Posts Tagged ‘m’
Monday, August 17th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
Normally when purchasing auto insurance you probably will only be asked for basic information about your vehicle. You are typically asked to provide the year, make, model and to provide the accurate mileage from the odometer. You will also need to provide some idea as to the condition of your vehicle and project your driving needs. Car owners who travel long distances for work are charged higher premiums than those who drive less frequently. Armed with this basic data and your car or truck Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), the insurance company is able to generate a quote after a quick check of collision history of your vehicle.
While you may think your car is in excellent condition, it may be only in average condition. And if you are planning on buying a policy that insures the car for far more than it is worth, you are only hurting yourself financially by throwing money away on expensive yearly policy premiums.
Often the Insurance Company may insist on Inspection, just to know the overall condition of the vehicle alone and if they find the actual condition of the vehicle is poorer than what it is claimed, it may affect the actual insurance coverage. Mechanical faults, improper maintenance such as rust or faded paint, poor condition of seats all make your vehicle go down its ladder for maximum coverage. Moreover it will also let you down when it comes to the blue book, as it mainly depends on the perfect condition of the car which may inadvertently make you to lose a fair amount of money, slashing your pocket with few thousands of dollars. In case of accidents, where the actual damage done to the car is summed up and in the event of blue book claim, the total value is paid to you only after the insurance company analysis the perfect numbers to be paid.
Insurance companies usually protect their assets from undue claiming and fraudulent claims. This may include an inspection seldom, to analyze the exact condition of your vehicle. The process, indirectly favours both the parties, as paying an enormous amount of premiums for a vehicle that is in fair condition seems absurd when you can actually pay less by stating the true condition of the vehicle. Also, the Insurance Company has the right to withdraw or modify their coverage accordingly, if they find the actual condition of the quoted vehicle is poorer than what is claimed.
It is in your best interest to be truthful with your insurance company when searching for a quote. If your passenger door is about to fall off and you are just waiting to lie to the insurance company and tell them you were a victim of a hit and run and that your car door is now totaled, the insurance company can throw you in jail for insurance fraud. They may even already have pictures of your car before you created the accident.
This is why inspections can happen at any time. The insurance company needs to know if you are honest. So it is best to be truthful when looking for a quote because the day after you get your policy, the insurance company might be at your place taking pictures of your car.
About the Author:
Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator for Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading car and vechile portal, which helps people save on their car and vechile.
Tags: A, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance Posted in auto insurance | No Comments »
Friday, August 14th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
Car insurance is very important. When a vehicle is stolen or broken into, insurance plays a large role in reimbursement for lost property. Insurance also allows the victim to make a claim to their insurer and the insurer handles the costs of repairs and/or replacement of the damage to the vehicle; of course, there is generally a modest deductible depending upon the insurance plan one has.
When you speak to the insurance agent about the claim they will start an initial examination checklist to ensure that the claim is valid and what part of the claim if any is to be paid by the insurance company according to your policy. There are many questions the insurance company might ask of you and any other information gathered will be from your policy and coverage information.
The first thing the insurance agent will check for is to make sure your policy is active. When you file a claim your insurance policy must be paid up-to-date and not have lapsed to obtain your coverage.
The Claims are usually Validated after reviewing the policy rules and if there are items damaged or stolen which are not covered by the policy contract, the coverage amount cannot be claimed. You will also not be able to claim if you just have a liability insurance or a third party cover in instances of car burglary.
Your policy might exclude certain perils such as flood or fire and if this is part of your claim you will not be covered and the claim be denied. If the car was stolen or vandalized the checklist examination will look at if these items were on the policy. If you had an expensive set of golf clubs in the trunk when the car was stolen or if your expensive stereo was taken during a break in you can collect for reimbursement if these items were specified on your policy.
The insurance agent looks for violation of policy terms, ensures the driver stood up to their end of the policy requirements and checks for any perils or items that might be excluded for the claim. It might sound harsh, but the insurance company will look for any reason they should not pay the claim and if they find one you will be left holding the bill at the end of the day.
Other than looking out for policy reasons, the trained insurance agent might even carry a checklist to rule out suspicion in case of fraudulent claims. For example Expensive trunk load of goods carried in an old car, if reported as stolen and has been filed for a claim, the agent might raise a suspicion that it might be a fraudulent claim by the policy owner. Misleading facts and false information might lead to the coverage being denied. Once the checklist is complete along with the Initial examination, the agent forwards the case to its assessor along with his reports of examination, to assess and approve claim, if it is genuine.
