7 Factors Which Decide Your Auto Insurance Premium
One of the things that most people will have to deal with at some point in their life is car insurance. But what are the things that can affect your auto insurance premium? Below are seven things that will affect the amount you pay for your car insurance.
1. YOUR DEDUCTIBLES AND POLICY
When you are looking at a price for car insurance, one of the biggest things that will affect it is the amount of coverage that you choose and the deductible.
When you choose a higher deductible, it means that you’re going to have a smaller payment monthly. When you choose a smaller deductible, you’re going to pay more. When you choose more coverage, it will give you more protection and it also will increase your monthly costs.
There are also insurers who are going to give you a discount when you’re using them for more than one product, like home and auto.
2. THE VEHICLE YOU DRIVE
A car insurer will look at the safety rating of the vehicle you’re driving and they often will give you a discount if you’re driving a safe vehicle. But if you’re driving something flashy and dangerous, you’re going to pay more. A vehicle that offers a lot of passenger and driver protection will also mean that you will pay less. Therefore it’s a good idea if you’re looking at the safety ratings on your vehicle before you make a decision.
3. DISTANCE AND FREQUENCY OF DRIVING
People who are using their vehicle for long-distance commuting and business will usually pay a lot more than those who are driving less. When you are driving a lot of miles during the year, you’re going to have a higher chance of having an accident even if you’re a very safe driver.
It’s a good idea to think about joining a van or car pool or even take public transportation if you’re able to. Reducing the amount of mileage you drive could lower your rates.
4. YOUR HOME TOWN
Generally urban drivers are going to pay a lot more for their car insurance when compared with those who live in rural areas. This is due to theft, crashes and vandalism.
Generally, due to higher rates of vandalism, theft, and crashes, urban drivers pay more for car insurance than do those in small towns or rural areas.
5. HOW GOOD A DRIVER YOU ARE
If you haven’t been in an accident for a while, chances are that you are going to have a lower rate. But remember that you should always remain vigilant, keeping your stellar driving habits.
Although you’re unable to rewrite history, when there’s a crash on that record is going to always remind you that things happen. You have to be careful and cautious. As the time passes, those effects are going to decrease.
6. YOUR CREDIT
It’s been shown that certain credit problems will indicate that someone might file an insurance claim. A lot of insurance companies will use this information to help with determining your car insurance cost. Having good credit will often decrease the amount you’ll pay for car insurance.
7. YOUR MARITAL STATUS, AGE, AND SEX
Drivers who are under 25, especially when they are single men, are more likely to have an accident. So you are going to pay more when you’re under 25. If you’re still in school, you might be able to get a discount. The majority of insurers provide a discount if you’re a student and you have good grades.
Most of these things are factors that you can control. Be careful when you are driving and do what you can to help your credit score. Make sure that you choose a safe car. Then you’ll discover that your insurance rates are not as expensive.
FREE INSURANCE REVIEW
WhitCo Insurance agents provide this free service just for you. Meet with our agents in person or connect online to review your coverage to keep up with your changing insurance needs. If you would like us to explain your insurance policies in plain English, give us a call at 866-298-7608.
We hope you will benefit from our web site and can take advantage of our insurance experience in Punta Gorda and North Port, Florida.
1. FIRE DEPARTMENT PROXIMITY
If you are close to the fire station, you’re going to pay less for home insurance. Homes that are close to the active fire departments will usually not cost as much to insure. This is also true for the houses that are close to fire hydrants.
Suburban and urban homes will usually get better fire protection ratings than the urban areas. Having your fire department close to your home is going to help with keeping the house safe if there is a fire.
2. PROXIMITY TO NATURAL DISASTERS
If you live in an area that has a lot of natural disasters like earthquakes or flooding you are going to have a higher rate. Homes that are closer to the coastline or coast generally will be more expensive when it comes to insuring them when compared with inland homes. Homeowners who are living close to the coast might have another deductible for things like hurricanes or another an insurance policy for windstorms. But even though you are living close to any kind of water can affect your rates due to the flooding risk.
