Reader’s Question:

I am thinking of changing my current vehicle insurance company. I’m paying too much on my vehicle insurance rates and I’m getting the worst service I could ever imagined! I’m just too disappointed with my insurer that sometimes I think I should just stopped paying just to avoid this kind of frustration whenever I pay my car insurance bill. But, I know that’s not a good idea after all. Before I change my car insurance company, can you explain some things I need to know? I’m just afraid to do it right away and end up taking my own dose of medicine.

Tommy

Huntington, WV

I’m sorry to hear that Tommy. I can feel your frustration and I totally understand where you’re coming from.

In most cases, policyholders area afraid to switch to another vehicle insurance company for the fear that it will hurt their credit rating and end up in collection agencies or for the fear that they are under a contract and will be held liable if they cancel their “contract”.

Bear in mind, that once you chose to cancel your auto insurance policy, you will not be put under collection. Moreover, a car insurance policy is not a contract. But still, if you chose to cancel your current car insurance policy, you may be charged of cancellation fees (or any additional fees), depending on what is stated on your current vehicle insurance policy.

It’s also important to note that when you chose to cancel your existing policy, you are not required to pay for the remaining months not used. For example, if you are under a 12-month policy that started in January and in the month of April you chose to cancel, you are not required to pay the months from May to December. The reason is that vehicle insurance company cannot charge their policyholders for their unearned premiums, meaning during the times that they are not insured.

Since you are decided to switch to another vehicle insurance company, it’s best to contact your insurer to know if there any other things you need to do or pay.

Reader’s Question:

Where can I find a good vehicle accident insurance company for high risk drivers? What should they offer for such cases?

Daniel

Houston, Texas

Drivers who belong to the higher risk category can find high risk auto insurance from numerous vehicle accident insurance company online. There are insurance companies who let the drivers’ complete one single form to make a comparison among top insurers to find cheaper rates but provide the needed coverage and protection they need.

One is classified as high risk when they do not follow or are unaware of the traffic laws, those who are teenagers and new drivers included. Drivers who are charged with DUI/DWI and with multiple violations to which are noted as negligent drivers also fall under the category of high risk drivers. There are also there classifications that most people don’t know belonging to this category; these include drivers under 25, students, credit rating and history and prior claims history.

It is essential to know that there are other means of being protected aside from a security from a vehicle accident insurance company.

A way to prevent from having to take high premium rates if you are a high risk driver is to scout for auto insurance companies. A substandard market whose expertise is those with history of offenses, new drivers or has bad credits creates programs for the benefit of the drivers. These insurers provides lower rates which draw consumers to them and away from their competitors who do not offer such programs and have higher rates.

Most drivers are fed up of having been denied of coverage after spending so much on these expensive premium rates because of a driving record that is loaded with offenses and classified as high risk by the companies. Look for a vehicle accident insurance company who will cover the needs of those individuals who have trouble finding cheaper car accident insurance companies because they are high risk.

Your best bet will be to find a company who will help drivers by offering them lower rates and great discounts which will not only provide them security but also save money.

Readers’ Question:

I’m planning to get my own insurance policy once my parents have decided what car they would buy me. Can you give me some tips on the best way to a quote from a vehicle insurance company?

Arlee

Bellevue, WA

There are a lot of ways to get a policy quote from a vehicle insurance company. One is to check the Yellow Pages for a listing of all local insurance companies. This may be tedious since you would have to call each one of them in order to get a quote. And if you’re in a hurry, this may not be the best way to get your quote nor to arrive at your short list.

Another way is to look at advertisements in the newspapers. This is one good way of knowing which company has the lowest rate since they mostly state in their ads the vehicle insurance discounts or privileges that they offer.

Also, you could ask your friends or relatives for referrals. A person’s testimony based on his first-hand experience is always the best advice you could get.

Then you could also check with your state’s insurance regulator for a list of all local vehicle insurance companies. They actually have the most updated list, so it would be best if you double check with them whatever information you get from the Yellow Pages.

Lastly, you could try searching the internet. You will see that this is the best way to do insurance shopping since it’s convenient and cheaper, too! Through the internet, you could get not only quotes but also free advice on anything about vehicle insurance. And if ever you’re wary about some details regarding the stuff that you read in the internet, you could always consult with your state insurance regulator to validate this information.

Reader’s Question:

I just got my wife her own car. I need to find a vehicle insurance company that would provide me with a cheap insurance policy. Can you give me some advice on how I could do this?

