I am a teen driver- what is accident forgiveness? Should I opt for this?

Accident forgiveness with teen auto insurance

Response :An excellent question. Basically, I would be in favor of teenagers, new drivers or young drivers wanting to go for accident forgivness, this is one sure way to keep your car insurance low rather than getting into the high risk zone very very early if you get involved in an accident.

First lets get the facts about Accident Forgiveness with relation to teen auto insurance ?

Your car insurance rate is based on a number of factors. One of the most crucial is your driving record including whether you have had speeding tickets, moving violations or an actual collision. This risk you pose is considered high risk to the insurer. This would determine how much they require you to pay. If the insurer offers accident forgiveness it is an incentive to purchase your insurance policy from them. Possibly, this will convince you to switch your coverage from another insurance company to their insurance company.

Teen car insurance and Accident Forgiveness
An offer of accident forgiveness is not the company overlooking the fact someone has an accident on his or her record. It is however, an offer to compute the amount you will pay for insurance without including that fact in the computation. This is a good reason for you to take out insurance from them to save money over insurance from a company that does not offer accident forgiveness.
It is not a way to remove your accident history from your record. If, at a later time you decide to change to another insurer, the accident may not be “forgiven” when that insurance company calculates your premium. This is a good incentive for you to stay with the insurer that does offer it. If enough drivers take their business to them, they will actually profit from giving this price break.
How much would the car insurance cost reduce by ?
As you may know, only liability car insurance is required by law. This protects the other driver in case of accident. You may elect to purchase collision coverage, which covers your own vehicle’s damage. This usually includes fire and theft coverage as well as towing insurance. Therefore, you must analyze the entire cost when comparing prices from company to company. The insurer who includes accident forgiveness does not necessarily charge the lowest premium for your total insurance package.
Eligibility for the accident forgiveness feature is not automatic. Not every driver is going to qualify to receive it. Different insurance companies may have different requirements.
However, do not forget that the cost of this additional coverage would be taken into consideration by the present insurer and also in order to get this benefit you would have to stick with the present insurer for a definite period of time. You might be missing on the other cheap car insurance options by other insurers. Think wisely before you take the step on this.
Get your cheap car insurance quote here. Let me know if you still have any concerns.

Thanks.
Kamlesh

heather locklear: My car has meet with an accident. How would the insurance company decide on the auto insurance claim.? Would my auto insurance rate change?

How car insurance companies decide on the auto insurance claim.

Response : Great question Heather. This is a very common question for most people. Your auto insurance is not cost effective to get your heavily damaged vehicle on the road again decide after an accident.

Instead, the insurer can carries an amount of present value of the vehicle.

If someone else in you crashed, you will probably make a claim on this person auto insurance. If you are by your own car – crash in a tree or some other mishap damaged “You need collision insurance to compensate by your auto insurance.”

How to determine an auto insurance of the vehicle value exactly?

“The important thing to remember is that you could have in essence similar cars differently measured” depending on of their State, says Rick Ward, Director of auto claims for MetLife Auto & home.

If you find a value, the insurer advises publications, which depreciated car values listed. It can go online or visit the car dealer to find out the current prices of comparable brands and models.

Provides an insurer a low cash value for your vehicle a total loss, get you to pay to buy an existing auto loan or another vehicle might not have enough money of the claim.

To challenge such a decision, and get a higher settlement, you have to prove the automatic. Age and mileage are important factors, but good maintenance and mechanical upgrades can increase an older car value.

Insurers often declare a total loss, if the present value of the vehicle exceeds 80 percent of the cost of repairs, but there is not only an industry standard, says Peter Foley, Vice President of business administration at the American International Association trade group claims.

Insurers must often total loss policy set state insurance departments.

Some drivers believe that their motor insurance, entitling them, repairing a vehicle, regardless of the extent of the damage. But not everyone is struggling, save a badly mangled car from the scrap heap.

Some drivers can their cars total losses like explains, if they, that the damage is so much fear that security is compromise. But if you do not agree, amount insurer’s assessment you sure that your reasoning is based on facts, says Ward.

“Information available that have justified your request”, says Ward.

You, that to check Internet sites – such as NADAguides.com – to the selling prices of similar brands and models. If you have no agreement on the car in value, you can submit protest with your auto insurance provider, says Ward.

Most disputes are settled amicably. If an agreement cannot be reached, consumers often take the matter of the State Insurance Department, which deals with formal complaints against insurance companies

When shopping for car insurance, questions about the process for the settlement of disputes. Some car insurance a formal arbitration you outline an impasse over the value of a damaged vehicle should reach, says Ward.

“This means that an independent third party review your case,” he says. It is, some individual companies may contain them not part of the default automatic.

A ruling may be either binding or non-binding. Your auto insurance is represented probably by legal counsel, so hiring an experienced attorney.

