Smart Auto Insurance Blog

In Louisiana, auto insurance checkpoints will probably have to be announced ahead of time by police departments.  According to “La. wants public advance notice for insurance checkpoints,” Charles Nguyen of Online Auto Insurance says that HB 713 is moving onto the state House after passing through the Committee on Transportation, Highways, and Public Works.  This proposal would make police announce any checkpoints on a local news or radio broadcast, as well as transferring all of the same guidelines for current checkpoints to Louisiana auto insurance checkpoints.

Current checkpoints are used to look for those driving under the influence, make sure drivers are wearing seatbelts and have registered, insured vehicles.  Police need to use signs and flares as well as public notifications of their checkpoints.  They also have to have a non-field officer submit paperwork for the times, location, and duration of any checkpoints.  Police are required to perform all checkpoints in a timely manner so that no one has their time wasted.  They also have to use some type of system for stopping motorists, rather than stopping them at random.

As Louisiana police check more for auto insurance policies for drivers, lawmakers and insurance companies hope that the state will have fewer uninsured motorists.  They already have a policy called “no pay, no play.”  Motorists who don’t carry their own auto insurance policies cannot get payment for the first $15,000 of bodily injury or $25,000 of property damages, even if they were not at fault.  It really does pay to have auto insurance coverage, whether you are worried about getting in trouble at a checkpoint or losing payment in an accident.

Many people often wonder what type of coverage they have if someone they lend their car to gets in an accident.  Unfortunately, most do not consider this when they compare auto insurance benefits.  This is an important benefit to consider though, especially if you think you may be lending out your car to any friends or family members during the life of your policy.

In general, auto insurance policies follow the car.  This doesn’t always make sense to drivers since rates are based on their driving record, not the person they lend their car to, but most insurers follow this rule.  It is possible that you would be responsible for coverage if you are driving someone else’s car and they do not have auto insurance.  This is unfortunate situation that can confuse drivers.

According to the article “Lending Your Car Can Bring Auto Insurance Concerns” by William Pirraglia on E-Wisdom.com, when you lend out your car to someone, you take on ‘vicarious liability’.  Your auto insurance is responsible for property damage, bodily injury, as well as other possible damage charges.  Since you gave permission to for someone else to drive your car, you have to accept liability for your friend’s activity.  Legally the borrower has no classic insurance liability unless the car has no insurance on it.  If someone steals your car and gets in an accident then you would not be considered responsible for liability so that at least is a good thing.

There are a lot of complex exceptions based on a variety of scenarios, so be sure to check with your specific auto insurance policy to see how your insurer will respond to each situation.  Knowledge is key in preparation for accidents if you do decide to lend out your car to someone you know.

Based on a recent online survey completed by the InsuranceQuotes website, a surprising 16% of American drivers say that they have driven without carrying auto insurance, which happens to be against the law.  Also in this survey, 2% admitted to currently driving around without auto insurance which is concerning for all insured drivers on the road.

With the past few years being tough economic times for many, this probably makes sense.  According to the article “16% of Motorists Have Driven Without Insurance” by Alex Vorro on insurancenetworking.com, 28% of males ages 18-25 and 45-54 were at the top of the list for driving without insurance.  The percent of women driving without insurance is only about half of men.

Men and women combined in the age group 45-54 were the most likely to have driven without insurance at about 22%.  In the age group over 55 only 8% have admitted to ever driving with auto insurance.  The survey also looked at the reasons why people were driving with out auto insurance.  Auto insurance quotes can be expensive and it would seem that would be one of the reasons.  Actually, 24% of drivers drove without auto insurance because they didn’t have a chance to renew, 19% because of a gap while switching insurance companies and 12% because the insurer cancelled their policy.

According to the article “Auto Insurance Industry Improving…Will Rates Decrease?” by Brad Ricahrds posted on WorldBreakingNews.com, the auto insurance industry has reported slight growth over their 2009 results.  They are hopeful this means the industry is making an upward turn for the long haul and will result in lower auto insurance rates over time.

