Car Insurance: What Not to Do

You can save money on your car insurance. That's the good news. The bad news is that you can't safely save money by slashing your coverages dramatically and dropping damage coverage for your car. Sorry for the reality check, but if anyone tells you to improve your financial situation by calling your auto insurance company and buying a lot less coverage, they simply don't have all the facts.

What? Cheaper is better!
Sometimes, yes. However, you get what you pay for. Everyone wants to save money on their insurance premium, but no one wants to pay out of pocket when the unexpected happens. Car insurance exists because bad things happen. If you reduce your liability coverage and drop uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and drop comprehensive and collision or raise the deductibles, who pays when there's an accident? Most likely, you do.

Dropping and reducing auto insurance coverages is a lot like gambling. It's a decision to stake your financial future on the assumption that you are an excellent driver, that everyone you encounter is an excellent (and insured) driver, and that your car will never be damaged or stolen.

But my friend saved a lot by getting the bare minimum.
It's possible to save money if you only get what's required, just like it's possible to win the lottery or predict the stock market. That doesn't make it a good bet. Let's look at why.

Suppose you have an old car that's only worth around $2,000. Your friend tells you he saved $300 a year by dropping collision coverage. You like saving money, so you do the same, but the next week you lose control of your car and hit a utility pole. You were only going 20 MPH, but that's enough to total the car, since repair costs exceed $2,000. You did save $300 on your premium, but you have no car and no coverage. Now you have to find a car that's as reliable as your old one for as little money as possible.

What if you also tried to save money by lowering your liability limits to the state minimum? For example, in Ohio the minimum limit for property damage coverage is $7,500. If you knocked the utility pole over into a storefront, taking out power for the block at the same time, who pays? If it costs $15,000 to repair the pole and replace the store's window and display, you can bet the extra $7,500 will come out of your pocket somehow. If you have assets, those will be used to provide payment, and if you don't have assets, you'll usually be asked to work out a payment plan. Now you've actually cost yourself money instead of saving it, and this accident didn't even involve any injuries.

So how can I save money?
We did mention that there was good news. Although you don't want to eliminate the protection you have with uninsured/underinsured motorist and Comp & Collision coverages unless there's no choice, you still have options. First, make sure you're getting all of the discounts you're eligible for. Next, compare auto insurance rates from other companies to see if you're paying more than you have to for the same coverage. Rates can vary considerably from one company to the next, so investing a little time in comparing quotes might pay big dividends in savings.

What's your quick advice?
Since you asked, here are some quick tips for sorting out the good advice from the bad.

• Don't slash your policy limits. If you want to protect your assets – now and in the future – it's too risky to cut your limits to state minimums.
• Insure your car against damage, even if you have to increase the deductibles. Unless you can afford to pay cash to replace your car, try to keep it insured for comprehensive and collision. Comprehensive in particular isrelatively inexpensive, especially if you have an older car model. No matter how much someone else would pay for your car, in this economy it's probablypriceless to you!
• Always buy Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists coverage. With more uninsured drivers on the road, UM/UIM coverage gives you low-cost protection from unnecessary risk.

How Much You Pay for Insurance Can Depend on the Type of Vehicle

A sneak peak at one of the questions that might appear on your next quiz in Auto Insurance 101 -- Will the type of car you drive help determine how much you pay for auto insurance? Go to the head of the class if your answer was "yes."

The vehicle you drive absolutely is part of the equation on auto insurance cost, acknowledges American Insurance Association executive Dave Snyder. "The make and model of your car is an insurance factor, and how the make and model performs in terms of crash and theft costs will alter the premium over time," says Snyder, AIA vice president and assistant general counsel in Washington, D.C.

Snyder says that "when a car model first comes out, it's given a symbol by insurance rating organizations that predict its expected costs to insure compared to other vehicle makes and models. As experience accumulates for that make and model, the car may be moved up or down in the ratings and that would affect the cost you pay for comp and collision coverage," In addition to your type of car, auto insurers factor in your driving record, claims history, credit history, age, gender, amount and type of auto insurance purchased, where you live, just to name a few key pricing variables.