Your auto insurance rate

Your auto insurance rate would be higher in the next renewal since the insurance company would consider the cost of the claim and also the fact that you are not a precautious driver. As per the insurance companies statastics a driver who has an accident is more likely to have another one within the next three years and besides they get three years within which to recover the amount for the claim, hence loading contionus mostly for 3 years, some insurance comapnies want the loading for 6 years.

You can always compare car insruance your teen car insurance or young drivers car insurance here and get the best quote.

Cheap Car Insurance –do you have these  Safety Features?

Looking for cheap car insurances – do you have these Safety features? Check them out since in calculating what you pay as premium, insurers take a lot of factors into consideration. Therefore, if you want affordable car insurance, you’d have to be on the right side of those factors. In this article, I’ll go deep into safety features and which you should endeavor to have in your car  if want to pay a lot less… A Video On General Road Safety Tips…

Safety features in your automobile reduce the likelihood of claims and, where claims are made, reduce the amount  claimed. Therefore, they reduce the risk an insurer assumes by insuring you. But which are worthy of your time and investment?

1. Airbags: You know those bags that spring open when there is a crash, don’t you? Apart from keeping you safer while you’re in a vehicle, it helps cut down your rate.

2. Anti-Lock Brakes: These prevent your wheels from locking if you slam on your brake. This gives you more control in difficult situations and also reduces your stopping distance. Although NOT all states make it mandatory for insurers to give discounts to policyholders who have this feature in their cars, you’ll do well to discuss with your agent if you car has this.

3. Theft-Deterrent Features: Car alarms and keyless entries fall into this category. Thieving rats will generally think twice before going for vehicles with such features.

4. Automatic seat belts: Apart from the fact that seat belts are required by law, some vehicles go further by adding a feature that makes it impossible for you to ride in them without wearing the seatbelts. Discuss with your agent if your car has such extra feature.

5. Etch Your VIN. Having your VIN etched on your windows will help deter thieves as this will make it difficult for them to resell stolen items.

I know folks who have their VIN etched onto their fenders/bumpers. Just go ahead and do it wherever it makes sense — Just don’t disfigure your car.

All these safety devices will help cut down your auto insurance rate. But the question is “by how much?” This depends on the insurer…

Different insurers have different relevancy scores for the different factors that are used to determine your rate. Therefore, get cheap teen auto insurance or cheap car insurance here.

Season greetings – stay warm and happy.

Kamlesh

After an accident, your auto insurance company may decide it’s not cost-effective to put your badly damaged vehicle back on the road.

Instead, the insurer may choose to pay you an amount equal to the vehicle’s cash value.

If someone else has crashed into you, you’ll likely be making a claim on that person’s auto insurance. If you’ve damaged your own car – by crashing into a tree or some other mishap ‘ you’ll need collision insurance in order to receive compensation from your car insurance company.

So how does a car insurance company accurately determine a vehicle’s value?

“The important thing to remember is you could have substantially similar cars that are valued differently,” depending on their condition, says Rick Ward, director of auto claims for MetLife Auto & Home.

When determining a value, the insurer consults publications that list depreciated car values. It may also go online or visit car dealers to learn the current sales prices of comparable makes and models.

If an insurer establishes a low cash value for your total-loss vehicle, you may not receive enough money from the claim to pay off an existing car loan or purchase another vehicle.

To contest such a decision and receive a higher settlement, you must prove the auto’s worth. Age and mileage will be important factors, but good maintenance and mechanical upgrades can increase an older car’s value.

Insurers frequently declare a total loss when the repair cost exceeds 80 percent of the vehicle’s cash value, but there isn’t a single industry standard, says Peter Foley, vice president for claims administration at the American Insurance Association trade group.

Insurers often are required to follow total loss guidelines set by state insurance departments.

Some drivers believe their car insurance entitles them to a repaired vehicle, regardless of the extent of damage. But not everyone fights to save a badly mangled car from the scrap heap.

Some drivers may be happy to have their cars declared total losses if they fear the damage is so severe that is compromises safety. But if you don’t agree with an insurer’s valuation amount, make sure your argument is based upon facts, says Ward.

“Have information available that substantiates your claim,” Ward says.

Kelly blue books – to check the selling prices of similar makes and models. If you can’t reach an agreement on the car’s worth, you can lodge a protest with your auto insurance provider, Ward says.

The majority of disputes are settled amicably. When an agreement can’t be reached, consumers often take the matter to their state’s insurance department, which handles formal complaints against insurance companies

When shopping for car insurance, ask about the process for dispute resolution. Some auto insurance policies outline a formal arbitration process should you reach an impasse over the value of a damaged car, Ward says.

“This means that an independent third party would review your case,” he says. While it’s not part of standard auto policies, some individual companies may include it.

