Smart Auto Insurance Blog

According to the article “State Insurance Official Says 15 Percent of Montana Drivers are Uninsured” by Charles S. Johnson on www.missoulian.com, Montana’s uninsured rate is slightly higher than the national average.

The national average for uninsured drivers is 13.8% while Montana is coming it at 15%.  Even neighboring states are much lower.  Mari Kindberg, the property and casualty actuary in the state Auditor’s Office says North Dakota comes in at 5%, South Dakota is at 7% and Wyoming is at 9%.  What is different about Montana that’s making Montana auto insurance quotes unattainable?

Kindberg states that Montana already has laws requiring drivers to have auto insurance and there are stiff penalties for those who choose not to and get caught.  The Revenue and Transportation Interim Committee is studying the problem of uninsured and underinsured drivers.  The Auditor’s Office recommended changing the state credit act to assist consumers keep their current auto insurance policies and make rates affordable during tough times.  This may help Montana’s high uninsured rate.

According to the article “Cheap Car From India Could Cost $8,000 in US” by Tom Krisher found on autos.yahoo.com, the world’s cheapest car is coming to the US market.  Unfortunately, once India’s Tata Nano is redesigned to meet emissions and safety standards, the US price will be going up.

The Tata Nano should be ready for distribution within the next 3 years and it is unknown exactly how much the car will cost.  In India, the car costs the equivalent of $2500, making it the world’s cheapest car.  Warren Harris, who is the Tata Technologies president, says the price will be more in the US and it’s estimated by some to be around $8,000.

Even $8,000 is a very affordable car by American standards.  Currently, according to the Edmunds.com automobile website, the cheapest new car on the US market is the Hyundai Accent at about $9970, so $8,000 is very competitive.  This also translates to lower car insurance quotes for those who buy this car since it will be cheaper to replace the car if it is damaged.

According to the article “How Does Cell Phone Use Affect A Cheap Car Insurance Quote?” by Sharon Gibson on youronlineinsurance.com, cell phone safety is a major concern for law enforcement.  More and more traffic incidents are caused by people talking and texting on their cell phones.  Cell phone usage is a huge distraction and directly affects your driving.

More and more auto insurance companies are offering discounts to drivers who are willing to drive safer.  You may get a discount for having a cell phone disabling system which is a device which blocks calls as well as text messages while you are operating the car.  Some companies will flat out ask you what your driving habits are in regards to cell phones.  Your answer may directly affect your car insurance quotes.

In today’s busy world it is becoming increasingly harder to put down the cell phone or personal digital assistant.  It’s important to realize the impact driving while using your phone can have.  Not only are you more likely to be an unsafe driver but it could end up costing you hundreds of dollars in insurance premiums over the years.

Infinity Insurance Group, which is comprised of Infinity Auto Insurance, Infinity Select Insurance, and Infinity National Insurance Companies consistently is assigned A.M. Best’s rating of “A” for excellent according to their website.

A.M. Best Company is an independent agency which rates the financial stability of insurers.  Many factors are taken into consideration to come up with an insurance company’s rating.  They measure the financial strength and how able a company is to meet its financial obligations to its policyholders.  This is an excellent tool for consumers to use as they decide who to do business with.

Infinity Insurance has the overall goal of producing consistent insurance products through exceptional programs and superior customer satisfaction.  In today’s ever changing economic environment it’s important that Infinity focuses on their challenges to ensure their customers continue to experience quality service.

California law requires the filing of SR22 Insurance for high risk drivers who have had their license suspended for DWI, reckless driving, or other major violations.  The website SR22Filing.com specializes in filing the SR22 Insurance form and they represent a lot of companies to get you the lowest auto insurance rate, which can be very challenging if you are a high risk driver.

SR22 Insurance simply proves that you are covered by auto insurance.  SR22 Insurance Services claim to get you covered quickly and relatively easily.  By getting the SR22, you are showing the DMV that a company agreed to write you a policy and you are covered to get your license back again.  Once you are deemed a high risk driver getting insurance can be difficult so it’s useful to use a company that specializes in such filings.  It can take many, many years to get a clean driving record once you have major violations.

There are still many critics out there unsure of the pay-as-you-drive program being offered by some auto insurance companies.  But according to the article “Car Insurance For Less, and Less Driving” there may be some big savings involved for drivers across the country.