Ronald

Portland, ME

I once considered getting cheaper vehicle insurance, and believe me, that was a bad idea. I searched for ways to lower my expenses until I found the answer. The answer was really simple that I laughed at myself for not thinking about this. Discounts! That was the answer to get that expensive vehicle insurance policy onto the palm of my hand.

Senior citizen discounts are a good deal since vehicle insurance companies give a big 10% off. This was licensed by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

When I learned about the discount that you could get for being active in the military, I felt kind of wistful. I believe even retired military members get discounts, right? I think it ranges from 2% to 15% off on your vehicle insurance premium. If only I wasn’t so frail back in the days, I would’ve joined the army!

There are more discounts out there that you can ask from your vehicle insurance company, like student discounts, multi-car discounts and the good driving record discount. You can even get a discount for adding security and safety features like anti-theft devices, air-bags, and anti-lock brakes. All these would help pull down your expenses.

Good luck to you and your wife!

Reader’s Question:

I am first time car buyer. I am clueless (and even confused) with a lot of car insurance stuff so I really need some help. I will be insuring my car soon so I need tips on how to get the best vehicle insurance company for first time buyer like me.

Maria

Great Falls, MT

For you to get the best vehicle insurance company for first time buyer, I would suggest you shop around. By doing this, you will be assured that you can compare car insurance prices, thus getting higher chances of getting lower insurance rates. As you see Maria, auto insurance rates differ from every car insurance companies. So comparing prices is your best weapon to get the lowest price possible.

So the next question now is how do you shop for the best vehicle insurance company?

There are a lot of different ways. One, you can choose to shop online. The web is a very good place to shop around. You can get several auto insurance rates instantly. You can do that at your own convenient time, whenever you want to as long as you have internet connection and desktop computer or a laptop.

In addition, you can also check your yellow pages and dial those 800 numbers that you see. However as compared to using the websites, calling the insurance companies one by one may take a lot of your time and effort;

Also, there are independent car insurance agents that are tasked by different auto insurance companies to sell their policies. These agents are knowledgeable on auto insurance stuff and can offer you so much help with your inquiries. Plus, if you have a bad driving record that’s causing you not to get a better deals from insurers, these agents can also help you in getting practical rates.

Reader’s Question:

Which vehicle insurance company gives affordable rates to senior citizen drivers?

Jill

Hempstead, NY

Hempstead tops the fifth spot among cities in the country that have the most expensive vehicle insurance company. Drivers shouldered $2,764 in insurance expenditures in 2007 according to the study of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). And unfortunately, motorists have not seen any decrease in their rates. In fact, a noted 8% increase in vehicle insurance premiums took place in the last quarter of the previous year. This is why consumers do what they can to look for a vehicle insurance company that would give them the most affordable premiums to help them out in these difficult economic times. Aside from maintaining a ticket-free motor vehicle record (MVR), getting updated on the current rates is very vital, so that you know when to consider switching to another vehicle insurance company. Just remember that before you get those quotes from the other providers, the mature driver safety course be taken first. This will give you tips on how to compensate for vision changes, hearing loss, decrease in reaction time so that one can avoid getting into road accidents. This will also instantly qualify you to more affordable vehicle insurance premiums as insurers are required by the government to give rate cuts to policyholders who have completed the state-approved course. In most cases, the vehicle insurance company would apply a discount of 5% to the policyholder’s base rate. While this course will have to be paid by you, it will prove to be a very minimal cost if you compare it to the savings you will get to have on your insurance expenditures.

Reader’s Question:

I just started driving a couple of months ago. Now that I have my own car, I am shopping for a vehicle insurance company to provide insurance coverage for my ride. I am afraid that I may get a high insurance premium considering that I am only a neophyte driver. Is there any way for me to get a favorable rate from vehicle insurance companies?

Leo

Atlanta, GA

It is true that most vehicle insurance companies tend to give a high quote to neophyte car owners. The tendency is for car insurance companies to consider as high risks those who are first time car owners and drivers. However the good news is that a neophyte driver like you can still have a good chance of getting a favorable car insurance rate. Here are some tips that you should remember when applying for a car insurance from a vehicle insurance company.

First, you should get a training course from a driving center or school that is recognized by the vehicle insurance company you are applying with.

You should also put your name as an occasional driver instead of principal driver. You can declare yourself as an occasional driver under the policy of your parents.

You can also ask your vehicle insurance company if they offer discounts to students, especially those who have good grades from their driving schools.

Reader’s Question:

I am trying to find a good insurance company. How do I determine which is the best among the many vehicle insurance companies operating in my area?