Best Cheap Car Insurance Companies

The four auto insurance companies below have quality coverage and are traditionally some of the most affordable options around. But remember — due to a number of personal factors, your mileage may vary when shopping for cheap car insurance. Instead of blindly picking from this list, make sure you shop around before buying a new policy.

• Nationwide
• State Farm
• Travelers
• Progressive

How I Chose the Best

To pick the best cheap car insurance companies, I narrowed the field to auto insurers with a nationwide reach so you can benefit from the most inexpensive coverage no matter where you live. From there, I obtained a quote for “Marie,” a married 40-year-old woman from Columbus, Ohio, who drives a 2006 Honda Odyssey. I focused on three no-frills, inexpensive coverage options:

• State minimum liability coverage: In Ohio, that’s $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 in bodily injury liability per accident, and $25,000 in property damage liability.
• State minimum liability plus $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in uninsured and underinsured bodily liability.
• All of the above, plus comprehensive and collision coverage with $1,000 deductibles.

I also considered how easy the quote process was, including how long it took to get a quote for each company and how much personal information Marie had to give up, as well as available car insurance discounts. Though “cheap” is king in this study, I also looked at the company’s financial strength rating as measured by A.M. Best. Finally, I examined the company’s rankings in the latest J.D. Power customer service satisfaction survey as a tiebreaker in cases where results were close.

Nationwide

Nationwide delivered some of the lowest quotes for my driver, Marie, especially for the most basic coverage. Marie would pay just shy of $28 a month for state-minimum coverage, and only a couple dollars more than that to add uninsured and underinsured motorist liability. Her total topped out at just under $51 a month with $1,000 deductibles for comprehensive and collision insurance. Nationwide also offers at least 15 discounts for drivers to keep quotes as low as possible.
The company also had a straightforward quote process that took only four minutes from beginning to end. To get a quote, Marie didn’t have to fork over her Social Security number, but she did need to input her phone number. Nationwide suggested three straightforward coverage options (minimum, standard, and premium) that were easily customizable.
True to its name, Nationwide auto insurance has a national reach, and A.M. Best gives it a superior A+ rating for financial strength. However, with the exception of the north-central U.S., the company is rated at the middle or bottom of the pack for customer satisfaction in J.D. Power’s annual survey.

State Farm

State Farm’s quotes were low, but not the lowest Marie received. She would pay just shy of $33 for state-minimum coverage, $35 to add uninsured and underinsured motorist liability, and $63 with $1,000 deductibles for comprehensive and collision insurance. The company offers at least a dozen known discounts.
State Farm’s quote process was a bit more detailed than most, taking about five minutes from start to finish. Marie had to input either her Social Security or driver’s license number to complete the process. Like Nationwide, she was given three tiers of coverage (basic, premium, and a level similar to her current coverage) that were easy to tweak.
State Farm is the nation’s largest auto insurer, with 18,000 agents spread across every state. It ranks consistently well for customer satisfaction, rating above average in most of the regions of the J.D. Power survey. It also gets A.M. Best’s top marks, A++, for financial strength.

Travelers

Travelers offered very low rates for Marie: just $31 for state-minimum coverage, $34 to add uninsured and underinsured motorist liability, and only $47 to include $1,000 deductibles for comprehensive and collision insurance. The company offers roughly a dozen known discounts, including for defensive driving and low mileage.
Another strong point: The quote process with Travelers was very easy, taking only about three minutes from start to finish. Much of the information was pre-filled with the most likely answers, and no Social Security number was required. A nice “People Like You” feature also gave Marie an idea of whether she was choosing coverage that others in similar situations would pick.
Travelers auto insurance is available across the U.S., and the company has 12,000 agents. It gets A.M. Best’s top marks, A++, for financial strength. Unfortunately, it earns uneven rankings in the J.D. Power survey. While New Yorkers are particularly satisfied with Travelers, the company earns mediocre or poor marks for customer satisfaction in the rest of the regions where it’s ranked.

Progressive

With Progressive, Marie would pay a reasonable $37 a month for state-minimum coverage, $40 to add uninsured and underinsured motorist liability, and just $48 to tack on comprehensive and collision insurance with $1,000 deductibles. The company has at least a dozen known discounts, including breaks for insuring multiple vehicles, good students, and military personnel.
Like Travelers, Progressive’s quote process was quick and painless, clocking in at just three minutes. The company is fairly aggressive in marketing its insurance bundles, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to add other coverage types if you need them (or click “no thanks” if not).
You can choose to see quotes by basic tiered levels, or you can opt to see coverage similar to what you already have. If budget is king, you can also name your price and see what it will get you. A coverage checker warns you when you’re probably buying too little insurance — or too much.
Progressive has a national reach and more than 30,000 agents. It’s all over the map in the J.D. Power customer satisfaction survey, but is in the middle of the pack in most regions. A.M. Best gives it a superior A+ rating for financial strength.

Where to Find Car Insurance Discounts

Once you’ve seen some rates, you need to dig in on exploiting discounts — the key to cheap car insurance rates. Many car insurance companies have discounts that go beyond bundling or insuring multiple vehicles, and some of them are less obvious than you may think.

