Archives for September 2018

5 Ways Carpooling Can Help Your Bottom Line

September 15, 2018 by Nick Peacock

Most people drive at least twenty minutes to and from work each day. Many spend much more, sometimes ten to twenty hours a week in their car. If you’re looking to save some money, consider starting or joining a carpool. Carpooling reduces your costs for driving to and from work, especially if you’re driving a long distance. This alone can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars a year.

Here are a few of the advantages of carpooling.

1) Save on gas

Carpoolers usually split the cost of gas, either by having one person drive and be reimbursed, or by using alternating drivers. Either way, you’re going to cut your weekly costs for fuel and have some extra money.

2) Save on maintenance

Commuting to and from work takes its toll on automobiles. Bad roads, weather, and sitting parked in the sun all day can lead to breakdowns, the need for new tires, and all sorts of costly repair work. Carpooling gives your car a break and should lead to lower maintenance costs.

3) Save time

Most cities now have carpool lanes on major roads into the downtown or into areas where there are lots of businesses. If you carpool, you can fly by everyone else stuck in traffic jams by using the carpool lane. You’ll also be relieved of the worry that traffic might make you late for work.

4) Save on car insurance

When car insurance companies calculate your rate, one of the things they look at is how much you drive. The more you drive the greater risk you have for being in an accident or incident. By carpooling, you can report less driving miles and may see a decrease in your car insurance premiums.

5) Increase your performance

Carpooling can reduce the stress of your daily commute. By being the passenger some of the time, you might be able to catch some sleep, catch up on reading, or get some work done while you’re on the road. These can all lead to better performance on the job, which hopefully leads to more money!

There are other advantages to carpooling too. For instance, some two-car households find they don’t need to own and maintain two cars if they are able to carpool. And, in places that have good public transport, you may not need a car at all.

In addition, although it may not seem like it helps your bottom line, carpooling is good for the environment. It may not save you money, but you can feel good that you are doing something good for the world by reducing emissions in your own corner of the world.

When you’re ready to shop around and find reduced rates for carpooling, InsuranceWins can help. Just use our fast and easy form to compare rates and start saving!

Had an Accident? Here’s How to Keep Your Rate Down

September 15, 2018 by Nick Peacock

If you’ve had an accident, you’re probably already stressed about injury or damage. And if you’ve caused the accident, you’ll probably get hit with a rise in your car insurance rates when it comes time to renew your policy. Ouch!

But you may be able to recover some of that extra cost with the right insurance company and with a little bit of research after your accident. There are a few ways to lower your car insurance premiums. Each company will have its own variety of options you might be able to take advantage of, so shopping around is the best way to get the best rates.

Here are some things you can do.

Ask

It never hurts to ask, right? Start with your current carrier. They don’t want to lose you as a customer, so they may be motivated to work with you to balance out your rate increase after an accident. Many companies now offer an accident forgiveness clause that protects your rates after your fist accident. Be sure you are taking advantage of it if your company offers this.

Discounts

Even if you haven’t had a recent accident, it’s a good idea to review your policy every year to make sure you are taking advantage of all the discounts available to you. Your life situation is always changing, whether you get a new job, get married, buy a house, or start going to school, and your insurance rate can be reduced by all sorts of situations. Here are a few discounts you should check into.

Safe Driver
Good Student
Bundling Home and Auto
Corporate Discounts
Multiple Car/Driver

Increase Your Deductible

Increasing your deductible decreases your premium. This may seem like a good idea, and it can be, but be careful. Make sure you have enough in savings to cover the deductible should you have an accident. You don’t want to be stuck with out a vehicle because you can’t afford your deductible.

Take a class

If you’ve had an accident or if you were cited for an incident you may be able to avoid a steep rate increase by taking a class. In some states, taking a defensive driving class may lower your rate. The class may cost you some money but less than a car insurance rate increase will cost you.

Shop Around

If all else fails, shop around. Comparing carriers is the best you to know if you are truly getting the best rate you can get, given your personal circumstances and driving history.

InsuranceWins can help you shop around. When you use our fast and easy form to compare rates, you can rest assured that you are getting the best rates to be found. InsuranceWins helps you narrow down your list of the best insurance companies for you.

