Free Auto Insurance Quotes and Safety Features in Cars

Looking for free auto insurance quotes? When looking to move to a new insurer or shopping for a policy for a car you are about to buy, getting free auto insurance quotes is a good way to compare and contrast the choices you are given. Aside from looking for the cheapest car insurance quotes however, you can also lower your premium by making sure that your vehicle has safety features not only for your own safety but also for you to save some money along the way.

Seat belts and airbags for example are two very basic yet very important things a car should have. These two things can save your life and the lives of your passengers in case an accident happens. This will also save you lots of money on your car insurance premium.

Having other safety features such as ESC or Electronic Stability Control. This safety feature will help you stop impending skids on the road therefore giving you more control over your car even in an event where you are already expected to not have control over it. This is a highly advanced safety feature and this is something you should look for when planning to buy a new car.

Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems are also a great addition to your car's safety features. Under-inflated tires are dangerous and this is something that you definitely should avoid. Your car's Tire Pressure Monitoring System will do this for you though making it one less of the things you should worry about. Other new safety features include blind spot monitoring systems and systems that send you an alarm the minute you start leaning slowly to another lane. The latter prevents those who are tired or sleepy from getting into an accident while on the road.

There are also safety features that need to be installed and this includes booster seats for your small children. Websites that provide free auto insurance quotes usually ask for the safety features of your car before sending you a quote so it is better to have these than pay a high price for your premium.

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Vehicle insurance and driver's age

There are many things that affect a driver's insurance rates. Starting with the car he or she drives to the place where its registered - all these small pieces of data are analyzed by the insurance company and used to determine the rates they'll charge this particular customer. But of all the factors that the insurance companies will use there's one particular piece of data that you just can't do anything about - your age. That's right, your age also has impact on how much you will have to pay for having your car insured. And for some age groups this impact isn't as good as they would like it to be.

As with any other factor involved in calculating insurance rates, the age of the driver helps the insurance company to determine the likelihood of filing a claim. In other words, from the insurer's perspective your age can determine the probability of you having a traffic accident during a given period of time. And if this may seem quite vague they have the statistics on their side. According to statistical analysis different age groups tend to produce different numbers of accidents with teens and seniors being the most likely to have traffic problems while the middle age being the safest of all drivers. Let's look closer at this observation.

Drivers aged less than 25 tend to get the highest car insurance quotes of all age groups because they produce more accidents in general. First of all, young drivers lack the driving experience for avoiding certain risky situations. Moreover, teens tend to behave more risky in general thanks to the well known attitude common in this particular age. So we have a mix of factors that allows the insurers to act as they usually do - set higher rates. Of course, this doesn't mean that all teen drivers are necessarily bad drivers. But it's when the majority determines the rates for the minority and there's little you can do about it.

Middle age drivers on the other hand already have plenty of driving experience on their hands to behave more responsibly on the road. Besides, most people tend to get more cautious and laid back with age that's why you won't see so many housewives or business executives speeding on the highways as there are teens doing such things. That's why drivers aged between 25 and 55 tend to have the lowest car insurance quotes in general.

However, at a certain point age stops being an advantage and turns into a disadvantage. This happens around the age of 55 and goes onwards with each year passing. From this age the quotes you get start to increase steadily and around 65 will go up even at a faster phase. This is explained by the fact that senior drivers tend to produce more accidents than the average driver yet the reasons in this case are different from those at teen age. Older car owners usually develop health conditions that may affect their driving abilities and speed of reaction. That's why they usually get higher car insurance quotes just like teens do.

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Auto insurance quotes and other insurance products

One of the main differences between auto insurance and other types of insurance services is that if you choose not to insure your car it's not just your personal choice but a legal offense. All other insurance products are purely optional, even though life can make them rather necessary in certain situations. For example, health insurance isn't required by law but imagine going to the hospital for care without having an insurance plan - you'll spend thousands of dollars out of own pocket. House insurance isn't required as well but in case your house gets burnt down wouldn't it be much better if you had the insurance in the first place? Insurance products in general are a great method for minimizing your risks and eliminating the financial impact of situations that are beyond your control or forecast. But if you put your mind to it you can actually optimize your costs by using different types of insurance products at the same time.

Let's take a typical situation within most families in this country. You have at least one car in the household, so there's an auto insurance policy on your hands, all the family members have health insurance and the house is probably insured too. This leaves us with three insurance policies most often purchased from different providers. Of course, it's better to get auto insurance quotes from a company that specializes in providing auto insurance and having your house covered with a company that focuses on real estate insurance. It sounds very logic from the first view. But if we say that you may actually get better rates when buying all these things from a single insurer?