Flood damage isn’t covered by the usual home insurance policy. It’s often a good idea to take another policy for food insurance despite the fact that you may not be at high risk when it comes to flooding.
3. CRIME RATE IN THE AREA
If you’re living in an area that has a high crime rate, you are going to pay more for your home insurance. Things like arson, burglaries and robberies can drive up the rates for your insurance. You can help with keeping your rates lower by having an alarm system put in your home.
When you are comparing your homeowner’s insurance rates with friends and family, if yours are higher or lower with all other variables being equal, it could be because of the home’s location.
FREE INSURANCE REVIEW
WhitCo Insurance agents provide this free service just for you. Meet with our agents in person or connect online to review your coverage to keep up with your changing insurance needs. If you would like us to explain your insurance policies in plain English, you can contact us a call at 866-298-7608.
We hope you will benefit from our web site and can take advantage of our insurance experience in Punta Gorda and North Port, Florida.
1. LOOK AT WHAT’S AVAILABLE
Before you choose an insurer, get a quote from a minimum of four carriers. You can find databases online that are free like InsWeb, which will offer you a quote from as many as eight carriers.
2. BUY DIRECT
The companies that are dealing directly with the consumers and don’t use any independent agents are known as direct writers. Theoretically they’re able to pass their savings on because they eliminate middlemen.
3. READ JUNK MAIL
It’s a great idea to read the Internet, your email or answer your phone. Overhead is saved by direct marketers by using these things to market, and they can give you the savings.
4. CHECK YOUR HOME STATE
Most of the insurance departments in the state offer shopping guides online for those looking to buy homeowner’s insurance. The guide from the state may be able to give you companies that aren’t as well know that have competitive rates. You can get linked to the guide for your state on insure.com.
The bad thing is if you’re living in one of the hurricane zones, it’s possible you will be stuck with a single expensive option. That is your state-sponsored pool of high risk people. But it’s possible to try again in a year. The private insurers always look for different ways to cut the market up and a black mark for company will be a business opportunity for another.
Some of the states provide those who in a vulnerable coastal or urban area.
5. LOOK AT THE SERVICE HISTORY
Even though a company may offer a big discount, that is not going to help you if they are slow at processing claims, so you want to discover everything you can about the service about a company before signing on. It’s a good idea to ask the representative about the turn-around time for their claim. If they have a shorter time for claims it indicates that they have good service.
6. FOCUS ON THE FINANCIALS
You want to examine the insurer’s financial ratings. Ask the rep about the information or you can use one of the services online to find out their financial ratings.
Standard & Poor’s great rating is A or higher, and Moody’s Investor Service’s AA rating will say that the company is strong. You can also check out Weiss Ratings, which has very stringent guidelines and it’s also the one that’s most independent, to see the homeowner’s insurance companies that are the weakest.
7. SEARCH FOR DISCOUNTS
It’s possible to save money by looking for discounts offered by insurers for risk lowering behavior. This could be things from quitting smoking to driving below a certain number of miles each year. Certain categories of people, such as senior citizens, are also eligible for lower prices. You’re also going to save money by installing some protective or safety equipment inside your home. Since it’s much cheaper to service more than one policy from a customer, premiums are often cut by insurers by as much as 15% when you link your homeowner’s and auto policies.
These are the seven things that you can do to help you find the right company for your homeowner’s insurance. When you want to protect your home and everything in it, you want to choose a company that you can count on. These tips will help you find the right one.
FREE INSURANCE REVIEW
WhitCo Insurance agents provide this free service just for you. Meet with our agents in person or connect online to review your coverage to keep up with your changing insurance needs. If you would like us to explain your insurance policies in plain English, you can contact us a call at 866-298-7608.
We hope you will benefit from our web site and can take advantage of our insurance experience in Punta Gorda and North Port, Florida.