Best Ways To Save On Vehicle Auto Insurance

The ability to choose the right vehicular insurance policy is vital for your car and your financial being while on the road . There is no reason, however, to spend thousands of dollars annually just to get quality vehicular insurance coverage! Here are some highly recommended ways and tips to help you out:
1. Save around 10% and even more by shopping for vehicular insurance coverage on the Internet. The great selection of vehicular ins2. Take good care of your driving history. providers access your record periodically so they will get a good idea of the level of risk you carry as a driver, the safer and more responsible you are, the reduce your premiums get and the more money you can save on your vehicular insurance coverage.
3. Take defensive driving courses . Not only will you learn how to better effectively avoid automobile accidents while on the road, you will also qualify for a Defensive Driver Discount which can be as much as 10% off your premiums. Check to see if the class you plan to take is state licensed to make sure you are given this discount.
4. Have intelligent student drivers under your coverage ? You can get an added Good Student Discount towards your vehicular insurance, as long as they maintain an average grade of B or higher in school.
5. Those aftermarket security alarms and measures for your automobile are handy in reducing the risk of car theft and vandalism, which also means you get your premiums reduced . Dual airbags, anti-lock brakes, automatic seatbelts and other mechanisms to protect your car’s passengers from serious injuries or death in case of a car crash will also get you added discounts.
6. If possible opt for as high a deductible as you can afford , which will reduce the regular premiums you’re paying. Driving a lower , older model would also need smaller vehicular insurance coverage, aim at reducing your yearly mileage to no more than 15,000 miles will not only get you added discounts, but will also do your part in saving the environment.
urance providers and websites

Firm offers broad range of insurance

K. Stephen Carter and Nicholas S. Carter have opened CIA Carter Insurance Agency, 303 S. Tamiami Trail, Nokomis.AC = -->
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The agency writes home, auto, condominium, motorcycle, boat, umbrella, business, life and health policies.
Stephen Carter has been a licensed agent selling insurance in Florida since 1993. Prior to this he was a division manager for AAA Auto Club South for 17 years, managing offices in Marietta, Ga., and Port Charlotte.
Nicholas Carter is a licensed certified professional service representative. He graduated in 2008 from the University of South Florida with a bachelor's degree in criminology.
Phone: 484-4341.
Maria Daly has opened Telework International LLC.
The company is a one-stop-shop telecommute job board and education Web site. The site offers current, real, scam-free jobs from credible employers. New jobs are added to the site twice daily and cover domestic and international opportunities in a multitude of categories -- from accountancy, medical, legal and government through the more traditional telework areas of customer service/call center, transcription, and IT. Telework International notifies individuals through its "Insider Update" of new job listings, new employers and fresh blog articles.
Job seekers pay a nominal fee to access the specific jobs database portion of the site. They can elect to use the site one time only or take a yearly subscription. An employer can choose applicants from the site, and can also advertise on the site.
Robert C. Lerow has opened RMDT Consulting LLC -- a global health care and employee benefit consulting business.
The business specializes in providing consulting support for U.S. and non-U.S. based employers, assistance companies and health care payers interested in implementing practices with a specific focus on health care claim and customer service solutions.
Lerow has 30 years of experience as a senior business executive, most recently with Aetna Global Benefits as head of its Global Service Operations. He also has established independent contracting and consulting relationships with Fortune 500 companies.
Phone: 504-4270.
Lane L. Diedrick, president of Englewood Bank, has announced that the bank has relocated its Gulf Cove office to 12651 S. McCall Road.
The 3,500-square-foot Key West-style office will is managed by Michelle Ravagni and her team from the Gulf Cove Plaza office. "I look forward to serving our existing friends and meeting many new friends at this beautiful new office," Ravagni said. "We can now offer customers the convenience of a drive-through facility, a 24-hour drive-up ATM, an expansive office and additional safe deposit boxes."

Phone: 697-5011.
Donna Ortman, licensed massage therapist, has moved her office to the Tandem Center of Venice, 333 S. Tamiami Trail, Suite 305, Venice.
Ortman is trained in a wide range of massage modalities, including neuromuscular, advanced deep tissue, Swe-Thai, reflexology and pre-natal massage, assessing which particular blend of techniques is appropriate for each client.
Phone: (410) 688-2168.

Has insurance coverage shrunk?