Of course, not all insurance companies provide the entire spectrum of insurance services as even large insurers tend to put their focus on specific types of products. But there are still companies that can provide you with all the basic insurance policies you may need starting with car insurance to house insurance. And they usually provide significant discounts to customers who actually choose to get all the policies from them at once. Sounds very attractive, doesn't it?

In reality, of course, you don't buy all types of insurance at once. You get auto insurance quotes when you buy an auto and start looking for home insurance after moving into your new house and that rarely takes place at the same time. Usually you would just compare quotes for the same types of products form different companies without even thinking about getting it from the provider you have other insurance products purchased from. But now you know that this option is there to consider and you should think about it every time you get another insurance product.

For example, you're comparing auto insurance quotes for a car you've bought for your spouse. First of all, consider getting it insured with the same company that has your primary car covered - most insurers offer significant rate cuts when you cover tow or more vehicles under the same policy. But even if the auto insurance quotes you get from the company you already have policies with aren't the most competitive learn how big is the discount they offer for having different insurance products with them - it will certainly make any policy really attractive.

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Car insurance: Do I need it if I drive, but don't own the car?

What happens if you drive but don't own a car? Do you need to buy an insurance policy if you don't have a car? The basic answer is no and yes.

You have a driver's license, generally use public transit, don't own a car, and only drive a couple of times a year when you rent a car or borrow a friend's for a couple of days-- you probably don't need to invest in car insurance. When you rent a car, you should pay for the rental insurance. When you borrow your friends car just check with him or her to find out what the limitations on his policy are so you don't complicate things. Understand that if you are in an accident and his insurance is maxed out you will be liable for any additional payments for property damage or medical damages.

However, if you are using a friend's car more than a couple of times a year (and a couple of days at a time) then his policy may not want to pay out for your indiscretions if you are in an accident. If you rent more than a couple times a year, more like once a month, or every couple of months for a couple of weeks, then you might find it saves you money to buy your own Non-Owners auto insurance policy.

It is good to shop around for Non-Owner auto insurance quotes. You will be surprised to see the diversity in prices. However, they are based on the type of coverage you need and your driving history. A good non-owners policy will give you coverage for PIP (personal injury protection), uninsured, or underinsured driver, liability, and medical. You have the option of including rental reimbursements, towing, moving the up the collision to comprehensive. The basic coverage, depending on your driving history and your location should be between $500 to $1000 per year. Be advised that a non-owner policy will only kick in to pay damages after any other insurance pays out. So your friend's policy might be charged for your accident and it could affect his insurance premium. Nevertheless, it is better to carry the coverage because it minimizes his costs and protects you.

Take the time to review different insurance company's car insurance rates, and let us help you review multiple non-owner auto insurance quotes to help you find the right one.

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Prove you have low milage, drive safely and cheap car insurance is yours

It's curious how quickly an idea either takes off or dies the death. What was casually called pay-as-you-go has now become a highly competitive market. If you ever wanted proof of just how competitive, you only have to look at the court roster where you find Progressive suing State Farm and The Hartford for alleged infringement of patents. You may well throw up your hands in despair. We are used to seeing technology companies accuse each other of copying the other's patent for an on/off switch, but patents also cover any business ideas that no one has registered using those words before. So Progressive claims it registered the idea of using technology to monitor how far and how well people drive and to offer discounts to all the safest drivers. Now we have to wait for a judge to say how obvious this business plan is and that it should never have been registered as a patent. Until then, attorneys are collecting their usual high fees to fight it out to the death.

So what exactly is Progressive offering that it feels must be defended so aggressively? In most states, this insurer was the first to offer a black box for monitoring driving behaviour. The most recent version is called Snapshot. What makes this so interesting is you can run it for a one month's trial while holding your existing policy. This gives you a direct comparison and tells you exactly how much you will save if you make the switch. If you decide not to switch, there's no comeback. Progressive simply recovers the hardware link and looks for business elsewhere.

Why is the best chance for cheap car insurance? The answer comes in two different ways. The first relates to the number of miles you drive and the time of day you drive them. The statistics show low milage drivers have the smallest numbers of accidents, particularly if you drive at off-peak times. Second we come to the way you drive. Gentle acceleration, modest braking, no violent swerving all indicate a safe driver. That earns you cheap car insurance. All the insurer has ever wanted is proof you are safe. Now technology supplies that information you can earn maximum discounts.