Sports cars and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are among the type of vehicles that probably will cost you more in liability premiums. Some auto insurers rate SUVs differently based on the vehicles' histories of causing more damage to other vehicles when involved in collisions.

Russ Rader of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says crash experience and loss experience for the make and model of your vehicle help determine your insurance premium. "When you're buying a vehicle, you should check crash test rating but also you should select a vehicle that has low insurance losses in real crashes because that can help lower your insurance premium, and the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) publishes a brochure that shows such losses for vehicles by make and model (http://www.hldi.org/)."

Progressive Insurance

Why Choose Progressive Insurance?

Since 1937, Progressive Corporation has specialized in car insurance. Today, they are the third largest auto insurance company in the nation. With over 450 offices in all 50 states and more than 28,000 employees, Progressive offers the price and coverage you deserve.

Customer Service Excellence
At Progressive, service stands out. Trained claims representatives use Immediate Response® Vehicles to go where you need them. And, with the concierge level of claims service, Progressive handles the repair process by letting you drop off your car at a service center and leave with a rental car. Add 24/7/365 online or toll-free phone service, and it's clear that Progressive takes the hassle out of auto insurance.

Rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best for Strength and Stability
Progressive consistently receives an A+ (Superior) rating from A.M. Best Company, an independent firm that rates the financial strength and performance of insurance companies. A+ is one of the highest ratings available and means you can trust the stability of Progressive.

A History of Innovation
Progressive has a history of innovations, driven by an intense focus on their customers. From offering the first drive-in claims office, to creating the first auto insurance company website, Progressive is always ahead of the curve. If you select Progressive at Insurance.com, you'll get car insurance backed by their well-known brand.

Valuable Discounts and Coverage Options
Progressive offers many discounts that reward safe drivers. Your Insurance.com agent can help you get the best rate on your Progressive quote. You can also get the same great Progressive discounts using our easy online quote process.

You may be eligible for these money-saving Progressive discounts and benefits:

Payment-in-full Discounts Early Shopping Discounts AAA Discounts Good Student Discounts Distant Student Discounts Minor Driver Discounts

Homeowner Discounts E-sign Discounts Future Accident and Violation Forgiveness Professional Association Discounts (CA only)

And, your Insurance.com agent can explain the valuable, optional coverages Progressive offers, such as:

Roadside Assistance Loan/Lease Payoff

Rental Reimbursement

8 Teen Auto Insurance Mistakes

Do you have a teenager who drives, or one who will soon? Then you'll probably find out that adding a teen to your car insurance policy is sort of like balancing a valuable vase on a tiger's head: it'll probably end in an accident, and it'll probably be expensive. (Lesson number one: don't balance vases on tigers.)

The bad news: you have a teenager eager to get behind the wheel – and recentRateWatch data shows that adding a teen driver to your auto insurance policy costs over $2,000 a year on average.

The good news: auto insurance rates are coming down, so this is the perfect time to shop for policy savings. It can cost even less if you manage to…

Avoid some of these common mistakes

1. Let your kid get bad grades.
Were you aware that a "good student" discount could take as much as 10–15% off the price of your car insurance policy? You are now. Some parents pay their children to maintain a B average or better; this discount will have your children paying you instead.

2. Buy a new car for your child.
All of those safety features will get you auto insurance discounts, right? They might, but it costs more to insure a new car – for you and your teen. Find a safe, used car and save on car payments and insurance.

3. Skip in-car driver training with your kid.
Let the driving school do it. Right parents? I mean, that's why you pay them the money! Not so. No matter what your state legally requires, the more time you spend in the car teaching your teenager to drive, the better.

4. Don't set a curfew.
Part of raising a child is letting them take responsibility, so there's no reason to impose limits. Well, not exactly. Even if your city doesn't have a curfew for teen drivers, you should consider it. Statistics show that teenage driving deaths rise dramatically from 9 pm to 6 am. And if you remember your own youth, you'll agree that there's no good reason for teens to plan trips past 9–10 pm.