Driving schools

Driving education is an often overlooked discount opportunity. Teen drivers are very expensive to insure, but one great way to lower that burden is through defensive driving training.
Drivers who have passed an accredited driver’s ed class or defensive driving training are eligible for up to a 10% discount, according to DriversEd.com. Plus, if you’ve recently received a ticket, enrolling in a defensive driving course can prevent the premium hike on your insurance (though most companies only let you do this once every 12 months).
Defensive driving courses cover topics such as traffic laws, drug- and alcohol-impaired driving, and inclement-weather driving and are often available online or at commercial driving schools. Courses for defensive driving can be found through your DMV or through local community centers.
In fact, defensive driving education is required in at least 15 states including Texas, Nevada, New Jersey, Virginia, Oklahoma, Oregon, New York, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Louisiana, North Carolina, Illinois and Mississippi.
After completing a defensive driving course, participants will receive a completion certificate that can be presented to insurance companies in order to qualify for a discount. Depending on the insurance company, drivers may also have to retake the course and be current on their certification in order to continue receiving the discount. Classes are flexible and offered on a consistent basis, however, and learning defensive driving skills is an easy way to save money and become a more comfortable driver.
If you aren’t the only person covered on your auto policy, consider getting all the drivers on your policy to take a defensive driving and you can be eligible for additional discounts.

Good student discounts

These discounts are typically given to drivers under the age of 25 who are enrolled full time at a high school or college/university and are maintaining at least a 3.0 grade point average or are on the honor roll or dean’s list.
In order to prove satisfactory academic achievement and receive the discount, students need a current transcript or a letter signed by a school administrator. Students who are home-schooled can present standardized test results, such as SAT or ACT scores, that are within a desired percentile range depending on the insurance provider in order to qualify.
Good grades can continue helping students save money even after school is out because some insurance companies extend this discount to post-grads for a limited time.

• Related: Student Guide to Car Insurance

Safe-driver discounts

Drivers with a clean driving record, a standard that is determined by each individual insurance provider, are eligible for hefty discounts.
Although there is no universal definition of safe driving, insurance companies generally mean avoiding collisions and accidents for which you can be found at fault and avoiding moving violations such as speeding, driving under the influence, or reckless driving.
Having a clean record can not only give you a discount on your insurance, it can save you a lot more money in the short term.

Resident student discounts

These discounts can be offered to students attending college more than 100 miles away from home. They are intended to be used exclusively by those students who are not planning to drive the insured vehicle while at school but may use it while they are home for vacations.

Other discounts

• Most insurance companies have active-duty military and veterans discounts.
• Discounts exist for car alarm systems or other safety equipment.
• Many insurers will even lower your rate if you pay your annual premium upfront or automate your payments.

Ask companies for a full list of discounts while you’re shopping, since they may not publicize all of them.

Major Car Insurance Types

Though companies offer several more nuanced options and add-ons, the three major types of auto insurance boil down to:

• Liability coverage
• Collision coverage
• Comprehensive coverage

Liability coverage

Liability coverage, required by law in most states, covers the other driver’s personal injury and property damage in a crash where you’re at fault. Importantly, it does not cover your own injuries or property damage. Buying only liability insurance is always going to be your cheapest option, though not necessarily the wisest. Sometimes it makes sense to carry only liability coverage, and sometimes it doesn’t. More on this in a minute.
You’ll probably see your liability coverage written like this on your quote or car insurance policy: $50,000/$100,000/$50,000 (or 50/100/50). That means you have $50,000 in bodily injury coverage for each person, $100,000 in bodily injury coverage total, and $50,000 in coverage for property damage. Each state requires its own minimum amount of liability insurance for you to stay legal.
Buying the bare minimum is tempting since it will keep your rates as low as possible. Unfortunately, that’s a bad idea — a bad crash can mean your costs will easily surpass low state minimums, and then you’ll have to pay up. If you don’t have the money, that will leave your other assets vulnerable.

Collision coverage

There is also collision coverage, which covers the damage to your car sustained in a crash. Most commonly, this covers crashes when you’re at fault, but it may also pay in certain circumstances when another driver is at fault, or in scenarios not covered under your other policies.
The cost of your collision coverage will largely depend on your car’s value, but you do control the deductible — the amount you pay out of pocket before your insurance company picks up the rest of the tab.

Comprehensive coverage

True to its name, comprehensive car insurance covers almost any car-related calamity you can think of minus damage resulting from a crash. Instead, comprehensive policies pay for things like auto theft, damage from severe weather, or needed repairs after a late-night rendezvous with a disoriented deer.
Comprehensive coverage is meant to complement collision coverage, not replace it. Like collision coverage, the cost will depend on your car, but you control your deductible.

What Types of Car Insurance Do I Really Need?

Comprehensive and collision coverage seem like a smart choice, but they come with a much heftier price tag than liability-only insurance. If you took out a loan to pay for your car, you probably don’t have a choice — your lender will require proof of comprehensive and collision coverage. And dropping comprehensive or collision coverage isn’t a good idea for anyone without the savings to pay for repairs out of pocket.
But there are situations when opting only for liability makes sense. For instance, if you drive an older, paid-off vehicle that you can easily fix or replace, keeping only liability coverage can mean significant savings. Comprehensive and collision coverage may also be overkill on any car you drive sparingly.
To see how much I would save on auto insurance by nixing all coverage but liability, I plugged my own stats into a quote generator. I’m a married female in my early 30s driving a paid-off 2011 Hyundai Sonata. I live in a small Southern city, have a clean driving record, and average 12,000 miles a year. A policy with 50/100/50 in liability, as well as comprehensive and collision policies with $250 deductibles, would set me back $45 a month. Dropping the comprehensive and collision policies would bring my bill down to just $24 a month.
Would I do it? No, since my car is still relatively new and would cost a significant sum to repair or replace. But let’s say I have a beat-up 2004 Nissan Altima with 150,000 miles on it. Replacing it would probably only cost about $2,000, a sum I could cover with my emergency fund if my car was totaled. Suddenly, cutting my car insurance bill nearly in half by dropping comprehensive and collision coverage makes a lot more sense.
Bottom line: Liability coverage is your cheapest option and will keep you legal on the road, but dropping collision and comprehensive coverage might be a risky move if it would be a major financial hardship to fix or replace your car after an accident.