COLUMBUS — Let’s face it: When it comes to auto insurance policies, nobody really reads all that fine print.
But it’s in the hard-to-decipher clauses that Ohio’s insurance carriers are shrinking insurance protection, leaving drivers uncovered or under-covered in common accident scenarios, according to a report by the Ohio Association for Justice, a trade group of trial attorneys.
“Ohioans would be shocked to learn that their full coverage auto policy is often useless when they need it the most: after a serious accident to a family member or loved one,” the report said.
The association detailed how legislative changes and court decisions during the past eight years have favored the insurance industry.
“Consumers need to be aware that their full coverage policy is probably meaningless in a whole host of situations,” said Brian Wilson, an attorney in Canton. “They need to ask their agents some hard questions.”
Wilson estimated that fewer than 5 percent of consumers actually read and understand the fine print in insurance policies, which are typically mailed out weeks after they are purchased.
The Ohio Association for Justice focused on three common exclusions found in auto insurance policies that are designed to limit payouts on claims:
Family Exclusion: Relatives are barred from collecting money under the policy’s liability coverage if another family member is at fault. Example: Dad loses control of the car and seriously injures his wife and two children. Although their policy includes $500,000 in liability coverage and $5,000 per person in medical payments, the family can collect only $15,000 in medical payments.
Immunity Exclusion: Emergency vehicles responding to emergency calls are immune from liability under Ohio law. Example: You’re clobbered at an intersection by a fire truck with its lights and siren on and your family is seriously injured. You can’t sue the fire department and because of a 2007 court decision you can no longer file an uninsured motorist claim with your own carrier.
Non-Duplication Clause: Drivers may pay separate premiums for different coverage, such as liability, uninsured motorist and medical payments but that doesn’t mean they can collect on all three. Example: Jane is injured by an uninsured drunken driver and has $30,000 in medical bills. She bought medical payment coverage of $25,000 and uninsured motorist coverage of $50,000. Her insurer pays out $25,000 for medical bills but later when she files a $50,000 uninsured motorist claim, her carrier subtracts what they paid in medical bills and sends her a check for another $25,000 instead of $50,000.

Auto insurance revamp blocked

A lberta's Automobile Insurance Rate Board is looking to revamp how drivers' premiums are calculated in the province, by moving away from an annual industry-wide rate adjustment, which could produce more options and potentially better rates for motorists.
But the proposal has been rejected by the Stelmach government, which maintains the current system is working well.
The province doesn't foresee major reforms and certainly won't make any changes pending an Alberta Court of Appeal ruling, expected shortly, that will determine whether a$4,000 cap on pay-outs for soft-tissue injuries is unconstitutional.
The rate board, which regulates the annual premium changes for basic automobile insurance in Alberta, wants to scrap the "one-size-fits-all" industry-wide adjustment and instead review companies on an individual basis to see whether their rate proposals are appropriate.
The new model would pro-vide more insurance options for drivers, reduce market uncertainty and lower rates over the long term, the board argues, while still allowing the AIRB to ensure companies don't apply exorbitant premium increases.
"You could shop some more so you might be able to find a better rate,"explains Merle Taylor, the rate board's consumer advocate. "I don't think it's in anyone's interest if the (annual rate caps) are the same across all companies."
In 2008, the board permitted companies to increase premiums for basic auto insurance by up to five per cent, effective last Nov. 1.
Axing the industry-wide cap could see insurance companies target their preferred niche markets of motorists -- either good drivers or high-risk ones--and potentially offer reduced premiums to their customers, Taylor believes.
The Stelmach government, however, has no plans to accommodate the rate board's proposal to reform insurance, arguing there's too much uncertainty in the system as all sides wait for the precedent-setting soft-tissue injury ruling from the Alberta Court of Appeal.
"The government is very satisfied with the current strategies,"said Finance Minister Iris Evans. "I don't see a reason for change."
Evans said it's critical that any reforms to automobile insurance must be transparent so the consumer can easily understand the system and know what options various companies are offering.
The industry argues that under an individual approval process (as proposed by the board), insurers wouldn't be subjected as much to the risk-sharing pool and could adjust their rates accordingly, both up and down depending on circumstances.
"Competition will be the greatest regulator of price," said Jim Rivait, regional vice-president with the Insurance Bureau of Canada, which supports the rate board's proposal. "Competition doesn't fire on all cylinders when you're looking at an industry-wide approach."
The current system often produces "sticky pricing," Rivait said, as companies will often take the maximum allowable premium increase, rather than reducing rates, because of uncertainty over what the rate board will demand from all the insurers.
The Alberta Motor Association also backs the board's proposal, believing it would allow insurance companies to go after their own target market for drivers.
"If you've got good drivers, you can afford to keep your rates lower,"said Robert Katzell, the AMA's director of claims.
Liberal finance critic Dave Taylor contends the current system isn't benefiting drivers as much as it should. The Grits favour, in principle, public auto insurance like that found in other provinces, and aren't certain the proposed reforms will produce the desired results for motorists.
"There's been, supposedly, a competitive insurance system in this province. It hasn't worked very well for motorists as far as we're concerned," Taylor said. "I don't know more competition is going to result from the proposal."
All sides believe the Court of Appeal case, regardless of the ruling, is likely headed for the Supreme Court of Canada, further delaying any more changes to auto premiums.

