Auto Insurance Buying Tips

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Consolidate Insurance Policies   Insuring two or more vehicles with the same insurance company can save you between 10 - 15% on your premiums.   Covering your home through the same company that you have auto insurance with can reduce your premiums by another 10-15%.   Increase Your Deductible   One rule of thumb is to carry the highest deductible you can afford. By increasing your deductible from $100 to $1,000, you could save up to 25%. Keep in mind, though, that your lender might not agree to a higher deductible. Install Anti-Theft  And Safety Devices   Installing a vehicle recovery system such as Lo-Jack or Teletracer could save you up to 7-10% per year.  There are other relatively  inexpensive anti-theft devices such as "The Club", which locks the steering wheel in place, as well as having your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) etched on each window.

Safety features such as air bags, traction control and anti-lock braking systems (ABS) are viewed positively by insurance companies which, in turn, is reflected in your premiums. Although these systems may not reduce injury during an accident, they will reduce your premiums.

Clean Driving Record And Safety Courses

While traffic tickets and auto accidents will increase your premiums, most insurance companies offer discounts to drivers with clean records. Also, some insurance companies will offer a discount if you attend a Driver Training School Program, and your employer might even pay the cost if you use a company vehicle for your job. Training school discounts may vary between 7-10%.

Reduce Coverage On Older Vehicles

If you have an older car worth between $1,000 - $2,000, you might be better off dropping the collision coverage. Check to see if your collision premium is more than the value of the car.

Non-Smoker Or Early Retiree Discounts

Yes, some companies provide discounts for Non-smokers and Early Retirees.   Insurers consider smoking a dangerous driving activity.

Park In A Garage

Sometimes the difference between getting auto insurance and going uninsured is where you keep your vehicle at night. Most thefts do not involve a garaged car and this is reflected in premium discounts. If you have a winter home with no garage, try putting the vehicle in storage. Let your insurance company know that your car is in storage, and you could receive a partial premium reduction.

Carpool With A Co-Worker

Most insurers surcharge premiums if the commute to work exceeds 3 miles. Carpooling with a co-worker may result in a discount for low-mileage use.

Drive A Conservative Car

Before buying a car you might want to find out how much your insurance will cost annually.  Insurance companies consider certain cars easily damaged and expensive to repair, and other cars the target of thieves.    You could end up paying a premium surcharge between 10 - 20%. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has established the Auto Safety Hotline at 1-800-424-9393 to report safety defects or to obtain information on cars, trucks, child seats, highway or traffic safety.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety provides information on death rates by car make and model as well as the standard safety equipment available.  The Institute can be reached at 703-247-1500.

Teenage And College Bound Drivers

You may want to consider letting your teenager drive the family car instead of buying his/her own vehicle. This will very likely lower your cost to cover them. Students in school and living away from home can reduce their premiums by 30 - 50%, depending on the insurer.

Conclusion

After reviewing all of the savings tips, you may have determined that if you added up all your credits you could receive a 70 - 90% reduction in your premium. Well, unfortunately it doesn't work like that. Certain measures that you take may qualify you for being placed with the "preferred" company of a particular insurance group. This "preferred" company will be able to give you additional premium credits.

Sunday, February 20, 2011 by Toolib · 0 komentar

Motorcycle Medical Insurance

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Although most real motorcyclists worry about their bike first after a wreck(!) there’s a good chance you could injure yourself or a passenger. The nature of motorcycles is that if we pick a fight with the landscape, car or truck – we are likely to come of worse! It’s vital you have the right medical insurance.

In Most Cases!
If you have a regular health insurance policy through your job for example, then in most cases your medical costs of an accident will be covered. The main purpose of this is to cover the theoretical chance of you carrying an unisured passenger - or someone borrowing your bike who does not have any medical insurance.
Either way, the $5000 normally covered does not go very far.

If you do not have job-related health insurance - you should make sure you are adequately covered for Motorcycle Medical Insurance. 

I’m sure young riders are not reading these pages – but the same lesson applies to all riders – even a single 40-something living in an apartment with only his Harley to his name.
Just think how bad it would be if you had to sell your bike to pay for our medical bills.
Check back for updated info on this important subject.
A few points to think about:

• Is my Motorcycle Medical Insurance adequate for my wealth/lifestyle/family etc?
• I hurt my leg in the wreck, and I cannot work or make payments.
• I hurt my leg in the wreck, and I cannot work or make payments. And it was not my fault!
• I have minimum medical for my bike, but excellent coverage with my job.
• I might die or be disabled – what coverage do I have?

by Toolib · 0 komentar

Your Motorcycle Loan

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Motorcycle Loan and Insurance
Most finance companies will allow you to add the cost of your insurance the motorcycle loan for your bike.
But there are a couple of important things to beware of:
The insurance you are adding is for one year only, but the length of your loan agreement will almost certainly be much longer.
So next year you will be paying for part of this year's insurance as well as the first year's!  Not smart.
And that's before you consider the interest on the loan.
So, if at all possible,  pay the insurance (or most of it) in cash, or at least with a monthly deal with a broker - they normally only add a small amount for time payments.
Collision Coverage Angle...this could save you $$thousands......but....
The fact is that insurance is incredibly expensive for young riders.  Its not difficult to see a $3,000 Premium for a new Suzuki GSXR1000. Thats 30% of the cost a year. This shows the risk of young riders on fast bikes, and the damage they can do.
But many motorcycle loan companies will allow you to omit the collision coverage for bikes costing under $10,000.  This can cut your insurance in half....but means you won't get your bike repaired by the insurance if you wreck it!   Think very carefully before going for this!