5. Don't worry about packing the car with friends and distractions.
The most common cause of teen accidents is driver distraction – either from a car full of friends or a cell phone that's blowing up. It gets even worse with loud music, texting and taking pictures with a cell phone.

6. Speed, drink and don't wear your seatbelt.
It amounts to telling your teen the law is optional. If your child gets a ticket, restrict access to the car. If it's something serious – like a DUI – take away their driving privileges.

7. Lower your deductibles or keep them the same.
A low deductible means your auto insurance company will pay more if there's an accident. Raise it, and you could knock a lot off your premium. Dropping collision coverage on your teen's car can also save money. Just remember that you'll have to pay more for repairs in both cases, so calculate your savings before making the switch.

8. Make one of the other seven mistakes.
(Just kidding.)

8. Let your teenager drive a small, old car.
If you saw mistake number two and thought you could avoid it by getting your teen an older compact car, you're probably wrong. If it's not a safe car, you won't qualify for safety discounts.

9. You said there were only eight mistakes!
Well, I lied. That's right; I said it: I lied. I'll let you in on a little secret: there are probably way more than nine, or even ten! But do you know the biggest one of all? (Drum roll, please.) Not shopping around to compare rates! Insurance.com data shows the average difference between the highest quote for adding a teen and the lowest quote is over $2,000 a year. Failing to compare auto insurance rates can be a very expensive mistake.

The Consequences of Not Having Auto Insurance

If you are one of those people who think auto insurance is a scam, beware. There could be some major payout in your future. Car insurance
is extremely valuable, particularly in today`s society as more and more people find themselves involved in accidents that aren`t even their fault. You can literally be the safest driver around and still end up in a car accident. While it may not have been your fault, you may still be liable for some of the damages and this is where it comes in very handy to have auto insurance.

It Could Be Illegal

Depending on where you live, chances are it`s illegal to drive without insurance, so you`ll want to make sure that you have the minimum required, which is liability. Even in areas where you aren`t required to have insurance per se, you ARE required to have the money to cover an accident. You will need to actually prove that you can pay for damages, should they occur. This could be a big problem if you don`t have much money stored up in the bank.

Most drivers without auto insurance end up doing hit and runs, to avoid being caught, which usually results in jail time. It`s not a good idea to drive without auto insurance, but this isn`t the worst that could happen if you avoid it.

Since driving without insurance or the ability to pay for damages can hold some big consequences, you will want to know what they are in your area. Some states only charge a fine (often in the thousands) or impound your car, but many will include jail time.

Bigger Losses, Bigger Payouts

What happens if you are in a car accident and you haven`t purchased car insurance? You will be in big trouble, to say the least, particularly if the accident is deemed to be your fault. You will be responsible for any injuries and damages involved in the accident, which can grow very rapidly.

Not only will you be penalized for not having the appropriate insurance, you will also be required to pay out of your pocket. This can literally bankrupt someone and it can be extremely bad for your record. You could even lose your license, which negates the need to buy auto insurance after the fact.

A major car accident could end up costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars, plus fines and jail time. It`s really not worth it when you consider how little you would pay each month for peace of mind with auto insurance. Not to mention, if you are the one injured in an accident and the other driver has no insurance, you are really going to be in trouble. You`ll end up having to pay your own medical bills, which, as we all know, can get very expensive, very fast.

Driving without auto insurance could be the biggest risk you`ve taken in your life. While you will be saving money in the moment, there`s no telling when (not if, but when) you will be in an accident and need that insurance. Rather than paying a minimal amount along the way, you`ll end up being responsible for everything all at once and that`s a hit that most bank accounts just can`t deal with.

Rather than risk your savings, it`s far better to invest in auto insurance and simply pay by the month or year, eliminating the need to lose everything when you have a collision. The minimal amount of insurance will keep jail and fines at bay and doesn`t have to be terribly expensive.