Reader’s Question:

I just want to get cheap car insurance but my current carrier is having none of it! How do I keep my car insurance policy “pocket-friendly”?

Clarice

Philadelphia, PA

In economic times like these one cannot afford to NOT have “pocket-friendly” car insurance coverage. So we’ve listed below six effective tips to help you get your car insurance costs as low as possible:

1. Raise Your Deductible – Don’t hesitate to peg your deductible to a higher amount. This is an easy way to lower your premiums and as long as you don’t raise the deductible too much then you should be OK when you do need to file a claim.

2. Get an Annual Payment Plan – Another effective way to lower your car insurance costs in the long run is to setup an annual or semi-annual payment scheme instead of being billed monthly. Insurers typically offer discounts or reduced rates for customers who pay a year in advance.

3. Look into Discounts – Discounts are an excellent way to lower your car insurance bills. Find out which ones you’re eligible (or can be eligible for with a little bit of effort) to receive by getting in touch with your car insurer.

4. Take a Defensive Driving Class – This can teach you how to better avoid accidents and make you eligible for a defensive driver discount to help reduce your rates.

5. Keep Your Car inside a Garage – Minimizing the risk of vandalism and car theft by parking your vehicle inside a garage at night/when not in use will also help reduce your rates.

6. Shop for Better Rates – Insurance comparison websites (like this one) allow access to cheap online car insurance quotes for free. You can compare rates coming from many different insurers quickly and easily.

Reader’s Question:

I am interested to know what insurances are available and applicable for me. Is there a way to get insurance quotes without hassle?

Carl

Baltimore MD

The quickest and most hassle-free way to have your insurance quotes is through the Internet. First, it is fast. You just have to fill out details about yourself and your situation. At the click of the “submit” button, you get your insurance quotes instantly. There’s no more waiting for days. Second, you can acquire a lot of the quotes you needed all in just one sitting. Meaning, you get to do a lot of stuff in just a few minutes. You don’t have to hop around the different insurance companies, which only offer one or a few types of insurance. You also don’t have to go through the hassle of listening to long conversations on the phone or setting up meetings with insurance agents or brokers. Third, there’s no pressure in choosing which insurance policy to choose right away because there’s no insurance agent to force you to buy or annoying phone calls from insurance companies. Fourth, you can easily purchase your insurance policy online. This means that the moment you stand up away from your computer, you’re already covered by insurances.

Whether you are looking for life insurance, health insurance, homeowner insurance or car insurance, the Internet is a one-stop resource for all your insurance inquiries.

Most insurance companies, however, do not offer all the type of insurance. Some may just deal with life insurance alone. Others may only offer car insurance. With the help of the Internet, you can easily jump from one company website to another in just a matter of seconds.

There’s more good news! There are third-party websites that serves as a one-stop shop for all your insurance needs, even truck insurance and other commercial insurance available for your business. Upon sending your quotes request, the website will collect all the insurance quotes you need from various insurance companies. The more you have quotes for your perusal, the more you can determine the type and the average price of insurance coverage available to you.

Remember though that even if things are a lot easier and faster through the Internet, you still have to assess which insurance policy suits your needs and budget. Don’t rush in buying a policy.

Reader’s Question:

I have been spending hours gathering as many car insurance quote online as I can from various companies. Is there any way I can just put my information once?

Naomi

Chicago IL

I know what you mean. Although you get to know about the company better that’s not the quickest way to get the most number of quotes for your comparison of rates. While these are from online companies and only take a few minutes, the process could get repetitive and boring. You might as well find other sites that won’t require you retype information all over again. Just imagine filling out forms for 50 companies. That’s entering the same information 50 times! Young drivers are likely to do this given the fact that they are new to this kind of shopping and wouldn’t know where to look.

There is another way for you to get car insurance quote online without getting cramps from typing information again and again. Like insurance companies, insurance brokers also have their own websites. Going to these sites is more efficient because brokers are connected to many insurance companies. That means, whenever you fill out their quick quotes form, you are getting quotes not only from one but all of those companies in the brokers’ sites. This is all done in just a few minutes. Once the forms have been filled out correctly, you will be able to get car insurance quote just like that. Easy, right?

There are two types of broker websites that you can choose from. One requires five sets of information, which you can give in about five minutes. These information will include things about yourself. The other type of brokers will only ask for vehicle information and driving violations, if any. Within two minutes your quotes are ready. If you like a more accurate quote, go for the more comprehensive form. But if you’re not comfortable with sharing your personal information, go for the second type.

