Archive for the ‘car insurance companies’ Category

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Car Insurance Companies Worry On Holidays

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

Holidays are a prime time for stealing cars, according to Insurance News Net’s article “Vehicle Thieves Rarely Take a Holiday.”  Their information comes from an annual report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.  New Year’s Day is the holiday when the most cars are stolen, followed by Halloween and the Fourth of July in the second and third spots.  Memorial Day, President’s Day, Labor Day, New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas Eve were in the center of the list.

While we celebrate and enjoy friends and family, car insurance companies worry about thieves out to ruin our day and up the cost of insurance  for everyone by stealing cars.  Christmas Day and Thanksgiving day were the holidays with the lowest numbers of stolen cars, so I guess thieves celebrate sometimes as well.  2009 was not the first year that New Year’s Day saw the highest amount of thefts of any holiday.  It seems to be a popular day for car thieves every year.

Luckily for insurers like Dairyland auto insurance, car thefts have declined for the past six years and data suggests that 2010 has followed suit and will be the seventh straight year for a decline.  There were 22,991 cars stolen on the 11 holidays in 2009 versus 24,676 stolen on those same holidays in 2008.  Even so, it is important to play it safe with your vehicle, especially on holidays.  Thieves not only steal cars, but may steal the belongings inside.  Always lock your car, try to park in well-lit areas, and keep any valuable items out of sight to protect yourself from theft.

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Car Insurance Companies Give Discounts

Wednesday, December 29th, 2010

In recent years car insurance companies have realized that “one size fits all” really doesn’t apply to car insurance plans.  The New York Post article “Pay-as-you-drive insurance revs up” by Jeremy Olshan describes a new way to get some traffic off the clogged New York streets.  We recently wrote about insurance companies trying out the pay-as-you-drive system while some places in the country have been using this system for years.  The Bloomberg administration in New York is hoping that a system like this where you save money the less you drive will help keep some drivers off the road and unclog the streets.

While insurance companies traditionally made up for the more frequent accidents by high mileage drivers with premiums from low mileage drivers, this new way of charging customers would change all that.  Driving could be reduced by as much as 8%, emissions by as much as 2%, and oil consumption could go down as much as 4% with these incentives.  A State Farm insurance quote could lower drivers’ rates by up to $270 per car just by installing a device in your car that monitors the number of miles you drive and other driving habits.

Progressive’s Snapshot plan was approved in New York just recently.  In other states, drivers have saved as much as 30% off of their premiums by having their mileage and driving time monitored for six months.  Progressive also looks at acceleration and hard braking and takes those factors into account.  GMAC offers insurance plans using monitoring from their OnStar systems.  The pay-as-you-go plans are not yet available in New York, but have been successful around the country.  Drivers must drive less than 15,000 miles a year to qualify.  Those driving fewer than 5,000 miles a year have received over half off their premiums.  While some are concerned about privacy related to tracking drivers, the ability to save money and cut down on traffic seems to override that.

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Required Car Insurance in Ohio

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

Drivers in the state of Ohio pay less for their car insurance than drivers in most other states, but they better have the correct coverage or they will pay a penalty.  According to “Complying with Ohio Insurance Law” from Online Auto Insurance, all Ohio drivers must follow the Financial Responsibility (FR) law of the state.  Drivers also cannot allow someone to drive their car if it is not properly insured or if the other driver cannot prove Financial Responsibility.

An insurance company like Encompass Auto Insurance can help Ohioans obtain the minimum coverage they need to be legal.  The liability limits they need to cover are $12,500 for one person’s bodily injury, $25,000 in bodily injury per accident, and $7,500 in liability coverage for property damage.  All car insurance companies will issue an identification card with your proof of coverage that should stay in your car or with you whenever you are driving.  You’ll have to show the police that card in the event of a traffic stop or car accident.

If you really don’t want to purchase insurance coverage, you can satisfy the Financial Responsibility law by purchasing a $30,000 government bond from the Ohio Treasurer or a few other sources and filing a certificate with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) stating your financial coverage.  Without carrying the proper insurance coverage, your license could be suspended, your car could be impounded, and you could pay hefty fees to get both of those back.

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Rental Car Insurance Companies

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

Recently a troubleshooter from MSNBC wrote of his quest to get a refund for a traveler in Mexico taken advantage of by one of the top rental car companies.  Christopher Elliott’s article, “I thought car rental insurance was optional,” details the American tourist’s battle when he was charged more than triple his online quote from Hotwire.  Car insurance companies often cover insurance on rental cars, so unless your plan does not it doesn’t seem like you would need additional rental insurance.