Helping Teens Become Safe Drivers

September 15, 2018 by Nick Peacock

Parents have been teaching their teens to drive for over a hundred years. Sure, they get help now from driving schools, but parents are usually the first teachers for young drivers.

But, despite the fact that most adults have been driving for many years, it can be hard to know what to teach a new driver. As a driver with years of experience, driving comes naturally, without too much conscious thought. Trying to teach such automatic behavior can be hard.

Add to this the fact that, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in the United States, the fatal crash rate per mile driven for 16-19-year-olds is nearly 3 times the rate for drivers ages 20 and over. This risk is the highest for 16-17-year-olds. The fatal crash rate per mile driven is nearly twice as high for these new drivers as it is for 18-19-year-olds.

So, here are a few rules to start with if you are teaching a new driver.

#1 Turn off the cell phone

We’ve all heard the statistics and seen the public service announcements. Cell phones and driving do not mix. And for new drivers, this should be the first, number one, hard and fast rule. Turn off the phone. Put it in the glove compartment. Even consider leaving it at home to avoid temptation.

#2 Stay focused

Driving requires focus. To stay focused, you must minimize distractions in the car. For new drivers, this means driving alone, keeping the radio low or off, and avoiding eating and drinking in the car while driving. The goal should always be to focus on the road and other drivers.

#3 Obey the speed limit

Speeding kills. That’s why there are speed limits. An accident at 35 miles per hour usually has a very different outcome than an accident at 70 miles per hour. New drivers, whose reactions are not as developed as experienced drivers, should be especially careful about speeding.

#4 Avoid tailgating

Related to speeding, tailgating is another accident-prone driving behavior. New drivers often want to go faster than the car in front of them and do not have the experience to understand what it takes to stop a vehicle. If the road is wet, if they are going fast, or if they are distracted they may not have enough time to stop.

#5 Avoid lane changes

At least until a young driver is more experienced, avoiding lane changes is a good way to stay safe. Driving the car, staying in a lane, avoiding others, and then having to look over their shoulder when changing lanes can be daunting for new drivers. There are too many things to account for and this can lead to panic and accidents.

Once you’ve got them trained and are ready to add your teen driver to your policy, you may be shocked at the rates. Don’t worry. As your new driver becomes more experienced, their rates will come down. Meanwhile, you can use the InsuranceWins form to compare rates to compare rates and find the best car insurance policy for you and your family.

Tips for Setting Your Car Insurance Deductible

September 14, 2018 by Nick Peacock

One of the most confusing decisions when it comes to buying a car insurance policy is how much of a deductible you want to carry. The deductible is the amount of money you will have to pay out-of-pocket for injuries or property damage if you cause an accident and have to file a claim.

As an example, if you have an accident that causes $2000 in damage to your car and you have a $1000 deductible, you will have to pay $1000 and your insurance policy will pay for the second $1000 to have your car repaired.

Unlike health insurance, there is no reaching a deductible limit by the end of the year. If you have two accidents in the year, you will have to pay your deductible twice. In our example, this would mean $2000 out-of-pocket.

It’s important to understand the relationship between your deductible and your monthly premiums.

Essentially:

A higher deductible allows lower monthly premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs
A lower deductible means higher monthly premiums but lower out-of-pocket costs

One thing to note is that if your damages are less than your deductible, you will end up paying for the total costs of repairs. In our example of a $1000 deductible, if your damage costs are $500, you will have to pay the whole $500 out-of-pocket. Oppositely, if you total your car your insurance company will pay you for the current value of your car, but they will subtract the deductible amount.

When You Have to Pay Your Deductible

Collision and comprehensive coverage are usually the two types of coverage that require a deductible. If you cause an accident, your deductible is required to be paid to repair your own car, not the cars of any others involved in the accident.

When You Don’t Have to Pay Your Deductible

If someone else causes an accident that results in damage to your car, you will not have to pay your deductible. If you are not at fault, you do not have to pay.

Also, many policies offer a waiver of your deductible for certain types of damage such as glass damage. If your windshield or window is chipped or damaged, by road debris for instance, you won’t have to pay your deductible for the repairs.

