Car Insurance: Why Do I Need It?

Auto insurance – not so easy paying for it every month; you can’t get away with not having it. And really, it would be unwise not to have car insurance.

Car insurance provides financial protection in case you are involved in an auto accident. Read more

Teenage Driver Insurance

If you are a young driver attempting to find cheap and affordable car insurance you are probably already aware of the challenge that lies ahead. The statistics about teenage drivers aren’t good. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 16-year-olds get into accidents almost six times more often than drivers between the age of 30 and 59. No wonder car insurance premiums are so high for this age group. It has always been difficult if you are aged between of 16 – 25 to insure your car affordably, and although car insurance companies are beginning to recognize the need to supply this ever expanding market, it can still prove to be hard to find a reasonably priced car insurance premium.

For instance, young drivers will often own older or less maintained vehicle compared to other drivers, which means they are more likely to break down and potentially cause an accident. Teenage drivers are also more likely to have accidents which can either injure themselves or the other party.

However, parents should be aware if the fact that there are several ways that can help lower car insurance costs for your teen. In order for teen drivers and car insurance to work well together, parents need to know the factors that will help contribute to paying less for their son or daughter’s auto insurance in the future.

The first thing that insurance providers look into when giving a car insurance quote is the driving record of the person. Teenagers that have a good driving record may merit consideration. What that means is that you can help keep your teen focused on safe driving by having him or her pay a portion of the auto insurance premium. Also, be sure to let your teen know the consequences of getting traffic tickets.

Before you purchase your car it is also worth researching which insurance group it will fall in, so that you can ensure you will be able to get the cheapest possible insurance.

Finally, by using Insurance4lessdirect.com you can rest assured that we will strive to find you the cheapest car insurance premium that will provide you and your teenager with the best cover.

Did you know: If you’re adding your teen driver to your auto insurance policy, be sure to take advantage of the auto insurance discount for good students, available in many states.

What happens if I am not insured and drive my car?

That depends on the state you live in. Most states have stringent laws about having car insurance and if you don’t choose to follow these laws by not purchasing car insurance, there can be tough penalties and fines. According to the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) if you are convicted of operating an uninsured motor vehicle or permitting another person to be operate your uninsured vehicle; your license will be revoked for at least one year. The same penalty applies if the Department of Motor Vehicles receives evidence that you were involved in an accident without being insured. Your vehicle may be impounded and you may be charged with breaking the law and that will be on your police record. Also, if you cause an accident, on top of the above mentioned things you will still have to pay for the damage to the other vehicle and people who may have been hurt, which can easily run into thousands of dollars.

Uninsured and underinsured motorist claims

Over the course of your life,You’ve heard of the expression “All it takes is one”? It sums up how an uninsured or underinsured driver’s reckless behavior behind the wheel can lead to a serious car accident and severe injuries to you, and make an already complicated situation even more so.

You may spend tens of thousands of dollars on auto insurance, but are you spending it where it’s most needed? When you are in an accident with another motorist and he doesn’t carry his own liability protection or doesn’t carry enough, uninsured or underinsured motorist liability coverage allows you to collect for lost wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering incurred in the accident.

Should you already have comprehensive health and long-term disability insurance, then uninsured or underinsured motorist liability coverage is largely redundant. You do give up the ability to sue for general pain and suffering if you drop this coverage and to insure passengers in your car who may lack adequate medical and disability coverage.

Do I need Insurance to Rent a Car?

When renting a car, you need insurance. If you have adequate insurance on your own car, including collision and comprehensive, this may be enough.

Before you rent a car:

• Contact your insurance company
  Find out how much coverage you have on your own car. In most cases, the coverage and deductibles you have on your personal auto policy would apply to a rental car, providing it’s used for pleasure and not business. If you don’t have comprehensive and collision coverage on your own car, you will not be covered if your rental car is stolen or if it is damaged in an accident.