During tough times many drivers cut back to the most basic auto insurance coverage possible to save money.  Some carry no coverage at all.  As the economy picks up again, consumers start upgrading their insurance protection which is good news for auto insurance companies.  Many are hoping that this recovery will cause auto insurance rates to go down.

A new bill, Proposition 17, is expected to pass and will require auto insurance companies to give discounts to car owners that have had auto insurance protection for periods of time.  It’s expected to work as a reward system for loyal customers but is could reduce overall auto insurance rates for many drivers on the road.

There will be a voter initiative on the June 2010 ballot for Californians aimed at giving discounts to drivers who have had insurance for a long time according to the article “Californians To Vote On Auto Insurance Persistency Discount” by Patricia-Anne Tom on insurancejournal.com.  This discount would apply even if Californians switched carriers confirmed by the Secretary of State.

The Continuous Coverage Auto Insurance Discount Act will mean lower California auto insurance quotes for many but it’s facing criticism by consumer groups because the act will penalize drivers for not having previous auto insurance coverage.  The article says that the measure would legalize surcharges on auto insurance and penalize good drivers for accidents that weren’t necessarily their fault.  The group believes it could ultimately lead to more uninsured drivers on the road.

Kathy Fairbanks of CalFAIR says this ballot proposal will reward over 80% of responsible Californians who keep auto insurance coverage which is required by law by making them eligible for this discount even if they switch auto insurance companies.  Currently, the discount cannot be offered to new customers.  California drivers will be able to carry this discount with them if they choose to shop around for better rates and switch insurers.

As the unemployment rate increases and the state of the economy continues, more and more people are expected to drop their auto insurance.  This is according to the article “More Motorists Expected To Drive Without an Auto Insurance Policy” by John Pirro found on live-pr.com. 

The article states that many people see a strong correlation between unemployment rates and the number of people driving without auto insurance.  According to a study from the Insurance Research Council, about one in six drivers will be driving without auto insurance by 2010.  One of the main problems with this trend is that responsible drivers who follow the law and carry the proper auto insurance coverage end up paying more to account for accidents caused by uninsured motorists. 

The consequences for driving without auto insurance are getting harsher.  For example, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will suspend a driver’s vehicle registration if they are caught without proof of insurance.  Many of these people driving around uninsured believe they simply cannot afford the month to month cost of carrying auto insurance, but the truth is that it can end up costing you a lot more money in the long run if you are in an accident or caught driving uninsured.

It’s always important to understand what type of auto insurancecoverage you carry, but now more than ever we need to pay close attention.  This is according to the article “Car Insurance in the New Economy” by Ed Normund on Injuryboard.com.  The recession is causing more and more drivers to cut back on their coverage or eliminate auto insurance altogether and this may cost you in the long run.

The article recommends certain types of coverage that can help protect you during these tough times: 

1. Bodily Injury Liability - pays for injuries that you cause to another based on negligence
2. Property Damage Liability - pays for property damages that you cause due to negligence
3. Umbrella Insurance - covers you for bodily or property damages from auto accidents
4. Uninsured Motorist Protection - covers injuries to you and others when hurt by someone else
5. Comprehensive coverage - covers your car for damage caused by theft or other events
6. Collision insurance - covers you for damage to your car when in a crash with someone else
7. Medical Payments or Personal Injury Protection Insurance - covers you and your car occupants for limited medical payments with no regard to who is at fault

Take the time to understand what is included in your auto insurance policy to ensure you are fully protected.  What type of coverage you have does factor into your rates, so consider closely what you do and do not need to ensure you have adequate and affordable auto insurance.  It’s often better to be safe than sorry in the case of a car accident.

I’m not sure why, but [the third largest private passenger auto insurance company] has contacted our company and asked that we remove a page from our website that contains general factual information about their company.  The information was publicly available summary information about them, and similar information can be found at many other websites such as Hoover’s etc.

We do not buy any paid search advertising for this site, let alone bidding on their trademarked terms?

Apparently [this auto insurance company] is not in favor of free speech that is the internet, but in any event, the content that we were providing about their company was completely harmless, so their behavior seems paranoid to say the least.

In any event, before you purchase auto insurance coverage from them, based on their brand recognition or the cute little lizard, be sure to shop around first and see if you can find a better deal.