If the cost of the repairs to your vehicle are less than the amount of your deductible you won’t want to pay your deductible. Depending on your financial situation and the nature of the damage, you may even skip the repairs altogether.

If you want to see how much your monthly payments will change with different deductible amounts, you can use the fast and easy InsuranceWins form. Simply fill out the form and you can see how a higher or lower deductible will affect your payments.

Cheaper is Not Always Better When it Comes to Car Insurance

September 14, 2018 by Nick Peacock

When you are looking at your budget and trying to find ways to cut your costs, it can be very tempting to decrease your payments for car insurance. After all, you might think you never use it and that paying hundreds of dollars every month is just not worth it. When you add it up, you may find that you are paying thousands of dollars a year for car insurance.

But, spending money on car insurance is not like spending money going out to eat. Car insurance is required in most states and can lead to even worse personal financial outcomes if you don’t have enough coverage in the case of an accident. So, it’s important to find your own personal balance between cost and risk.

How much you want to pay for car insurance is really a personal choice and requires a little thought, and maybe even a little math, to end up with a number that is right for you. Think about it. If you cause an accident, you could end up having to pay much more than your total yearly premiums in deductibles and costs above your coverage limits.

So how do you find the balance between monthly premiums and the amount you will have to pay if you cause an accident? There are several ways to lower your costs. Let’s take a look at the benefits and risks of each.

Go for a higher deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage

Benefit: You can lower your monthly payment amount by choosing a higher deductible.

Risk: If you cause an accident, you will have to come up with the full amount of the deductible before the insurance company will repair your vehicle

Lower your coverage limits on all types of coverage

Benefit: Monthly premium payments will be lowered

Risk: If you cause an accident, you may not be covered for the full amount of repairs, damages, or injuries. You will have to foot the bill for the rest.

Skipping some coverages

Benefit: Lower monthly payments can be achieved by not carrying some coverage. For instance, not carrying collision on low value vehicle.

Risk: If you don’t have the cash to replace your car should it be totaled, and you aren’t carrying collision coverage, you may be without a car for a while

Alternatives that keep you covered, while lowering your monthly payment

Most people don’t take full advantage of the many discounts that car insurance companies offer to help alleviate the cost of your monthly payment. Some of these include:

Bundling home and auto with the same company
Safe driver discounts
Corporate discounts
Association discounts (like AAA)
Good student discounts

Before you start lowering the amount of coverage you carry, which can put you at financial risk should you cause an accident, shop around for the right insurance company, one that has the discounts that fit your situation.

You can use the InsuranceWins form to get quotes from many carriers and find the best price for the coverage you are most likely to use and with the discounts that will help you lower your costs.

Got Speeding Ticket? Your Rates Might Not Go Up

September 14, 2018 by Nick Peacock

Middle aged policeman monitoring speed through radar while sitting on bike

There are lots of factors that insurance companies use to determine how much you will have to pay for car insurance. These include where you live, your age, sex, and marital status, as well as the make and model of your car.

By far the most crucial factor is your driving record. If your record is littered with accidents, incidents, and tickets, you can bet you will be seeing some pretty high car insurance rates. But what if you have a fairly clean driving record – no recent accidents that were your fault and no recent traffic violations – and you find yourself with a brand new speeding ticket? Can you expect a steep rise in your rates?

Many factors determine if your rates will rise

Insurance companies vary on how they react to a driver who receives a speeding ticket. Some are more lenient than others, especially if your record is clean. Generally, you won’t see a significant rise in your rates until you’ve had three speeding tickets in three years.

Of course, there are many other factors that go into this determination. For instance, if you received a speeding ticket for going 30 miles per hour over the posted limit, you could see a ten to twenty percent rise in your rates when your insurance company factors in your previous record. For going just a little over the limit, one to ten miles over, they may give you a pass.

Some ways to balance out a rate increase after a speeding ticket

If your monthly premium goes up after a speeding ticket, you can try to counteract the rise with some other strategies. Try raising your deductible, if you are comfortable with having to pay more out-of-pocket should you have an accident. Or, you could adjust your coverage limits a little lower. Just make sure you are meeting any state minimum car insurance coverage requirements. If you are willing to take on a little more risk, you could make up for the increase.