• Call your credit card company
  Find out what insurance your card provides. Levels of coverage vary.
  If you don’t have auto insurance, you will need to buy coverage at the car rental counter. The following coverages are available to you at the rental car counter:

• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)
  Sometimes called a Loss Damage Waiver (LDW), this coverage relieves you of financial responsibility if your rental car is damaged or stolen. The CDW may be void, however, if you cause an accident by speeding, driving on unpaved roads or driving while intoxicated. This coverage generally costs between $9 and $19 a day. If you have comprehensive and collision on your own car, you may not need to purchase this coverage. (Note: In New York, collision damage is already included in the rental price and rental car companies are not permitted by law to charge extra for the CDW. New York also restricts the liability of drivers to $100.)

• Liability Insurance
  This provides excess liability coverage of up to $1 million for the time you rent a car. Rental companies are required by law to provide the minimum level of liability insurance required by your state. Generally, this does not offer enough protection in a serious accident. If you have adequate liability coverage on your car or an umbrella policy on your home/auto, you may consider forgoing this additional insurance. It generally costs about $7 to $9 a day. If you don’t own a car, and rent cars often, consider purchasing a non-owner liability policy. This costs approximately $200 – $300 per year. Frequent car renters sometimes find this more cost-effective than constantly paying for the extra liability coverage.

• Personal Accident Insurance
  This provides coverage to you and your passengers for medical/ambulance bills. This type of insurance, usually costs about $3 per day, but may be unnecessary if you are covered by health insurance or have adequate medical coverage under your auto policy.

• Personal Effects Coverage
  This provides coverage for the theft of personal items in your car. However, if you have homeowners or renters insurance, you may be covered for items stolen from the car, minus your deductible. You need to have receipts or other proof of ownership. This type of insurance usually costs about $1.25 per day.

Some rental car companies combine personal accident and personal effects coverage together as one type of insurance, while others sell it individually.

The cost of insurance at the rental car counter will vary depending on the rental car company, state, and location of the dealer and the type of car you rent.

Some rental car companies may check your credit and driving history and may deny coverage. Check with the rental car company to find out its policy.

Did you know: If you’re renting a car abroad, you may need an international drivers license.

What is in a Basic Auto Insurance Policy?

Your auto policy may include six coverages. Each coverage is priced separately.

Bodily Injury Liability

• This coverage applies to injuries you, the designated driver or policyholder cause to someone else. You and family members listed on the policy are also covered when driving someone else’s car with their permission. It’s very important to have enough liability insurance, because if you are involved in a serious accident, you may be sued for a large sum of money. Definitely consider buying more than the state-required minimum to protect assets such as your home and savings.

Medical Payments or Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

• This coverage pays for the treatment of injuries to the driver and passengers of the policyholder’s car. At its broadest, PIP can cover medical payments, lost wages and the cost of replacing services normally performed by someone injured in an auto accident. It may also cover funeral costs.

Property Damage Liability

• This coverage pays for damage you (or someone driving the car with your permission) may cause to someone else’s property. Usually, this means damage to someone else’s car, but it also includes damage to lamp posts, telephone poles, fences, buildings or other structures your car hit.

Collision

• This coverage pays for damage to your car resulting from a collision with another car, object or as a result of flipping over. It also covers damage caused by potholes. Collision coverage is generally sold with a deductible of $250 to $1,000—the higher your deductible, the lower your premium. Even if you are at fault for the accident, your collision coverage will reimburse you for the costs of repairing your car, minus the deductible. If you’re not at fault, your insurance company may try to recover the amount they paid you from the other driver’s insurance company. If they are successful, you’ll also be reimbursed for the deductible.

Comprehensive

• This coverage reimburses you for loss due to theft or damage caused by something other than a collision with another car or object, such as fire, falling objects, missiles, explosion, earthquake, windstorm, hail, flood, vandalism, riot, or contact with animals such as birds or deer. Comprehensive insurance is usually sold with a $100 to $300 deductible, though you may want to opt for a higher deductible as a way of lowering your premium.Comprehensive insurance will also reimburse you if your windshield is cracked or shattered. Some companies offer glass coverage with or without a deductible. States do not require that you purchase collision or comprehensive coverage, but if you have a car loan, your lender may insist you carry it until your loan is paid off.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

• This coverage will reimburse you, a member of your family, or a designated driver if one of you is hit by an uninsured or hit-and-run driver. Underinsured motorist coverage comes into play when an at-fault driver has insufficient insurance to pay for your total loss. This coverage will also protect you if you are hit as a pedestrian.