Statistics show that automobile accidents are the number one cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 20.  In fact, drivers between the age of 16 and 19 cause up to four times as many accidents as older drivers.  For these reasons, auto insurance companies don’t like to insure these drivers and therefore charge substantially more to protect the risk.  So, how do you get your teenager insured for a decent rate?

Try enrolling your son or daughter in a driver’s education course offered by a local government agency or school district.  For a very affordable rate you can get your child the kind of driving expertise that is needed to ensure they are driving and leading happy lives well into their senior years.  Of life, not high school!

There are any number of local businesses that will offer these driver’s education courses, but most of the time your child’s high school will offer the same.  It is beneficial to the school to have safe drivers as well to reduce liability and promote healthy driving habits in the lives of their students.

Don’t look at this as simply a way to save money on your auto insurance, instead, think of it as a way to guarantee that your child is driving the right way.  If your child is driving the right way, that means they are driving the safe way.

We all know that high school and college boil down to fashion shows and an arms race in material possessions in a lot of ways, but don’t let this affect your pocket book when it comes to your child’s car. Auto insurance companies will charge much more money to insure a truck or sports car because of the increased risk based on the drivers that typically drive these vehicles. In other words, nobody believes that someone who drives like a Grandma will buy a Miata.

Instead of getting mixed up in making sure that your child thinks they have a cool car or a popular car, ensure that they are driving a car that is generally viewed as safe and insurable. Nothing says safe like a nice four-door sedan such as a Ford Taurus or a Mercury Sable. These vehicles are generally driven for safe transportation only, not to race or prove how fast you can go.

Also, remember that the year of the vehicle can also affect how much the auto insurance company will charge you. If you are driving a 2009 Ford Focus then it will be charged more due to the fact that it is new and new parts will cost more. Whereas a 2001 Ford Focus may not cost as much to have parts replaced and the general value has gone down on the vehicle.

Another benefit to an older vehicle is that most banks won’t require you to carry comprehensive or collision coverage on a vehicle that is 10 years old or older. The reason being that this vehicle isn’t worth enough to pay for the coverage and would likely be totaled if a decent amount of damage was done to it. In turn, the insurance company doesn’t charge as much as there isn’t as much being covered.

Cash for Clunkers seemed to many like a program aimed at stimulating only one industry in our nation’s financial world.  Auto makers would get to sell more cars because people were getting rid of their old “clunkers”.  However, the recent spike in sales due to this program is also having a great effect on the auto insurance industry.

Think about the basics of it all.  These clunkers are all over ten years old and had very little worth.  In turn none of them likely had any more than the basic “liability” coverage on the vehicle.  Now, with more value to the vehicle and the new loan from the bank, collision coverage is required and then the consumer might add rental and medical, etc.

Also, consider that many people that had these vehicles that were turned in for the cash for clunkers program may not have used the vehicles at all.  They had determined they couldn’t get the right value and they just sat in the driveway, waiting for someone who wanted a deal.  Now, the trade in goes from no auto insurance at all, to a new full coverage policy for the insurance company.

In the end cash for clunkers is definitely having a greater effect on the actual auto makers, but the auto insurance industry could come out smelling like a rose as well!

JD Power and Associates rules the world in terms of business rankings and their ranking of auto insurance companies customer service is no different. USAA was ranked #1 by a long shot in the 2008 Poll, however their relationship with military members and families disqualified them. USAA would have had a score of 922 out of 1000.

Car insurers: Favorites of customers
Rank Insurance Company Overall Satisfaction Score
1 Erie 896
2 The Hartford 894
3 State Farm 893
4 Liberty Mutual 886
5 American Family 880
6 GEICO 876
7 Nationwide 875
8 MetLife 873
9 Automobile Club Group 867
Industry Average 867
10 Allstate 863
11 Esurance 860
12 Safeco 855
12 Travelers 855
14 Farmers 849
15 Progressive 844
16 AIG 840
17 Mercury 835

Source: J.D. Power & Associates

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Giving a statement, recorded or not, for the auto insurance company in the course of the auto insurance claim should be something you look forward to, not something you dread. This will help work towards an amicable conclusion for all parties involved and should be championed by the adjuster and the auto accident participant.

Don’t feel like you are going to be taken advantage of in the process because this will make you timid and nervous during the statement. As long as you pay attention and ask the right questions in return during your auto insurance claim then you have nothing to worry about. If all else fails, remember all auto insurance companies must report to their own department of insurance!