After a Hotwire estimate of $113 for a weekly rental car in Mexico, the tourist headed down there only to have the car rental price increased, mandatory insurance tacked on, and a service charge larger than both the other amounts.  He was also given some more miscellaneous fees above the estimate for a total of $397.  While he tried to fight the charges at the rental company in Mexico, it was to no avail.

The author, a travel writer, says that regardless of what happened in Mexico the tourist should have been charged the amount estimated by Hotwire.  Any discrepancy between the cheap car insurance rate and that charged by the rental company should have been cleared up between the two companies.  It’s possible that one of the Mexican workers tried to pull a fast one because a rental car company representative in the United States said that car insurance was not mandatory.

Some tips for avoiding such a situation when you are traveling follow.  Research and get coverage and estimates in writing before leaving for your trip, both from your car insurance company and any quotes you receive online or from the rental company itself.  If you think you are being forced to purchase insurance that is optional, back up from the counter and make a phone call to the company’s customer service number to see if the situation can be rectified.  If that doesn’t work or you’ve already paid for the coverage, send emails detailing your complaints to get a paper trail started.  By the way, the tourist was credited the amount above his estimate after this story.

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Compare Car Insurance Facts

Tuesday, October 19th, 2010

There are five facts about car insurance that are not known to many drivers, according to U.S. News & World Report’s “5 Things You Don’t Know About Car Insurance.”  Author Chad Fisher discusses both unexpected things that are and are not covered when you compare car insurance.  The first fact is that the personal items in your car are not covered, even if your car is stolen or they are damaged in your vehicle.  You need to add personal belongings like GPS machines and cell phones onto your home insurance policy in case anything happens to them, even in your car.

Another piece of information of which many people are not aware is the possibility of obtaining a diminished value claim payment from an insurance company.  While it is unlikely that you would be reimbursed from your own insurance company if they covered your vehicle in an accident, the diminished value may be paid out to you from the at fault person’s insurance company if your car will now lower in value because of being in an accident.  It is a good idea to check with car insurance companies and see if they offer any coverage for your pet in the case of a car accident.  Some policies do cover veterinary bills up to $1,000 if your animal was in an accident with you.

Some consumers are not aware that they are being charged extra to pay monthly for their car insurance.  It is possible that Encompass auto insurance and others might offer you a discount for paying your policy in a lump sum either once or twice a year.  You have to check with your individual company to see what their policy is regarding lump sum payments.  The fifth fact that you may not be aware of is that your insurance company might pay for your taxes and registration fees in the case that you are in an accident and your car is deemed a total loss.  It’s important to read the fine print in your insurance policies since you may be covered for costly expenses that you didn’t even realize.

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Progressive Car Insurance Hiring in Cleveland

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

Great news for Clevelanders looking for jobs; Progressive car insurance is hiring 260 new workers before next February.  This information comes from Cleveland’s 19 Action News.  Progressive is located in Cleveland and Mentor, Ohio and is known around town for being a great place to work.  Both Top Workplaces 2010 and NorthCoast 99 named Progressive car insurance one of the best place to work in Northeast Ohio.  Progressive is looking for workers to fill sales, service and claims positions.

Progressive is looking for outgoing and smart people who have flexible scheduling options.  The phone representative positions will sell cheap car insurance policies, answer questions from customers, and help them file claims after accidents or other damage to their vehicles.  Applicants must have at least two years of college and two years of experience in customer service.  Progressive seeks good problem solvers who have high energy and pride themselves in offering great service to customers.

In return, employees get competitive pay and a number of other benefits.  Progressive offers medical, dental, life, and vision insurance as well as the option for flexible schedules in certain positions.  They also have tuition assistance, an on-site gym and health services facility, and casual dress.  Unlike some other car insurance companies, Progressive offers employee bonuses when the company succeeds and many resources for parents including maternity leave and a subsidy for child care services.  Contact Progressive car insurance if this sounds like a great career move for you and apply before they are finished hiring at the end of January.

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Dairyland Auto Insurance for the Blind

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

The technology allowing blind people to drive is actually closer than you might realize, according to MSN‘s “Car Insurance for Blind Drivers.”  Kat Zeman of Insure.com wrote in the article that a Ford Escape outfitted with “nonvisual interface technology” has been developed by the National Federation of the Blind and Virginia Tech.  The prototype will be released in January of next year, but the possibility of mainstream models on the road is still years away.  How will Dairyland Auto Insurance and other companies come up with a way to insure blind drivers on the road?  It’s something that they will have to think about soon, if they haven’t already.