Reader’s Question:

What’s the best way to find myself some cheap car insurance rates here in Maryland? I really don’t want to give up my car insurance but it’s becoming harder to make end’s meet now. Any tips would be appreciated! Thanks!

Brandy

Baltimore, MD

In these economically-challenging times, knowing how and where to look for the most affordable car insurance rates is a plus, and is quite vital if you wish to look forward to paying cheaper car insurance coverage for a long time. However, you need not spend hours on the phone with different auto insurance agents, nor are you expected to hire a car insurance broker to accomplish this. These days, all you really need is your computer and an Internet connection.

With the growing number of websites dedicated to car insurance coverage, anyone who is interested to get quick car insurance quote checks or have access to the latest rates and policies will not have a hard time at all getting the information they need. Car insurance portals alone can already provide you with the essential rate information to help you compare offers and quickly identify the car insurance companies that are most competitive. Most would even provide you a direct link to the said insurance provider’s website should you feel the need to get further details about coverage and policies, before purchasing the coverage.

So there is absolutely no need to spend a lot of time with agents or brokers because with car insurance portals, the best rates are just a few mouse clicks away! You would also be glad to know that it would not cost you a dime to run a quick car insurance quote check on the Web as well!

We’re sure that you are quite interested to be able to find the cheapest rates in a quick and easy manner, without sacrificing too much time and effort. Car insurance portals can help you a lot and will always provide timely and accurate information since they get their rate quotes directly from the insurance companies themselves. Rates vary from one carrier to the next, and they can vary greatly, so save hundreds (even thousands) every year by getting a quick car insurance quote check and comparing offers online!

Reader’s Question:

If I get a car insurance quote for a mature driver, what rates should I expect?

Brian

San Jose, CA

Mature drivers are divided into two categories by car insurance providers. The first one is within the age group of 50 and 55 years old. The second one is 55 years old and above. The first category gets much lower rates than the second category. This is because they have been in fewer accidents. Meanwhile, the second category is charged with much more expensive rates as they tend to file more expensive claims. This is because they are highly likely to be seriously injured in car accidents. This, in turn, means more payouts on the car insurance provider’s part as longer and more special medical care are needed by the policyholders belonging to this age group. This is why before you get a car insurance quote, attend an older driver safety course first. This will automatically qualify you for discounts that could amount to as much as 10% on the base rate depending on the insurer’s rating system. This class can be taken through an approved organization like the AARP for a minimal fee. This class will impart valuable information on how older drivers can compensate for vision changes, decreased reaction time and hearing loss to avert car crashes.

Reader’s Question:

Would my credit rating affect the car insurance quotes I get from carriers here in Texas?

Michaelangelo

Abilene, TX

Yes, it is possible for your credit rating to influence your final car insurance quote. One of the factors that car insurance companies can dip into would be your credit history since this can be a strong indication of how responsible you are on some aspects of your life, including how well you manage to avoid getting into car accidents. Statistics do show a strong correlation between driving behavior and credit behavior.

The less attractive your credit score is, the more an insurance company might see you as a riskier driver. The riskier you are, the higher your car insurance premiums becomes. Credit score alone, however, is not the end all and be all of how your quotes are calculated, and it’s hardly the only factor involved when determining your premiums. Here are some of the more common ones:

1.Your Age, Gender, & Marital Status
2.Where you reside
3.The kind of vehicle you drive
4.Your driving history
5.Previous Insurance Coverage
6.Discounts you’re eligible to get

This is why it is very important to always make insurance comparisons. Not all carriers determine insurance rates the same way and you can take advantage of that fact by using this website’s search tool to get cat car insurance quotes online. You can get the most up to date car insurance quotes and compare offers from many different carriers in the convenience of your home.

Reader’s Question:

I’m from Oklahoma, and my son is residing in Missouri. I am planning on buying him a new car, but I want to register the car here in Oklahoma under my name. I also plan to insure it here with my son as the principal driver on the policy. My son would be the main driver of the car in Missouri. I’m wondering if this is even allowed. Can you tell me how to get car insurance quotes for Missouri and Oklahoma?

