Smart Auto Insurance Blog

Auto insurance is getting more and more competitive and price is not the only place to compete.  Customer service, reputation, coverage options, SR22 insurance, and extra perks are all something to consider when shopping for auto insurance quotes.  One perk that has received a lot of attention in the past year is accident forgiveness.  This is a sought after benefit as consumers want flexibility in case they happen to have an accident.  The automatic rate increase that has been associated with accidents scares consumers and this makes accident forgiveness very desirable.

More and more auto insurers are making accident forgiveness part of their policy packages.  Nationwide and Allstate have been advertising this perk for awhile and have found great success with the program.  According to the article “Car Accident Forgiveness Policies” found on US Life Daily’s site says accident forgiveness is one of the more highly searched for benefits which indicates it’s a growing need.  The idea that auto insurance rates will not be automatically raised after the first accident appeals to all demographics and ages so it really is a unique benefit.

Accident forgiveness a relatively new concept, but it makes sense.  Auto insurance companies still want to reward good drivers with superior rates, but they recognize even the best drivers can have an accident and they know customers do not want to automatically be penalized if an accident occurs, especially if they have had a perfect driving record for years.  If this is a perk you think would bring you value, check with your insurer to see if that option is available.  If not, it may be time to start to compare auto insurance quotes online.

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.

According to the article “North Carolina has Eighth Cheapest Car Insurance” by Lee Weisbecker on Triangle Business Journal’s website, North Carolina auto insurance quotes are the 8th lowest in the nation and the lowest in all the South.  This came from a report from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

North Dakota had the lowest auto insurance rates at $511.79 per year and Iowa was 2nd with $517.62 per year.  The study looked at payment levels from customers for all 50 states from 2003 to 2007.

The North Carolina Insurance Commissioner, Wayne Goodwin, thinks the report’s findings are encouraging and states that he is pleased that North Carolina continues to be one of the most affordable states in the country.  The low rates are partially due to the fact that North Carolina is one of the only states to negotiate standardized rates for all auto insurance companies.  The rate set by the insurance commissioner becomes the cap, and companies can only deviate from this rate by offering consumers discounts.  SR22 insurance in North Carolina is typically higher because these drivers are deemed higher risk.

We all know how dangerous drinking and driving is, but the epidemic continues and people are still dying in tragic accidents caused by drunk drivers.  According to the article “More Young Women Driving Drunk” by Steven Reinberg on BusinessWeek.com the trend is growing in young women which is very unfortunate.

Men still make up the majority of drunk drivers, but the number of drunk women on the road is growing.  A study based on data from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that women drivers involved in deadly car crashes increased over the years 1995-2007.

Weekday accidents with alcohol involved among females increased by 3.5%, and weekend alcohol related accidents increased by 2.2%.  With more women consuming alcohol in large amounts there are more women making poor decisions and causing horrific accidents.  Simply said, do not drive drunk.  Even if you do manage to get extremely lucky and avoid an accident you are at risk of expensive fines, jail time, and carrying special SR22 Insurance for high-risk drivers.  None of that is worth it, especially putting lives at risk.

Illinois State Insurance Agency has announced the opening of their new location to serve customers in Waukegan Illinois and Lake County according to the article found on onlineprnews.com.  The office has opened in Waukegan Illinois.  This is very good news for those in need of SR22 insurance since Illinois State Insurance Agency (ISIA) specializes in high-risk auto insurance.  Those in the area can get access to an agent much quicker to receive proof of insurance quickly.

ISIA is one of the most reputable Illinois auto insurance companies.  They offer many discounts including discounts for proof of prior insurance, multiple cars, perfect driving records, and discounts for renewing.  They have also implemented a tool which allows policy holders to instantly download ID cards which is a huge benefit for high-risk drivers who often need to show proof of insurance quickly.

ISIA has been in business since 1997 and is growing consistently.  They have 4 locations in in the greater Chicago area and they are looking to open up in other states as well, including Indiana and Wisconsin.

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.

Progressive auto insurance has a lot of valuable information on SR-22 insurance on their website.  They point out that they can help if the court happens to order to you carry this type of insurance for high-risk drivers.

You may be asked to carry the SR-22 for numerous reasons including driving without insurance, DUI, at fault accidents while driving without insurance, repeat traffic offenses, too many tickets in a short period of time, revoked license or other serious moving violations. 

Progressive will file the SR-22 insurance form with your state’s DMV for you.  Once this has been done you generally can begin to drive legally.  Since SR-22’s are state specific there are variances from one state to another.  It’s important to ensure you understand what your state requires of you.  There are also special requirements if you move to another state in the midst of needing SR-22 insurance.  Many auto insurance companies, including Progressive, can help answer your SR-22 questions and fulfill your auto insurance needs.

Everyone knows that driving while intoxicated is extremely dangerous and against the law, but what many may not realize is that it’s very expensive as well.  According to the article “Driving Under the Influence is Expensive As Well As Dangerous” by the Kalamazoo Gazette Staff found on mlive.com, drinking and driving violations are the most expensive of all traffic violations.

According to insurance.com, DUIs can shoot auto insurance rates up by as much as 38%.  Their RateWatch Data shows that the lowest rate quoted to someone with a DUI was $2148 in 2009 across the country.  That is about $435 more than a driver who does not have a DUI. 

Not only are you putting your life at risk as well as other people on the road if you drive drunk, but you will most likely have your license suspended if you are caught and you will have to file a SR22 Insurance form, which is a certificate submitted to the Secretary of State proving that you have liability insurance.

SR-22 auto insurance policies show the DMV proof of insurance according to an article on officialwire.com by Joel McLaughlin.  Auto insurance companies fill out a SR-22 insurance form for you and then they forward it to the DMV when your license has been taken away for various reasons including a DUI or getting in an accident with no auto insurance.

Once the DMV gets the SR-22 insurance form they then have the proof that you are carrying minimum liability auto insurance and they will return your license to you.  The usual standard for carrying SR-22 insurance is 3 years.  This can vary depending on which state the violation occurs in and how severe the offense was.  If your auto insurance company cancels your insurance policy for any reason before the date of termination they will notify you.

Not all auto insurance companies offer SR-22 insurance so you may need to use a different carrier than you previously used.  You also may end up contacting numerous different companies to find a carrier right for you.

A helpful article on Officialwire.com by Joel McLaughlin gives information on SR22 Auto Insurance.

SR22 insurance is a form that your auto insurance carrier fills out for you and sends to the DMV office when your license has been revoked.  Once the DMV office receives the proof that you do have insurance and that you are covered for minimum liability, they return your license to you.

The standard requirement for having SR22 auto insurance is 3 years but this can differ from state to state and the offense severity.  If your carrier cancels your insurance before the date of termination, the carrier is required to submit a SR26 to advise the state that you are not covered by auto insurance any longer.  Not all auto insurance companies offer the SR22 option, so you will need to do some research as to which carrier will be able to assist you.