offering unwavering support for the Haiti relief after the 7.0 earthquake devastated the country and took many, many lives.  Necessities were donated such as tents, clothing, blankets, water, and cleaning supplies.  There were numerous drop off locations throughout Florida.

All donations were shipped to Miami from a cargo ship through “Sow A Seed” which is a small non-profit organization that offers assistance to the most remote areas of Haiti.  Infinity Auto Insurance is extremely thankful for all of the donations and they hope to make a difference in Haiti.

This earthquake tragedy was beyond devastating and the rebuilding of Haiti is going to be a long and stressful process.  Through donations from across the world the effort can be helped.  There are many different ways to offer your support and it’s worth your time to look into what you can do to donate your time or money.

There are many myths out there about what may or may affect your car insurance quotes.  Although each company has different criteria for determining rates, in general there are 6 myths out there that are commonly misunderstood.  The article “Car Insurance Myths” in the news section of www.canada.com discusses them in further detail.

It is often thought that the color of your car will affect your car insurance quote, but most companies do not factor this in.  Some think that a 2 door car will automatically cost more to insure but that is not necessarily true.  If the car is more expensive to repair then your quote will be higher.  Bigger cars and more expensive cars are often quoted higher, but it doesn’t have anything to do with how many doors the car has.  Parking tickets do not generally count against you when getting a quote.

Speeding tickets can affect your rate, but not as much as some think.  First time offenders may have no change in their rates at all, and repeat offenders may be surprised to see their rate barely increase.  It’s often thought that only high risk drivers should shop around but this is not the case.  Regardless of your driving record it can save you to shop around since every company has different ways of computing rates.

First Acceptance Insurance has a very useful section on their website that outlines your auto insurance policy in simple terms.  To summarize, there are generally 5 parts to a typical auto insurance contract.

Part 1 is called the Declaration section, which is unique from customer to customer.  Part 2 is the Coverage Parts or Insuring Agreement.  This sections discusses the coverage options and coverage limits.  Part 3 is Exclusions which highlights your policy’s limitations.  Part 4 is Conditions which outlines legal responsibilities.  Then there is Part 5 Definitions.  This section goes over terms and rights of the customer and insurer.  This section is sometimes referred to as fine print.

The names of the various sections may vary from company to company but the general points are discussed.  It’s beneficial to understand each section of your auto insurance policy so you can easily compare benefits as you shop around for auto insurance rates.

There are many unknown auto insurance discounts that consumers should be aware of.  The article “Little-Known Auto Insurance Discounts” found on savingadvice.com highlights some of the discounts.

Being a full time student can help you get lower auto insurance quotes.  Not only can being a student help you, but if you carry good grades, usually a B or higher, that can earn you further discounts.  Some auto insurance companies offer discounts for federal employees, members of the military, or members of various groups like AAA.

Discounts are sometimes offered to those who have the VIN number on their car window.  How you pay your bills can affect your auto insurance quote and so does where you live.  Driving less and having safer cars all can warrant you discounts on your auto insurance.  These are just a few of the variables taken into consideration when quotes are determined, but you do have control over them so it’s important to understand what factors are being considered.

It is becoming more widely known that many auto insurance companies use the credit score when calculating auto insurance quotes for those shopping around.  Whether you agree with it or not, insurers have found that credit history is a powerful predictor of what kind of driver you are.

According to the article “Does Getting An Auto Insurance Quote Hurt Your Credit Score” by DR on Doughroller.com, Progressive has data to show that consumers with the worst scores are often twice as likely to have an accident or file a claim compared to consumers with the best scores.  But a question that has been on the minds of many credit conscious consumers is how does it affect your credit score when you get auto insurance quotes from an insurer?

The answer is that it affects your score minimally.  Auto insurers are using what’s called “a soft pull” when they look at your file.  This is a way for people to look at your credit file without it affecting your score.  When you get pre-approved offers, are interviewing for jobs, or look at your own credit score these are all using “soft pulls”.  A “hard pull” is used when you are shopping for credit and it can negatively affect your score.  This is often known as a “voluntary pull” and it affects your score because seeking excessive credit is viewed as a risk factor.

The Detroit Auto Show recently revealed some upcoming car models that consumers will find much value in and are worth waiting for if you are in the market for a new car.  The article “6 Cars Worth Waiting For” by Peter Valdes-Dapena provided by CNNMoney, found on finance.yahoo.com, describes six of the top hot cars.

The cars discussed include the following:

1. Honda CR-Z
2. Ford Focus
3. Lincoln MKX
4. Mercedes-Benz E-class Cabriolet
5. Ford Mustang GT 5.0
6. Cadillac CTS-V Coupe