Other types of coverage

There are a number of other coverage types and add-ons, some of which may be required in certain states. Of particular note is personal injury protection, which pays your medical expenses after a crash.
There’s also uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, which means you won’t be left on the hook after a crash where the other driver is at fault but doesn’t carry enough (or any) insurance and can’t afford to pay. Other add-ons pay for rental cars while your car is being fixed and for roadside assistance.
If you’re trying to keep your bill low, personal injury coverage probably isn’t a smart buy as long as you have a good health insurance plan — there would be too much overlap between the two policies.
However, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is a decent bet, especially in areas with a high percentage of uninsured drivers. It’s also fairly inexpensive: Adding both options to my GEICO quote boosted my monthly bill by only a few dollars.
As for other little add-ons, consider skipping them. If you can cover the cost of a rental (or borrow a car from a friend while you’re in a jam), rental-car riders are unnecessary, and a AAA membership is often a better deal than roadside assistance coverage if you have an older vehicle.

What car insurance is required in my state?

Each state has different requirements when it comes to car insurance. Many simply require liability insurance (both bodily injury and property damage). Others go a step or two further, requiring add-ons such as personal injury protection and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, here are the kinds of insurance each state requires as of September 2015, as well as the minimum required amounts of liability insurance. The only state that does not require liability insurance is New Hampshire; however, that state still mandates that you show you have sufficient funds to meet state requirements if you’re at fault in a crash.

                                the source :http://www.dailyfinance.com/tag/car+insurance/

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5 New Ways to Save Big Bucks in Managing Your Money

There are countless startups sitting on mountains of venture capital money and promising to change the world. Most journalists have focused on the world of payments, and that focus only increased with the launch of ApplePay. But ApplePay offers convenience, not value. While it is fun using an iPhone at a checkout (if you are lucky enough to find one that accepts ApplePay), it certainly won't help you prepare for retirement.

Technology is finally being used to transform consumer financial services in a dramatic way. You no longer need to settle for 0.01 percent on your savings account. It has never been easier to shop for cheaper auto insurance. You don't have to pay 25 percent interest on that store credit card. You don't have to pay 1 percent (or more) to have customized financial planning. Even student loans can now be refinanced at dramatically lower rates, thanks to innovative startups, and not traditional banks.

Here are the five biggest innovations that can actually save you significant money and help you retire early.

1. Branch-free banks deliver savings accounts with rates 100 times better than traditional banks. The largest banks are paying an average of 0.01 percent on basic savings accounts. If you have $25,000 in an account, you will earn a ridiculously low $2.50 interest over the next 12 months. You could easily earn $280 by switching to an Internet-only savings account paying 1.15 percent. And it is easy to find some of the best interest rates online, by using a comparison site like MagnifyMoney, which I operate.
2. Shopping for the best auto insurance premium is easy and quick. The majority of Americans use an agent to make a decision. But agents are tied to just a handful of auto insurance companies and usually cannot give you a full comparison. A number of new websites offer you the ability to compare auto insurance easily and quickly online. One of the best is TheZebra, which has compared over 1,700 products from more than 200 insurance companies. In just a few minutes, and without giving any personal information, you can very quickly see how much you could save on a quote. Even if you don't want to change providers, it is worth doing a quick test drive and seeing if you qualify.
3. Personal loan companies give you alternatives to obscenely high interest rates on credit cards. Store credit cards regularly charge 25 percent, regardless of your credit quality. And credit cards typically charge 15 percent or more. Historically, the only real way to save money was to surf your debt from one balance transfer to another. However, over the last few years, some dynamic new personal loan companies have been created. LendingClub is the most famous, and borrowers refinancing credit card debt cut their interest rates an average of 31 percent. Even better, you can apply for most of these loans without hurting your credit score. If you are looking to refinance your credit card debt and cut up those cards, shop around for the best deal. Go to MagnifyMoney's personal loan comparison page to find the best rate.
4. Low, flat fees for financial planning boost your return. If you go to a traditional brokerage, you will quickly realize that they make money from commissions on trading. As a result, they have a tendency to encourage frequent trading and more expensive products. The data is clear: consistently beating the stock market with actively managed mutual funds is virtually impossible over time. However, stock brokers still make plenty of money trying and failing to do just that. Many financial planners charge a percentage of assets (typically 1 percent) and provide better advice. All of that is changing with companies like Betterment. They charge a low, flat fee to provide financial planning. If you have $100,000 invested, you could save $55,000 over 20 years, by paying only 0.15 percent of your assets as a fee.
5. Companies can refinance student loan debt at lower rates. Interest rates on student loan debt can be extremely high, and America's student loan debt exceeds credit card debt. It isn't a surprise that innovative companies are looking to help qualified borrowers refinance student loan debt. The leader in this market is SoFi, whose variable rates start as low as 1.9 percent. The savings over a lifetime can be dramatic.

