Cars and Auto Insurance

Now that you are a well-seasoned individual getting lots of “senior discounts,” you have amassed enough life experience to have earned the right to pay less for auto insurance. So if you think you are paying too much for your coverage, here are eight things you can do about it:

1. Retire. It’s something that you probably want to do anyway. But retirees generally pay less for auto insurance because they don’t have to worry about that stressful daily commute to work anymore. So when you do bid adieu to the workforce, be sure to notify your insurance agent about your new status.

Read More »8 Ways for California Seniors to Lower Their Auto Insurance Rates

People who shop for auto insurance are often looking for fairly different things. Some want insurance against as many types of mishaps as possible. Others want to add a teen driver to their policy. Some even want zero-deductible insurance coverage.

And then there are the people who are burdened with subpar credit records.

In some states a person’s credit score does affect how much he or she pays for auto insurance. That’s because there’s a strong statistical correlation between an individual’s creditworthiness and his or her risk of filing an auto accident claim. Therefore, car insurers often charge higher premiums to policyholders who have lower credit scores.

So if your credit is less than stellar, here are eight suggestions for finding auto insurance that won’t blow up your budget.

Read More »6 Tips for Getting Auto Insurance If You Have Bad Credit

Loyalty. It’s ostensibly a virtue that should be cherished above most (or all?) other human qualities. In theory, a person who is loyal to something or someone should reap bountiful rewards for his or her dedication and steadfastness.

But these days, there are many situations where this simply isn’t the case. You can have a checking account at a bank for years, but they might still deny you a car loan or mortgage. You could be a credit card holder with a certain company for a decade, but still see your interest rate jacked up if you miss a payment. And there are countless Americans who have been laid off from a company after working there 20 or 30 years or longer.

In short, the respect and admiration for loyalty isn’t what it used to be. But here’s a little good news: loyalty does count for something in today’s auto insurance industry.

Read More »Does It Pay to Be Loyal to Your Auto Insurance Company?

These days, times are tight for many Californians. After spending their paychecks on housing, food, and utilities, many households still have to find enough money in the budget for auto insurance in order to drive legally in the state. Unfortunately, California is one of the most expensive states in the country when it comes to auto insurance. So drivers have no choice but to bite the bullet or refrain from driving, right?

There may be another option. It’s called the California Low Cost Auto Insurance (CLCA) program.

The idea behind this program is to allow low-income Californians a means to insure their vehicles if they cannot afford auto insurance on the open market. These policies are partially subsidized by the state government and issued by participating insurance companies. People who qualify can purchase up to $10,000 of per-person bodily injury or death coverage, up to $20,000 of per-accident bodily injury or death coverage, and up to $3,000 for per-accident property damage coverage. Underinsured motorist and medical payments policies are also available through CLCA.

How Do You Qualify?

Read More »Could You Be Eligible for California’s Low Cost Auto Insurance Program?

Ah, marriage — that beloved, respected, and cherished institution. Many people in California identify marriage as one of their biggest personal milestones; and some even view it as a life goal. And for everyone who ties the knot, their very existence is altered on a practical level. Married couples make decisions together, inherit their partner’s family and friends, and adjust their daily lives to account for another person.

Oh, and marriage also affects auto insurance rates as well. But this, as with many (all?) aspects of marital bliss, is usually a good thing.

Married? Congratulations… On Lower Auto Insurance Rates!

It’s true: married drivers tend to pay less for auto insurance than their unmarried counterparts in most (but not all) states. Though the difference varies by state and insurer, a wedding ring is good for an approximate 10% cut in premiums.

Read More »Could Your Marital Status Impact Your Car Insurance Rates?