Tags: A, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance Posted in auto insurance | No Comments »
Friday, August 7th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
Your very first insurance premiums will very likely be higher than they will ever be again. That is, if you’re careful. Like your first experience with buying on credit, you won’t get as good a deal as you will once you show how reliable you are, whether in your bill-payments or your driving habits. You start out as an unknown quality to insurers, so they start you out at a price that lets them be sure not to lose money on “people like you.”
It may occur that the price you have to pay for the new policy is higher than for the ones who have previous insurance policies, but then, things like no previous claims, apt and regular payment record, a clean driving license will be considered as plus points and there is a chance the rates offered to you are great.
Applicants are better served by soliciting quotes from new insurance companies while still covered by their previous ones, rather than waiting until their old policy expires. Given that insurance companies examine an applicant’s credit history, a record of premiums paid consistently and on time is very important in determining whether that company will decide to offer you coverage.
If you are a new driver, if you have a string of traffic tickets, if you have had traffic accidents, if you have submitted _insurance claims_ for accidents, if you’ve let policies lapse due to non-payment… any (or, you poor sap, _all_) of these things make you a high-risk customer. You can still find insurance, but you will definitely pay a price. You’ll have a higher down payment, higher premiums, a higher deductible, and generally less coverage.
So, for amateurs, it is best advised to go for a short term insurance policy, say around 6 months. Prompt timely payment and a good driving history for at least 6 months will give you a good chance of having a better quote next time. Instead of continuing or extending the same policy after 6 months, it is always better to compare what the other companies are ready to offer you. No doubt, there might be some surprising deals for just 6 months of clean history which might save you a handsome amount, may be a few hundred dollars.
Those drivers who maintain coverage for several years through the same company may not be taking advantage of potential savings that are available to them. Insurance companies are not in the habit of pro-actively offering existing customers lower rates, even if they may qualify for them. On the other hand, competing insurance companies are more likely to offer a potential customer with a strong history better rates in the hopes of getting them to switch providers.
In summary, drivers should be vigilant about looking for the best available insurance rates. In order to ensure the lowest premiums, it is essential to keep up with one’s payments, to maintain constant coverage, and to keep one’s driving record as clean as possible.
Tags: A, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance Posted in auto insurance | No Comments »
Monday, August 3rd, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
Often when you’re shopping for quotes from car insurance companies the phrase “incidence rate” will be brought up fairly frequently. Many consumers do not fully understand what this means, but in reality it’s just a easy procedure to determine the risk level of your vehicle by using the statistics that are given by auto industries that show how likely your car is to be involved in an accident, be stolen, or the severity of damage it suffers from a small accident.
Certain types and models of vehicles are more attractive to thieves. Also, certain models have been shown to be more likely to be involved in accidents or violations such as speeding or reckless driving. The insurance quote not only takes into account your personal driving history, but is also determined by the type of vehicle that is being insured.
How are these incidence rates determined? Whenever a vehicle is involved in a theft, accident, or traffic violation, the law enforcement agencies specify the make and model of the vehicle. These statistics are compiled into a database which shows which vehicle types are more likely to be involved in these incidents. The insurance industry uses these statistics to determine the risk level of each vehicle type and adjusts premium rates accordingly.
It seems common-sense that sports cars are more likely to be involved in reckless driving incidents or speeding violations. But there are also some incidents that are not so obvious. For instance, statistics show that a white or light-colored vehicle is more likely to be involved in accidents than darker vehicles. Knowing this information can help consumers make better decisions about the types of vehicles that they choose. Incidence rates can be found either by searching the Internet, or by asking a car dealership for the information. By knowing this information and how it affects your insurance premiums, you will be able to see why your quotes differ from other drivers with similar driving records.
But what if you really had your heart set on a certain vehicle type, only to find out that the specific model was more prone to auto thefts than others? Obviously, your insurance rates will be higher than if you had chosen a different vehicle. If a vehicle is stolen, your insurance company must reimburse you for the full fair-market value of the vehicle. But by installing anti-theft devices, alarm systems, and even GPS systems, you can lower the theft risk and help lower your insurance premiums.
Even the color of your car can determine your policy, but not as much as some other factors. If you have a light car you might be more likely to get hit, but you can combat that fact by being underinsured and have the ones who hit you take the fall. Your insurance company will appreciate this.