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Obviously, the meaning of the recorded statement is to have evidence of what was stated about the accident, this goes without saying. Most people, however, don’t understand that the recorded statement is recorded to protect the insurance company AND the driver who was involved. You want the questions to be recorded just as bad as they want your answers!

If you feel uncomfortable with your statement or feel that you were taken advantage of, request a transcription of the recorded statement from the auto insurance company. They are required to provide this if requested and are required to print the call just as they heard it, including every cough or sigh. Don’t be worried about your recorded statement, just be prepared!

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Don’t give up on your auto insurance claim because you thought you were at fault at the scene or the police told you it was your fault. The police do not make liability decisions for a reason; they are not licensed or trained to do so! Let your auto insurance liability claim be decided by someone who is trained to do so.

Taking photos from the scene of the auto accident will always help in making sure the auto insurance claim is settled fairly. Even if you can’t get the vehicles just as they are after the impact, get photos anyway! You never know what is going to help the auto insurance adjuster close the claim!

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The process after filing an auto insurance claim is based on the old saying, “hurry up and wait”. You must hurry as soon as possible after the accident and file the claim, but understand that you will likely have to wait for the claim to be resolved. Know that your role with your auto insurance claim is to be as cooperative and available as possible. If you don’t return phone calls, don’t expect yours to be returned, etc.

In general, make a policy when you are in contact with the adjuster for your auto insurance claim to ask two questions every time you speak to them. (1) What else is needed to conclude this claim? (2) What is your plan of action to conclude this claim? When both parties understand where the auto insurance claim stands, both are more likely to work towards a peaceful resolution.

This process is widely misunderstood and can be very frustrating for people who have been in auto accidents. Basically, you must understand that anytime you go through your auto insurance you will have to pay your deductible. If the auto accident is determined to not be your fault by your insurance company they guarantee to attempt to recover your deductible for you.

It is not a guarantee that the other auto insurance company will reimburse you, but if the case against their insured driver is strong enough they will have to. Auto insurance companies do not like to pay money when they aren’t legally required to, so rest assured that they will attempt to get your money back.

When you are in this situation (auto accident claim) it is important to remember that adjusters can’t make decisions based on hearsay or hypothetical situations. Adjusters must have proof or the lack of proof to make a given decision on an auto liability claim. When an adjuster from another party’s insurance makes a decision you agree with, your recourse is through your insurance or an attorney.

However, your recourse through a decision made by your insurance company is only through the company itself. You can dispute by going up the chain of command within the auto insurance company, but your auto insurance policy binds you to the decision made by your auto insurance company. Just remember the more cooperative and helpful you can be during the process, the better the chance of a favorable outcome.

Auto accidents are called “accidents” for a reason, because they are not (except in extreme cases) intentional acts. Because nobody gets in an accident on purpose and because you are paying the insurance company to protect you, that insurance company must confirm an accident happened and what happened before making a payment on a policy.

Remember that auto insurance companies are not “rogue” groups with any rules that can make decisions based on garbage. They have to have proof and they have to make reasonable decisions, but they must have time to do so. Rarely will a claim be concluded on day one, but it will never be concluded if it isn’t filed.

Many people who are shopping for online auto insurance quotes make one monumental mistake, they don’t shop enough! It is important to understand that all online auto insurance quotes are not created equal in that every company has a different set of criteria to determine their quotes. For this reason you can ask for the same coverage from several different companies and get different results from each. So, what makes them different?

One major difference between different auto insurance companies that directly affects the online auto insurance quotes is how the company is structured. Does the auto insurance company you are looking at employ its own auto insurance claims adjusters or do they use independent adjusters? Do they employ their own auto insurance agents or do they use independent agents? These may seem like small things, but they will directly affect your online auto insurance quotes.

Another major difference between auto insurance companies that will directly affect your online auto insurance quotes is their reliance on credit scores. One auto insurance company may rely on this criterion and drop your auto insurance quote for good standing while another may not use it at all. Online auto insurance quotes will greatly vary based on these things.

The easiest way for you to get multiple online auto insurance quotes without having to spend all day applying for them is to go to one site that allows you to access multiple auto insurance companies. For example, sites like Insurance.com will allow you to get online auto insurance quotes from several different companies in one sitting.

In the quest for a good online auto insurance quote many people fail to realize the amount of money that stands to be saved by looking for a good discount. You look for discounts when out shopping for groceries, why not when looking for an online auto insurance quote? Discount auto insurance isn’t hard to find if you know where to look and knowing where to look is as easy as knowing who you are!