Saving A Buck On Insurance

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) - With money tight, we wanted to know if local drivers are cutting back on state required auto insurance coverage.
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Area insurance agents say they haven't seen a drastic increase or decrease in business. But they do say more motorists are revisiting their auto insurance plans, looking for ways to cut back.
State Farm Agent Larry Ice II says he's not sure how much the economic downturn has effected business because State Farm doesn't track why clients may drop a policy.
But he has noticed more financially strapped customers looking for a discount.
“There’s a lot more focus on saving money,” said Ice.
He says foot traffic is increasing at his small business, as consumers become more financially conscience.
“And I think that overall that goes from health insurance, auto, home every type of insurance,” said Ice.
Ice says he’s seeing a new and surprising trend; more clients are purchasing health insurance policies.
“People are a lot more concerned about what might happen if my husband losses his job, or if I loss my job, I might not be able to continue that health insurance coverage,” said Ice.
But the financial concern isn’t limited to auto and health insurance.
Indiana’s NewsCenter spoke with several area auto repair shops that say customers are waiting longer to get an oil change.
But what's most concerning, auto experts say more motorists are waiting until the last minute to repair their breaks.
Auto experts warn that the metal on metal grind could become dangerous not only for the driver but also other motorists.
Ice says his company recognizes the financial strains on families and is taking steps to speak with clients about ways they can reduce their rates without lowering their coverage.

No vehicle insurance?

Uninsured motorists in Beaumont have less than 60 days to get policies before they run the risk of having their vehicles towed.
Beaumont City Council on Tuesday approved a policy allowing officers to tow uninsured vehicles if police already pulled them over for another traffic violation or if a had wreck occurred.
Cost to uninsured drivers is $85 for towing plus $20 a day for vehicle storage. Additional fees could apply in special situations. The ordinance is effective July 15.
"Hopefully we will have fewer people on the road without insurance," City Manager Kyle Hayes said after the meeting.
Statewide, about 20 percent of motorists, or one in five drivers, are uninsured, said Jerry Hagins, Texas Department of Insurance spokesman.
That department, along with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Department of Information Resources, launched the TexasSure program last June in an effort to reduce the number of uninsured motorists in the state.
The program is a secure database that matches the records of registered passenger vehicles to personal auto insurance policy data submitted by Texas insurance companies, according to the program Web site.
It allows law enforcement officers to instantly verify whether a vehicle has the auto liability coverage required by state law, the Web site states. However, the decision to tow is strictly a local policy, said Tom Vinger of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
According to the towing guidelines, approved by Police Chief Frank Coffin, once a vehicle has already been pulled over, officers will make a "reasonable effort" to determine if a driver has car insurance.
The officers first should ask for proof of insurance. If the driver does not have that on hand, the officer can check the TexasSure database, which is updated weekly. If neither method provides proof of insurance, the officer can ask the driver to name his or her insurance provider and call the firm if it is between 8 and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Hayes said.
"We ought to be bending over backwards to work with people before we tow their vehicle," Hayes told the council.
The city now will ask for proposals from towing firms interested in the contract. Hayes said the city wants to deal with one company, just as they already do for towing abandoned or city vehicles. There have been situations where they rotated among several companies.
Motorists can retrieve their vehicles from the towing storage yard once they pay the posted rates, show proof of insurance and show a government-issued photo ID.
Joe Watt, a retired Lamar University professor, spoke out against the policy prior to the council's vote.
Watts, 75, who is insured, said he felt the policy disproportionately affects the poor. He suggested that drivers be ticketed, which is already the case, and be given a chance to secure auto insurance.
Texas law requires minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per injured person, up to a total of $50,000 for everyone injured in an accident and $25,000 for property damage, according to the TexasSure Web site. Liability coverage pays other people's expenses in accidents caused by the insured driver, the Web site states.
Lt. Mark Pierce of the Beaumont Police Department said the department surveyed 22 other Texas cities and 14 of them tow uninsured drivers. He said most have been doing so for about a year, so he could not say how effective the program is at lowering the numbers of uninsured drivers on the road.
State auto insurance requirements: Texas law requires minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per injured person, up to a total of $50,000 for everyone injured in an accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Liability coverage pays other people's expenses in accidents caused by the insured driver.
If you go without: Driving without liability insurance can result in a fine of up to $350 and possibly hundreds of dollars more in court costs and additional fees. Repeat offenders also are subject to a two-year driver license suspension.
Source: TexasSure Web site.
Exceptions to the rule
When you can't be towed:
 If all occupants including the driver are 18 and younger
 If the driver and occupants would be placed in an unsafe situation because of the towing. Officers must make a "reasonable effort" to ensure the safety of the driver and occupants. This includes taking them to a safe location or allowing them to call someone for transportation.
 Officers should consider several factors including time of day, location, driver's physical condition, weather and the presence of pets or other animals before deciding to tow the vehicle.
Source: City of Beaumont