By knowing the incidence rates associated with your vehicle and the ways to offset them you can ensure lower rates, but it works both ways. It’s possible to research and seek out the cars that have the lowest theft rates and best safety records in order to get the lowest possible insurance rates. When advertisers note good performance and safety records they’re really drawing your attention to the possibility of lower rates.
Tags: A, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance Posted in auto insurance | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
If you’re getting vehicle insurance for the first time then you may not understand the various aspects that exist. An important part of owning a vehicle is insuring it. This is true whether you vehicle is new or used. There are different types of coverage that you will encounter when you?re looking for vehicle insurance. It?s wise to choose your coverage based on your vehicle.
Passenger vehicles can have two different types of insurance. You should choose your insurance based on your car, its year and overall value. You should get full coverage if your car is new or has a high value to it. Most states will require a new car to have full coverage until it’s paid off. This helps protect lenders from a huge loss if the car is totaled and the consumer refuses to pay for it when they don?t have insurance. When you have full coverage the insurance company will pay off your car if it is totaled.
When purchasing a new car you will be required to have full coverage for your protection as well as the lenders protection. Some people that have had new cars that they were paying off got into accidents where their car was totaled and didn’t have insurance. Since they didn?t have a vehicle they decided to not finish paying off the loan thereby causing the lender to have a big loss. However, if you have insurance the insurance company would pay off the car for you.
It’s important that you choose the right type of insurance based on the value of your vehicle. The easiest way to do this is to figure out how much insurance will cost you over 3 years. If your cars value is higher than this number then you will want to stick with full coverage.
If you want to protect your car from being vandalized then you will want to add another type of insurance on to your insurance plan. Comprehensive insurance isn?t a standalone insurance plan as it only protects your car from damages not due to an accident. Typically this will include fire, theft, weather, as well as some other conditions.
Most of the time if you decide to get full coverage you will receive comprehensive coverage as well. There are a few different levels of comprehensive coverage that you can choose from. These levels will affect your deductable and how much you will be required to pay on your deductable. You will want to know the differences between the two types of coverage as this will allow you to get the best possible rate on your car insurance.
You can get a possible discount in you can pay 6 months of your premium in full. Yes its quite heavy financially but if you have the amount, you can save a lot if you think of it.
About the Author:
Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator for Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading car and vechile portal, which helps people save on their car and vechile.
Tags: A, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance Posted in auto insurance | No Comments »
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
by Stacy Williams
If you car has recently been involved in a minor or major accident and needs auto body repair you will need to find a great auto body shop. Finding that auto body shop that will meet your expectations will require some effort on your part.
If you vehicle does need repair, one of the biggest concerns car owners face is how much money will be coming out of their wallet. So, what you need to be doing is not only checking on the qualifications of the shop but also checking their prices by getting quotes to repair what you want and need repaired.
When choosing a repair shop to handle any paint repairs or paint touch up you want to make sure that you first of all choose a qualified professional at a well known auto body shop. Check around and do some research so that you know they are not planning to rip you off or that they in fact do a good job. You should also ask to see an example of the work that they produce from their shop. Once you do that you should be off to a good start.
However you want to make sure that they are using the latest technology to color match your vehicles color to the new paint they are applying. The auto body shop should not be simply guessing or getting “close enough”. They should be able to provide an exact match. With an exact match it will be almost impossible to tell that any paint work was ever even done on your vehicle.
Also you should check that they are using a high quality paint for your vehicle. It is important that you vehicle has a top quality paint since your paint is what acts as a protection for your cars metal body against rust and other environmental hazards. Also you want to make sure again that it is a seamless job and that it will not be too noticeable that you had paint work done.
Next you should look for an auto body shop that will give you a warranty on the paint job that paid for. That paint job is going to cost you some time and money and you want to get a guarantee that it is a quality job that will hold up against the elements. Any shop that provided a warranty for their work must have confidence that their work is of good quality.
Most shops will offer the warranty for a specific time period and others will guarantee their work for the entire time you own the vehicle. This is a great option to look for when deciding which auto body shop to choose to complete your car’s paint needs.
We have come to the realization that what we have been doing to conduct and run businesses is not good for the environment and in turn not good for us since we live in the environment. So, be part of the change and “go green” with auto body repairs! The environment is in your hands now.
