Saving money is a constant battle and when it comes to car insurance it can be tempting to do anything to keep your rates down. But be careful. While it’s tempting to be evasive or to leave some details out when you are applying for car insurance, it can lead to big trouble down the road.

Even if you do so by mistake, you could end up paying more for your car insurance. And if your insurance company discovers you have misrepresented your situation intentionally, you could be facing a charge of insurance fraud; a very serious situation.

Here are some things to pay special attention to when applying, so you don’t get into trouble later.

1. Your address or zip code
   While it can be very tempting to try and save money by listing your home address as somewhere that is considered less risky than where you actually live, this is a very risky chance to take. Besides, although the location of your vehicle is one factor that goes into your insurance rate, it is not the only one. And, this type of falsehood is fairly easy to prove.
2.  Drivers in your household
   Many people don’t know that you are required to list all drivers in your household on your policy. A spouse, roommate or driving-age child should be listed, even if they don’t drive a household vehicle. Not reporting a driver, who then gets into an accident, will negate the insurance company’s responsibility for covering your damages.
3. Your qualifications for discounts
   Some discounts require verification, but some are on the honor system. If you are not honest, you could be facing higher premiums, once your misrepresentation is discovered. For instance, if you have a college student and take a discount because they are away at school and not driving the car, but they drive it when at home and have an accident, you could not only lose your discount but you may have to also pay retroactively.
4.  Your driving history
   One thing to never, ever misrepresent on an auto insurance application is your driving history. Insurance companies can easily discover past accidents or violations and if you have not been honest, may hit you with some high premiums or determine that you are not eligible for coverage at all.

In the long run, not being completely honest when applying for auto insurance can only cause you more trouble, and probably more money. A better way to save money is to shop around. Use the InsuranceWins form to get realistic quotes from insurance companies and find out what types of rate reductions you might qualify for that won’t get you in trouble in the end.

If you’ve moved to the U.S. from another country in order to go to school, you’ve had a lot of adjustments to make. Driving on U.S. roads may be one of them. It can be overwhelming when it comes to the paperwork for getting a license and registering a car. And, understanding all the rules of the road can be a challenge.

The one thing that can be easy is finding the best car insurance as an international student. This article will give you a few pointers to head you in the right direction.

How to Find Car Insurance as an International Student
Most larger colleges and universities offer some help for their international students when it comes to auto insurance. These programs can offer tips for saving money and finding insurance companies that cater to international students and sometimes even give better rates for those who have driving experience in their own country. Some companies do not do this and require international drivers to have three years of experience driving in the United States.

Types of Car Insurance

This is by no means a comprehensive explanation of the different types of car insurance, but it’s good to have a general understanding as you begin the process of shopping for car insurance. Some types are required, while others are optional. Here are the major types:

Liability – This type of coverage is required in all U.S. states It covers the medical bills repair costs if you are responsible for damage to someone else’s property. Liability insurance covers you if you are someone else’s car. The medical bills portion is known as Bodily Injury coverage.

Collision – Collision coverage is what is used to repair your own car after an accident, regardless of who was at fault. Collison requires a deductible amount, which is the amount you have to pay before the insurance will start covering your bills. Choosing a higher deductible will lower your premium. Collision coverage is optional.

Comprehensive – This type of coverage is used to repair damage to your car what wasn’t caused by a car accident. Things like hail damage, flood damage or vandalism are covered under comprehensive insurance. This also requires a deductible. This is also an optional coverage.

Collision and Comprehensive are required if you have a loan or lease on your vehicle.

Car Insurance Rates

As a student, you should expect to see fairly high rates. Due to your inexperience with driving and being in a foreign country, insurance companies see you to be a higher risk. But there are some things you can do to save some money on your auto insurance premiums.

Keep a good driving record – avoiding tickets and accidents is the surest way to keep your rates as low as possible
Choose higher deductibles – choosing a higher deductible automatically lowers your rates, but just be sure you can afford to pay it if you have an accident.
Find discounts – insurers have many ways for you to save due to your unique circumstances. Be sure to take advantage of student discounts, paperless discounts and even discounts for belonging to certain groups.
Keep a good credit rating – with a good credit rating, insurers will see you as less of a risk and offer a lower rate.

