Smart Auto Insurance Blog

It’s becoming common knowledge that having a good credit score will save you money on your auto insurance rates, but it’s unclear exactly how much it will save you.  Based on a recent CarInsurance.com study, drivers with credit ratings over 750 save about $783 a year on their auto insurance quotes when compared with a typical driver in the same age group with average credit scores.  The study used 42,809 auto insurance quotes to determine this figure and the results are surprising.

If you calculate this out over a lifetime of driving, a person with excellent credit can save approximately $22,815 on their auto insurance premiums.  Credit is only one factor out of many that insurers use to calculate quotes but it’s becoming increasingly important.  Auto insurance companies strongly defend their use of the score despite many consumers finding it unfair.  Insurers have found a direct correlation between someone’s credit rating and the chances of them filing a claim.  Regardless of the reasoning behind this connection, there is a connection and it makes sense for insurers to use this information.

The good news is that you have control over your credit score.  Even if you have filed bankruptcy or charged off some accounts, you can repair your credit through time and bill management.  It’s important to keep your credit card debt down and make all of your payments on time.  It may take a few years, but once your credit score has improved you can start to compare auto insurance quotes and hopefully see a difference in the rates you receive.

Many people wonder if using an agent is the best way to purchase auto insurance.  It’s true that using an agent can save you some time and possibly save you some money.  If you aren’t internet savvy, then using an agent may be the way to go.  Many companies offer agents to help customers with their needs.  One of these companies is Founders Insurance.

Founders auto insurance is offered in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin with limits up to $100,000/300,000/50,000.  They offer quick, electronic SR22 filing and take international and out-of-state drivers license.  According to their website, Founders Insurance is a preferred choice of agents for higher risk policies.  Whether you have a poor driving record, poor credit rating, or coverage lapses, Founders will work with you to try to get you the best coverage possible.  This is where an agent can come in especially handy.  High-risk drivers often have a harder time finding quality auto insurance online or on their own.  An agent knows where to look to get deals for non-preferred customers.

Founders Insurance also has complete online capabilities including quoting, binding, and policy issuance, payments, endorsements, document reprinting, renewals, claim reporting and form downloads.  You can even chat online or over the phone with an underwriter with any questions you may have about your policy and quote.  Founders works hard to have state-of-the-art imaging systems for underwriting and claim handling and are constantly working to improve their business.  Speak with an agent to see if this might be the right option for you.

If you happen to find yourself in need of a quick SR22 insurance filing many companies can do it for you immediately including Eastwood Insurance headquartered in California.  This is particularly important if you need this information filed by a certain date to get your license or to ensure you have the proper auto insurance coverage in place by a certain time.

An SR22 is a certificate of insurance filed by an auto insurance company or insurance agent directly to the state in either an operator’s certificate or an owner’s certificate.  There is also an operators-owners certificate option.  SR22 isn’t exactly a type of insurance which often confuses consumers.  It is the name of a certain form insurance companies need to file for certain policyholders.  Not all states require SR22 but it is often required if your license has been suspended or revoked.  This makes the SR22 associated with high risk drivers who have somehow broken the law or had an exorbitant amount of violations.

It’s very important to get the SR22 form filed correctly if you are required to do so.  The SR22 insurance certificate is to certify coverage to the Division of Motor Vehicles in a particular state.  The insurance company is then required to notify the Division of Motor Vehicles in the case of the policy being cancelled, terminated, or if there are any lapses in coverage.  If you find yourself needing this type of form filed, check with your insurance company to see if this is something they offer.  Not all auto insurers file this paperwork so you will have to confirm yours does.

Many consumers associate the term “non-standard” auto insurance with high risk, but this isn’t always the case.  According to the Founders Auto Insurance website the terms are often synonymous.  They do point out however that “non-standard” simply means not adhering or conforming to the standard policy.

Many of Founder’s forms, classes, and territories do actually conform to auto insurance industry standards, but some aspects do not making part of it “non-standard”.  Most non-standard auto insurance companies start off with a standard methodology, and make appropriate modifications to suit their customer’s needs which are always changing.  They take into consideration the economy, the market demand, and consumer needs and tailor the policies to fit the times.

Founders Insurance offers vehicle surcharging, modified territories, and they create classes based on what is going on in the market.  There is a unique risk selection criteria, but a very high percent of new business at Founders has been previously insured with a clean driving record.  Founders also follow similar models for their homeowners insurance and commercial liability & property policy options.

Auto insurance premiums for high risk drivers through the Texas Automobile Insurance Plan Association (TIAPA) will drop by about 7.6% starting January 1, 2011.  This is according to the article “Rates for High Risk Drivers in Texas Falling; Coverage Minimums to Rise” posted on InsuranceJournal.com.

Texas Insurance Commissioner, Mike Geeslin, has ordered overall auto insurance rates to drop for TIAPA personal auto insurance policies in the state.  In addition to this, the minimum amounts of motor vehicle liability insurance required by law to establish financial responsibility in Texas will increase starting January 1st.

