Car Insurance Claim Filing Steps

Having even a teeny-tiny car accident can be one of life's least enjoyable moments. However, accidents happen, and sooner or later, we all have the experience of meeting one of our fellow road travelers up close and personal. Using the following seven steps to filing your claim will help you get over this speed bump as smoothly as possible.

They aren’t really accidents. They are more of an incident. Usually they are an incident that you would like to forget.

• Understand your policy before a loss, sit down and carefully read your insurance policy. Call your agent or company if you have any questions about what is or is not covered.
• Make sure everyone is okay and check to see if anyone needs medical attention. Even if your injuries are minor, you may still want to have them checked out at a hospital or with your family doctor. Minor injuries can become major, long-lasting injuries.
• Exchange information when you are involved in an accident, get the other driver's name, address, phone number, insurance carrier, and insurer's phone number. Be prepared to give the same information about yourself to the other driver. You can find insurers’ telephone numbers on the proof-of-insurance cards that should be carried on your person when operating a motor vehicle.
• Identify witnesses and ask witnesses to the accident for their names and phone numbers in case their account of the accident is needed.
• File an accident report and contact local law enforcement officers to have an accident report prepared. If law enforcement is not reachable, accident reports and detailed instructions are available at all police departments, sheriff's offices, your local Department of Motor Vehicles office, and on your local Department of Motor Vehicles' web site
• Notify your insurer by contacting your insurance company about the accident as soon as possible. An insurance adjuster will review the accident report to determine who caused the accident. If the accident was not your fault, you can have either your insurance company or the at-fault driver's insurance company handle the repair or replacement of your vehicle. If you use the other driver's company, you will not have a claim on your automobile policy and you will not have to pay a deductible.
• Do not release insurers too early. Do not relieve your insurance company of its responsibility until the damages are settled to your satisfaction. For example, have your insurance company handle the claim if the other party's insurance company questions its policyholder’s negligence or offers an unacceptable settlement.
• Consider these settlement factors.
  • Bodily injuries: You may be entitled to a monetary settlement for injuries caused by another at fault (liable) party. It can take several days for some injuries to become apparent.
  • Damages: The insurance company is responsible to pay for the reasonable cost of repairs to your vehicle. An insurance adjuster will assess the damage. Usually, insurance companies and auto body shops negotiate disagreements about what should be repaired. If you disagree with their conclusions, you have the right to obtain another appraisal at any auto body shop.
  • Appraisal clause: Most auto insurance policies include an appraisal clause, which can be used to help settle disputes about physical damage claims between you and your insurance company. (The appraisal clause does not apply for claims you file with the other party's insurance company.) If you cannot reach an agreement with your company, you or your insurer can initiate the appraisal clause. Your appraiser and your insurer's appraiser then select an independent umpire to try to resolve the dispute. Check your policy or ask your agent or insurance company for more information about the appraisal clause.

Keep Your Insurance Rates Affordable

Do you consider the cost of insurance before you buy your dream car? You should. The Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) analyzes the cost to insurance companies from theft, collision, and injury claims as they relate to cars. They look at the color of the cars, how many doors they have, and even break them down type.

The Highway Loss Data Institute is a nonprofit public service organization. It is closely associated with and funded through the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is wholly supported by auto insurers. HLDI gathers, processes, and publishes data on the ways losses vary among different kinds of vehicles.

Four door cars have a 93% less chance of having a claim related to theft than their sibling 2-Door cars. Buy a Buick LeSabre and have relatively no chance of a theft loss. Compare that to the convertible Chevrolet Corvette that has over 5 times the average theft rate. You may have known that. However, did you know that the Toyota Celica has a 67% higher chance of theft than the Toyota Camry?

One of the factors that come into play with insurance claims is the cost of repairing a vehicle and the safety features a vehicle has that can keep down the bodily injury claims. To find out which cars are considered “Top Safety Picks” you can check with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The IIHS top safety picks category recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, and rear crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests. Winners also have to have electronic stability control (ESC), which research shows significantly reduces crash risk. Crash tests like the ones conducted by the IIHS have driven major improvements in the designs of all kinds and sizes of passenger vehicles and thus making cars safer for motorists.

The IIHS’s list of top picks for safety performance is something to check out when going to buy a car so that you can see not only if your car is rated in crash tests but what kind of damages are done to give you an idea of insurance. Each year the IIHS releases their information which is available to the public. As a motorist searching for the right car to keep insurance costs down, keep in mind that the more damage that is done is a crash, low impact to high, the likelihood insurance rates will be higher since the insurer knows it will cost more to repair that vehicle.

You may be surprised at some of the results. For example, the Porsche 911 has a 67% less chance for injury claims than the norm. Go figure. The Mitsubishi Lancer has almost double the injury claim rate over the norm.

Where does your car fit for injury theft and collision? What about your dream car? You need to check out the latest statistics on theft for a vehicle before choosing a car to buy. There are various sources you can search to find the most common vehicles stolen. One source is the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) which has studies showing the top 10 stolen vehicles in each state. While the list of top vehicles stolen may change each year there are some vehicles we continue to see on the list and are continual favorites of thieves. These cars include the:

• Honda Accord
• Toyota Camry
• Ford F-150
• Acura Integra
• Nissan Sentra
• Toyota Corolla
• Toyota Pickups

Then the list of ones that have the most expensive theft claims include such vehicles as the:

• Cadillac Escalade
• Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
• Lincoln Navigator

Vehicles with the least expensive theft claims include some of the following and as you may notice some are older vehicles:

• Buick LeSabre
• Volvo V70 Station Wagon
• Mercury Grand Marquis 4-four

The NICB encourages everyone to follow what it calls a "layered approach" to auto theft protection by employing simple, low-cost suggestions to make vehicles less attractive to thieves. The four layers include common sense, a warning device, an immobilizing device, and a tracking device.

The Highway Loss Data Institute gives information on what vehicles have the most and least expensive claims for injury and collision claims. According to HLDI, the lowest injury claims are from large vehicles - cars, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Small two and four door cars have the highest injury claims. Small cars also are among the highest in collision costs, along with sports cars.

