Smart Auto Insurance Blog

Founders auto insurance is continuing to offer great auto insurance deals to their customers.  This is important to understand as the economy is at a standstill and everyone is looking for ways to save money.  The auto insurance business is very competitive, but Founders is offering up some tips to consumers to ensure they are getting great deals on coverage.

Many auto insurance companies will offer discounts for switching policies to their company.  In many cases you can use a competitors offer as leverage for a good deal with an insurer.

Consider location.  You do not have to use a local auto insurance company, and many times you will find better deals with widespread companies since they have more to offer and a variety of options.  It’s true that where you live impacts auto insurance rates to consider this as you shop around.

Believe it or not, new cars are often cheaper to insure.  If you are considering buying a new car take this into consideration as you shop around.  Many people think rates will increase with the new car, but this isn’t usually the case.  One stop shopping is almost always beneficial.  If you have multiple insurance products with one company you may see huge discounts which will ultimately save you a lot of money.

MSN’s Money Central web page lists the most and least expensive cars to insure for 2010.  This information is helpful to know as you shop around for auto insurance quotes to use for comparison purposes.

At the top of their list for the most expensive car to insure specifically in the “car” category is the Porsche 911 Carrera GT2 2-door coupe with 6 cylinders with an average premium of $2943.78.  The next car is the Mercedes S65 AMG 4-door sedan with 12 cylinders at $2863.03.  The 3rd most expensive car is the Porsche Panamera Turbo AWD 4-door sedan with 8 cylinders with an average premium of $2837.39.

The least expensive car to insure is the Dodge Caliber SXT 4-door hatchback with 4 cylinders with an average premium of $1192.85.  Next is the Dodge Caliber 4-door hatchback with 4 cylinders at $1196.21 and the 3rd least expensive car is the Volkswagen Golf GLS 4-door hatchback with 4 cylinders at $1196.39.  Remember to keep this information handy as you compare auto insurance rates to ensure you are getting the best deal.

In these tough times, drivers are looking for any type of discount they can on their auto insurance rates.  Progressive Auto Insurance is happy to offer discounts whenever they can and their MyRate Discount program proves this.

Progressive’s MyRate discount offers savings based on how much, how, and when they drive their car.  With the newest version of MyRate, now offered with Minnesota auto insurance, customers can start saving in as little as 30 days, up to 30%.  Progressive now gets data for only 6 months to determine a customer’s auto insurance rate.  Once drivers sign up for the MyRate program they plug in a small device into their auto that measures their driving data.  After about 30 days they can let the customer know if they qualify for a discount.

Some examples of scenarios that will offer lower rates are business travelers who park their cars at the airport numerous days per week, families with an extra car they rarely drive, or safe drivers who rarely slam on the brakes.  Progressive may occasionally check in with MyRate customers to get another snapshot of driving habits to ensure nothing has changed, but if the safe driving habits continue so do the great discounts.

Currently only 12 states have no-fault laws in place according to the article “How Florida No-Fault Auto Insurance Laws Work” by Robert Fredricks on youronlineinsurance.com.  A no-fault law means that there is a limit on what a driver can sue another driver’s auto insurance company for.

Florida has a qualitative threshold with its no-fault law which means that for particular injuries or death the driver can sue the insurance company for up to a certain dollar amount.  These types of laws can keep auto insurance rates in check because the auto insurance companies are not getting sued for as much as in other states where just about any type of lawsuit is allowed.

Because of this type of regulation, Florida auto insurance tends to be lower which is great news for residents.  There are other states that have much stricter no-fault laws which only allow drivers to sue for the exact amount of injury or damages not already covered by the auto insurance company.  One downside to these types of no-fault laws is that when real permanent damage has been done the victim can be left short of what they truly deserve.  It can be hard for these victims to fight for what they believe is right.

Auto insurance rates are expected to rise up to 19% for Ontario drivers.  The average Toronto area driver may see rates increase by up to 14% according to the article “Auto insurance rates to rise as much as 19% in Ontario” on GlobalToronto.com. 

Ten auto insurance companies, which serve more than a fourth of Ontario drivers, have been approved to raise their auto insurance rates once again.  One of the reasons for the increased rates is the cost pressures being placed on insurers. 

It’s important to keep prices in perspective though because auto insurance rates are still relatively low when compared to previous years.  When compared to the cost of living, rates are reasonable.  Finance Minister Dwight Duncan plans to announce changes to auto insurance rates during the government’s 5 year review.

According to the article “High Point to Offer Jets’ Fans Discounted Auto Insurance Rates” by Bob Graham on ifawebnews.com, auto insurance rates will be discounted for those supporting the New York Jets. 

This discounted auto insurance rates program is being offered through Red Bank, NJ based High Point, which offers specially discounted auto insurance through over 90 associations throughout NJ.  Jim Tignanelli is the president of High Point and is very pleased with the association with the Jets.  It’s been 18 months that they have been committed to developing affinity sales. 

The discount will be available to New York Jets New Jersey based season ticket holders.  They intend to market this program through mail, email and internet marketing.  They will also market through on site efforts at training camps, headquarters and preseason.  It’s a great relationship for both the insurer as well as ticket holders.

According to the article “Data Shows Auto Insurance Rates Rise for DWI Convinctions” by Lavonne Kuykendall on CNN Money’s site, auto insurance rates in general are on the rise. 

Information obtained by insurance.com shows that auto insurance rates for male drivers with a DWI or DUI convinction are rising faster.  DWI rates usually stay in effect for 5 years after a DWI conviction.

In 2009, male drivers who had a DWI conviction paid auto insurance which was about 24% more per year than did men without any violations.  This is up from a 22% difference in 2008.  The rate of increase for someone with a DWI has remained the same for women since 2008, at about 28% higher than the rate for women without any violations.

According to an article on Albany, GA’s WALB.com by Delivrine Registre, auto insurance rates, as well as homeowner insurance rates are increasing for policy holders in Georgia, partly due to the recession.

Georgia auto insurance rates are rising, but not as sharply as homeowners insurance.  The Georgia Department of Insurance states that four of the biggest insurance companies in Georgia plan to raise their rates anywhere from 5-11% by the end of 2009.  The average increase in auto insurance rates will be about 2.4%. 

Not only has the recession been affecting businesses like insurance companies, but spring storms as well as flooding causes these companies to suffer additional losses.  There is no better time to shop around for cheaper Georgia auto insurance.

Donegal Insurance reported on April 24, 2009, that its first quarter net income was $169,804, or $.01 per share of Class A common stock on a diluted basis.  It was previously announced that the Company’s net income was negatively affected by severe winter weather and an unusual amount of fire loss. 

Donegal Insurance has insurance subsidiaries that offer personal and commercial property & casualty lines of insurance in 18 states across the country.

If you have credit problems you could end up paying more on your auto insurance despite your perfect driving record. Credit histories are just one of many factors used to determine auto insurance rates. Research has shown that drivers with poor credit history are more likely to file claims which in turn cost the auto insurance companies money.

The credit report is used as a predictor of risk, and it’s believed that it’s less likely for a person who is inherently financially irresponsible to suddenly change their behavior. But through repairing your credit and shopping around for auto insurance as your credit history changes over time, you may be able to lower your rate and save yourself money. Pay your bills on time and keep your debt level in check, and it could keep your auto insurance rates down.