About the Author:
Never before has auto body mechanic been this quick and easy! Grab all the inside information while there’s still time at auto body repair shop aventura
Tags: A, accidents, advertising, auto, auto insurance, b, body, business, c, cars, collision, e, f, family, h, hobbies, i, insurance, m, maintenance, o, p, parts, r, repair, shopping, t, tools, travel, trucks, u, vehicle Posted in auto insurance | No Comments »
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
by Chris Coats
Let’s face it, fuel prices are high, food costs are high, your neighbor is loosing their home. Times are not the best. What could be worse? Maybe an auto accident?
You want to be sure that you are getting quality repair at a fair price. There are many things to look for when choosing an auto body repair shop. If your vehicle is in need of repair find out how to choose an auto body repair shop for your vehicle.
The customer is always right, I know sometimes this is hard to stomach, but unfortunately one happy customer might tell one our two potential or current customers, and an unhappy customer will tell twenty people. And there’s no worst thing for a business than the bad publicity through word of mouth.
A shop might want to utilize some reasonable concessions. Back to our example, the auto owner’s vehicle is inspected by the insurance company and is paid less the deductible. The auto owner takes vehicle to shop and schedules repairs.
That is the secured interest would try to collect, if the vehicle is repossessed seems like it is a lost cause. If the auto is 100% owned, than it does not matter what the owner does with the insurance payout.
There is a significant industry impact due to customers declining repairs. The local auto body shop now looses that work. That repair employs numerous people in the shop, numerous parts and supplies vendors, and keeps the industry on its toes with new technology and innovations.
These are all acceptable practices. You as a shop owner or technician, need to make the auto owner understand how important it is to get there car repaired. There could also be numerous safety concerns. The shop needs to explain to the auto owner about hidden damage, and the decline in value of their vehicle.
Auto body repair at your service. Auto body shops need to reinvent their desire. Some auto owners still think of a shop as a dusty, backyard garage. When in fact, a lot of these shops are million dollar state of the art facilities, utilizing highly trained technicians.
Tags: A, accidents, advertising, auto, auto insurance, b, body, business, c, cars, collision, e, f, family, h, hobbies, i, insurance, m, maintenance, o, p, parts, r, repair, shopping, t, tools, travel, trucks, u, vehicle Posted in auto insurance | No Comments »
Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
An intermediary is a person you can hire that will find you the best deal on your next vehicle purchase. They are very skilled at knowing exactly how much a certain type of car is worth, and about how much a car dealership should be charging. They are very useful if you don’t have the time to deal with salesmen. An intermediary will usually charge between $200-$1,000 dollars to find you a good deal, but it varies for different types of cars. In the end, hiring an intermediary could end up saving you a lot of money.
Dealerships usually give special deals to intermediaries to help them sell cars. This in turn helps you get the best price as well. Intermediaries also will usually know how much the car costs and how much dealerships get in commission. When an intermediary knows this he can negotiate the best deal possible for you while allowing the dealership to make some money.
It’s very important to remember to look for a good intermediary. Several of these people work privately, so you never know how secure your personal information really is. Do a background check on your intermediary to make sure they are legitimate. It is also very common for them to be employees of one dealership. When this happens they will pretend to be searching for the best deal possible, but they are only trying to increase their own company?s profit. Try to get a statement that says how they are getting paid and by whom.
Sometimes getting an intermediary isn’t as helpful as you think it would be. Dealerships don?t like intermediaries because they know so much about the business and often get a vehical for a much lower price than they would prefer. Sometimes they won?t even work with them, which limit your choices. In fact, the number of car purchases arranged by intermediaries is only 5% of the total amount of cars bought, but this has a big effect on their industry.
As mentioned before, be sure that you do a good background check on your intermediary before you employ them. The laws that govern their business varies from state to state, so it may be a good idea to ask for references There is always the option to hire someone from a professional company, which means you will be getting more guarantees and securities with their work.
It?s important that you know that the cost will vary between intermediaries. However, it?s usually less expensive for them to find you a new car then it is for them to find you a used car. This is because they will have to spend more time and effort searching for the best price on the used car you want. Also there are always more resources for an intermediary to work with when shopping for a new car then a used one.
Ask your intermediary all the right questions before you hire them. Don?t be afraid to hire someone who is from out of state, since most intermediaries work right from their homes. In the long run these agents can really save you some money, so it may be worthwhile to hire one. An intermediary could end up saving you thousands of dollars on your car purchase, which is much more then what you spent to employ them.
