Mark : IIlnois : My car recently had a deer collision and when I filled the claim with the insurance company, they told me that this was not covered even if I had collison coverage? This is a common event in Ilnois and I would like to know what should be verifed in the auto policy for this coverage. How do I compare auto insurance coverage? [View]

Response : Mark, I am sorry that you are facing this problem. You need to have some knowledge about the auto insurance coverage in order to compare auto insurance quotes. You need to compare apples for apples. Let me explain that an auto insurance coverages. There are six main coverages under an auto insurance poolicy which you can opt for like Bodily injury, PIP personal Injury protetion or medical payments, property damage, collision, comprehensive damage and Under insured motorist. If you did not have comprehensive coverage than your auto insurance policy will not cover the collision with a deer. Please note the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage.

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

Comprehensive coverage covers you for loss due to theft or damage caused by something other than a collision with another car or object, such as fire, falling objects, missiles, explosion, earthquake, windstorm, hail, flood, vandalism, riot, or contact with animals such as birds or deer.

Comprehensive insurance is usually sold with a $100 to $300 deductible, though you may want to opt for a higher deductible as a way of lowering your premium.

Comprehensive insurance will also reimburse you if your windshield is cracked or shattered. Some companies offer glass coverage with or without a deductible.

Collision with a deer is not covered under collison cover but a comprehensive. If your policy did not have this coverage the insurance company will deny your claim. Please read your policy wording or coverage carefully. It is best to have both collision and comprehensive damage coverage if you want any damage for your vehicle covered and that way you will not have to worry much. Hope this is clarified now. Compare auto insurance quote for the auto insurance rate and auto insurance coverage also.

Obama : How far will the text messaging ban and the telephone ban help in bringing down the auto insurance premium?

Response : This is something very interesting and something only time will prove. Yes, however the statistics do say that 2 to 43 chances of accidents are likely with text messaging or phone conversation. Recently most the states accepted avoiding distracted driving – ban for cell-phones and text messaging. How effect is this? The photographs above shows Maria Shriver, Schwarzenegger wife using the cell-phone whilst driving.

A law that took effect in July 2008 requires California drivers to use a handsfree device when talking on cell phones.
Since then, the California Highway Patrol has issued more than 150,000 citations. That figure does not include citations issued by local police. Drivers who are spotted by law enforcement officers holding a cell phone to their ear are subject to fines of at least $20 for the first ticket and $50 for subsequent tickets, plus additional fees.

Now consideringhow this will be helpful in low auto insurance let me tell you that the text messaging and cell phone ban will bring down the auto accident rate which is as hgih as over 30% in most places on account of distracted driving. Assuming that this is reduced by at least 15% and the expense and claims are reduced by 15% – the auto insurance premium would be lowered by atleast 10%. The reason for this is because the claim expense for a large part of loading on the auto insurance rate. Thus you will get a low auto insurance rate. I hope this helps.

Ross : I am based in California and I would like to know of pay- as- drive regulation for auto insurance.

Response : Good news for California auto insurance clients. The California department of Insurance has revised the draft pay as you drive regulations California’s insurance commissioner, Steven Poizner, has issued final pay-as-you-drive regulations, which will enable insurers to offer consumers rates that are based on actual miles driven as opposed to estimated miles driven.
“Pay as you drive is an innovative way to create financial incentives for California motorists to drive less, leading to lower-cost auto insurance, less air pollution and a reduced dependence on foreign oil,” said Poizner.
This allows the insurance companies to offer discounts to drivers who would prefer to have a auto insurance policy which is based on the mileage. The insurance company must get the auto insurance program approved from the California department of Insurance before they launch this program including the pay- as- you-drive-program.
The mileage have to be verified from a variety of methods like the odometer readings which can be seen by the insurer or its agents or vendors, auto repair dealers, smog check stations, self-reporting by the policyholder or a technological device placed in the consumer’s vehicle. As per the final regulations explicitly prohibit insurers from gathering location data from consumers for automobile rating purposes through the addition of a technological device.
The regulations would not affect existing multipurpose devices such as GM’s Onstar system or the use of a technological device as part of an emergency roadside assistance program.
“The primary changes from the initially proposed regulations to the final, submitted regulations include:

• Language that encourages insurers to offer a price per mile, or prepaid mile option for drivers.
• An allowance for insurers to apply to sell mileage verification policies in addition to mileage estimation policies; or they may apply to sell mileage verification policies only.
• Language that requires an insurer that offers a pay-as-you-drive plan to specify when filing with the department the exact types of mileage verification the insurer will accept.
• The final regulations explicitly require insurers to offer and make available all mileage verification methods equally, to all applicants and insured drivers with a mileage verification policy.
• The use of location data is still prohibited for most purposes. However, the final regulations make it clear that they do not prohibit insurers and motor clubs from offering optional devices to drivers to identify the location of the vehicle for the purpose of an emergency road service, theft service, map service or travel assistance service.” (extract from the publication by California Insurance regulation)