Models in recent years that have had some of the most expensive claims for injuries include:

• Suzuki Esteem 4-door
• Kia Rio 4-door
• Mitsubishi Mirage 2-door
• Kia Spectra 4-doors
• Vehicle Models with some of the least expensive injury claims include:
• GMC Sierra 2500 2-wheel and 4 wheel drives
• Chevrolet Silverado
• GMC Yukon XL 1500 4-wheel
• Chevy Tahoe 2-wheel

Models that are among the least expensive for collision claims include:

• Ford Excursion 2-wheel drive
• GMC 2500
• GMC Safari 4-wheel drive
• GMC Yukon XL 1500 4-wheel drive
• Vehicles that are most expensive for collision claims include:
• Subaru Impreza WRX 4-wheel drive 4-door
• Lexus IS 300 4-door
• Porsche 911 coupe
• Acura RSX

As you can see the cars on the list for having expensive collision claims include many sporty or high performance vehicles. Insuring a high-performance car can easily cost two or three times the insurance amount for an ordinary model due to the high cost of repairs if they are damaged.

If you have the time and energy to do research on theft rates, cost of collision claims and bodily injury claims on a vehicle you can determine what the most affordable car is to insure for your needs. If you do not have this time than you can research the lists that come out each year or so from sources such as the IIHS, HLDI and NHTSA on the most and least expensive vehicles to insure where they take into account many factors such as the ones we mentioned. The lists can vary since the statistics and reporting tools they use in their research vary.

Typically when one is going to buy a car they have an idea of what type of vehicle they want - sedan, SUV, truck, sports car, etc - and one easy and efficient way to decide on the vehicle that will be affordable to you is to figure out what class of vehicle you want and then narrow done your choice to few models. You then can check the research to make sure they are not on the “worst” list for theft, claims, etc. In addition, maybe with luck they will be on the “best” lists. If not they may fall in between which is fine if the car is going to suit your needs the best.

Once your choice is narrowed down to a few vehicles to find out which is the most affordable of these vehicle to insure, just simply get online and search for auto insurance quotes on the various vehicles. Insurance companies or Insurance Marketplaces, such as CarInsurance.com, will allow you to get as many quotes as you need to determine which vehicle you thinking of purchasing is the most affordable. Once you decide on a car to buy it is easy to then just to go ahead and purchase your insurance policy online.

Auto Insurance Tips - How much you really need for Car Insurance??

Ah, car insurance - you can't stand paying for it every month; you can't get away with not having it. And really, it would be unwise (read: incredibly stupid) not to have insurance. Okay, we don't mean to be belligerent here; perhaps you have a perfectly valid reason for not having auto insurance coverage, although we personally can't think of any. But who are we to get all self-righteous on you?

Let's focus instead on remedying the situation. If you're like many people, your first priority is to get the bare minimum requirements down. We'll start with that, and work from there. Most states require that you have liability insurance. This covers your arse when you're at fault in an accident. (Remember all those near misses in parking lots and while changing lanes on the freeway when you were blabbing on the cell phone, trying to change the CD, or pushing the slobbering dog/significant other out of your face? Well, your luck won't hold out forever, honey.) If you live in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Virginia or Wisconsin, you aren't required by law (yet) to have liability coverage. For the rest of us, the mandatory coverage varies according to state. In the chart below, minimum liability limits are read as follows (in thousands of dollars): bodily injury liability for one person in an accident/bodily injury liability for all people injured in an accident/property damage liability for one accident. So, for Alabama, the minimum requirements are $20,000 of bodily injury liability for one person, $40,000 bodily injury liability for all people and $10,000 property damage liability.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP), or Medical Payments (MedPay) in some states, pays for your own medical expenses, any lost wages and whatever other costs may arise when you're injured in an accident. It usually pays about 80 percent of your losses, and it also pays a death benefit. PIP is required in Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon and Utah.

Some states also require you to purchase car insurance that will cover your own medical expenses, pain and suffering losses and, in some states, car damage in the event that the other motorist is at fault and is either uninsured or underinsured. See the chart below to find out if this applies to you.

State	Liability limits (in thousands of dollars)	Uninsured/Underinsured motorist coverage required?
Alabama	20/40/10	No
Alaska	50/100/25	No
Arizona	15/30/10	No
Arkansas	25/50/25	No
California	15/30/5	No
Colorado	25/50/15	No
Connecticut	20/40/10	Yes
Delaware	15/30/5	No
D.C.	25/50/10	Yes
Florida	10/20/10	No
Georgia	25/50/25	No
Hawaii	20/40/10	No
Idaho	25/50/15	No
Illinois	20/40/15	Yes
Indiana	25/50/10	No
Iowa	20/40/15	No
Kansas	25/50/10	Yes
Kentucky	25/50/10	No
Louisiana	10/20/10	No
Maine	50/100/25	Yes
Maryland	20/40/15	Yes
Massachusetts	20/40/5	Yes
Michigan	20/40/10	No
Minnesota	30/60/10	Yes
Mississippi	25/50/25	No
Missouri	25/50/10	Yes
Montana	25/50/10	No
Nebraska	25/50/25	No
Nevada	15/30/10	No
New Hampshire	Not required 25/50/25	Yes
New Jersey	15/30/5	Yes
New Mexico	25/50/10	No
New York	25/50/10	Yes
North Carolina	30/60/25	No
North Dakota	25/50/25	Yes
Ohio	12.5/25/7.5	No
Oklahoma	25/50/25	No
Oregon	25/50/10	Yes
Pennsylvania	15/30/5	No
Rhode Island	25/50/25	Yes
South Carolina	Not required 15/30/10	Yes
South Dakota	25/50/25	Yes
Tennessee	25/50/10	No
Texas	20/40/15	No
Utah	25/50/15	No
Vermont	25/50/10	Yes
Virginia	Not required 25/50/20	Yes
Washington	25/50/10	No
West Virginia	20/40/10	Yes
Wisconsin	Not required 25/50/10	Yes
Wyoming	25/50/20	No

Even though each state has minimum (or no) requirements for bodily injury liability, it is probably in your best interest to purchase higher limits. If someone else is injured and you're at fault, the minimum liability coverage may not cover their medical expenses, in which case their attorney will most likely come after your assets. It is generally recommended (by insurance companies - who else?) that you purchase 100/300 limits of bodily injury liability. On the other hand, if your personal assets don't amount to much (you don't own a home, struggle from paycheck to paycheck, violins are wailing), you don't have a whole lot for them to bother about, so the minimum requirements might actually suit you, not to mention save you some much-needed cash.

Besides bodily injury liability, personal injury protection, property damage liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, you have collision and comprehensive auto insurance coverage to consider. Collision covers damage to the policyholder's car resulting from running into anything, be it another car, a fire hydrant, a light post, whatever. Comprehensive coverage takes care of your car in the case of theft, fire, falling objects, missiles, explosion, earthquake, flood, riot and civil commotion, among other things (like what? Alien invasion, we guess).