Tags: A, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance Posted in auto insurance | No Comments »
Monday, July 20th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
The most basic type of car insurance that you can get is liability insurance. In most states you are required to have at least liability insurance to operating any vehicle on the road. This type of insurance doesn?t cover your vehicle only the damage done to other property and people.
When people speak of the basic limits of liability they are referring to the lowest insurance policy a company has to offer. Although it varies from company to company, the minimal amount of coverage is usually $25,000 for property and $50,000 for injuries. This is usually displayed in a policy as $25,000/$50,000. This means that the insurance will cover up to that much in property damage and injury however if the accident causes more damages then your policy will cover you are at risk of being sued for the rest.
There is another type of car insurance that you can have that will cover your car and the other vehicles as well. While these plans are more expensive they are preferable if you have an expensive car or if you want to have limits that will protect you in case a car accident causes serious bodily harm to the other person.
By having full coverage and higher coverage limits, you will have less to worry about in the event of a serious accident. In most small accidents basic liability will cover the property damage. However if you get into a serious accident with only the basic limits of liability then you will be liable to pay the difference. Thus it pays to have higher insurance coverage so that you don?t end up owing tens of thousands of dollars in damage and hospital bills.
As you might expect the higher limits you have the more expensive your insurance premium will be. However your premium can also be affected by your age, driving record, and type of car. Also since medical attention is more expensive than property damage the injury part of your liability insurance will usually be double what the property damage coverage is.
In many states driving without insurance is illegal. You?re required to have state minimum liability coverage. Even in the states where you?re not required to have insurance you should as driving without it is very risky. Even a small accident can cost you thousands of dollars that will take years to pay off. Usually it?s better to have upgraded insurance that will cover damages that are done to your vehicle as well. Comprehensive coverage is also good for those who live in the city or in areas of extreme weather. This is because comprehensive is designed to cover damages to your vehicle not caused by accident such as theft and weather damage.
Finding the right type of insurance for a vehicle can be a difficult and long task however it?s a very important one. If you?re unsure about what type of insurance would be best for you then you should consult one or several insurance agents and get their recommendations.
Tags: A, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance Posted in auto insurance | No Comments »
Sunday, July 19th, 2009
by Guiscard Mathurin
This best summarizes the facts about affordable auto insurance. A lot of people think that they can get affordable auto insurance policy easily, and while this may be true, some underlying factors influence the final outcome. The key for you is to understand each of these factors to see if you qualify for a discount auto insurance plan. Remember, before you get quotes for these plans, you need to supply some information.
Needless to say, the fact that an affordable auto insurance plan could be offered to you would be sensitive to the inputs you provide. Now, that does not mean you should tamper with the inputs just for you to get discount auto insurance. Insurance companies have a stringent check mechanism, and your application for a discount auto insurance might as well get rejected, if it is found you have tampered with the information you have provided.
Worse still, some insurance companies may even offer you discount auto insurance plans. Everything may seem to go smooth for people, and when something unforeseen happens, you would rush to the company to file your claims. This is when things turn sour on the affordable auto insurance policy. You might see that the company either delays the settling of claims inordinately, or worse still, even reject the claim outright.
About 40% of people who apply for affordable auto insurance coverage do not know that their claims can get rejected if the inputs provided by them are misrepresented. Unknowing of this fact, people apply for discount auto insurance, only to find that their request has been denied.
Once you provide inputs to the best of your knowledge, it is on the discretion of the insurance company to give you a affordable auto insurance plan. Remember, insurance companies play it safe by automating the entire exercise online, so you can be sure there would be no bias at all. Importantly, what you need to judge for yourself is if the affordable auto insurance policy is really affordable for you or not. Understanding whether the discount auto insurance policy still meets your financial standings is important for you to decide!
Simply put, a combination of having a good driving history and the place where you stay in are considered the best bets for you to get an affordable auto insurance plan. Though, you cannot do much to influence the place you stay in to get a discount auto insurance, but you can definitely keep a watch on your driving record. If it is good enough, you will surely get a affordable auto insurance policy.
About the Author:
For Instant saving on your Auto Insurance Rate, please visit insurancerateauto.com for more information. Find out how much you can save online by getting your Free Insurance Rate Auto Quotes from multiple carriers. Let your local agents compete and save.
Tags: A, auto, auto insurance, auto parts, automotive, b, blogs, business, business;finance, e, f, finance, financial, forex, i, insurance, investing, investment, l, m, money, n, o, online, r, real estate Posted in auto insurance | No Comments »
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