Remember it is a legal requirement to have auto insurance if you drive a car in the United States. If you are an international student, it’s important that you shop around to find car insurance companies that will consider driving experience in your own country, if you have it. InsuranceWins can help. Just use our fast and easy form to receive quotes from major carriers, including those with affordable rates for international students.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you may be nervous about the medical bills that could quickly pile up. You do have auto insurance and maybe even medical payments coverage, as well as health insurance. So, how does it all work together? Will your health insurance cover an auto accident?

Car insurance laws and health insurance laws vary from state to state. You’ll want to research your personal situation, but here is some general information on how it all works together.

Who Is Responsible for Medical Bills After an Accident?

After a car accident, someone is usually determined to be at fault. And this person, or their car insurance company, is usually responsible for paying the medical bills of people injured in the car accident.

How Do My Medical Bills Get Paid?

Several types of coverage can be used to cover medical expenses after a car accident.

State Mandated Minimums: Most states require minimum liability coverage that also covers injuries to drivers who are not found to be at fault for the accident.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP): In addition, if you carry personal injury protection, or PIP, you can use this to cover your own injuries no matter who is at fault.

Medical Payments Coverage: Medical payments is an additional coverage you can add to your policy for extra protection. It will pay your medical bills regardless of fault.

Health Insurance: In some cases, your health insurance will also cover your medical expenses. But, think carefully about how and when you use your health insurance coverage after a car accident.

Which Coverage Pays First?

If you have medical bills after an auto accident, the first coverages to kick in should be your PIP and medical payments coverage. Use these protections before you tap into your own health insurance coverage, especially if your health insurance policy requires you to pay a deductible. A deductible is the amount of money you must personally contribute before your insurance company starts to pay your bills. PIP and medical payments coverage do not require deductible payments, but health insurance usually does.

If your medical bills begin to exceed your auto insurance coverage limits, and you have exhausted the coverage of any other responsible parties, it may then be time to turn to your own health insurance coverage. The most important thing, after all, is that you get the medical attention you need.

While you can use your health insurance to pay for injuries related to your car accident, there are definitely advantages to adding PIP or Medical Payments coverage to your auto insurance policy.

When your ready to get some quotes for PIP and Medical Payments coverage, use the InsuranceWins form to see how little this added protection actually costs. We’ll help you find the right amount of coverage at the right price.

Car insurance fraud can be a big problem for everyone, not just insurance companies. This is because insurance fraud causes everyone’s rates to rise. Fraud means a loss for the insurance company, and the cost of losses are passed on to policyholders. So, what is considered insurance fraud? In this article we’ll talk about a few types of car insurance fraud that are costing drivers billions of dollars each year in higher premiums. 

What is Insurance Fraud?

The bottom line is that insurance fraud includes any attempt to deceive an insurance company for your own financial gain. Fraud is illegal everywhere and many insurance companies are cracking down on their investigations in order to expose criminals.

What Are Some Examples of Insurance Fraud?

Car insurance fraud includes a wide range of actions from holding back simple information from your insurance company to broad and elaborate deception schemes. Here are a few examples:

Providing false information

If you fill out a quote with false information and then enter into a policy agreement based on this information, you have committed insurance fraud. Always be honest with insurance companies. They have many ways to learn the truth.

Claim Fraud

If you try to file more than one claim for an injury or you file a claim for injuries that aren’t related to the accident, this is fraud. Similarly, if you over-report your missed wages due to accident-related injuries, or any other detail related to your compensation, you are committing insurance fraud.

Inflated Repair Costs

A common method of insurance fraud happens when the repair costs for a vehicle covered are reported higher than they actually are. This can happen when a mechanic uses cheap parts but charges for expensive parts, for instance. Or, they may overstate the damage caused and then keep the money that is paid for unneeded repairs. This is insurance fraud and the mechanic is using the insurance money for their own gain.