I lived in the Silicon Valley during the first dot-com boom. Sock puppets were trying to sell us pet food, and financial services were left largely untouched. All five of these new business models present existential threats to the profitability of big, entrenched banks and financial service companies. That is great news for consumers. Hopefully everyone will be moving their emergency fund to an online bank, refinancing their credit card and student loan debt to low interest rates, slashing their auto insurance premiums and virtually eliminating investment fees. Technology has the power to put more money in our pockets. It is now up to us to use that power.

Nick Clements is the co-founder of MagnifyMoney.com, a price comparison website that helps you find the cheapest bank accounts, and the best interest rates on your savings and your debt. He spent nearly 15 years in consumer banking, and most recently he ran the largest credit card business in the U.K. You can follow him on Twitter @npclements.

                                the source :http://www.dailyfinance.com/tag/car+insurance/

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The 15 Cheapest Cars to Insure in 2016

There's a lot to take into account when buying a new vehicle. How it feels and looks is important, but how much it costs -- including fuel consumption, potential resale value, and monthly auto insurance premium -- is usually the deal breaker. To help buyers determine which cars are truly the cheapest, Cheapism.com turned to a recent comparison of insurance rates for more than 1,500 vehicles by Insure.com.

This list of the 15 cheapest cars to insure reflects the annual cost of full coverage by six major insurers for a 40-year-old male driver with good credit, a clean record and a 12-mile commute in 10 ZIP codes in each state. Unsurprisingly, family vehicles that are typically driven by cautious parents are cheaper to insure than flashy sports cars, but other affordable models may not be what you expect.

Jeep Wrangler Sport: $1,134 a Year. The least expensive standard model Wrangler on the market, this two-door, 4x4 SUV is notable for its 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine and iconic looks. This model also recently ranked first in terms of resale value for compact SUVs. (It retains 57.4 percent of its original list price of $23,500 after five years.)

Jeep Patriot Sport (2WD): $1,136 a Year. Cheaper (starting at $16,895) and roomier than a Wrangler, the two-wheel-drive Jeep Patriot is better suited for family driving than off-roading. Cruise control and 16-inch wheels are standard, but the Sport package lacks power accessories and air conditioning. Car site Edmunds.com asserts there are better options for consumers than the Patriot, citing drawbacks such as insufficient storage space, disappointing ride quality, and lackluster basic options.


Honda CR-V LX (AWD): $1,160 a Year. The LX is the simplest of the available trim packages but still comes with a rearview camera and hands-free text messaging. All CR-V models are powered by a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine, although the all-wheel drive included in this model is an upgrade. The CR-V ranked best in a U.S. News & World Report list of affordable compact SUVs and starts at $24,695. The review highlights a spacious interior, responsive steering, and good fuel economy.

Dodge Grand Caravan SE Plus: $1,162 a Year. The top-ranking minivan on the list, the Dodge Grand Caravan carries a mixed reputation but offers some features consumers may like. The second and third rows of seats can be laid flush with the floor, creating plenty of cargo space and the rear seats can be flipped to face the back for tailgating. The SE Plus starts at $25,245; the cheapest trim package, the AVP, starts at $21,795. This is the last year the Caravan will be available; Dodge is dropping it from the lineup.

Honda Odyssey LX: $1,163 a Year. The Honda Odyssey minivan is a favorite among car critics, although at $28,975, it's more expensive than others on this list. Still, it's noteworthy for its smooth handling, quiet and comfortable ride, safety rating, and fuel efficiency (for its class). The LX is the base model but still includes a rearview camera, Bluetooth, Pandora compatibility and power-adjustable front seats.

Jeep Compass Sport (2WD): $1,164 a Year. This third Jeep model on the list, like the Patriot Sport, is less expensive than a Wrangler, at $18,995. It's also less Jeep-like, in that off-roading may just be off-limits for this front-wheel-drive model. That doesn't mean it's not a good compact SUV, though; it gets decent reviews from experts at Edmunds and The Car Connection, a review and research site.

Subaru Outback 2.5i: $1,176 a Year. The 2015 Outback has been redesigned and offers a roomy interior, sleek body and precise steering. All Outbacks come standard with all-wheel drive, making this a suitable vehicle for outdoor adventures. Motor Trend concludes that the 2015 Outback is bigger and handles better than the competition. The 2.5i is the base model and starts at $24,895.

Ford Edge SE (2WD): $1,176 a Year. A mid-size crossover that seats five, the Ford Edge SE is comparable to the Honda CR-V LX, according to The Car Connection, (although this model has front-wheel drive). Other reviewers appreciate the high-quality look and feel, EcoBoost engine and quiet ride. This base model has a list price of $28,100.

Smart Fortwo Pure: $1,186 a Year. The Smart Fortwo is a two-seater car about half the size of a sedan, which makes finding a parking space amazingly easy. But the same $13,270 and up that you'll spend for this model can buy a more comfortable ride that isn't scary to drive on a freeway. The Pure package is bare-bones, although there are options for power windows and mirrors ($80), radio ($350) and power steering ($550). Air conditioning comes standard.

