Tuesday 8 November 2011

A Better View On Car Insurance

Rates of the Car Insurance gets higher and higher. Not all families can afford this easily, so ca insurance became an issue that should be faced in our lives. If you do not investigate and take some time to research and understand the different types of insurances offered in today’s market, car insurance will surely be a minefield.

Policies vary from company to company. Basically, comprehensive cover is full coverage of your insurance while a third party protects you for damages to someone else’s car.

After deciding what type of insurance you want, ask yourself if you want to insure the car on the agreed value or current market value of the car. You might consider the agreed value option of your car is a special model because it allows you to include added extras. While in the market value option, the insurance company pays out the amount the car is worth at the time of the accident, so the amount could be different to the market value originally spelled out in the policy when you signed up because of depreciation.

You can get down to the smaller and more tedious option once you have worked out what type of cover you want. You may consider some thing like the amount of the excess, if you want to choose the repairer, if you want to loan vehicles if your car is stolen, if you want the policy to cover the car for business use, if your car is repaired using only genuine spare parts and many more.

The Australian Insurance Council’s Group General Manger for Western Australia and the Northern Territory Daryl Cameron said in 85% of cases, policies are bought on price alone. This can be dangerous for people who do not read their policies carefully. He also said that your insurer might refuse to pay out if you are not honest in your insurance quotes.

“It is vital that all known information regarding the vehicle or any intended driver is fully disclosed to the insurer when taking out a policy or when one is up for renewal. If anything changes that may affect your policy, you must tell the insurer; it is extremely important to remember that you have a duty of disclosure,” Mr. Cameron said.
Watch out for the traps that catch many unsuspecting motorists. Ask as many questions as you can to understand what you are getting into. After all, there is no harm in asking.

There are points to remember when considering car insurance. First, research, investigate and take your time when looking for car insurance. Second get a coverage that suits your needs. Third, decide if you want a market value or agreed value cover. Make sure that you fully understand what you are covered for. Know the factors that are excluded in the policy. You should also know the excess when making a claim. Tell you insurer about anything that happens to you that may affect your policy. Know the payment method that suits you. Know if in the case of “At Fault” claim, you can protect your no claim bonus. And lastly, remember that cheapest is not always the best.

Make sure that you are familiar with the cover provided by the policy and not just compared policies on price. Cheaper does not always mean better.


8 Easy Routes to Cheaper Car Insurance

Car insurance is one of the most expensive costs involved in driving a car, and it's not something you can avoid - a minimum level of insurance is required by law. That doesn't mean you have to blindly pay whatever your insurer quotes though, as there are several simple things you can do to reduce the cost of your premiums.



1) Shop around and buy online: Figures show that many people simply renew their current policies without shopping around. The internet makes it easy to compare prices from different insurers, so why not take advantage of this? Plus, you'll usually get a discount of 10% or more just for buying your policy online.



2) Policy type: do you really need a comprehensive policy with all the extras? Going for a third party fire & theft policy can reduce your premiums hugely, and is definitely worth considering if your car isn't an expensive model.



3) No claims discounts: Nearly all policies feature a discount that increases for every year you don't make a claim. The higher the discount available, the more you could save. Also look at insurers offering a 'no claims bonus for life' feature, where your current discount level can be fixed forever, even if you have to make a claim somewhere down the line.



4) Excess: The excess on a policy is the amount of a claim you have to pay before the insurer pays the rest. Choosing to have a higher than standard excess level will usually mean lower premiums.



5) Security: Fitting your vehicle with an alarm, immobiliser, or other security devices can lead to premium reductions. Parking you car off-road, for example on a driveway or in a garage, will also mean a cheaper policy.



6) Pay annually: Many insurers charge you interest for the privilege of paying in monthly installments. Pay annually if you can afford it to avoid this, or look for one of the companies who don't charge extra for monthly payment.



7) Mileage: The more mileage you run up every year, the more your insurance will cost. Even if you can't reduce your mileage, make sure you're not overestimating how much you actually do drive, and give your insurer an accurate figure.



8) Drivers: The more drivers you have on your policy, the more it will cost. Reduce the number of people insured to drive your car to the minimum possible, and try to get the policy in the name of a driver with the lowest risk profile. For example, if a car is driven by both a man and a woman, insuring it in the woman's name will often result in a cheaper quote.