The bottom line is that your rates are not guaranteed to go up after you get a speeding ticket if your record is otherwise good, but it depends on your insurance company.

If you’ve had a speeding ticket and your rates have now gone up, you may want to shop around for a company that’s willing to give you a better rate. You can use the InsuranceWins form to compare quotes from many carriers and find the one that is most forgiving!

Low-Mileage Drivers: Don’t Miss Out on Savings

September 14, 2018 by Nick Peacock

One of the questions car insurance companies ask when you are requesting a quote is how many miles you drive your car each year. You may have wondered why they ask this question. The reason comes is based in risk.

Car insurance companies want to know what kind of drivers they are taking agreeing to insure. And, it makes sense that drivers who put lower mileage on their vehicles are less risky. After all, fewer miles means you are driving less and there is naturally lower risk of getting into an accident.

Some companies do offer low mileage programs and there are even some newer insurance carriers who are offering policies based on how many miles you drive. Rather than lumping people into buckets, such as 15,000 mile per year drivers or 25000 mile per year drivers, these companies track your mileage and your rate is based on how much (or how little) you actually drive.

But, with traditional car insurance does it really make a difference if you drive 10000 miles or 20000 in a year?

You Could Save Money if You Are a Low-Mileage Driver

According to NerdWallet, it can. They looked at car insurance quotes for different levels of driving and in a few top insurance markets. What they found was that some companies offered lower rates, as much as 14% for low mileage customers. The steepest cut in rates came when miles driven went from 10000 to 5000. The average decrease was about 8.9%. That could add up to hundreds of dollars a year in savings.

The Federal Highway Administration, the agency that keeps statistics on the driving habits of Americans, says that the average driver drives over 13000 miles in year. If you are only driving 5000, its may be worth checking with your insurance company to see if you can get a lower rate. You may be able to save money if you are not lumped in with the large pool of average drivers.

Whether you drive a lot, more than the average, or only a little, it may be worth it to get car insurance quotes from multiple companies. And, be sure to ask about low-mileage discounts and programs if you are a low-mileage per year driver.

InsuranceWins can help you find a low-mileage policy. Just use the fast and easy form to get quotes form several carriers and find out who is willing to offer you a break for your low-mileage driving habits.

Make Sure You Know What to Do if Your Car is Stolen

September 14, 2018 by Nick Peacock

Hopefully you’ll never have to know the feeling of realizing your car has been stolen. It can at first be disorienting. You walk out to where you parked your car and it’s not there. Initially, you might think you just forgot where you parked it. But, as you look around the realization begins to hit you: the car is gone.

Before it happens to you, be prepared and know the steps you should take so you have a better chance of coming out of the whole incident with the least hassle. Here is what you should know about car insurance and what happens when your car has been stolen.

Keep extra copies of your records at home

Having a copy of your vehicle title and registration and insurance at home will help make this difficult process easier. Many people only have a copy of their registration in their car and have to spend time with the motor vehicle department to get proof of registration when their car has been stolen.

Report the theft to the police immediately

The sooner you report your car as stolen, the better the chances that it will be recovered. Contact the police immediately and be sure to list all the items that were in your car. It’s important to note any special value-added features of your car, especially if they will help with identification of the vehicle. If you have pictures and receipts, it will help you during the insurance claims process.

Report the theft to your car insurance company

Report the theft of your car immediately to your insurance company also. A delay in reporting can hurt your case later. Work with your insurance company to understand what happened, what kind of coverage you have that will help you and what your responsibilities are during the claims process.

Which type of auto insurance coverage addresses theft?

Theft of a vehicle is covered by comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive insurance pays for total loss and damages to your car that are not the result of a collision with another vehicle. Remember, you will be responsible for paying your deductible amount. Often, the insurance company will take the deductible amount out of your final payment, so you may not have to come up with the cash up front.

If you want to make sure you are covered should your car get stolen or be vandalized, make sure you have comprehensive insurance on your vehicle. Use the InsuranceWins form to quickly get quotes for comprehensive insurance coverage from major carriers. We’ll help you easily get the coverage you need at a price you can afford.

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