Making a Fake Stolen Vehicle Report

Falsely reporting a vehicle as stolen is a major form of insurance fraud. This can happen when a vehicle is intentionally abandoned, burned or dumped somewhere and then reported as stolen in order to collect the insurance money. Sometimes, fraudsters will even sell a vehicle and then report it as stolen in order to collect twice the money; once for the sale and once from the insurance company. 

Illegal Registration

Registering a car in a state that is not the state you live in is a false (and illegal) registration. This is not uncommon for people who live in states with high auto insurance rates. This tactic is essentially used to mislead the insurance company in order to avoid paying higher premiums. 

Car insurance fraud is a criminal offense, one that everyone should recognize and report if they have a suspicion. This will aid in keeping premiums low for drivers. And, if you’re looking for lower premiums, use the InsuranceWins form. We’ll help you get quotes to see how much you can save.

Portrait Of Smiling Senior Couple Out For Drive In Car

No matter how old you are, saving money is always important. But, if you are retired or trying to build up your retirement savings, it can be especially important to find the best deals. Car insurance is a fact of life, but what are the best car insurance companies for seniors?

Let’s take a look at how rates work for seniors, if there is one best company and how you can save money no matter what insurance company you use.

Car Insurance Rates for Seniors

It’s no secret that car insurance rates rise as you head into your senior years. Even if you maintain a good driving record, the fact that you are aging means you can expect to pay more. You probably had decent rates through your middle years, as you gained experience, kept a clean record and likely took advantage of discounts.

But now that you’re heading into you Golden Years, insurers see you as more of a risk. So, what can you do to combat a rise in rates? Let’s find out about saving money into your 50s, 60s, and even 70s.

The Best Car Insurance Companies for Seniors

There is no one insurance company that is best for seniors. There are companies that target seniors with their marketing but shopping around is the best way to find the best rate at any age. Each company has their own proprietary rules for calculating premiums and all take into account your driving record, the type of car you drive, as well as your location.

Saving Money with Senior Car Insurance Discounts

Seniors have many options when it comes to getting their insurance rates down. Especially if you are retired and more flexible, you can make some changes to reduce your rates. Here are a few actions you can take to help.

Pay per mile insurance – Some states are now offering pay per mile insurance and if you are a senior who doesn’t drive as much as you used to, it could offer big savings.

Drive less – Many insurance companies offer discounts for low-mileage drivers. If you no longer commute to work each day, you can likely reduce your rate. Low mileage is usually considered to be about 5,000 to 7,500 miles or less per year.

Take a class – Senior drivers also have the option of taking a driver training course to reduce their premium. In some cases, this can reduce your costs by 5%-15%. Each state has its own age eligibility requirements.

Add safety features – Cars these days come with all kinds of new safety features, like backup cameras, lane change assist, and other warning systems. If you are in the market for a new car, adding these features could help lower your insurance rates.

Reduce coverage – If you drive an older car you might consider dropping full coverage on it. And, if you have a second vehicle that you only use part-time, you may be able to take advantage of a parked vehicle or snowbird policy for the times you are not using the vehicle.

When you’re ready to shop around for the best car insurance companies for seniors, the InsuranceWins form is the place to start. Just enter some basic information and you can start to investigate all the ways you can save on car insurance just for being older.

Car insurance policy with money and key fob

You can do a lot of things that can help to keep your car insurance rates down. From high deductibles, to discounts, to keeping minimum coverage, there are strategies for tackling climbing insurance premiums.

While the best strategy is to keep your driving record clean, there are other factors that are somewhat out of your control, like the theft rate for where you live. Another factor that can increase rates, even with a good record, is the type of car you drive.

In this article, we’ll review a study by The Zebra that identified the most expensive car insurance in 2019. If you’re driving one of these vehicles, it may be tough to bring your rates down.

The Study

The Zebra performed a comprehensive pricing analysis between September and December of 2018. Using a standard driver profile, they gathered data from insurance rating platforms and public rate filings.