Most car insurance companies do not have any policies or guidelines for insuring visually or hearing impaired drivers on the road.  Car insurers in California don’t currently charge more for hearing impaired drivers.  Companies like Allstate require you to have a valid driver’s license in order to obtain insurance.  Since that requires you to pass a vision test, they don’t ask for anything further.  If the vision guidelines change in the future, so might the policies of car insurance companies.  It looks like they aren’t really sure what they’ll do in the future.  It all depends on the development of this vehicle for blind drivers and the direction the government takes.

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GEICO Insurance & Flood Victims

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

Many Memphis flood victims are relying on their insurance from companies like GEICO Insurance to help with their damaged vehicles.  For those without flood coverage from their car insurance company, FEMA provides federal aid to those who qualify.  One Memphis woman who was a victim of the flooding recently found out that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would not be providing relief to her, according to “No FEMA car aid for Memphis flooding victim.”  The article, from Kevin McKenzie of The Commercial Appeal, states that she did not qualify because she didn’t carry the minimum required car insurance.

FEMA’s rules clearly state that cars must be “street legal” to qualify for their “Other Needs Assistance”, meaning that owners must have license plates that are current and carry the required minimum of liability insurance coverage.  While this particular Memphis woman has a sad story in that she is widowed and fighting breast cancer, there is nothing FEMA can do because she doesn’t meet the program requirements.  Car insurance companies are also struggling with high rates of damage to vehicles in the Memphis flooding.  Natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes can take a large toll, especially on smaller companies.  FEMA did direct the flood victim to a charity website where she may be able to get a car, so she still has another route to pursue.  This story just helps to stress the importance of carrying at least the minimum amount of car insurance.

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Progressive Car Insurance Has 1st Android App

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

According to “Progressive Launches Industry’s First Android App for Car Insurance,” a Progressive car insurance press release, they have the first Android app relating to car insurance.  It uses the Google Android operating system to allow smart phone users to access a number of Progressive services.  ComScore, Inc., a digital measuring company, reports Android as the smart phone platform with the most rapid growth in the market currently.  Since launching the app, Progressive has seen a large increase in Android customers visiting their mobile based web site.  It’s really designed to help customers simplify each aspect of their car insurance.

This free application is similar to Progressive’s iPhone app and is available in the Android marketplace.  Car insurance companies work hard to compete for young business and staying on top of the latest technology is a great way to do that.  With the Android app users can obtain quotes and a policy, make payments and changes to their account, and find directions to an agent or their nearest service center.  They can also do research on recalls or crash tests, calculate car loan payments, compare insurance on different cars, make and track their claims, and watch Progressive’s television commercials.  There isn’t much related to car insurance that can’t be done with Progressive’s mobile app.

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State Farm Car Insurance Quotes for Maryland Residents with Increasing Premiums

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

“Marylanders Could Face Higher Car Insurance Rates,” according to Annapolis’ CBS affiliate WJZ reporter Pat Warren.  The Maryland General Assembly has plans to increase the minimum liability rates, which would increase premiums for thousands of Maryland drivers.  Opponents of the increase argue that this is hardly the time to put another burden on residents that are already hurting financially from job loss, energy cost increases, and smaller budgets.  This could force drivers off the road or add to the dangerous problem of people driving without insurance.  State Farm car insurance quotes and those from all other insurance companies will no doubt increase as they have no say in these minimum liability rates set by the government.  Already passed by the House of Delegates, the Senate seems poised to pass this increase up to 15%  from 5%.

Opponents, including some of Maryland’s Senators, question whether a recession is the right time to implement such an increase.  Many state employees are worried about losing their jobs and the General Assembly is struggling to keep within its budget, so they wonder if this can’t wait for another time.  But supporters argue that Maryland has gone thirty years without an increase and that accidents caused by under-insured drivers are causing undue stress on the health system.  Car insurance companies only cover medical care that is paid for by the driver’s policy, so those who drive either under or uninsured are creating uncompensated medical costs.  It’s a really difficult issue because it affects insurance costs, health care costs, and reimbursement for injured drivers who didn’t cause the accident they were in.  The unfortunate consequence could actually be more people on the roads without any car insurance coverage at all.

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