Ford Escape S (2WD): $1,190 a Year. One of the best-selling crossovers on the market, the Escape stands out with its styling and acute handling. Reviewers say it's fun to drive on winding roads, although it can feel a bit firm at times. Even the basic S trim level (starting at $22,960) comes with full power accessories, six-speaker sound system, air conditioning, rearview camera and Ford's Sync voice command system.

Nissan Xterra X (2WD): $1,200 a Year. Based on a shared Frontier pickup platform, the Nissan Xterra (starting at $23,660) boasts the same easy-to-clean interior. The Car Connection notes that owners give up some comforts (those easy-to-clean surfaces are hard plastic) but get a vehicle that's versatile, spacious, and ready for off-roading.

Dodge Journey AVP: $1,201 a Year. The American Value Package, the base model, starts at $20,295 and is a good budget option for consumers seeking a midsize crossover. The Journey AVP seats five, but an optional third row adds an additional two seats. The four-cylinder engine can feel strained, but it's the only option available at this trim level.

Buick Encore: $1,205 a Year. The Buick Encore, a subcompact crossover, is slightly larger than a standard hatchback and feels more luxurious than the competing Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3 and Jeep Renegade, but there's no need to pay for a luxury marque. The Encore is available for $24,065 and up. There are five seats, but in reality it fits only four adults comfortably. Reviewers also say the 1.4-liter engine doesn't have enough oomph, or the fuel efficiency one might expect from a small-engine subcompact; they like just about everything else.

Chevrolet Spark LS (Manual): $1,206 a Year. The Chevy Spark is a four-door hatchback that works well for city drivers and is kind to the pocketbook: This model's MSRP is just $12,270. Despite being small and light, the Spark feels and drives like a "real car," Edmunds says. This practical car seats four and gets up to 40 mpg. The basic LS trim comes with air conditioning, power windows and a four-speaker sound system.

Toyota Tacoma Access Cab (2WD): $1,210 a Year. The only pickup on this list is a leader in the compact/midsize class. The Tacoma isn't as powerful nor as comfortable as a full-size but is known for durability and does well when stacked against the competition. The basic, two-door Access Cab version comes with a 2.7-liter, four-cylinder engine, air conditioning, manual transmission and two rear seats that are best suited for children. It's an easy pickup to drive, but with a starting price of $20,965, it's more expensive than comparable models.

                            the source :http://www.dailyfinance.com/tag/car+insurance/

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One Weird (and Infuriating) Reason You May Pay More for Car Insurance

Meet "Sally" and "Suzy": These 30-year-old twin sisters are identical in nearly every way. Both women live in Louisville, Kentucky. They're both employed full time, have stellar driving records, decent credit ratings and no lapses in car insurance coverage. They even drive twin 2005 Honda Civics – same color, make, model and mileage.

Sally pays $2,408 a year for car insurance – to get a policy providing theminimum coverage required by Kentucky – through Farmers Insurance. Meanwhile, Suzy pays Farmers $1,640 for the exact same coverage. So why is Sally paying 47 percent more than Suzy for the same insurance?

According to the Consumer Federation of America, Sally is forced to pony up more cash for insurance because she's arenter and Suzy is a homeowner.

From our Solutions Center: How to quickly shop insurance

That's right. The CFA – which recently conducted an analysis of premium quotes from the major auto insurers for a 30-year-old safe driver in 10 cities across the United States – found that consumers pay an average of 7 percent more (about $112 a year) for auto insurance if they write a rent check rather than a mortgage check for their home.

Depending on the insurer and where drivers live, they could be like Sally — paying upwards of 47 percent more for insurance. For example, Allstate's auto insurance quote for a renter in Tampa, Florida, was 19 percent more than a homeowner. In Baltimore, Liberty Mutual charged renters 23 percent more.

The CFA maintains that auto insurance companies' use of homeownership status in pricing leaves low- and moderate-income Americans at an unfair disadvantage. According to Federal Reserve Board data, the median income of renters in the United States was $27,800 in 2013, compared with $63,400 for homeowners.

"To raise people's auto insurance premium because they can't afford to buy their homes unfairly discriminates against lower-income drivers," said CFA Insurance Director J. Robert Hunter in a prepared statement. "A good driver is a good driver whether she rents or owns her home. Insurance companies should not be allowed to target people based on homeownership status."

The CFA obtained quotes from State Farm, Geico, Allstate, Progressive, Farmers, Liberty Mutual and Nationwide. Geico was the only insurer whose quotes were the same, regardless of the driver's homeownership status.

"Virtually every state requires drivers to buy insurance, but we shouldn't force them to buy a home in order to get the best price," Hunter said. "State insurance commissioners and elected representatives should step in and stop this practice," he added.





                       the source :http://www.dailyfinance.com/tag/car+insurance/

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Car Insurance Companies Use Facebook for Claims Investigations

In an Accident? Avoid Tweeting It

 

No matter how rattled or irritated you are, it's never wise to tweet or post on Facebook that you were involved in an accident. | September 4, 2013 | iStockphoto