The standard profile used was for a 30-year-old, unmarried, male driver with a good driving record. The coverage limits used where $50,000 for bodily injury liability per person/$100,000 bodily injury liability per accident/$50,000 property damage liability per accident, with a $500 deductible for comprehensive and collision.

The Ranking

The figures quoted in the ranking are based on the hypothetical standard profile. What you will actually pay if you are insuring one of these vehicles is heavily dependent on your personal situation including your driving record, location, age, sex and marital status. These factors are all combined differently by each insurance company to come up with a risk profile. This statistical likelihood that you will have an accident or incident is what is used to determine the rate you will pay.

Here are the top ten most expensive cars to insure for 2019

The Most Expensive Cars

If you buy an expensive car, you probably already understand that you are going to pay more for insurance. This is because high-end cars generally come with high-end components and engines. If you are in accident with one of these cars, the cost to repair will be much higher than a standard model Honda, for instance.

The Car with The Greatest Premium Increase

If you already own one of these expensive cars, you may see a rate increase that is far higher than even the other cars on the list. For instance, from 2017 to 2018, the average annual premium for a Tesla Model S increased by almost 330%. This was followed by the the BMW 7-Series, which increased by almost 193% and the Audi R8, which increased by almost 150%

While this study used a 30-year-old male for a profile to compare rates, what you will actually pay will be different. This is why it’s important to shop around. The formula used to calculate rates can vary significantly among insurance companies. 

The InsuranceWins form is the place to start. Simply fill out a few details and find out just how much you will spend on car insurance premiums, and how much you can save.

If you’re like most people, you are always looking for ways to save money. And even though car insurance is a fact of life, an expense that you can’t avoid if you own a car, there are ways to save on your premiums. Self-employed people in particular may be able to take advantage of their status. In some cases, car insurance is tax deductible for self-employed people. In this article, we’ll discuss how this can work.

Car Insurance and Taxes

The tax code can be complicated, especially if you are self-employed. It’s important that you talk to a tax professional before you take a deduction for your car insurance, because there are rules that could lead to you owing back taxes, along with the penalties and interest that go along with it, if you take a deduction by mistake.

Generally, you might be eligible for a tax deduction using your car insurance premium if you drive your vehicle for your business. There are rules, however, that must be followed depending on your particular situation.

Schedule C – Profit or Loss from Business
If you are self-employed and file a Schedule C tax form, you will most likely be deducting your car insurance premiums for business vehicles. Schedule C is used to report self-employed business income and expenses and is used by many small business owners.

There are two ways to claim your deductions on Schedule C when it comes to your vehicle. If you choose the standard mileage option, which gives you a standard payment per mile, you cannot additionally deduct your car insurance premiums.

However, if you use the actual cost method on Schedule C, you can deduct specific costs related to your vehicle, including depreciation, gas, maintenance, license fees and your auto insurance premiums.

Form 2106 – Employee Business Expenses

Form 2106 had a major change for the 2018 tax code. So, if you are an employee and have been using Form 2106 to deduct your business-related car insurance premiums, this is no longer an option. The argument from the administration is that the standard deduction has increased to offset the loss of Form 2106 deductions.

No Reimbursements Allowed
The one caveat to deducting your car insurance is that you can not have been reimbursed for your car insurance premium by an employer.

There are many differences in how employers handle business expenses, even if you are a self-employed contractor. To protect yourself from doing the wrong thing, make sure you understand the employer’s rules and the tax laws. You may need to reach out to a tax professional or the IRS directly to ensure you are legitimately taking a car insurance tax deduction and to understand which strategy is best for your own personal financial situation.

And if you are losing your deductions with the new tax laws, you may want to shop around for a better deal on car insurance. The InsuranceWins form is a great place to start. Fill out some basic information and you’ll get new and fresh quotes to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

We all know that if you have a car, you have to pay for car insurance. It’s the law nearly everywhere. But, it can be a hassle to set up a new insurance policy, so it’s good to know that there are some circumstances when you can transfer car insurance to another person.