Comprehensive and collision coverage are required on most lease contracts, and are essential if you own an expensive car. If you're driving an old POS, on the other hand, and the cost of the sum of your premium and your deductible nearly or in fact exceed the worth of your vehicle, you might want to consider doing without this coverage.

Before you purchase any type of auto insurance coverage, be sure to study your other insurance policies so you don't end up paying for something you don't need. If you have a decent health insurance plan, you might get away with purchasing the bare minimum personal injury protection coverage, or none at all. However, you might end up paying a co-pay and deductible that wouldn't apply with PIP or MedPay. Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage might also be a wise buy, even if you have full medical coverage, because they can pay for your pain and suffering damages. If you belong to an organization that offers roadside assistance, you don't need to purchase that through your insurer, natch. Same goes for mechanical breakdown insurance if you own a newly financed or leased vehicle which is still covered under warranty.

Hey, we're all resentful about having to shell out a bunch of cash every month for something we may never need, but what're ya gonna do? The fact is that car insurance will most likely come to your rescue at some point, so it's imperative to purchase a worthwhile policy. Know what you must have and know what you should have and just pay the man, alright?

Auto Insurance Factors

There are a number of factors what help to determine the rate for your Seattle Auto Insurance coverage. By knowing what these factors are, you can enable yourself to locate the highest coverage available for affordable premiums.

There are a number of ways that you can find cheaper car insurance coverage. Some include applying for group discounts or searching the internet for varying rates and coverage.

The type of car that you drive is one of the biggest factors insurance providers look at. If possible, make sure that you are driving a car that is considered less risky by your provider. The risk rates and premiums of vehicles are created into a list by insurance providers every year.

Typically the more expensive a car is the less affordable the insurance coverage. This is due to the fact that if an inexpensive car is damaged in an accident it will cost less to repair, so therefore will have lower premiums. Small cars may also receive higher premiums due to the fact that if they are in an accident with a large car they will receive more damage.

Raising your deductible will also lower your premium. Safety features such as seat belts and air bags will reduce your rates because of the security they give to you and your passengers.

To lower the risk of theft for your vehicle, park in a closed garage and install an alarm system. Living in a safe and crime free area will also put you at lower risk for theft.

Use your vehicle as little as possible. Insurance providers calculate that drivers use their car 12,000 miles per year. If you are driving considerably more than this you will be given a less than favorable rate for your auto insurance coverage.

Importance of Amount for Auto Insurance

Most of the people know that auto insurance is compulsory in order to insure any type of vehicle. Therefore, they buy auto insurance policy for the minimum amount of coverage as set by state. However, unfortunately they do not know that this policy instead of resulting in saving money proves to be very expensive.

Most of the people know that auto insurance is compulsory in order to insure any type of vehicle. Therefore, they buy auto insurance policy for the minimum amount of coverage as set by state. However, unfortunately they do not know that this policy instead of resulting in saving money proves to be very expensive. As nobody knows what is going to next, so always buy that insurance policy which will be able to prove good in the end. In case you suddenly involve with an accident and you buy sufficient amount of coverage for your auto then you will be able to understand the benefit of extra amount you pay to your insurance company.

If you buy minimum coverage auto insurance and the robbers steal your auto, then your insurance company will not provide any money to you. It will become very difficult for you in case you have to compensate injured or affected persons in the accident. In that case, if you have insurance policy for your auto of large cover, then you may be able to pay that money otherwise no one save you from bankruptcy. Therefore, you see that buy auto insurance in order to meet minimum coverage is waste of money. You should try to buy auto insurance policy that provides you money in case your auto is loss or you are injure in an accident. Nevertheless, never try to spend extra money for buying insurance policy for your auto, as extra money will never pay anything to you. Hence, always buy auto insurance policy that you can afford easily.

The Government will not get any benefit if you buy insurance policy for your auto. Therefore, you need auto insurance in order to claim for your money as well as to save you from police as driving any type of vehicle is against the law. Most of the people buy lower rate auto insurance policy and pray that any undesirable event does not face by them in their future. You have the internet where you can search number of websites to get the lowest possible auto insurance policy. You can compare rates of various auto insurance companies free of cost. To add this, you will be able to save large amount of money as well as time. You need to provide some personal information online and then you will get several quotes for your auto insurance. You have to devote time in understanding auto insurance coverage question and after some time you will be able to find cheapest auto insurance policy.

Compare Different Auto Insurance Quotes Steps

It is of utmost importance that you must buy auto insurance quote, which works well for you according to your needs as well as your budget. There are various methods available to buy the desire insurance quote. However, when you are planning to buy insurance policy, then various questions arise in your mind such as how much amount of cover you need.

It is of utmost importance that you must buy auto insurance quote, which works well for you according to your needs as well as your budget. There are various methods available to buy the desire insurance quote. However, when you are planning to buy insurance policy, then various questions arise in your mind such as how much amount of cover you need. How to get the suitable insurance policy and the best and reputable insurance company, which provide you the best possible insurance quote to you is a very difficult question to answer. However, the truth is that there are some easy steps, which provide assistance to compare and choose the insurance policy according to your needs.

Auto insurance is necessary:

There is a law that every person has some sort of auto insurance. If any person find driving the auto without having any insurance, then that person has to pay heavy fine and his driving license may be cancel. So, compare as many auto insurance quotes to get the best auto insurance quote.

Use internet for comparison:

In order to compare the different auto insurance quotes, you must visit websites of several companies and after visiting you will be able to know, which company is good for you to buy auto insurance quote. Always shop around local area first for getting information about the prevailing rate according to your cover amount when you have to renew your insurance policy. Check with your insurance company that your insurance company is going to increase your premium rate or not for the coming years. If you feel that the increase amount is little, then you must know that in the end that little amount will cost you so much. So, before renewing your policy from previous company, search websites of different insurance companies on the internet for getting auto insurance quotes according to your price and other benefits.

Provide true information:

It is necessary that you must provide some personal information in order to find out the auto insurance quote according to your requirements and the information provided by you is exactly true. However, if you provide any false information by mistake, then do cancel that factor and fill that factor again. If you have fear in providing personal information, you just need to provide basic information and you will get desire auto insurance quote no personal information. You will get at least five insurance quotes within 1 minute of submitting the information.

Protected Auto Insurance You Need

On average, a motor vehicle crash occurs every 5 seconds, a person is injured in an accident every 11 seconds, and a fatal injury occurs every 12 minutes. Those are scary thoughts as you head out the door to school, work or to the store and convincing evidence of why auto insurance coverage is so necessary.

