Compare rates for auto insurance

Reader question:

I compare rates for auto insurance, but never get good ones. What’s the deal?

Sharon

Glad you asked.

If you’ve been getting quoted some high rates for auto insurance despite a perfect driving record and being middle aged, there might be a suspect you haven’t thought about: your credit. How is it? Did you go on a shopping spree a few years ago that cost you…oh…a few thousand dollars (just!)? If you have anything particularly nasty on your credit report, you might be getting charged almost as if you were a teenager again.

So order a copy of your credit report so that you can clean it up and compare rates for auto insurance afterwards. A lot of the time some of the information on your report isn’t accurate–I’ve read that this happens to as much as 10% of people with any credit at all. If you find something on your report that makes you go, “what?”, you can write into the agency and ask for proof. If there’s no proof within thirty days, you’re off the hook and it’s taken off of your report.

As for the stuff that IS your fault, well, time to start paying it off. Even if you don’t get it all paid off, just making regular payments can win your company over again and make you get better results when you compare rates for auto insurance.

take care,

Fashun

Cheapest car insurance in Houston TX

Reader question:

I have a old car, so how can I get the cheapest car insurance in Houston TX?

Randy

Good question.

If you have the cheapest car, you should be able to get the cheapest car insurance in Houston TX. Right? Well, only if you’re willing to detach yourself from your junker and look at reality. Your baby is all grown up an doesn’t need training wheels anymore the way a 2007 model might.

The fastest way for somebody with a cash car to drop their insurance amounts is to just get rid of all of that excess coverage surrounding their car like a plastic bubble. I mean, think about it. If you paid $900 for your car, and you crash into somebody…how the heck hard is it going to be to replace that thing? Probably less than the deductible would be.

For people who have cheap cars–and I would say that any car worth less than two thousand dollars counts here–comprehensive and collision insurance coverages are not necessary and are downright criminal in raising your rates.

To get the cheapest car insurance in Houston TX, all you really need is some liability coverage and some good driving skills. Be realistic.

take care,

Fashun

Dallas commercial car insurance

Reader question:

What might indicate that I, as a small business owner, need Dallas commercial car insurance?

Susan

Good question.

Dallas commercial car insurance becomes even more necessary when more people become involved. While it is typical that a small business owner will use their car to run errands, what about when one of their employees does? Even if the employee is responsible and you trust them, they still might get into an accident. While having personal insurance for your own car may make sense, if your employee is doing business in their own car and they cause an accident, it just isn’t fair to make them handle all of the costs since they were working for you.

Will you handle the lawsuit if the victim driver, or even the employee, attempts to file one against you? Probably not.

If you have employees, then, even if they have their own cars, it’s a good idea to buy a commercial auto insurance policy that they can buy into. You can even just purchase a company car which can be used by all of those doing business errands and covered by a Dallas commercial car insurance policy.

take care,

Fashun

Compare liability insurance rates online

Reader question:

How can someone who doesn’t drive often compare liability insurance rates online?

Greg

Good question.

As you compare liability insurance rates online, you also have to keep a look out for discounts that companies may offer. Since they aren’t included in your initial rate quote, one company which appears to have a higher rate might actually cost less than another company which seemed to have a lower rate because the first company had more discounts that applied to you.

One such discount is the low mileage discount, which is excellent for those who work from home, or who have access to carpooling and public transportation. If you’re able to keep your mileage down to a certain amount every year, then you can save something like 10%, although it will depend on the company. I get 10% from my company, but a company I was insured with before only gave me 5%.

The amount of mileage varies, but here are some common requirements for a low mileage discount, so make sure you put in the right mileage number when you compare liability insurance rates online:

• less than 5000 miles a year
• less than 7000 miles a year
• less than 40 miles day

take care,

Fashun

Cheap auto insurance rate

Reader question:

Can I save money by comparing one cheap auto insurance rate to others?

Oscar

Glad you asked.

The best source for a cheap auto insurance rate is from a comparison between rates from different companies. Lazy? Not convinced? Figure, oh, this looks cheap, why not? Let me just show you what my rates were before I started gathering quotes as opposed to now.

• This is from when I went to the first auto insurance company I saw.
  • $212/month
  • $185/month
  • $187/month
• This is from when I compared one cheap auto insurance rate to the others.
  • $145/month
  • $93/month
  • $77/month

As you can see, I saved hundreds of dollars a year when i started comparing rate quotes on auto insurance. This is a typical story. Most people are losing out by at least $400 a year if they choose not to comparison shop. Variations can be as much as in the thousands of dollars between companies.

take care,

Fashun

Liability insurance for teen driver

Reader question:

Do I need liability insurance for teen driver?

Carole

Good question.

You need liability insurance for teen driver coverage, because if you get full coverage then you will be paying way too much. This is why when your teen buys their car or you buy it for them, it should be a used car that can be bought all immediately or quickly paid off.

But while you are buying a used car for your teen, don’t sacrifice safety for savings. Teenagers are more at danger than anyone else when it comes to things such as driving, which is why you need safety features such as a stability system, anti-rolling devices, extra airbags, and the like.

While these may cost more initially, most car insurance companies will give you a discount on your liability insurance for teen driver if you have these safety features equipped. In fact, in some states it is required that they discount for things such as airbags and seatbelts, but even in the states where it isn’t, companies usually know what the market wants and do so anyway.

Also check the crash test ratings for any car you buy for your teen so that you can find out how they hold up.

take care,

Fashun

« Previous Page