Insurance World

Maybe you have auto insurance coverage now but do you ever wonder if it’s enough if you are unfortunate enough to get into a car accident? Some people carry a combination of auto insurance coverages because carrying too little coverage can cause you to be paying for the rest of your life under certain circumstances. Of course everyone has to have basic liability coverage, which is usually worth up to $50,000.00 for any single personal injury.

This goes as high as $100,000.00 for everyone involved and even though it might seem like a lot, this is not a lot of money given a nasty accident where medical bills, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering is involved.

With auto insurance the more coverage you purchase the cheaper it gets. This means that your cost goes up a little on your auto insurance coverage while your protection goes up proportionately more. This will pay off big time in the case of an auto accident and insurance settlement. It is the safety umbrella that you will need to avoid worry and stress from a stressful situation to begin with.

There are accidents that are serious enough to cost as high as a million dollars or more in a settlement, depending on the circumstances. Depending on your auto accident and insurance settlement, without the proper auto insurance coverage you could end up in a situation where you will be paying out money for the rest of your life.

If you can’t afford to get the full package on auto insurance coverage, it is better to take out $300,00.00 to $500,000.00 in personal injury liability and go a little less on property damage. Insurance coverage for property damage from an accident won’t be as expensive as personal injury can be. So when you’re purchasing coverage for your auto, keep in mind the extra money you pay now could pay off big time in the future.

Another auto insurance coverage that you will find extremely important is uninsured and under insured policies. This type of coverage will protect you from those that are driving illegally without auto accident and insurance settlement insurance. This is extremely important if an insurance settlement is paid out.

It is like buying more protection for yourself, as the other driver that hits you without coverage will have nothing to help you over your accident. Even though it may seem as if you are paying for the mistakes of another, it is worth it in the end.

Make sure you get enough auto insurance coverage, don’t skimp.

After so many experts have warned us that the cost of car insurance is on the rise, what’s happened? It’s fallen! It’s mostly down to the growing impact of shopping online.

In the second half of 2005 the average car insurance premium fell from Ј470.17 to Ј462.15. But it’s the silver surfers who’ve benefited most. During the last six months of last year, drivers over the age of 65 have seen their average premium fall by 4.5% from Ј342 to Ј347. What is most surprising are the huge differences in premiums between providers. Differences of 40% between the most expensive and the cheapest are common.

It seems that most motorists are not aware of this as every year, half of them automatically renew their insurance with their existing insurer. A further 19% only bother to get one competitive quotation.

And readers will be surprised who sells the expensive policies. A recent survey in “Which”, the consumer magazine, shows that Norwich Union - the UK’s biggest insurer - failed to come top in any of the 36 driver categories surveyed. Direct Line, another well-known name, only managed one top spot.

This is down to the marketing strategies of the big brand names. They have been building up their client base with low prices and heavy advertising and then gradually increase prices. They are clearly relying on apathy and brand loyalty to keep their clients. And with 50% automatically renewing, it works!

But if you decide to shop around, be careful. A low price isn’t everything. Some policies have mouth-wateringly low prices but skimp elsewhere.

For example, when your car is being repaired, do you want a courtesy car? Some policies only pay Ј100 or so for stolen audio equipment. Is that enough? Do you want to insure your personal belongings whilst they’re in your car? And crucially, some comprehensive policies won’t provide third party cover if you to drive another person’s car - even with their permission!

Before you decide, it’s wise to consider all these aspects.

But going back to price, if you think prices are cheapest on the Internet, you’re right! Internet quotations are normally 5% - 10% cheaper than telephone quotes.

When Internet shopping, most people look for the cheapest quote and then read the details about the cheapest policy to check out that they provide the cover that’s needed. You can hunt for the best deals by searching under “car insurance” but some of the discount insurance sites are more easily found if you type in “discount car insurance” or “cheap car insurance”.

But please remember, when renewal time comes around go shopping again. Don’t automatically renew! It’s so easy on the Internet as I found this year. My previous insurer quoted me Ј945 and I eventually bought it for Ј702. A saving of Ј243 for 30 minutes work.