Greedy Insurers

Don't Delay in Lowering Premiums for Auto InsuranceAuto insurance policyholders have often complained that they are forced to pay higher premiums than they deserve because insurers are only seeking profit at the expense of consumers. The average ratio of insurance claims to premiums dropped to 69.8 percent last year, hitting a record low in six years. The ratio below the 70-percent mark means that local auto insurance firms have enough room to cut premiums. The nation's non-life insurance companies have enjoyed a combined total of one trillion won or more in net profit each year since 2001. There is no doubt that excessive premiums collected from auto insurance policyholders have greatly contributed to solid profits. Against this backdrop, the Korea Insurance Consumer Federation and other consumer rights groups are calling for a cut in auto insurance premiums. They point out that it is irrational for the insurers to refuse to ease the financial burden on policyholders even though they continue to remain in profit. Of course, the insurance claims-to-premium ratio showed a sudden fluctuation in the first four months of this year. The monthly ratio surged to 76.3 percent in January and then plummeted to 68.9 percent in February and 66.9 percent in March. But it rebounded to 72.5 percent in April.The rebound was attributable to an increase in car accidents as more drivers hit the road amid plunging oil prices. For now, it is uncertain whether the ratio will go up further or fall. But this uncertainty should not allow insurance companies to justify their refusal to accept growing calls for lower premiums. Insurers cannot deny that they have long reigned over policyholders, ignoring consumer interests.Everyone knows that insurance firms have been quick to raise premiums but slow to curtail them. They are now under criticism for spending more on business operations in an apparent bid to make it harder to slash premiums.The percentage of operational expenses over premiums reached a five-year high of 31.8 percent on average in the October to December period of last year, up 1.3 percentage points from a year earlier. The figure means that insurance firms spent 31.8 won of each 100 won in premiums on their operations. Green Non-Life Insurance recorded the highest figure (40.7 percent), followed by Hanwha (40 percent), LIG (36 percent), Meritz (33.7 percent) and Hyundai (32.5 percent).It goes without saying that insurance companies have spent too much to cover their operational costs. If they cut the spending, they can collect lower premiums from policyholders and maintain their profitability. Thus, it is necessary for regulators to make sure those insurers who are lavish in operational spending face stricter restrictions in the raising of premiums.Greedy insurers have long been stigmatized for trying to pay as little as possible in insurance payments when accidents occur. They should no longer be engaged in the bad practice of pocketing policyholder money. It's time for insurance companies to play fair and better protect consumer rights.

Insurance surprises in Doyle's budget

By State Sen. Sheila Harsdorf
Gov. Jim Doyle's state budget bill, now before the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee, determines taxes and spending over a two-year period. However, the budget bill includes more than just revenue and expenditure items found in a typical budget. The governor also included 80 nonfiscal policy items identified by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau.
While it is not uncommon for governors to include nonfiscal policy items in their budget proposals, in recent sessions, the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee have agreed to remove them and introduce them as individual bills. Unfortunately, this session the co-chairs removed less than half of these policy items and left in the budget some items that will have significant impact on our everyday lives and have nothing to do with state taxing or spending.
A couple of surprises in the budget would directly impact insurance premiums for cars and liability insurance for organizations such as businesses, churches and charities.
The first proposal would mandate dramatically higher auto insurance coverage limits. It is estimated this would increase auto insurance premiums by as much as 33 percent. It would increase minimums of $25,000 for each person injured, $50,000 for each accident and $10,000 for property damage to $100,000, $300,000 and $25,000 respectively. Wisconsin has the most affordable auto insurance premiums in the nation, but that would change quickly if this budget provision stays.
The second proposal would redefine who pays liability damages for injury costs. Current law says a defendant must meet a 51 percent threshold to be held responsible for up to 100 percent of the injury cost. However, the governor's budget says an individual, employer, charity or church that is even 1 percent liable could be held responsible for 100 percent of damages. It is worth nothing that if one is simply present, he or she is partially liable.
Regardless of our positions, we should not cower from having a direct vote on these issues. That is why I have joined with more than 30 of my colleagues in asking the Joint Finance Committee co-chairs to pull these provisions from the budget bill and introduce them as separate bills.
Harsdorf, R-River Falls, represents the 10th District in the state Senate.