However, you can rest a little easier knowing that the crash fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled is the lowest it has been since record keeping began 30 years ago, registering at 1.46, and remained below 1.50 for the second consecutive year in a row. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) 2004 Early Edition Report, the number of police-reported motor vehicle crashes occurring on the highways dropped to under 6.2 million from more than 6.3 million in 2003, and persons injured in these crashes continues to steadily decline as well.

This reduction is due in part to the national campaigns aimed at increasing safety belt use and reducing impaired driving. Currently the seat belt law is mandated in all 50 states, which greatly helped reduce the number of persons killed in auto accidents in 2004. The countrywide campaign for drinking under the influence has also greatly helped reduce alcohol-related fatalities for the second consecutive year in a row.

Time plays a big part.

Even with all these new preventive measures, accidents are still happening. This is why the focus has turned to on which days and at what time accidents are occurring. According to the NHTSA, Saturday and Sundays nights between Midnight and 3 a.m. are the deadliest 3-hours on the road, with a total of 2,451 fatal crashes in 2004, seventy-six percent of these accidents involved alcohol.

So you now know what time of day to try and avoid, but do you know that time of year? The Early Edition Report indicates that August topped the charts with the most fatal crashes in one month and December had the most overall automobile accidents, totaling 601,000- something to keep in mind during your vacation and holiday travels!

Your car can affect your car accident.

The vehicle you drive can also play a large role in your car accident. Passenger cars and light trucks accounted for nearly 95 percent of the 11 million vehicles involved in motor vehicle crashes in 2004. Large trucks only accounted for 15 percent of the vehicle accidents. In addition, we saw an increase in vehicles rolling over during an accident. Of the vehicles that rolled over, utility vehicles presented the highest rate at 36.2 percent in fatal crashes, 9.6 percent in injury crashes and 2.4 in property-damage-only-crashes. Regardless of the crash severity, the majority of these accidents occurred during daylight, in normal weather conditions, while the vehicle was going straight.

Protect yourself with auto insurance.

Accidents do happen, but you can follow some simple safety measures while driving. These include wearing your seat belt at all times, obeying the speed limit, being cautious of your surroundings and having auto insurance. By having auto insurance, you are able to protect yourself, your family, passengers and other drivers from incurring additional heartache and financial burden.

If you are in the market for auto insurance or would like to make sure you are receiving the best package for the price, logon to the Insurance.com's auto quote comparison tool . There, you'll be able to compare car insurance rates from up to 12 insurance providers, helping you evaluate various auto insurance premiums while helping you find the best package for your overall needs.

Best Ways for Auto Insurance

This article provides you with 10 ways to help you purchase a good auto insurance policy with the necessary coverage.

1. If this is the first time that you are purchasing auto insurance policy, you need to do a lot of research before getting one. It is good to understand the terms and conditions along with coverage specified in the policy. You can either research through a broker directly or on the telephone or you can browse online yourself. In case you do not understand the terminology, you can use insurance term glossary and get help from online dictionaries.

2. Find out if the auto insurance company is a reliable or a reputable one? You can search online regarding the company or visit some blogs or enquire among your friends or relatives and make a note of their good and bad experiences so that you can gain more insight into the company's details and choose the best one.

3. You need to have a balance between the rates or premium costs and the actual desired coverage. Assess whether the coverage provides you with all the benefits needed. If you are not satisfied, you can either add or reduce the deductibles based on your needs. You can make use of online insurance websites to get a quote of the packages by multiple companies.

4. Ensure that the coverage you will choose provides the adequate benefits like repairing costs of the vehicle, replacement costs, etc. The coverage may be adjusted based on your requirements and the value of the vehicle. In case you are financing or leasing your vehicle, make certain that the coverage satisfies those needs appropriately.

5. You can take advantage of discounts offered by the various companies if you qualify. Some of these discounts are automatically provided while the others need to be informed or acquired by asking your carrier like driver safety discounts or low-jack. This will help you to save up more money.

Compare free auto insurance quotes

Free Auto Insurance Quotes for Students

As a young driver, you will get the best student auto insurance free quote if you implement a number of tips I'll discuss in this article...

1. Raise your deductible for the best student auto insurance free quote. A higher deductible lowers your vehicle insurance rates. Nevertheless, Ensure you don't choose deductibles that are more than you can handle.

2. Get trained in defensive driving. Apart from making you drive better, it will help you get reduced insurance premiums.

3. Ensure you get a car that has safety devices. Let your insurer be told if you have such in your car. Such cars are rated highly safety-wise and will get you reduced student auto insurance free quotes.

4. Use a cheap car. There are vehicles that are expensive to insure. If in doubt, ask. But as a rule of thumb: Big cars, expensive cars, sports cars, vehicles with a high theft rate will make your insurance rates skyrocket as an under-25 student. Sports cars are normally expensive to insure.

5. Taking your studies seriously attracts affordable student auto insurance free quotes. There's a thinking that students who take their studies seriously are usually more stable.

6. You can swallow some of your pride and be on mom and dad's vehicle insurance policy. Nevertheless, for this to work you'll have to reside with your parents and have your car registered in their name.

7. The more you are behind wheels, the higher the likelihood that you will have reasons make a claim in no distant time. The higher this probability, the more difficult it will be for you to get the best student auto insurance free quote.

8. Few things reveal more about you than how you treat your bills. Most insurance companies will assume that you're more reliable and, consequently, a lower risk because you pay your bills promptly.

9. You can get cheaper quotes on insurance now by visiting not less than three quotes sites. You may still get very affordable student auto insurance free quotes if you go to only one of such sites. However, you'll raise your chances of getting better deals by using at least three. This is because by doing this you have a broader basis for doing more thorough comparisons.

Here are my favorite pages for auto insurance quotes...

InsureMe Auto Insurance Quotes

Hometown Auto Insurance Quotes

Auto Insurance Will Pay Medical Bills

Auto insurance is important to all drivers because it provides a way to repair the damages done to vehicles and other types of property if they happen to be involved in an accident. As drivers purchase liability auto insurance to protect them from paying for accident-related expenses, they might begin to wonder about bodily injuries and medical expenses arising from an accident. How would those expenses be paid? Everyone knows how expensive medical bills can be, and if you don’t have health insurance those bills are even higher to pay. There is a way for drivers to purchase insurance through their auto insurance company for accident-related medical bills.

Imagining the high stress that comes from collecting the bills and paying for auto repairs can help anyone see that paying for an accident can be costly. Add to that the cost of injuries — co-pays for doctors and hospital visits, x-rays, medicine and pain killers, or even surgeries for all of the injured people in your vehicle. Think about how often you drive a carpool and realize that you could also be responsible for their medical bills as well. Unfortunately your health insurance won’t cover them since they are not members of your family or health insurance policy. All drivers hope for the best that no bodily injuries will happen in the event of an accident, but chances are, if the car gets hurt the people inside will too.