In the hours after a car accident, filing a claim with your auto insurance company is one of the first steps you should take. But auto insurance industry insiders say a smart second step is giving social media accounts the once-over to prevent all or part of that claim from being denied.
In the past five years, the use of social media has exploded within the insurance industry, says Frank Darras, an insurance attorney in Ontario, California, who represents plaintiffs in suits against insurance companies. Because social media Web sites provide a real-time examination of users' lifestyles, insurance companies, claims adjusters and attorneys have begun to monitor and mine them as a valuable source of claims-investigation evidence. Insurers are reviewing information found on such social media sites as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Foursquare, Google Plus and Pinterest, and applying it to auto claims, says Chicago personal injury lawyer Michael Helfand.
"This happens all the time," he says.
Facebook is used in almost every claim now, especially when there is an injury. "Checking social media accounts has become one of the first things an insurance company or adjuster will do when you file a claim," adds Darras. Especially when any injuries stem from the accident.
Claims Investigation by Social Media
Part of the new claims-investigation process is for an adjuster, agent or insurance company to look for the Facebook, Twitter or other social media account of a person claiming bodily injury stemming from an accident, Helfand says. They're looking for proof that the person is filing a fraudulent claim, he says.
If the part of your accident claim is for a back injury and you share post-accident pictures of you golfing, surfing or playing ball with the kids, your claim could be denied.
"Over the years, social media has killed a bunch of claims," says Helfand.
"Almost every insurance company has a special investigation unit (SIU), and policyholders should work on the assumption that SIUs will look into questionable or fraudulent claims," says Michael Barry, vice president of media relations for the Insurance Information Institute.
"Mining social media for clues is one of the fastest-growing areas of insurance-fraud investigation," says James Quiggle of the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud in a report published in 2012.
While insurance adjusters or agents may not look into the social media accounts of every person who files a claim, they will definitely dig into social media if they have any reason to suspect a fraudulent claim.
"It's simply part of the due diligence in investigating a case, because so many people are brazen or dumb enough to say one thing to an insurance adjuster while at the same time telling the world something else," Helfand says. "It's not unusual for a person to tell the adjuster and doctor how much their back hurts and then post photos from their softball league.
"Facebook and other social media sites have become a great tool for fighting claims because the 'look at me' nature of social media causes people to shoot themselves in the foot," he says.
A claims adjuster will also stick directly to the language you use in the claim. If you report that you're unable to lift more than 20 pounds, but a picture on social media shows you doing otherwise, Darras says you can expect the claim will be denied.
The same goes for tweets and status updates detailing your mood or mental state related to the accident. A stream of tweets about your road rage or noting that you're driving against doctors' orders because you're under the influence of medicine will raise red flags on any auto-accident-related injury claim.
Switch Your Privacy Settings
Using Facebook or Twitter activity in the claims process is completely legal — as long as the information is part of a "public" profile, Darras says.
"It is generally understood that if the adjuster or insurance company has to 'friend' or have a third party 'friend' the claimant on Facebook to obtain the information, then it becomes unethical and an invasion of privacy. Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily make it illegal," Darras says
You can reduce your exposure by adjusting the privacy settings for Facebook accounts so that only people you select as friends can read your status updates or view photos on your account. And make sure privacy settings on Twitter are set to "Protect my Tweets" to limit who can read your timeline.
But beware: Your friends' social media accounts could also complicate an insurance claim. A photo or post on Facebook that's visible on a friend's public page might also be spotted, and used, by a car insurance company or claims adjuster, Darras says.
To be safe, Darras suggests removing the Facebook photos and tags or tweets of anything incriminating. For instance, delete a post in which your friends say that you're a terrible driver — even if they're joking. Helfand says an insurance company could use this evidence against you during the claims-investigation process.
"The responsibility to be constantly vigilant with Facebook profiles and Twitter streams is ultimately on consumers," says Helfand.
Keep Quiet
Don't rely solely on privacy settings to protect a claim. Helfand says the best advice is zipping your virtual lip.
"No matter how rattled, irritated you are, it's never wise to tweet or post on Facebook that you were involved in an accident," he says. "There's nothing to benefit from doing that."
In fact, getting social about an accident or car insurance claim is possibly the worst thing you can do.
"Doing this is just asking the insurance company to use the information against you, even if what you said was harmless in your eyes," Darras says. "Remember that jokes and sarcasm aren't conveyed well on social media and the insurance company will use everything they can."
Often insurance companies ask a person injured in a car wreck to provide information about their activities for a two-week period, says Darras. If any public Facebook activity doesn't match the log, the insurance company can think you're lying and treat the auto insurance claim as fraud.
Disputing the Social Scoop
If the Internet interferes with your claim, all is not lost. It may be possible to dispute anything an adjuster turns up on your social profiles.
"One of the biggest arguments consumers can use against insurance companies is their failure to investigate the information further and receive third-party support of the information they found on social media," says Darras.
And because social media should be a starting point, not the only evidence used in approving or denying a claim, you can press the insurance company to consider statements from other sources, such as doctors or witnesses, or allow you to explain the circumstances around the information found on your social networking profiles.
The Bottom Line
There is a time and place for social media, and it's not necessary to shut down your accounts after an accident. But it is important to watch what you post and be cautious about your participation in conversations, says Darras. And remember, regardless of your privacy settings, social media is never really private.

  the source :http://www.dailyfinance.com/tag/car+insurance/

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How To Shop for Use-Based Car Insurance

Drivewise Device Plugs Drivers Into Their Habits

 

Allstate customers with the Drivewise tool plugged into their cars can download an iPhone or Android app to check up on their driving habits. | February 25, 2014 | Allstate Insurance Co.