Are you a good driver? Have you ever had a speeding ticket or been in an accident? Many auto insurance companies give what is called a “good driver” discount that could reduce your online
 auto insurance quote. Some companies don’t include this in the online auto insurance quote, so knowing it is available to you and how much it is can affect your search in a big way.

Are you happy with your homeowners insurance? If you are not or you are indifferent to it as a whole then consider combining your auto insurance with your homeowners insurance to get a special discount. To do this you must find out if your online auto insurance quote is from a company that also offers homeowners insurance and just how much of a discount they may offer.

Finally, understand that anything you can do to protect you or your vehicle will affect your online auto insurance quote. If you take a defensive driving course or get an alarm on your vehicle you will start to save money from your online auto insurance quote. Most of these discounts will not appear on your online auto insurance quote itself, so you may have to do a little research on your own.

Part of the problem for everyday people getting online auto insurance quotes is understanding just how much coverage is needed on a vehicle. Do you just need liability coverage? Do you need to add collision and comprehensive coverage? It isn’t a lack of knowledge for what the driver wants, but a lack of understanding for what the driver is getting.

The first question you must therefore ask yourself is, what am I looking for in my online auto insurance quotes? If you are looking to be covered regardless of what happens to your vehicle, you need to get full coverage in your online auto insurance quotes. In other words, if your online auto insurance quotes don’t cover collision, comprehensive and liability related incidents then you aren’t including enough.

The next question to ask yourself about online auto insurance quotes? How much do I want to be covered for? For example, you have decided to only cover your car with liability coverage, but how much liability coverage do you want? The amount of liability coverage that you ask for will directly affect your online auto insurance quotes, don’t get too little, you can never have too much.

Basically, when it comes down to it the amount of coverage you need on your vehicle is directly proportionate to what you want. Online auto insurance quotes will lie to you if you lie to yourself, input what you want and learn what it takes to get it!

Wyoming auto insurance liability limits are set, like any other state, to insure that regardless of who you may get in an accident with, they have the coverage to pay for your damages if they are negligent. Those who don’t adhere to the Wyoming auto insurance liability laws are subject to legal action, including being sued for damages. Below is the Wyoming auto insurance liability limits with a brief summary of what each means.

All liability limits with Wyoming auto insurance or any other auto insurance are listed in BIPD format, separated with slashes, like 25/50/20. Wyoming auto insurance does demand minimum liability limits of 25/50/20, meaning:

Bodily Injury limits of $25,000 and $50,000 refer to how much you could expect from your auto insurance company to pay for another vehicle’s damage that you caused. If you caused an accident your auto insurance company would pay for up to $25,000 for injuries to one person in another vehicle, up to $50,000 for all passengers in that vehicle.

Property Damage liability limit of $20,000 means that your auto insurance company would pay for up to $20,000 in damages to the vehicles you damaged in an auto accident.

Wyoming auto insurance law demands that you hold at least these limits for your vehicle, but for the price it is worth it to go a little higher. Vehicles and medical bills are more than ever these days and you don’t want to be in a bind.

Wisconsin auto insurance liability limits are set, like any other state, to insure that regardless of who you may get in an accident with, they have the coverage to pay for your damages if they are negligent. Those who don’t adhere to the Wisconsin auto insurance liability laws are subject to legal action, including being sued for damages. Below is the Wisconsin auto insurance liability limits with a brief summary of what each means.

All liability limits with Wisconsin auto insurance or any other auto insurance are listed in BIPD format, separated with slashes, like 25/50/10. Wisconsin auto insurance does demand minimum liability limits of 25/50/10, meaning:

Bodily Injury limits of $25,000 and $50,000 refer to how much you could expect from your auto insurance company to pay for another vehicle’s damage that you caused. If you caused an accident your auto insurance company would pay for up to $25,000 for injuries to one person in another vehicle, up to $50,000 for all passengers in that vehicle.

Property Damage liability limit of $10,000 means that your auto insurance company would pay for up to $10,000 in damages to the vehicles you damaged in an auto accident.

Wisconsin auto insurance law demands that you hold at least these limits for your vehicle, but for the price it is worth it to go a little higher. Vehicles and medical bills are more than ever these days and you don’t want to be in a bind.