There are a few things to know about auto insurance covering medical bills before you start your search to find a way to help pay for accident-related medical auto insurance bills. First of all, you need to know if your state follows a tort law or a no-fault law. Some states follow a tort law, where the driver who is found to be at-fault for the accident will be responsible to pay for the medical expenses of the other driver and passengers. Other states follow a no-fault law, where each driver is responsible for their own medical bills, regardless of who caused the accident. There are also states that allow the driver to choose which type of law they would like to purchase. Knowing what type of law your state follows may help you in determining how much insurance to purchase regarding medical expenses.

By law all drivers must carry a set minimum amount of liability insurance that is determined by the state. This liability insurance is referred to as bodily injury per person and per accident. This coverage is required so anyone who causes an accident can pay for the bodily damages inflicted on the other driver through their insurance company. If you drive, you should have bodily injury as part of your auto insurance policy. This coverage aids in providing medical help to the other party. But if you become injured from the accident, your bodily injury coverage on your policy will not pay for your medical expenses or the medical expenses of any of your passengers.

Some people feel their health insurance will be enough to pay for any medical injuries that occur in an accident. While these drivers may have enough health insurance to rely on, other drivers may not have a sufficient amount of health insurance or not carry any at all. For those drivers who feel they are not covered enough through their health insurance and want to either supplement their health insurance with something else or purchase insurance so they’ll have coverage for medical bills in an accident, there are additional coverage options that can be purchased from their auto insurance company and added to their auto insurance policy. These are known as personal injury protection and medical payments.

Personal injury protection is a coverage that can be purchased from your auto insurance company that will pay for your medical needs that occur as a result of an accident. The exact coverage provided through each auto insurance company may vary slightly, but most companies offer the following through personal injury protection to a limit. Medical expenses, including hospital costs, are covered, as well as funeral expenses for the policyholder and members of the policy. This coverage is also beneficial and provides medical help if you are a pedestrian who is hit by a vehicle. If you are a driver who frequently hosts a carpool you will want to consider this coverage because it provides coverage for not just members of your policy or household, but also for the passengers who are in your vehicle at the time of the accident up to the amount you’ve purchased. Some states require the purchase of personal injury protection along with the usual liability requirements.

Another way to help pay for medical costs through your auto insurance policy is by adding a coverage known as medical payments to your policy. Medical payments is similar to personal injury protection as it too covers the medical expenses of you and your passengers who become injured in an accident, as well as if you are struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian. Medical payments also covers medical expenses of the policyholder or other members of their household while riding in another person’s vehicle and getting injured in an accident. Compare the details of your health insurance to what would be covered by medical payments from your auto insurer and see if it would be worth purchasing this extra coverage.

It is both wise and comforting to know that in the event of an accident, you and your family members would be able to get and afford the medical help needed to make a full recovery. Knowing the type of medical coverage that is available to you before you need to utilize it will ensure that you are not duplicating coverage and spending more money than necessary for it. Also, researching what you have will help you realize any additional insurance you may need to purchase to be able to afford any future medical bills from an accident. Auto insurance companies offer not only the help you will need to pay for property or vehicular repairs, but also ways to pay for the bodily injuries that could happen in an accident as reasonable prices. These prices are much cheaper than it would be to pay for medical bills without any help from an insurance company.

Cheapest Car Insurance for Teenage Drivers

Any parent or guardian would love to take the opportunity to explain to an auto insurance company how well behaved or good mannered their child is in the hopes the insurer will be persuaded to lower the high cost of insuring the young driver. The policyholders of these soon-to-be policy members desperately search for ways to cut back on the cost to insure young drivers because it is so expensive and raises rates tremendously. Unfortunately there is not an insurance company that offers a flat cheap rate for young drivers. There are legit reasons why auto insurance companies feel the need to provide auto insurance to this group of drivers for such high prices, but there are also ways a policyholder can get discounts on the premium for their teen-aged driver.

Most discounts that can be applied towards the rates of insuring a young driver are based upon the youngster’s actions in life. The more responsible the young driver appears to be in other parts of life, the more likely this person is going to be responsible as a driver on the public roads. Any time a driver appears more responsible, the cheaper the rates will be to insure this driver. Check with your auto insurance company for the availability of these discounts and the prerequisites your young driver must meet before they are considered. Below, we will discuss some of the possible discounts you could receive through the responsibility demonstrated by your teen.

The first discount we’ll discuss is the good grades discount. It’s pretty self explanatory; by your young driver earning good grades, the auto insurance company rewards the driver (and the policyholder) by giving a discount on the insurance rate. A student who focuses on school and is able to meet a certain grade point average, which is usually a B average or higher, that student is showing a higher level of responsibility than a student with a D or C grade point average. It is also thought that students who achieve a high grade point average do better under the pressure of stressful situations. Scoring high on an exam and keeping good grades is stressful, much like the stress that is felt while driving on the roads and successfully assessing situations to avoid accidents.

A second discount is offered by most auto insurance companies when the young (or experienced) driver enrolls in and passes a defensive driving course. This course teaches drivers skills needed to drive cautiously, while helping students learn how to avoid accidents. While driver’s education provides information regarding traffic laws and how to obey them, these defensive driving courses may teach additional information to any driver regarding extra safer techniques that can be applied when driving. They can teach further concerning the rule of constantly using the vehicle’s mirrors and focus on how to use what you see in the mirrors to anticipate what other drivers are going to be doing. Taking these courses designed to promote safety while driving is another way of showing responsibility by wanting to know more about safe driving and using it every day on the road.

Other ways to save on insuring a young driver revolve around the vehicle that will be used by the teenager. While purchasing a brand new vehicle may provide comfort to the parent, it will also bring higher insurance rates to the parent or policyholder as well. Newer vehicles tend to have a higher cash value than older vehicles, therefore they cost more to repair or replace. Teenagers have a history of wrecking cars partially or completely, and insurers know this and act accordingly. There are safe cars available for these new drivers that are only a few years old. These vehicles will not cost as much to insure, especially if they are equipped with safety features such as airbags and alarms.

In addition to the year the vehicle was made, the make and model of the vehicle also play a factor in determining the insurance rates for your teenage driver. It is common sense that sports cars that can go fast will be driven fast, especially by teenagers who lack in thinking of consequences before they act. Because teenagers lack real driving experience, they are more likely to ignore speed limits when behind the wheel of a fast car. This is another thing that insurance companies have dealt with in the past and try to avoid by hiking up the price to insure these vehicles to young drivers. Choosing a car for your teenager that is modest and safe will keep the insurance rates low. If you become really worried, talk to your insurance agent about the vehicles you are considering allowing your young driver to use and ask what the price differences would be.