In recent years, nine of 10 top U.S. auto insurance companies have started selling policies based on how motorists drive. At least a handful of pay-as-you-drive policies are offered in every state, covering as many as 3 million U.S. vehicles, according to industry estimates. Switching to use-based insurance (UBI) could help you save a little or a lot over what car owners spend on premiums associated with a more traditional policy.
If you're considering changing to a UBI plan, it pays to understand what you're getting.
Carriers set UBI rates by collecting mileage or other information directly from your car, but similarities among policies end there. Some insurers use a small, meterlike electronic device that plugs into a car's onboard diagnostics port to store or transmit information. Newer versions gather driving data through an app and a smartphone connected to a car's infotainment or telematics system.
Drivers may happily trade access to their driving habits for lower insurance rates. But privacy advocates worry that insurance companies aren't always 100 percent transparent about what data they collect, what they do with it and with whom they share it.
"Privacy is a real question," says J. Robert Hunter, insurance director for the Consumer Federation of America. "What do insurance companies do with that information? If I park at the corner of Main and 14th and on one corner is a bar and another is a gym, will you raise or lower my rate?"
Here are steps to take if you're shopping for car insurance and considering a use-based policy:
Find out what's available: Look on the Web site of your state insurance commission or consumer advocacy agency to see which insurance carriers are licensed to operate in your area. Here's a list of all 50 state insurance departments. Alternatively, visit auto insurers' Web sites and type in your ZIP code to see if they sell UBI plans where you live.
Understand what types of data insurers collect: Some states restrict the information insurers can collect, which limits the types of UBI policies they offer. In California, for example, insurance companies can track mileage but are barred from monitoring where or when you drive. They also can't track such behaviors as how fast you drive or how often you slam on the brakes, the activity known in insurance lingo as "hard-braking events." Visit state insurance regulators' Web sites for their explanations of the UBI plans they authorize, such as this pay-as-you-go auto insurance pamphlet from the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. You can also read the fine print on UBI policies on insurers' Web sites to determine what driving data an insurer collects, and how it is gathered.
Try before you buy: Certain insurers give potential customers a chance to take a UBI policy for a test-drive before committing to a policy. In such cases, you may be asked to plug an electronic monitor into your car's diagnostics port for a month or so, which allows the insurer to collect enough data to set a rate. Other insurers offer UBI policies only to existing customers.
Understand how insurers determine discounts: Insurers may offer an introductory discount of 5 or 10 percent during a try-out period, and adjust the rate as needed after monitoring mileage or driving behaviors for a set time period. Progressive Insurance bases rates for its Snapshot policy on six months of driving data. State Farm customers with Drive Safe & Save policies keep electronic monitors plugged into their cars all the time, so, theoretically, their rates could change at renewal time, if they've driven substantially more or less than in the previous period.
Consider a UBI bundle: Some insurers offer UBI as part of a bundle of services tied to a car's built-in entertainment, safety or maintenance systems. State Farm's Drive Safe & Save with In-Drive Connect policy, a joint venture with Verizon Wireless, offers mileage-based insurance along with stolen vehicle assistance and hands-free mobile phone service. After a one-year free trial, charges for In-Drive Connect jump to $6.99 a month or more based on what other features a customer chooses.
See how you're doing: If you sign up, use the Web portal associated with your UBI policy to monitor your driving. Some insurers' dashboards give customers a grade based on their driving habits. For example, customers of Allstate's Drivewise UBI policies can download an iPhone or Android app to look up mileage, speed, hard stops and what times of day they drive.

                          the source :http://www.dailyfinance.com/tag/car+insurance/ 

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How To Cut Teen Insurance Rates