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Auto Insurance: Getting the Best Deals Relies on Best Quotes

A car is one of the most important investments that can be made. There is no getting away from its necessity to simply get around, but when the dependence placed on it for work and family life is taken into account, the significance of the car is even greater. Little wonder then the auto insurance protecting the investment is a seriously taken decision.

For many of us, our car is the second largest single investment that we make, with our home the obvious first. So protecting your car is not so much about covering the cost of getting a new one should something happen the old, but in protecting an investment that could be tens of thousands of dollars.

But while its importance is clear, the need to find affordable and reliable insurance options is equally essential. Thankfully, it is not hard to find competitive auto insurance quotes in a market with so many competing firms, and the Internet boasting some extremely good deals too.


The Importance of the Quote

When it comes to auto insurance, there is already a well-established tradition of seeking quotes from rival companies. Even in the modern era of Internet insurance firms, this remains a vital part of the whole process and the only way to secure the best possible premiums.

The fact is that when it comes to getting the best possible deal, protecting your car is only part of it. The terms of the policy should obviously ensure the best possible coverage in case of an accident or the car being stolen. In such cases, aspects like a no-claims bonus and how first claims or minor claims affect it should be considered.

However, the most competitive auto insurance quotes will not only details such factors, but offer terms that are affordable in the first place. And, transfer discounts, where moving from one firm to another, is also a positive aspect to look out for.

Finding the Best Quote

Like so many other financial products, an auto insurance policy is subject to market developments as well as terms and conditions. That makes finding the best possible quote quite difficult. The sheer number of insurance firms is huge, and so the task of considering so many offers is difficult.

However, the Internet makes the task easier by providing comparison sites that immediately find quotes that are within your range of preferences. The result is that quotes from companies that were not known about can be found, quotes that would never have been located. So, protecting your car can become less expensive.

Still, it is always a good idea to contact the firms directly to see what extra deals may be on offer. Getting the most competitive auto insurance quotes can often come down to human contact, rather than Internet connection.

Problems With The Online Option

The advantages of online auto insurance are quite clear, but that is not to say there are no disadvantages. The unfortunate truth is that, like everything else that is available online, trusting the vendors or suppliers is an issue for the consumer. It is very easy for unscrupulous operators to catch consumers out.

For this reason, it is important to check any insurance firm online with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, which rates all businesses operating in the US. That way, protecting your car does not have to lead to disappointment or financial pressure.

When searching for competitive auto insurance quotes, it is important to keep in mind that what looks to be too good to be true is usually too good to be true.

Hilary Bowman is a Financial Expert who specializes in Loans for People with No Credit and Bad Credit Loans

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Save With Higher Auto Insurance Deductibles

If you want to save money on your auto insurance rates, consider which deductibles are most advantageous to you in the long run. Deductibles are those amounts you have to pay upfront before your insurance company will pay a claim. The higher deductible you have, the less you pay in annual premiums because you are sharing the risk if you are involved in an accident.

Too often drivers assume it is in their best interest to have a low deductible so the insurance company pays more on claims. But this is not always the case. There are two primary factors that determine the deductible that is best for your situation.

Financial Health

The first factor is your ability to pay the deductible if you are involved in an accident. If you are able and willing to pay a higher amount, and you have a good driving record, you can save thousands of dollars by accepting the higher deductible.

Remember that you can get out of purchasing insurance altogether if you can prove you have the financial means to pay for vehicle damages and medical expenses if you cause an accident. You can use the same logic to determine the amount of deductible you need to reduce your risk and save money.

Coverage Type

The second factor is the type of coverage you are purchasing. Not all coverage has deductible options. Coverage for vehicle damage has deductibles. This includes collision and comprehensive coverage. If you have an older vehicle, consider what the insurance company will actually pay if you submit a claim. It may make more sense to have a higher deductible and save money. However, if you just bought a car and are required by your lender to have full coverage, you may want a lower deductible to reduce your financial risk if you are involved in an accident.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) also includes a deductible. Many states require drivers to have this type of insurance. But if you have personal health insurance, you can accept a higher deductible on your PIP and reduce your annual premiums. Your health insurance can cover your medical expenses if you are involved in an accident.

It is not uncommon for insurance companies to offer a limited selection of deductibles. If you are not happy with your insurance company's options, talk to other auto insurance providers . You can also shop online for auto insurance that has the deductible and coverage that is best for you.