West Virginia auto insurance liability limits are set, like any other state, to insure that regardless of who you may get in an accident with, they have the coverage to pay for your damages if they are negligent. Those who don’t adhere to the West Virginia auto insurance liability laws are subject to legal action, including being sued for damages. Below is the West Virginia auto insurance liability limits with a brief summary of what each means.

All liability limits with West Virginia auto insurance or any other auto insurance are listed in BIPD format, separated with slashes, like 20/40/10. West Virginia auto insurance does demand minimum liability limits of 20/40/10, meaning:

Bodily Injury limits of $20,000 and $40,000 refer to how much you could expect from your auto insurance company to pay for another vehicle’s damage that you caused. If you caused an accident your auto insurance company would pay for up to $20,000 for injuries to one person in another vehicle, up to $40,000 for all passengers in that vehicle.

Property Damage liability limit of $10,000 means that your auto insurance company would pay for up to $10,000 in damages to the vehicles you damaged in an auto accident.

West Virginia auto insurance law demands that you hold at least these limits for your vehicle, but for the price it is worth it to go a little higher. Vehicles and medical bills are more than ever these days and you don’t want to be in a bind.

Virginia auto insurance liability limits are set, like any other state, to insure that regardless of who you may get in an accident with, they have the coverage to pay for your damages if they are negligent. Those who don’t adhere to the Virginia auto insurance liability laws are subject to legal action, including being sued for damages. Below is the Virginia auto insurance liability limits with a brief summary of what each means.

All liability limits with Virginia auto insurance or any other auto insurance are listed in BIPD format, separated with slashes, like 25/50/20. Virginia auto insurance does demand minimum liability limits of 25/50/20, meaning:

Bodily Injury limits of $25,000 and $50,000 refer to how much you could expect from your auto insurance company to pay for another vehicle’s damage that you caused. If you caused an accident your auto insurance company would pay for up to $25,000 for injuries to one person in another vehicle, up to $50,000 for all passengers in that vehicle.

Property Damage liability limit of $20,000 means that your auto insurance company would pay for up to $20,000 in damages to the vehicles you damaged in an auto accident.

Virginia auto insurance law demands that you hold at least these limits for your vehicle, but for the price it is worth it to go a little higher. Vehicles and medical bills are more than ever these days and you don’t want to be in a bind.

Vermont auto insurance liability limits are set, like any other state, to insure that regardless of who you may get in an accident with, they have the coverage to pay for your damages if they are negligent. Those who don’t adhere to the Vermont auto insurance liability laws are subject to legal action, including being sued for damages. Below is the Vermont auto insurance liability limits with a brief summary of what each means.

All liability limits with Vermont auto insurance or any other auto insurance are listed in BIPD format, separated with slashes, like 25/50/10. Vermont auto insurance does demand minimum liability limits of 25/50/10, meaning:

Bodily Injury limits of $25,000 and $50,000 refer to how much you could expect from your auto insurance company to pay for another vehicle’s damage that you caused. If you caused an accident your auto insurance company would pay for up to $25,000 for injuries to one person in another vehicle, up to $50,000 for all passengers in that vehicle.

Property Damage liability limit of $10,000 means that your auto insurance company would pay for up to $10,000 in damages to the vehicles you damaged in an auto accident.

Vermont auto insurance law demands that you hold at least these limits for your vehicle, but for the price it is worth it to go a little higher. Vehicles and medical bills are more than ever these days and you don’t want to be in a bind.

Utah auto insurance liability limits are set, like any other state, to insure that regardless of who you may get in an accident with, they have the coverage to pay for your damages if they are negligent. Those who don’t adhere to the Utah auto insurance liability laws are subject to legal action, including being sued for damages. Below is the Utah auto insurance liability limits with a brief summary of what each means.

All liability limits with Utah auto insurance or any other auto insurance are listed in BIPD format, separated with slashes, like 25/50/15. Utah auto insurance does demand minimum liability limits of 25/50/15, meaning:

Bodily Injury limits of $25,000 and $50,000 refer to how much you could expect from your auto insurance company to pay for another vehicle’s damage that you caused. If you caused an accident your auto insurance company would pay for up to $25,000 for injuries to one person in another vehicle, up to $50,000 for all passengers in that vehicle.

Property Damage liability limit of $15,000 means that your auto insurance company would pay for up to $15,000 in damages to the vehicles you damaged in an auto accident.

Utah auto insurance law demands that you hold at least these limits for your vehicle, but for the price it is worth it to go a little higher. Vehicles and medical bills are more than ever these days and you don’t want to be in a bind.