Keeping an open line of communication with your young driver is also a way to keep your insurance rates low. Discussing your expectations of safe driving and making clear what the consequences are if the rules are not followed may encourage your teenager to do their best to keep their driving privilege. A contract between the new driver and the policyholder may define the rules and punishments more clearly as both parties involved sign it. The contract may include things such as expected curfews and paying for gas. Cell phones should not be used while driving, and discuss whether or not friends are permitted in the car while driving. Another option is to have the teen pay for their portion of the insurance premium.

Some states only allow young drivers to be on the road from dawn until dusk, while others enforce a Provisionary License for the first one to two years of driving. The consequences of breaking traffic laws during this provisionary period are usually more severe. Parents may find it beneficial to mimic these rules with their young drivers as well, reinforcing that driving is always a privilege for them and not something that should be taken for granted.

While it is expensive to insure a young driver, it is necessary to do so. Driving teaches a teenager responsibility and helps introduce them to adulthood. If done correctly, the teen can learn valuable lessons about rules and consequences that will allow them to mature. Look for the discounts offered by your insurance company to help keep this experience as cheap as possible.

Most and Least Expensive Cars to Insure

You may know that it costs more to repair some cars than others, and more to insure some cars than others. It may not have dawned on you that this also translates into higher claims payments from you insurance company. What does that mean to you? Higher claims typically lead to higher insurance rates. For example, when you file a claim with your insurance company, there’s a good chance that your rates will go up at the time of renewal. The dollar amount of that claim can have a big impact on your rate increase. Below you’ll find the most and least expensive models for various types of claims.

Models that are among the most expensive for theft claims include:

• Acura Integra two-door
• Acura Integra four-door
• Jeep Wrangler
• Jeep Cherokee four-door
• Honda Prelude two-door

Models that are among the most expensive for injury claims include:

• Suzuki Esteem four-door
• Mitsubishi Mirage four-door
• Kia Rio four-door
• Mitsubishi Mirage two-door
• Kia Sephia four-door

Models that are among the most expensive for collision claims include:

• Lexus IS 300
• Hyundai Tiburon two-door
• Kia Spectra four-door
• Suzuki Esteem four-door
• Mitsubishi Mirage four-door and Audi A6 Avant Quattro station wagon (tie)

Models that are among the least expensive for theft claims include:

• Buick LeSabre
• Mercury Grand Marquis
• Buick Century and Saab 9-5 four-door (tie)
• Buick Park Avenue and Pontiac Montana (tie)

Models that are among the least expensive for injury claims include:

• GMC Yukon XL 1500 two-wheel drive
• GMC Yukon two-wheel drive
• Chevrolet Tahoe two-wheel drive
• GMC Yukon XL 1500 four-wheel drive
• GMC Sierra 2500 four-wheel drive

Models that are among the least expensive for collision claims include:

• GMC Yukon two-wheel drive
• GMC Yukon XL 1500 two-wheel drive
• Chevrolet Tahoe two-wheel drive
• Ford Excursion two-wheel drive
• Ford Escape two-wheel drive

Auto Insurance Costs

More to the sticker price than meets the eye!

Buying a new car can be a very exciting and overwhelming experience. Sorting through options, makes, models and features is enough to make your head spin. Not to mention the financing and car insurance costs. However, being prepared before you shop can help make the buying process quicker and easier for you!

Identifying the ideal car for you.

Before heading out to the car dealership, make a list of what you are looking for in a new car. As you are writing the list, think about the same concerns a car insurance company would consider when quoting you a rate, such as:

• How do you use your car?
• How many passengers do you typically carry?
• How often do you drive your car?
• Where do you drive?

These factors will help you pinpoint the best car for you, while also helping to potentially keep your car insurance premium down.

Features to consider before you buy.

Make a list of all the features and options that are important to you, such as head and leg room, transmission type, engine, trunk size, airbags, security system, anti-lock brakes and other safety features. Car insurance companies often give discounts for some of these items; saving you significant money on your overall quote.

Also, check out auto manufacture's websites. Many have special pages that let you "shop" for your dream car - giving you the opportunity to select the features that are important to you, while also providing you with the true cost of these "extra perks."

The cost.

Before you buy you should always factor in all costs involved with buying a new car, including sticker price, gas, maintenance, financing rates, taxes and car insurance.

How much you pay for your car has a powerful effect on your car insurance premium. A luxury car with all the latest safety features will typically cost more to insure than a no-frill economy car, due in part, because the higher-priced car may be more expensive to repair or is more likely to be stolen.

Yet some cars do consistently get better deals on car insurance rates than others. For example, a $14,000 Dodge Neon costs about the same amount to insure as a $34,000 Volvo XC70. According to Edmunds.com, the Dodge Neon would set you back an average of $4,410 in premiums over five years, while the Volvo would cost $4,605.

Why, you may ask?

The Volvo tends to receive a bigger insurance discount because it inflicts less damage to other cars in an accident, suffers less damage, has a lower theft rate and protects its passengers better in an accident.

According to one national insurance provider, the Dodge Neon does worse than the average car in all three categories, equaling the reason why it costs so much to insure.

Do your research!

Not only do you need to look at what your new car has to offer, you also need to do some background research as well.

Car insurance premiums are based partly on the price of the vehicle, which affects the replacement cost if it is stolen or "totaled" in an accident. How expensive the vehicle is to repair - including parts and labor - can also impact your insurance rate. In addition, surcharges may apply to vehicles that are frequently stolen or involved in accidents.

Comparison shop before you buy.

Before you make your final decision, first search to find the best car insurance rate. There, you'll be able to compare car insurance rates from up to 12 insurance providers, helping you save time and money on your auto insurance.

Presently, Insurance.com offers consumers comparative car insurance quotes in every state except Massachusetts, Alaska and Hawaii.

Auto Shows for 2009 - Hybrid and Electric Cars

As the Detroit Auto Show comes to an end, here's a look at what the first major car show of 2009 showcased, and what's coming. In addition, if you're excited about new cars but weren't able to make it to Detroit, we list the schedule for the rest of the country below.

A Low-Key Approach

Because of the weak economy, and especially the government bailout of the Big Three American auto companies, this year's show featured fewer flashy concept cars and far more cars actually planned for production. Although many people love car shows because of the futuristic and far-out designs on display, companies don't want to be perceived as wasteful or extravagant, particularly since they recently received taxpayer money. Beyond not wanting to appear lavish, many car companies sought to save money by choosing not to attend the show at all—including big names like Porsche, Ferrari, Mitsubishi, and Nissan. In total, the 2009 Detroit show had the most companies choosing not to return in its history.