Generally, a car insurance policy goes with the car – not the person. But there are some circumstances where you can transfer your car insurance to another person.

Short Term Insurance Transfer

There are some stipulations around using a short term insurance transfer. For instance, the car you are going to be driving under the short term policy cannot be owned by your employer (this makes it a business use of the car, not personal) and it cannot be a leased vehicle.

You may wonder about short term insurance policies for rental cars. Generally, rental cars are already fully insured by the rental company and you don’t need to spend the extra money to buy additional coverage. There are times you may want to, but usually only for special circumstances and for higher end vehicles.

Change of Ownership Transfer

When a vehicle is changing ownership, it is not uncommon to transfer insurance from one person to another person. This ensures that the new owner is covered right away and can be helpful when a car is being transferred long distance, for instance.

The following steps should be followed to transfer car insurance to another person.

1. Transfer title: The first step is to change the title and registration of the vehicle to the new owner at your department of motor vehicles. The most important thing to remember is that the names on the title and registration documents must match the insurance documents. If the names are different, the insurance company will automatically deny any claims should you have an accident.
2. Contact insurance company: Once the car is officially in the new owner’s name, contact your insurance company and follow their procedures for transferring the insurance. Usually, this means you will receive a document that verifies the transfer of liability.

Notify the DMV: You need to submit the transfer document to the local department of motor vehicles so they can certify that the car is legal to drive. They will then issue proof of insurance documents and everyone is good to go.

Last Steps

Transferring car insurance to another person is really a temporary measure. Once the need is over, it makes sense to shop around for a better deal. After all, car insurance rates are based on many personal details.

When you’re ready to get a better rate, use the InsuranceWins form to get up-to-date quotes for your car insurance. An insurance transfer may not have given you the best rates. So, don’t keep overpaying for car insurance. Get your own personalized quotes right away.

When it’s time to travel, the last thing you probably want to think about is your car insurance. But if you are renting a car while away, you’re likely wondering if your car insurance covers a rental car in another country. It’s a good thing to understand so that you have a stress-free and safe trip.

Here are a few things to think about. 

Traveling in North America

If you are traveling to Canada and renting a car, the good news is that you are likely covered without doing anything extra. Most major insurance companies cover your rental car while in Canada. 

If you are traveling to Mexico, however, you’ll need to obtain specific rental car coverage in Mexico. This is easy enough to do through the rental car company. If you generally decline rental car coverage in other circumstances, you’ll want to purchase it for a rental car in Mexico. 

Traveling Elsewhere 

There are options for car insurance when traveling elsewhere, especially in Europe. Usually your liability coverage comes with the price of the rental car. This is the coverage that protects you from having to pay out-of-pocket if you cause an accident. It covers the injuries to other people and damage to another person’s property. 

The more robust coverage options, collision and comprehensive are not included, however. But there are options to gain this type of protection. 

The first option is to purchase a collision damage waiver, or CDW. This is not really insurance, but it is an agreement that you will not be financially liable if the rental car is damaged. Some countries require this coverage and it may be covered by your credit card company. Be sure to call your credit card company before you travel to find out exactly how they will cover car insurance for a rental car in another country. 

Also, you will want to make sure that your coverage extends across borders if you are traveling somewhere like Europe with close borders. 

What is a Collision Damage Waiver?

We mentioned the collision damage waiver earlier. While you credit card company may offer you protection, this protection will likely require you to pay a deductible should you have an accident. Purchasing a CDW, in most cases, releases you from these issues. 

A collision damage waiver can add significant cost to your rental. You will have to decide whether the added cost is worth it. It just may be when you factor in the potential for out-of-pocket expenses and a likely increase to your insurance premiums should you have an accident in a rental car in another country. 

The bottom line is that you should understand your own insurance company’s rules regarding coverage abroad. And if you’re not happy with your current insurer, use the InsuranceWins form to shop around for the best policy at the best price.