Teens ages 16-19 are three times more likely than drivers older than 20 to be involved in a fatal crash (or any crash, for that matter) according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It's not too surprising, then, that teen drivers tend to have high insurance premiums. For parents, this can mean a big jump in insurance premiums once you add your teen driver to your policy. However, there are ways to reduce your costs right out of the gate, even for very inexperienced drivers. Here are some ways to keep policy costs at a minimum.
Choose the Right Car
It's simply a matter of economics. There are some cars that cost more to repair and replace than others. There are also some cars that are more likely to be stolen and others that protect passengers better in a crash. Combined, these three characteristics have a lot to do with how much you'll pay for the collision and theft portions of your policy, says David Goldstein, the author of Insure Your Car for Less: A Practical Guide to Saving Money on Automobile Insurance.
There are several ways to choose the least expensive car to drive. First, check the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick awards and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 5-Star Safety Ratings to see which cars scored the best in crashworthiness. You'll also want to check the National Insurance Crime Bureau's list of Hot Wheels: cars that are most commonly stolen.
Your insurance broker or company can also help you find the best rate for the cars you're considering, says Goldstein, who has worked as an insurance and claims adjuster. "If you're considering several cars, call and ask for a rate quote on each," he suggests.
Midsize family cars are generally the cheapest to insure, says Jeanne Salvatore, senior vice president and chief communications officer at the Insurance Information Institute, a nonprofit information service. "You want a car that's easy to drive and highly protective. Those are the cars that are going to keep your teen safe and cost the least to insure," she says.
You may also want to consider a car that doesn't need collision insurance, which will cut your rates considerably, says Salvatore, and either way, the age of your car may lead to more discounts.
"Some companies offer a utility discount for cars older than a 2002 model year," she says. That said, make sure any older car you purchase has a solid crash rating and all of the safety features that a newer car might have including airbags, an antilock braking system (ABS), daytime running lights and (for SUVs) electronic stability control.
Adjust Driver Assignments
When you call the insurance company to add your child to a policy, the representative will ask you to designate which car will be driven by each member of your family most often.
You can save money by designating and having your child drive the car that's the least expensive to insure. The trick is finding out which car that is, says Goldstein. "Driver assignment can really affect your rates," he agrees.
If you get someone on the phone who is willing to work with you, he or she can take you through all the different scenarios. "Occasionally, I'd quote rates for four people and four different cars: two parents and two kids. If we played around with it, we could often save money," Goldstein says.
Look for Alumni Discounts or Resident-Student Discounts
One of the perks of going to college is that many schools ink alumni deals with large organizations, such as insurance companies. While the discount is usually around 5 or 10 percent, it's still worth looking into. Geico, for instance, offers an 8 percent discount for DePaul University students and alumni. Liberty Mutual offers special rates to those who attend Arizona State University.
If your child goes away to college and doesn't take a car along, you can save a lot on your premium. Allstate, for example, offers a 35 percent discount off premiums for students who live at a school that is more than 100 miles from where their car is garaged. "There's an assumption that they are only going to be driving on weekends and school vacations," says Salvatore.
Finally, all full-time high school and college students who get good grades can benefit from their diligence. Most companies offer up to 25 percent discounts for good report cards. You'll also see rates drop as your child advances in school. Seniors in college have better rates than freshman, so if your child takes college credits over the summer or in high school, let your insurance company know when he or she reaches the next college milestone, says Goldstein.
Wait an Extra Year Before Licensing
Some teens may not like this idea, but you can save a lot of money simply by having your son or daughter wait an extra year to get a driving permit.
"Wait until they are as old as possible before they get their permit," says Goldstein. "For instance, in some states you can get your learner's permit as early as 16 but you're probably not going to be driving [without restrictions] until you're 18. Why pay for insurance those two years unless you have to?"
Delaying the process is more common than you may think, according to several recent studies. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that just 44 percent of teens get their licenses within 12 months of the minimum age and only 54 percent get their licenses before they turn 18.
However, if you go this route, make sure teens know that they'll still need the practice and supervision that a graduated driver licensing program affords.
Tracking for Discounts and Better Driving Habits
In recent years new devices that connect to a car's computer and use GPS technology to track driving habits and routes have flooded the market. While they can be very useful for parents who want to make sure that their teen isn't speeding or driving outside an approved area, they're also being used by insurance companies to help set rates for drivers of all ages in an approach called use-based insurance.
Snapshot, a program by Progressive Insurance, is one such option that uses a pocket-size telematics device that transmits car data using cell-phone technology. The device plugs into a car's onboard diagnostic port and measures driving habits such as how and when someone drives, tracking behaviors like mileage, time of day and if the person performs hard braking maneuvers.
"Our Snapshot program gives all consumers, including teens, more control over their car insurance costs by offering personalized discounts based on their actual driving behavior," explains Jeff Sibel, a spokesman for Progressive Insurance. "People who drive less, in safer ways and during safer times of day are most likely to receive a discount."
Some companies are offering the device for parental tracking, but without an immediate insurance discount. Its use could result in lower rates going forward, says Rebecca Hirsch, a spokeswoman for insurer USAA. "We're offering the device for free and parents get the monitoring for a year free," she says. "Parents can get text messages if their teens are doing things like hard braking. It enables the parent and the teen to have a conversation around safe driving habits. The first few years are so critical. Anecdotally, we've seen that the devices help build better driving behaviors."
Take a Class
Adults and teens alike can save money by taking a six-hour driving safety course either online or in person. Some insurance companies are offering teen-specific courses that can help reduce the number of crashes that involve teens by providing realistic driving simulations.
Liberty Mutual, for example, offers something it calls teenSMART, a program that focuses on the six factors that most commonly cause teen car accidents. The company says teens who complete the program may get "special savings" on their auto policies, but doesn't offer any examples of what those savings might be.
State Farm offers a program called Steer Clear for drivers under the age of 25 or new drivers with less than three years of driving experience. It requires drivers to watch a video, sign a safe driving parent/driver agreement and complete a certain number of supervised trips of 15-30 minutes over the course of a month, filling out a log after each trip. By completing the program, drivers can get a discount of up to 15 percent on their coverage, says State Farm spokeswoman Rachael Risinger.
Finally, driver-training classes — so-called driver's ed — can also help lower your premiums by up to 10 percent, depending on your insurer.
Make Smart Choices
Even if they apply every discount imaginable, most people will find there's no getting around the fact that rates will go up with a teen driver on the policy — at least for a little while. And while it might be tempting to simply "forget" to inform your insurance company that Junior has his license, take note: Doing so can have serious consequences if your child is in an accident.
You'll also want to make sure you have enough insurance coverage. "Don't go for the minimum limits," suggests Burl Daniel, a former insurance agent and corporate risk manager who testifies as an expert witness in insurance cases. "You're exposing yourself to potential problems, if your kid does have a wreck and seriously injures someone. Don't take the bait now just to save a few hundred dollars when it could end up costing you a lot down the road."

          the source :http://www.dailyfinance.com/tag/car+insurance/

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