Efficient Cars in the Spotlight

Many car companies are facing harsh criticism for failing to anticipate the market's demand for smaller and more fuel-efficient cars, which led to a focus on hybrids, electric cars, and vehicles touting their sensitivity to the environment. Besides the upcoming hybrid and electric cars, there are additional fuel-efficient options such as the 2010 Audi A3 and 2009 Vokswagen Jetta SportWagen, both TDI sports cars running on diesel. However, some cars, like the 2010 Ford Taurus, have not substantially changed their approach or design, because as gas prices continue to fluctuate, it's hard to justify spending more money on a car that may not save drivers much, especially in this economy.

Hybrids on Display

Perhaps the most exciting new hybrid car introduced at the Detroit show is the 2010 Honda Insight. Not only does it represent a return of the first hybrid in the United States, it's also slated to be the least expensive hybrid available, at a projected $18,000–20,000. Other hybrids included the updated 2010 Toyota Prius and the new 2010 Ford Fusion, which boasts better mpg than the Toyota Camry Hybrid, its intended competitor.

Plug-in and Electric Cars are Coming

Besides the already-announced news of the Chevy Volt plug-in and the plug-in version of the Prius, there were prototype and concept versions of plug-in hybrids and electric cars from many manufacturers. American companies were well represented, with the Jeep Patriot and Wrangler plug-in hybrids, the Chrysler Town and Country plug-in hybrid, Tesla Roadster, and prototypes from Ford. In addition, Chinese car companies got exhibition space on the main floor for the first time ever this year, with automaker BYD showcasing some of its plug-in hybrids.

Schedule of Local Shows

So, when will you get a chance to see new cars or future ideas in person? These shows are scheduled from now through the spring. For a full list of major and regional auto shows, see MSN Auto's 2009 Auto Show Calendar.

January 24–February 1: Houston Auto Show, Houston, TX.
January 31–February 8: Philadelphia International Auto Show, Philadelphia, PA.
February 4–8: Washington Auto Show, Washington, D.C.
February 13–22: Chicago Auto Show, Chicago, IL.
February 28–March 8: Cleveland Auto Show, Cleveland, OH.
April 10–19: New York International Auto Show, New York, NY.

Compare Insurance Rates Before You Buy

Since no one actually buys a car at the Auto Show, there's always time to compare rates. Get a few quotes for the kind of car you want, so that you can factor that amount into the price of the car. It could make the difference between deciding to add improvements to your current car and buying a new one.

Van Insurance for Ultimate Van Security

It is everyone's dream to own a vehicle. It solves quite a few problems. The biggest being the problem of commuting. With a vehicle at one's disposal there is absolutely no such hassles. Wherever one wants to go and at any time if he owns a vehicle commuting wouldn't be a problem. If one has kids and elderly women or whole family wanting to go on picnic with a vehicle at one's disposal nothing seems to be impossible or even difficult. And if the vehicle happens to be a van then one can be rest assured that there would be absolutely no trouble of any type. No matter how many people or luggage is there, with a van there would normally not be any trouble. The vans are also multi utility-vehicles and can be used for domestic as well as commercial purpose. No wonder there is always a rush to buy vans. However, since vans are expensive people are normally able to buy them only by taking loans. Imagine what happens therefore, if vans face some damage. With the cost of life peaking up, it can safely be said that for middle class people it would be devastating. It is to help all such people that van insurance was introduced. It ensures that as far as damage to vans are concerned people won't have to arrange a single penny, for it would be the insurance company that would do that for their clients.

Similar is the case with cars. They are extremely useful as well. To add to their many utilities they also add tremendously to the status symbol of people. However, since they are very expensive any damage to them can be ruinous. It is here that car insurance comes for one's rescue and ensures that people are spared from the tension of arranging money for the repair as insurance companies do that for their clients.

However, to gain from van insurance or car insurance it is mandatory that people take care of a few things to gain from them. For example it must be ensured that the policy comes to life as soon as it is signed. It should also be ensured that the vehicle is priced fairly. In addition to it people should also ensure that there is no default on monthly premiums as well as the fact that no wrong information is given to the insurance company. These precautions would ensure that van or car insurance would go a long way in helping people who are grappling with damage done to vehicles, car or vans.

How to Protect Auto Insurance??

Auto Insurance in the United States offers consumer’s protection with the different coverage types catered depending on what coverage the insured purchases.

Liability Insurance in the United States covers claims against the policy holder and generally, any other operator of the insured’s vehicle, provided that they do not live at the same address as the policy holder and not specifically excluded on the policy. For those living at the same address, they must specifically be covered on the Auto Insurance policy. Liability insurance does not protect the policy holder sometimes if the holder operates vehicles other than their own. Non-owner’s policy on Auto Insurance is when a person drives a vehicle owned by another party; this may be offered to the insured’s vehicle so any holder of the insured vehicle is covered under that policy. This coverage is applicable to those who drives/uses vehicles that they don’t own because it is also required by the government for drivers who have been involved in such accidents and have been found to be their fault. General liability coverage does not extend when you rent a car. Comprehensive Auto Insurance policies ("Full Coverage") applies to the rented vehicle, this should be verified beforehand. Among the factors of Full Coverage premiums are based on the value of the insured’s automobile. Regarding Rental Cars this coverage may not apply because the insurance company does not want to have sole responsibility for a claim greater that the value of the insured’s vehicle. Rental car companies have auto insurance to cover damages to the vehicle rented. These Auto Insurance policies may be unnecessary for many customers as credit card companies, such as Visa and MasterCard, nowadays provides supplemental collision damage coverage to rental cars if the transaction is processed using one of their cards. These benefits are restricted to types of automobiles covered by the auto insurance policy.

Van Insurance - Necessary Coverage at Low Charge

A van is sometimes a goods career and sometimes a passenger car also. It is usually used as a means of carrying goods from here to there. However, at times it is used as a car though more than four passengers are not allowed. Whatever may be the case, a van is as important as a car; and hence, getting it insured is more important than purchasing insurance for any other car. Van insurance is available with every auto insurance agency. 

Like any other type of insurance policies, van insurance also has a cost and it can be expensive as well as cheap. The cost of some common coverage is always the same; you may not be able to do much about it except to be ready to pay the required price. However, the overall cost of van insurance depends upon the way you go about it. If you are smart enough and do your research well, you may be able to get a cheap policy. 