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Commonly Filed Auto Insurance Claims

People file auto insurance claims everyday. These claims can range from a minor windshield repair to a vehicle being totaled. Understanding the most common claims can save you money when shopping for auto insurance, as you will want to make sure you are covered for these types of incidents. Below you will find the top 5 reasons people file auto insurance claims.

Fender Benders

Fender benders are definitely the most common reason a person would file an auto insurance claim. These types of wrecks sometimes happen in parking lots and other times when we are distracted and cannot react quickly enough. These types of incidents are unlikely to cause serious injury, however the damage can quickly get expensive due to crumple zones. A crumple zone on a car absorbs some of the force of an accident, but afterwards can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars to fix.

Windshield Repair

Windshield repairs are quite common but are usually optional on your policy, meaning they will cost you extra. Windshields are easy to crack by no fault of your own. Rocks flung by other cars or ice build up can crack your windshield. These can cost a couple of hundred dollars to replace.

Brakes or Mechanical Repairs

A brake system failing cannot only be extremely dangerous, but also pricy. If you are on the highway when your brakes go out, it could result in a major accident. In this case, you are stuck with not only the brake repairs, but also the damages to yourself or others and involved vehicles. It is important to get mechanical repair coverage if your policy offers it.

Rear-end Damage

Rear end collisions are very common. While these types of incidents are usually the fault of the rear ender, they can still serious injure you and leave you with high medical bills. Choosing a high bodily injury policy can save you hundreds of dollars in these situations.

Vandalism

Even in the "nice parts" of town there is vandalism, so nobody is safe. Many things can be stolen from a vehicle such as emblems, GPS systems, headlights, and any other valuables in your car. Not only would you have to replace these items, but you might have to replace windows that were knocked out, or for other damages your car incurred. For this reason, you should always choose to be covered for theft and vandalism when you pick your auto insurance policy.

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Finding cheap car insurance for drivers that are high-risk

Have you recently been involved in a car accident? Were you at fault? If so, you have experienced the inevitable increase in auto insurance premiums. And if you have multiple accidents or speeding tickets on your driving record, you can expect even higher rates. You still have several options when it comes to getting cheap car insurance.

Improve Driving Record

You should make a concerted effort to get your driving record cleaned up, although this may take some time. It will require you to be accident-free for a specific period of time. You also need to avoid getting tickets for speeding and other moving violations. Generally, it takes three years for tickets to be removed from your driving record. At that time, you will find that your rates drop, often significantly.

Avoid Filing Claims

Insurance companies also consider claim histories when rating drivers. Customers who frequently file claims pose a higher risk to insurance providers. As a result, they will have higher rates to cover potential losses to the company. Although the most common reason drivers file claims is because of accidents, there are other ways your car can be damaged. Limit the number of claims you submit to only the most expensive and you may be surprised by your lower rates.

Compare Quotes from Multiple Companies

Getting yourself a variety of quotes from different insurance companies will always give you the opportunity to compare rates. You can do this either by contacting individual insurance providers or by using an aggregator site that provides a one-stop comparison shopping experience for customers by presenting various insurance quotes from several companies at the same time.

It is possible that even as a high-risk driver you will be able to find a good policy with lower premiums simply by shopping around. Each insurance company has its own set of factors it uses to set rates. You may find that you are eligible for certain discounts from one provider that another does not offer at all. By researching all of your options, you will be able to get cheap car insurance that provides the coverage you need.

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Make sure you know what determines your insurance quotes

To a person who's buying their first insurance policy the market and its mechanics may look like total chaos. There are so many factors involved and so many little details that require your attention, no wonder that the first intention when dealing with such an abundance of information is to get the first policy and just forget about it until renewal date comes. Of course, this is a sure way to end up overpaying for your insurance, and that's the last thing you want to do if your budget is limited due to recession. Fact is that you can optimize your costs by comparing car insurance quotes from different providers. And in order to do that correctly you have to know what actually affects the quotes. Fortunately, it's not that complicated to learn, but it will definitely help you determine your prospects when buying insurance. So here are the most important things when it comes to calculating your car insuranc quotes:

Amount and type of coverage

This is the most important aspect of car insurance that has a very profound impact on how much you'll be charged by the company. The only part of the policy that is actually mandatory is the third party liability coverage. All other coverage types are purchased additionally and are not mandatory. Having a lot of coverage on your hands is good because it ensures that you have enough money to cover any type of accident. However, the more coverage you include the costlier the policy becomes. So there's a direct relation between the amount of coverage and the rates the company will offer. This can vary to a degree, but the rule is the same with all providers.