These are just a few of the factors to consider when shopping for motorcycle loans, the secret is to do some homework both on the finance and insurance costs.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011 by Toolib · 0 komentar

Women's Motorcycle Insurance

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Women's Rider Motorcycle Insurance is now becoming a significant sector in the industry.
Women riders are actually the fastest growing category in the motorcycle industry, and this fact is starting to be recognized by manufacturers in the models of bike offered particularly for women (lower seat height etc), apparel etc. It has been reported that up to 15% of new motorcycles are being purchased by women.
It's very fair to say that women riders, both new and experienced, are usually more cautious than men - and this is reflected in claims history and premiums. We are compiling a list of companies specializing in women motorcyclists. Lady rider motorcycle insurance is certain to become more competitive as companies realise they can customize their policies to the riding profiles of women who are less likely to make a claim.
There are a number of web sites and user groups dedicated to the lady rider sector, and this is a good source of all kinds of information as well as insurance.
In the meantime its good to that more women are riding, which makes motorcycling more of a social event as more couples are riding together, for instance.

by Toolib · 0 komentar

Motorcycle Insurance Prices

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here a number of factors an insurance company considers when it is calculating your motorcycle insurance prices.
 First, there is you,  your age, experience driving record and claim history, plus where you live and where you keep your bike. Premiums are calculated on the basis of perceived risk, and someone who has a 'history' is statistically going to be likely to claim.
Second, there is your bike, its age, value, accessories any modifications that might affect performance etc. Obviously a turbo and nitrous injected GSXR1000 is likely to be more risky than a commuter scooter!
Now, the thing to do when discovering your motorcycle insurance quotations is to get a number of quotes from different companies, including those that might specialize in your bike.

Motorcycle Insurance Companies. Of course we all know popular doesn't always mean best - or indeed cheapest, but here is a list of the most popular carriers for everyday street bike coverage:

Name	Contact Information	Bikes	Notes
AARP Motorcycle Insurance Program	http://www.aarpforemost.com 1-800-752-2461	Most Makes & Models inc. Customs, Trikes & Classics	Specialized coverage for AARP members that will care for your bike as much as you do!  Offers lifetime renewal (certain restrictions apply)
Allstate Motorcycle Insurance	http://auto-insurance.allstate.com/motorcycle-insurance.aspx	All Makes & Models	Coverage applies to road-use motorcycles only. All coverages are subject to availability and qualifications
American Collectors Insurance	http://www.americancollectorsins.com/cm_overview.htm 1-800-360-2277	Specializing in Classic Motorcycles	ACI will consider a single qualifying motorcycle as well as larger collections
Berglund Insurance Agency	http://www.berglundins.com/constr.htm 1-800-537-2555	All Makes & Models Including Customs	They have a department solely dedicated to assessing and insuring custom motorcycles in 46 states (Not AK, HI, MA or NJ)
BikelinE presented by Markel American Insurance Company	http://www.bike-line.com 1-800-236-BIKE (2453)	All Makes & Models	Their associates ride the same motorcycles you do, so they're ready to ask the right questions to get you the coverage that fits your needs
Bluebonnet Insurance Group	http://www.insurecycles.com 1-888-326-1410	Customs, Cruisers, Vintage, Sport Bikes, Touring Bikes, Scooters	Available in All of Texas, New Mexico & Louisiana
California Services Motorcycle Insurance	1-877-977-5787	Vintage Motorcycles, Limited Production Customs, Passengers, Trikes, Scooters	Extra Chrome, Helmets.  Call for your quote
CycleInsure Agency	http://www.cycleinsure.com 1-800-800-0965	Sportbikes, Cruisers, Customs, Harleys	**Only California Riders Rates as low as $50 per yr
Geico Cycle-Guard	http://www.geico.com/cycle/ 1-800-44-CYCLE	All Makes & Models	Sunny day lay-up program, transfer discount, renewal discount, MSF rider course discount, tour bike discount and multi-bike discount
Gourley Insurance Inc.	1-888-635-2753	All Makes & Models- Not Available in DE, MA, MI, NC, NH & NJ	Specializing in serving Motorcyclists since 1985
Hales Insurance Progressive	1-888-4-BIKERS	All Makes & Models	"Your Motorcycle Insurance Specialist - Insure Your Passion"
McGraw Insurance	http://www.mcgrawgroup.com 1-800-303-5000	All Makes & Models	Discounts including: Association Discount / Motorcycle Safety Course / Anti-Theft / Multi-Policy / Garaging Discount
Mike Felder Insurance	1-800-7-CYLES	All Makes & Models	Insurance specializing in Motorcycles
Progressive Motorcycle Insurance	http://motorcycle.progressive.com/ 1-800-PROGRESSIVE	Most Makes & Models	Insures a variety of bikes including customized motorcycles, and bikes 25 years and older.
Sentry Insurance	http://www.sentry.com/CP/ProductDetail.aspx?Product=CYCL 1-800-3SENTRY	All Makes & Models including vintage & antiques	Discounts including: Annual Policy / Anti-Theft / Rider Training Course / Multi-Cycle / Rider Group