In their effort to get van insurance at a very low rate, some people make the mistake of missing out some of the most important coverage. Ultimately, when they make a claim for the compensation, they discover that their policy does not offer them this or that coverage. So, effort must be made to get a policy that provides all the necessary coverage; yet, do not cost a huge sum of money.

This can be done easily by means of research and shopping. Among the plethora of insurers available, it is possible to find out a few who are ready to sell van insurance policies at low rate. For some or the other reason, they may be able to offer a policy without charging the high cost that others do charge. Through meticulous research and smart shopping, you have to find out these insurers.

Auto Insurance Best Tips & Tricks

Did you get taught at school about liability, collision and comprehensive cover? What about deductibles and all the tips on how to get the cheapest car insurance? You probably didn't, but if you're one of the majority of individuals that drives a car, you've either learnt fast, took whatever insurance your relatives or friends advised or you're about to learn the hard way one day. Take the guess work out of choosing car insurance and read up so you can make an informed choice.

Many motorists pay extra on their rates for a small deductible, and yet they take the minimum liability coverage. You could probably afford that $500 deductible if something happened, but could you afford being sued for $400,000 in damages? Spend your car insurance budget wisely to protect yourself and your assets. Think about raising your deductible and using those savings to raise your liability cover. If you're worth more (you have a well paying job or you're studying for one) or you have a lot of assets obviously you've got more to cover than someone who doesn't. If you do have a lot of assets an umbrella policy may be worth considering to ensure all your assets are covered.

Check your health insurance policy, if medical bills after an accident are covered you can drop personal injury protection off your car insurance policy.

Keep your credit rating up, many companies use it to decide how much to charge you and even whether to insure you at all.

If you don't have an extra car make sure your insurance company will pay for a rental car if you have an accident. The expense of renting a car for a week while your car is being repaired could be a lot of.

Shop around for quotes, a good place to start is a comparison service. Compare quotes from a few different companies and read the policies to see how they compare. If you do switch policies make sure you notify your previous insurance company immediately and make sure there is no gap in your cover before your new policy starts.

Car insurance can be costly, fortunately there are a lot of discounts that you can be eligible for. Maintaining a good driving record is the best way to get cheaper premiums. Other discounts offered include; low-mileage, safety features, multi-policy, senior, taking a safe driving course and paying annually. Take advantage of all the discounts you can for the cheapest rates.

Teenagers (see here) can add significantly to your car insurance rates. Think about having your teenager use only the family's cheapest car and exclude them from other policies. Don't forget if your teen moves out to remove them from the policy. Just make sure you don't loan them the car when they come to visit! If you still want your teenager on the policy, find out if your insurer will give you a discount when they're away at school.

If your car has seen better days, and it's not worth much, consider removing collision coverage. The cost of your collision coverage might not be worth it when your insurer will only pay out your vehicles worth

Cheap Auto Insurance

Does finding cheap auto insurance sound like a joke? What if you are looking for cheap car insurance tips and all you keep finding is "drive safe" or "just shop around". Where are the cheap car insurance rates that the car insurance companies keep talking about?
Let's take a look at some of the questions that you might have about car insurance and some of the answers that you could expect to find.
So you've gotten a ticket, will your rates increase? This is a tough question that is commonly asked. The chances are that your rates will increase, possibly 15 and they might stay that way for three years after the ticket.
Are you driving an older car and paying for full coverage on it? You could save money by reducing your coverage, but this is only recommended if you have another means of transportation if something happens to this car. Why? You wouldn't want to decrease your coverage one day, have an accident the next day and not have the coverage to replace the vehicle.
There are many ways to decrease the cost of your car insurance, but there are also a lot of overlooked ways to decrease your costs as well. Did you know that there are numerous discounts for different school alumni groups, civic associations and other organizations that you might qualify for? Also, there are more and more discounts being offered for multi-vehicle policies and vehicle safety features, such as side curtain airbags, electronic controlled ignition keys and more.
You won't know if you qualify for a discount unless you ask. Think of all of the different groups or organizations you could belong to, or what features your car might have that could offer you a discounted rate.
The biggest factor to save money with your car insurance and find the cheap car insurance that you deserve is to research and know what minimum coverage your state requires.

Auto Insurance without Driver`s License

Each carrier has its own rules and guidelines; however, there are multiple companies out there which will insure a driver with no driver’s license whatsoever. 

For example, Auto Solutions Insurance Services through appointed carriers such as Unitrin (FIC) and Western United can insure drivers with no license, out of country license (international) and even identification cards such as the Matricula Consular issued by Mexico and South American countries.

You can also get an online auto insurance quote without a driver’s license. When the question arrives in regards to years licensed, you may input “0” and if applicable, you may input years driving experience with an international license.

Auto insurance companies such as Unitrin and Western United are able to offer very competitive rates even without a license. Whether consumers are looking for liability or full coverage, these carriers can insure your vehicles.

It is a common myth to think that just because one does not have a license, their rates will be more expensive than others. In fact, some carriers will not surcharge a policy for lack of license. In some circumstances, the rates will not be any higher than for those licensed.

Consumers can even purchase a policy online and receive instant proof of coverage within minutes.

Rental Cars Auto Insurance

If you’re going on a trip and you’re planning to rent a car, you may be wondering whether you should purchase the additional auto insurance coverage that rental car agencies offer (see this).  Although the decision to purchase additional auto insurance is entirely up to you, make sure you know what your Esurance auto insurance policy covers before you buy.

Rental Cars in the U.S. and Canada

If you carry liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage on your Esurance policy and you plan on driving the rental car in the U.S. and Canada, your Esurance coverage should transfer to your rental car with the same limits and deductibles.

You may want to consider buying additional auto insurance from the rental company if you want to increase your limits or if you’re missing a particular coverage like comprehensive or collision.

Don’t leave home without a copy of your auto insurance card. If you need a duplicate copy, you can get one by logging into your Esurance account anytime.

Rental Cars Outside the U.S. and Canada

Your Esurance auto insurance coverage applies only in the U.S. and Canada. If you’re traveling elsewhere, you’ll need to call your rental car company to find out the auto insurance requirements for the area (visit here).

What if I Have an Accident in My Rental Car? 

If you're involved in an accident in a rental car, most auto insurance companies pay comprehensive and collision claims at the car's actual cash value, which factors in age, mileage, and wear and tear. However, this probably won't cover the replacement cost some rental companies charge customers if they wreck a rental car. Some rental companies may also charge customers for the diminished resale value of a wrecked rental car or for lost rental income while a damaged rental car is being repaired.

Remember, wherever your travels take you in your rental car, drive safely and have a great time!