Age and sex

The demographic group you make part of also has a tremendous impact on the level of car insurance quotes you'll receive from different companies. This results from the statistical data all insurance companies compile about their customers and claims. Young drivers usually get the highest car insurance quotes because they produce the most accidents due to lack of driving experience. Senior drivers aged over 65 also get higher rates because they often have health problems that make it hard for them to react in traffic properly. Women get lower quotes than men because they have proven to be safer drivers with fewer accidents in average.

Place of residence

The place where your car is registered in is important as well. People living in large urban areas typically pay more for insurance than their rural peers from small towns. This is caused by the difference in traffic and the risk of accident. Places with constant heavy traffic tend to produce more insurance claims, thus if you're mainly driving in such areas your car insurance quotes will be higher.

Car being insured

Don't forget about the car in question because it will significantly affect the range of car insurance quotes you'll get from different insurers. Small cars can be expensive to insure since they produce more claims and tend to take more damage in general. Sports and muscle cars provoke risky driving and end up in more serious accidents thus the higher rates. Large trucks, minivans and SUVs deliver more damage during collision, so they also can deliver increased rates. Medium-sized and family cars tend to be the safest and cheapest to insure. Luxury cars and collectibles may often require special or exclusive insurance options that are rarely affordable.

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Is it right for you to go for the minimum auto insurance quote?

About the minimumauto insurance quote

Taking out insurance is like making a bet that you never have a bad day. The industry is based on calculated risk management. A lot of mathematics, science, and guts go into the algorithms that determine risk. You may think that they are just out to make money off you, and you are right. Surprisingly though, they make the most money when they have loyal customers who come back year after year, and who trust them to take care of you when something goes wrong. If they have to spend all their profits chasing new customers, they don't make any money.

Finding ways to save money wherever they can, and cutting corners where it is possible is something everyone is doing these days, and it is because of a very tight economy that is affecting everyone right now. Sometimes, you might be inclined to go with whatever the state has deemed as the minimum liability insurance. Before you do, think about what that insurance is supposed to cover, and what you have to fill in the gaps is you do have an accident.

Things to consider when choosing the level of liability insurance are your own personal assets. No one in their right mind heads out on the highway looking to create an accident, but if you are in an accident, and you are at fault it can cost you over and above what your insurance is going to pay out. If you own property, or have assets that are in excess of what you have covered by your policy then you may be at risk of having to pay out the difference. Basic coverage n New Jersey is: bodily injury $10,000 for all persons, and $5000 for property damage. If you're at fault and the accident totals the other person's car valued at $15,000 and their medical bills pile up over $10,000 (and they do not have coverage for underinsured driver) you will need to find some way to pay the bill. The accident victim's attorney will put a lien against assets, like your house or bank accounts. Saving a few dollars, a year on your auto insurance is not a smart reason to be left living in your car. When comparing auto insurance quotes make sure you are looking at liability levels that match you level of assets. If your home is worth $250,000 and your other combines assets put you over $300,000 then $300,00 is the minimum you should be carrying. Knowing what is at risk for you can help you make the best decision on your coverage.

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Why auto insurance rates are loaded for inexperienced drivers

As you know getting a license to drive at 16 is no longer the automatic rite of passage it used to be. If we go back to the 1980's, about half all sixteen-year olds applied for licenses on their birthdays. That reduced to less than 30% in 2010. Ignoring the cost problems, the popularity of the internet and hand-held technology means teens can get together virtually. There's not the same pressure to actually meet each other face to face. At a national level, there's also a significant reduction in the number of miles we drive. This is not a recent phenomenon arising from the recession. The vehicle miles traveled has been falling over the last ten years. That's a welcome relief for parents because the death and injury statistics for teens in vehicles is alarming. When you put beginners into situations where there's a high element of danger, it's hardly surprising they make mistakes and injure each other.

For calculating the auto insurance rates, every newly licensed driver is given inexperience points. Should they pick up a ticket or make a claim, there's an increasing chance they will be forced out of the voluntary and into the assigned risk market. This will almost certainly occur if they are caught drunk or affected by drugs. The only way to loose these points is to go through years without a claim.

When a teen has a driving license, the parents must decide whether to add the name to their family policy. If there's any chance the inexperienced driver may drive a family vehicle, failure to insure will be counted as a form of fraud and the policy will be cancelled. But if the teen buys a vehicle in his or her name, a separate policy can be issued. Naturally, it will be more expensive than adding the name to the family policy, but it does teach responsibility to a young driver when the auto insurance rates react so precisely to the way the vehicle is driven.

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