by Toolib · 0 komentar

Insurance Quote Factors

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I’m often asked what insurance quote factors come into play when you're looking for motorcycle insurance.
Well, insurance is a business of risk assesment, and hewe we have two factors involved: You and Your Motorcycle!

You
Your age - a young rider is more of a risk than a midldle aged one.
Your riding experience - a new rider is more at risk than a seasoned pro.
Your driving record - tickets
in your car mean something about your risk on a bike!
Your location - an inner city area is more of a risk than a county area.
Your accident record - same as above, it builds a picture of your ‘risk rating’.
Your occupation - a rock musician can be expected to have a different ‘risk rating’ compared to say an accountant.

Your Bike
Naturally a 1000cc racebike replica would attract a higher risk rating than a 250cc Scooter!
Modifications or tuning - tells the company this is not a normal risk.
Age of Bike - a ten-year-old standard is less risk than a new sportbike.
Value - similarly a bike worth $20,000 will be more than one you bought at a yard sale for $200.
Location - if it’s tucked up warm at night in your garage, its safer (and less risk) than if it's on the street in a downtown area!

Warning:
Although some of the above may be unwelcome truths, its vital that you are not tempted to cheat!  Whether its where you keep it, your driving record, claims you ‘forgot’ etc. If they are not picked up in the application process - they can easily be discovered if you have a claim. In this case the company can deny your entire your entire claim - and even counter-claim for fraud!

Think About It!
But considering the above insurance quote factors can be very valuable in determining the kind of bike you choose to buy and ride. If you’re not absolutely determined to have that latest Gixxer, an older sportbike will save you possibly hundreds a year.

Bad History
Similarly if you have had a troublesome history with tickets and claims, an older bike (together with a high deductible), could make your insurance affordable - when it may have looked impossible!

by Toolib · 0 komentar

Compare Motorcycle Insurance

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Getting insurance is the first and the foremost important thing that should be done on the purchase of a new motorcycle. Insurance is imperative for the safety of the motorcycle as it covers for losses or damages in the unfortunate event of an accident or theft.

In most of the countries, it is mandatory to have valid or in force insurance policy for the vehicle, before it can be taken on the road.

There are a lot of Insurance companies in the market, who take up motorcycle insurance and have devised lot of standard as well as customized insurance solutions for the customers.

Customers, who have purchased a new bike or are in the process of finalizing a motorcycle for purchase, should spare some time and effort in comparing motorcycle insurance solutions which are available in the market.

By comparing the various motorcycle insurance solutions available the customers will be able to decide which is the best and cost effective insurance solution for them according to their needs and requirements. There are various ways with which one can compare motorcycle insurance quotes which are available in the market.

One can seek the help of the insurance executive present in the agency from where the motorcycle is being bought. They will be able to provide details of various insurance policies which one can choose from.



The only thing to be kept in mind is that, if the agency has a tie up with a specific insurance company, they will only suggest that company specific products, irrespective of whether they are of any use for the customer or not. This will tend to limit the choice of solutions and customers might not be able to compare motorcycle insurance solutions in an effective way.

Another tool which can be used to compare motorcycle insurance solutions is to engage the services of the advisors who deal in multi company products. These advisors can suggest insurance solutions from various companies which deal in the motorcycle insurance stream.

The customers will be able to compare motorcycle insurance quotes with the help of these advisors and can choose a product based on self needs and requirements.

Generally, these advisors charge commission for their services, so although they might be able to get a good deal for the customers, but when you include their charges along with the insurance cost, the total outflow of money might not exactly be a cheap or money saving option for the user.

One of the most cost effective and assured way with the help of which customers can compare motorcycle insurance quotes is to get them online.

There are online portals which compare motorcycle insurance products from a wide variety of options available in the market for the customers and the customers can then virtually pick and choose the ideal solution based on their needs and requirements.

Therefore, it is advisable for new motorcycle owners to look for the best insurance option available for them in the market by doing effective and comprehensive surveys to finalize on the most appropriate and cost effective insurance solution for themselves.

Sunday, February 13, 2011 by Toolib · 0 komentar