An arbitration decision can be either binding or nonbinding. Your car insurance company likely will be represented by legal counsel, so consider hiring an experienced attorney.

State Farm is the latest insurer promising fat discounts for anyone willing to install an electronic snoop in their car.

Called In-Drive, the voluntary program is similar to Progressive’s Snapshot . You stick a device in the vehicle’s diagnostic port, usually under the steering wheel (most vehicles from 1996 on have this), and State Farm monitors your driving habits. Participants could qualify for discounts up to 50 percent on their auto insurance premiums if the data shows what good drivers they are, says Kip Diggs, spokesperson for State Farm.

So, what does In-Drive track? How far you drive and when, how fast you accelerate and turn, and how hard you brake.

In other words, pretty much the same criteria used by Snapshot, which Progressive says can reel in up to a 30percent discount if the motorist is top-notch and doesn’t drive too much or during high-accident hours (the worst, the so-called “vampire hours,” are from midnight to 4 a.m.).

Missy Lundberg, a State Farm spokesperson, says that participants will immediately receive about a 10 percent discount on premiums for liability, medical payments, collision and comprehensive coverage. She added that up to a further 20 percent could be trimmed if you don’t go above the national average of 12,000 miles a year.

Additional discounts would come over time, depending on how safely you drive and when you drive. Customers can track their performance, and the progress of discounts, at State Farm’s website. Progressive’s Snapshot users can do the same.

The OnStar connection

One of the big differences between these insurance giants’ usage-based programs is that Progressive’s Snapshot is just that, a temporary peek at your driving habits used as the basis to calculate your rates. After six months, you unplug the device and ship it back.

State Farm takes the game a step further by wrapping In-Drive inside OnStar, the popular onboard telematics device until now found mainly on General Motors cars. OnStar provides one-touch emergency response, roadside assistance, help locating a stolen vehicle, vehicle diagnostics alerts and maintenance reminders, and family-friendly features like mapping and speed alerts.

“This combined offering represents a first in our industry,” says Mike Wey, State Farm’s senior vice president. “It will provide … for a smarter vehicle and even smarter driver.”

The OnStar/In-Drive combination reports data for as long as the motorist chooses to have the program on his teen auto insurance policy , allowing State Farm a longer-term look at a driver’s habits.

In-Drive is currently offered only in Illinois, but Diggs says more states will be added next year. The insurer plans to announce exactly which states in the coming months.

Despite the discount promise, the devices do come with a price tag, mostly for the OnStar service. Diggs says the package is free for the first six months after a $10 activation fee. After that, there’s a $5 to $15 monthly charge, depending on the extent of the OnStar service.

If you were to buy OnStar separately, General Motors and Best Buy offer a stand-alone unit that costs $300 plus $75 for installation and $199 for an annual subscription.

Discounts versus privacy

Some wonder what State Farm and Progressive will do with the information gathered in pursuit of discounts — and worry that privacy could be compromised if the information is passed around.

“I’d probably go for it, but I’m a very careful driver,” says Jessica Ruiz, who is insured by another carrier but might give State Farm a look because of In-Drive. “I imagine I’d qualify, but it makes you feel uncomfortable that they are creating a file on you. … Doesn’t everyone know too much about us already?”

Another motorist, David Sanderson, was also concerned about In-Drive’s intrusiveness. But he, too, loved the possibility of a discount and the OnStar advantage. “I’m sort of feeling like giving up (on the privacy issue) because it just seems hopeless for the consumer,” he says. “I’ve already looked into (Snapshot) and will probably look into this one (In-Drive) as well.”

For privacy details, State Farm representatives point you to the company website, which says the insurer “may share policyholder information as required or permitted by law and as stated in the State Farm Privacy Policy, as amended from time to time. State Farm will not sell your information to a third party.”

Marc Rotenberg, the executive director for the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), says his group hasn’t investigated programs such as In-Drive or Snapshot in great detail, but red flags go up whenever information on consumers is compiled.

“We’d be concerned that (gathered information) could be shared with third parties” that could compromise the driver, Rotenberg says.

Sharon Goott Nissim, EPIC’s consumer privacy counsel, was more specific, saying that the information could be used in advertising targeted at consumers or shared with the police in driving-related investigations, especially those involving accidents.

“There is the question of how this collected data is retained,” she explains. “We don’t know how the company is dealing with this data — they could be turning the data into your (driving) score and then discarding the raw data as they use it to update the score.

“However, they could also be retaining the data,” Goott Nissim says. “They could be disclosing the data to commercial partners, particularly locational data, which is very valuable to advertisers. Also, law enforcement may seek out data — and insurance companies may be willing” to give it.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author Kamlesh.

Get your cheap teen auto insurance quote here.