Brian

Broken Arrow, OK

You would need to contact your car insurance company about this arrangement to check if it is possible. Normally, car insurance companies do not allow the insurance of 2 different vehicles under a single policy, especially if these vehicles are from 2 different states. This is because of the differing car insurance regulations that these two states have (same as in any other 2 states in the country). Most probably, the car insurance company will advise you to insure the car under your son’s name, so he could use it in Missouri. And if he plans to bring it to Oklahoma, he would have to consult with his car insurance agent to see if his Missouri car insurance will also apply in Oklahoma. If not, he would have to get a new insurance policy in Oklahoma to cover for the time that he’ll be using the car there. Otherwise, if he doesn’t want to get an Oklahoma car insurance policy, then he shouldn’t bring his car there.

If you need to know more about how to get car insurance quotes, check the websites of those car companies offering insurance in Oklahoma or Missouri. Or you may simply call the company to get a more personal advice from their car insurance agent.

Reader’s Question:

Can you teach me how to get a car insurance quote? My mom told me to get my own policy once I get my own car.

Paul

Washington DC

You can get a car insurance quote in a couple of ways. But I suggest you do it in a systemic way, so that you could save your time and effort.

The first thing that you should do is get a list of all car insurance companies in your state. You could try contacting your state’s insurance regulator to get a complete list of all registered insurance companies. This is actually the best way, so as to avoid fraud caused by ghost companies.

Once you have the list, you could start checking each of these companies’ websites. Almost all companies nowadays have their own websites because the internet is sort of their “battleground” when it comes to competition. Often, these companies offer free online quotes to people who have limited shopping time. You could also get from the website some information about the company, like rates, discounts and other special privileges.

As soon as you get all the quotes and other information you need, you can start reviewing your notes to see which car insurance companies offer the best deal. Be critical when evaluating the data about the company’s products/services. Remember that a low rate is not always good because it could mean lower coverage or something else.

With the shortlist that you have, you can now start calling the car insurance companies and seeking a more personal advice from their respective agents. This is the best time for you to state what coverage you want and how much premium you are willing to pay for. After you’ve consulted all the companies, you can then start evaluating them to see which company you’d want to get your car insurance policy from.

Reader’s Question:

Why are small cars more expensive to insure? I’ve talked to three different brokers here in North Carolina and all of them gave me pretty high rates as compared to what I pay for my pick-up.

Curtis

Charlotte, NC

Good question, many people are actually surprised to hear that smaller vehicles tend to eat up a lot more of their car insurance budget, as compared to insuring cars with bigger frames. There is no denying that small cars like the Honda Civic and the Toyota Camry are very popular models, and there is substantial amount of money to be saved due to the obviously less requirements for fuel, and aren’t smaller cars supposed to be safer since they are more maneuverable? (and can presumably avoid more car accidents), so why on earth would car insurance companies charge you more?

First of all, its not hard to guess which will come out the worse if your Smart Car goes on a head on collision with a larger vehicle, like the F-150, simple physics would assure you that the smaller vehicle would absorb a lot more of the impact, which means bigger chances of its passengers getting serious injury, or even dying in an accident. It is also precisely because of the perceived notion of small cars are easier to maneuver that drivers tend to drive less carefully and would result into more car accidents. To put it simply, small cars represent a higher overall insurance risk so insurance companies there in North Carolina (and everywhere else) charge accordingly.

The good news is that not all carriers rate the same way, on this website you can get car insurance quotes for free to help you determine which carrier would charge you less for a smaller car, increasing your chances of landing a more affordable car insurance policy for a small car.

Reader’s Question:

Hi, can you give me some tips on where to get car insurance quote?

Alice,

Miami, FL

There are different ways on how to get car insurance quote and one of them is through the yellow pages. I know most people no longer use this but a great part of the population (the older ones) are still reliant on this hard file even with the emergence of the internet. The yellow pages could provide you with a list of all car insurance companies. People who are seriously looking for a car insurance carrier are advised to as much as possible call each and every one of these companies to make sure that they don’t miss out on the one who could give the best offer. Car insurance companies have different ways of computing policy rates and of giving promotional discounts to reward those who have been good drivers and loyal clients of the company. Some of these discounts include bundling discount for those who get car car insurance, homeowner’s, life, or medical insurance from the same company (whichever is offered by the company), multi-car discount for those who insure more than one car under the same policy, and defensive driver discount for those who enroll in defensive driving programs.

Another way to get a car insurance quote is through the internet. Almost all insurance companies have their own websites where clients could get car insurance information and quotes from. To get a quote, all they need to do is to fill in all their personal information needed by the company in order to compute for the policy rate. This is the most efficient way of comparing car companies because it’s cheaper, faster, and easier to do.