This measure is also for the saving of the environment and the green house effect. As per the data available Last August, the Environmental Defense Fund estimated that if 30 percent of Californians participate in pay-as-you-drive coverage, California could avoid 55 million tons of CO2 emissions between 2009 and 2020, which is the equivalent of taking 10 million cars off the road. This would save 5.5 billion gallons of gasoline and save Californians $40 billion in car-related expenses. Additionally, the California Air Resources Board has recommended the adoption of pay-as-you-drive as one of the means to meet future climate change gas reduction targets.
Starting October 2009 the, consumers will be able to purchase a pay-as-you-drive policy.
Stay informed and compare auto insurance quote 411.

Maura Tierney : What are car insurance quotes? Are car insurance quotes cheaper when you pay monthly or yearly?

Response : Car insurance quotes are the car insurance premiums that the insurance company is going to charge you if you insure with them. Car insurance quotes differ from each insurance company. This is the reason why one should compare auto insurance quote from time to time and ensure that you are getting the best deal. What is more important is that auto insurance qutoes are free and you can get the quote within a minutes from different insurers who are licensed to sell insurance in your area or state.

Car insurance comparison is important to know the coverage which is offered by the insurance company. Some companies provide free road service in case of an accident. You need to make sure that the coverage taken by you is atleast as per the mandatory requirement of the state. Besides this you should opt for limits which are sufficent that you do not have any financial problems in case of an accident. Without enough coverage there is the possibility of being sued for damages or injuries if you are found at fault for the accident.

It is also important when getting a quote to understand certain things about the coverage such as are there certain requirements to receive the price that is quoted. The amount of time the policy quote is for and what it will cover. One of the things that can change a policy once a quote is given is if you need to add or delete a driver there is the possibility that there will be a slight increase or decrease in the amount of the policy price.

Auto insurance can be paid monthly or yearly. Some insurance companies that charge a nominal fee of only a few dollars to break up the policy in payments, this is usually when making monthly payments.Car insurance policies can run monthly, every three months, every six months or yearly. While one quote might be cheaper yearly when it is divided up it might be twice as expensive. Compare the payments optiyons for the policy and remember getting a quote is not only a wise thing to do so that comparisons can be made.

Please take your time and make an informed decision. I know that all of us are very busy, but it is important not only to try and make money but also wiser to save money. Online comparing of auto insurance quote is not a fruitless excerise by any means.

Guy Laiberte : Hi! I am based in Alabama and would like to know what proof of insurance is required for driving my car – proof of auto insurance?

Response : Alabama has compulsory auto insurance. The goverment has made compulsory auto insurance liability limits since they are concerned about any harm to porperty or life. The insurance must provide a minimum of $25,000 for injury liability for one person in an accident, $50,000 for all injuries in an accident, and $25,000 for property damage in an accident (Act 2008-393). The policy must be issued by an insurance company qualified to issue motor vehicle liability insurance in Alabama.

The best proof of liability insurance is the insurance card issued by the insurance company. The insurance cards are issued by companies qualified to issue auto liability insurance in Alabama, and contain the vehicle year model, vehicle make, vehicle identification number, name of the insured, the name of the insurance company, the policy number, and the effective and expiration dates of the policy. Insurance companies often issued cards two or more times a year. Motorists must be sure that the insurance card carried within the vehicle is current.
Other acceptable documents to prove insurance include:
o A temporary insurance card issued by the insurer.
o A premium receipt or insurance binder issued by the motorist’s insurance agent.
o The current declarations page of a liability insurance policy.
o The actual liability insurance policy issued for the vehicle.
o A certificate of liability insurance policy issued by either the insurer or an authorized agent.
o Proof of purchase of a motor vehicle with the previous 60 days and a valid insurance card issued for the motor vehicle replaced by such purchase. The proof of purchase is to be a copy of the bill of sale if the vehicle is a pre-1975 year model, or the owner’s permit (yellow) copy of the application for certificate of title for a 1975 and subsequent year model vehicle.
o A copy of the rental agreement when renting a motor vehicle which specifies the insurance coverage.

Here is an important tip, if your car is new or not more than 5 -7 years old you must go for a comprehensive auto insurance and compare auto insurance quote before you buy one. After you get the policy review auto insurance coverages to verify if you have the correct and optimum coverage.
Thanks.
Have a great day
Kamlesh