This is important news for Texas auto insurance carriers as they shop around for coverage.  Knowing what coverage is required is important to ensure protection is adequate in case of an accident.  According to OnlineAutoInsurance.com, TIAPA saw a 2.2% increase from 2009 to 2010 in auto insurance rates and with many consumers struggling financially, Texans want to see this trend stop.

State Farm auto insurance is a proud supporter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), whose primary mission is to put an end to drunk driving and support victims of such crimes.  They also fight to put an end to underage drinking.  State Farm is a national sponsor and they share very similar values in educating youth about the dangers of drinking.

“Protecting You/Protecting Me” is a comprehensive program offered through MADD which uses an approach to stop underage drinking through effective, educational efforts to stop the access of alcohol to our youth.  This excellent program is a research-based plan which is nationally recognized nationally.  The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention named it a “Model Program”.

State Farm and Meharry Medical College also came together to research why seat belt and child safety is lower among African Americans.  They plan on using the findings to influence legislation to further support cultural public awareness programs.

Driver safety continues to be a priority of State Farm.  If you choose to disregard any safety provisions put forth by the law, then not only are you putting yourself and other drivers lives at risk but you are increasing your chances of paying higher auto insurance rates or having to carry SR-22 insurance.  There are no benefits to breaking the law when it comes to driving.

Infinity Auto Insurance has a branch of their company which insures collectible automobiles called Classic Collectors Insurance.  This type of insurance comes in very handy for those rarely driving a car because it is considered a Classic.

Like many auto insurance companies, Infinity has some guidelines when insuring a classic car.  For example plans have low mileage coverage - 1000, 3000, or 5000 miles.  And there is a list of things cars cannot be used for such as:

1. Work/school commute
2. Regular personal use
3. Business/commercial use
4. Racing or timed events
5. Backup transportation

There are also some strict requirements that must be adhered to.  All drivers in the household must have a valid driver’s license and may not have had more than 1 moving violation or at fault accident in the past three years.  There is a max of 2 drivers per household.  Also, the driver must have at least 10 years driving experience in order to qualify for this type of coverage.

If you own an antique, modern classic, kit cars, replicar, an exotic, street rod or a special interest modified car get auto insurance quotes to see if you can get the appropriate classic collectors coverage.

Monthly auto insurance is an option for many looking for transitional coverage or inexpensive premiums with little to no down payment.  Auto insurance companies such as Eastwood Insurance offer low down payment options and that can be invaluable for those struggling financially.

Monthly auto insurance is a policy where the rates are paid in monthly payments with a 30 day installment plan.  Customers can choose to make the payments each month as long as they want their policy current.  Terms can be offered in 3 months, 6, or even 12 month increments based on the policyholder’s situation.

Some tips to keep auto insurance rates lower include setting up automatic withdraw from your bank account to lower billing fees.  Fees could be lowered by up to $10 per month, sometimes more.  If you are able to pay in advance fees are often lowered by going this route.  The cost of monthly auto insurance will vary from carrier to carrier, and many variables are considered.  Continue to shop around and compare auto insurance quotes to ensure you are getting the best deal and not wasting your money.

According to the article “Insurance Changes Would Help 80% of Drivers” by Mike D’Arelli on sfgate.com, California auto insurance is about to see some major changes.  Thousands of auto insurance agents support Proposition 17 which will extend an auto insurance discount to millions of drivers in California who are forced to pay hundreds of dollars more every year for their auto insurance rates if they switch insurers.  It looks to reward good drivers and save them as much as $250/year.

Prop 17 plans to fix an underlying issue current in the auto insurance system.  Drivers who keep auto insurance with the same company are eligible for a continuous coverage discount.  If a consumer decides to switch carriers they do not get this benefit and Prop 17 will fix this flaw.  Drivers who follow the law and keep coverage continuously will still get the discount even if they change insurance companies.

Prop 17 will also increase competition among carriers and provide California drivers with many more options.  It will benefit up to 80% of drivers who keep continuous coverage.  It also contains some consumer protections to help those suffering from the economic downturn.  In addition, Prop 17 will protect our military men and women who are serving abroad and do not carry continuous coverage because they are not driving.  All of these provisions may seem like common sense, but it’s been the current law for awhile and it’s time for changes.  SR22 insurance will need to be still be carried by those high risk drivers who are required to carry this type of coverage.

Encompass Car Insurance has a great online resource for those customers with teenagers on their policies.  With teen drivers having an alarming high rate of fatal accidents it’s no wonder they are treated differently.  Just because your teen has been allowed to carry a driver’s license, it does not mean they are as safe as an experienced driver.

There are many things you can do to help prepare yourself and your teen for the challenging road ahead.  You will most likely see your auto insurance rates increase in addition to your anxiety of sending your inexperienced driver out on the road.  Encompass has gathered a  convenient resource on their website to better prepare yourself.

• Some of the topics covered include:
• Teenagers and safe cars
• Tips on helping teens drive better
• Setting guidelines for your teen
• Understanding graduated licensing
• Developing a Parent-Teen contract

When you create boundaries and allow for more time behind the wheel your teen will be better prepared for challenging driving situations and hopefully save lives.