The article cites a study from 2008 by The Brookings Institution that says that if all drivers in the US bought auto insurance per mile, 2 out of 3 policies would save on average $270 a year.  This translates to big savings for drivers so it’s worth looking into if you are shopping for car insurance quotes.

GMAC offers a discount up to 54% to customers who end up driving less than 2,500 miles in a 6 month period.  These drivers have the On-Star system in their car which tracks the mileage.  Those who drive less than 15,000 miles are also eligible for a discount.  You can get a discount up to 26% for the particular premium period if you drive between 7,501-10,000 miles per the premium period.  The On-Star system can cost between $199-$299 so this can offset some of the savings you earn from driving less.

Dairyland Insurance, which specializes in covering motorcycles has agents in many states.  Like most auto insurance companies they determine your rate by a number of criteria, and when shopping around for motorcycle insurance particularly it’s important to know what factors are being used.

According to the article “Dairyland Motorcycle Insurance” on motorcycle-insurance-tips.com, your car insurance quotes are based on your age, how much experience you have driving a bike, your location, claims history and driving record.  They also considered if you have taken the important MSF training course on motorcycles.

They type of bike you drive is also factored in.  The newer and more expensive the bike, generally the more expensive it will be.  You can have some control over your monthly premium by adjusting your coverage levels for medical and liability protection.  Wealthy drivers with a lot of assets may want more protection then someone with little to no assets.

Eastwood Insurance and Infinity Auto Insurance are both known for their expertise in non-standard auto insurance.  In today’s environment, these types of companies are becoming more and more important. 

Auto insurance is being dropped at an alarming rate and once you are caught driving without the proper coverage you may run into trouble finding a company to insure you.  This is where Infinity and Eastwood Insurance can help.  Infinity auto insurance ranks among the top 50 Property and Casualty Insurance companies in the US and is the 2nd largest underwriter of non-standard auto insurance through independent auto insurance agents according to their website.  Eastwood Insurance is a proven industry leader in non-standard auto insurance and offers quality sales and service for all types of auto coverage. 

If you find yourself in a situation where you are considered a high risk driver and have difficulty getting reasonable auto insurance quotes, check out these two companies.  You can get quotes directly online and comparison shop instantly.

According to the article “Car Insurance Scofflaws Raise Health Mandate Doubt” by Kristen Wyatt from the Associated Press found on Google, thousands of people on the road do not carry auto insurance even though most states require it.  This raises the question of the effectiveness of a health insurance mandate working.  It is something Congress continues to consider.

There have been auto insurance mandates out there for about 40 years and the insurance industry says it has not necessarily made the roads safer nor has it lowered auto insurance rates.  The President and CEO of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America believes that a driver’s personal financial situation is a better indicator of whether or not they will carry auto insurance.  High auto insurance rates may force a driver who is strapped for cash to go uninsured. 

States with higher poverty levels have a similar correlation with the amount of uninsured drivers are on the road.  People cut back on auto insurance when they can’t afford it and there is a real possibility that if they make health insurance a requirement the same thing will happen.  People cut costs where they can in times of trouble and although health insurance and auto insurance are both highly important coverages, people risk going without it to put food on the table and keep water in their home.

There are 6 main reasons why you should shop around for auto insurance quotes according to the article “305 Compelling Reasons To Compare Car Insurance” by Neil Faulkner on lovemoney.com. 

Reason number 1 is that you may get ripped off if you don’t shop around for auto insurance quotes.  The article points out that one insurer to another can often be 7 times the cost.  Reason 2 is that prices vary widely from one company to another.  It’s not just the difference from company to company, but price varies widely from year to year as your profile and demographic changes.

The 3rd reason points out that loyalty does not pay in the auto insurance industry.  If insurance is getting cheaper in the market, your price will stay the same if you do not request a recalculation.  Reason 4 discusses the value of your actual policy.  It’s important to ensure you have the best benefits possible in your policy.  Reason 5 is that rates may be increasing so you want to lock into a low rate when you can.  And reason 6 is obvious, but extremely important…you will save money if you shop around for auto insurance quotes.  The internet makes this quick and simple so there is no reason you shouldn’t take advantage of the opportunity to compare rates.