Archive for the ‘Car-Auto’ Category

How A New York Traffic Ticket (including a New York Speeding Ticket) Effects Auto Insurance Rates

Tuesday, November 6th, 2007

This Article addresses the effect on your automobile insurance rates from being convicted of a New York traffic ticket including speeding.

As a New York Traffic Lawyer, I often am asked will a conviction to a NY traffic ticket effect my insurance rates. This question is often posed because insurance rates are one of the primarily reasons why someone would want to fight a moving violation ticket. The short answer is sometimes “yes” and sometimes “no”.

Under Insurance Law Section 2335, insurance companies in New York State may raise a motorist’s insurance rates for a number of reasons. The ones involving the issuance of a traffic ticket are set forth below:

  • Motorist is convicted of driving sixteen (16) miles per hour (or more) over the limit

  • Motorist has been convicted of speeding and/or reckless driving on 3 or more occasions
  • Motorist has been convicted of speeding or reckless driving where injury or death results
  • Motorist is convicted of driving while intoxicated or impaired (alcohol or drugs)
  • Motorist is convicted of leaving the scene of an accident without reporting it
  • Motorist is convicted or 2 or more moving violations

So what does this mean?

For a motorist with a clean record (i.e., no points, no accidents), a conviction to most “small” moving violations will NOT result in your insurance rates being raised. Examples of such offenses are disobey a red light, running a stop sign, failure to signal, speeding fifteen (15) miles per hour (or less) above the limit and improper turns. The second conviction, however, for a “small” offense can be used against you to hike your rates.

The next question commonly asked is how long will such a blemish on my driver record be held against me. The answer is 36 months from the date of conviction.

The lesson behind Section 2335 is that it does not take much for an insurance company to have a basis to raise your rates. One “big” ticket or two “small” tickets is enough. Therefore, it is generally worthwhile fighting any New York moving violation ticket to try and reduce or eliminate points.

The author, Matthew J. Weiss, Esq. graduated Hofstra Law School in 1984. He was Law Review and won the law school’s prestigious Procedure Award. Upon graduation, he became one of the first Hofstra Law School graduates to work at the New York State Court of Appeals (New York State’s highest court) working on various appellate matters.

In 1991, Mr. Weiss co-founded his private law practice eventually buying out his former partner in 2000. Through the years, 888 Red Light has successfully resolved 1,000s of traffic tickets and trucking tickets for its clients by way of dismissal or plea bargain. For more information about the author visit http://www.nytrafficticket.com

Conducting a Search for Cheap Student Car Insurance

Tuesday, November 6th, 2007

College students and graduates have to locate their own insurance after leaving the comforts of home. Health insurance is often seen as the most important policy a student can possess. The millions of drivers who use their vehicle on a daily basis would attest to the need for quality car insurance following graduation. There are a variety of factors that must be considered when searching for cheap student car insurance policies.

At the most basic level, student car insurance can be broken down into two categories. Catastrophic insurance policies protect a driver from major collisions and other accidents that can be truly devastating to a young person’s life. This type of policy is cheap but offers little in the way of protection against bodily injuries, major car repairs and protection against excessive financial burdens. Students need to locate comprehensive car insurance on the cheap in order to maximize their financial investment.

Drivers need to accurately portray the amount they use their vehicle in order to get a cheap insurance quote. Premiums increase with more time spent in an automobile due to the increased risk of coverage to the insurer. If a driver uses their vehicle for occasional commutes or trips, they can save quite a few pounds over an entire year. This accuracy in reporting also needs to extend to the primary use of the vehicle while insured. Insurers will not cover vehicles that are used for stunts and other dangerous activities or possess poor safety ratings.

The best way for students to find cheap car insurance policies is to exploit the online marketplace. Hundreds of local, regional and international insurers have websites and promotional agreements with search engines to highlight their services to students. Graduates can head to an insurance website and use their search tool to find the right policy for them. There are a number of discounts offered to students including discounts for a particular university, line of work or service organization that a student has worked with in the past.

Underneath all of these characteristics lies the importance of exemplary service for university students. Students need to be able to trust their car insurance company to offer them services around the clock no matter where they are in their service area. Many university students feel that they cannot ask too much of a car insurer lest they find nothing but expensive policies. These students can find a number of resources on the Internet and through their university that are aimed at serving student-specific needs.

About the author:
Rupal Patel is the Marketing Manager at JustClick, who are a leading source of Graduate Jobs and Graduate Careers, also offering a Graduate Lifestyles portal with news and reviews on current affairs.

Where to Get Cheap Student Car Insurance

Friday, October 26th, 2007

Student car insurance premiums are higher than other types of insurance primarily due to the fact that students are younger than the average driver and therefore have less driving experience. If you’re a student, here’s how to lower your insurance premiums.

Comparison Shop

First, and foremost, you need to compare car insurance rates from different companies, because rates from one company to another can vary by hundreds of dollars for the same policy.

The easiest way to do this is to go to an insurance comparison website. There you’ll fill out a simple form with your insurance information and the amount of insurance your want in order to get quotes from different car insurance companies.

At the best of these insurance comparison sites you can get additional money-saving tips, and get answers to any questions you may have, from an insurance expert through their online chat service. (See link below.)

Raise Your Deductible

A deductible is the amount of money you’re responsible to pay on an insurance claim before your insurer will pay. The higher your deductible, the lower your insurance premium. For example, raising it from $250 to $500 can save you 15 to 30 percent on your insurance.

Get Discounts

Insurance companies offer a variety of car insurance discounts. Some of these include:

* Safety feature discounts for having airbags and automatic seat belts.

* Good driver driver discounts for having an accident-free driving record.

* Low mileage discounts for driving fewer miles than the average driver.

* Security feature discounts for having an auto alarm and anti-theft device.

* Good student discounts for maintaining good grades.

* Drivers ed discounts for taking a drivers education class.

Before you purchase you car insurance you should ask your insurer about all the discounts that are available to you and include them in your policy. Doing this can save you hundreds of dollars a year in premiums.

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com or click on the following link to get student car insurance rate quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more insurance tips in their Articles section.

The author, Brian Stevens, is a former insurance agent and financial consultant who has written a number of articles on student car insurance.

Auto Insurance For Good Drivers - Insurance Companies Rewarding You

Wednesday, October 17th, 2007

One of the largest factors in determining your auto insurance rate is your driving record. If you have a clean driving record, it makes sense that insurance companies see you as a lower risk and are willing to give better rates in return. In their eyes, your past driving experience is a strong indication of how you will continue to drive in the future. Insurance companies offer steep discounts for their auto insurance for good drivers.

What determines you as a good driver? The main thing is having a clean driving record, with no traffic violations, moving violations, or accidents. The longer you can go without getting any of these violations or accidents, the lower risk you are to auto insurance companies. There are also, less direct benefits to being a good driver. Keeping you or your family safe, less wear and tear on your cars mechanical parts, and improved gas mileage will be realized by anyone who drives defensively, abides by the speed limits, and obeys all necessary traffic laws.

Having a great driving record grants you a great amount of leverage with insurance companies. If your insurance company increases your premiums, as many do, you can threaten to go with another company. As a good driver, you are an insurance company’s most valuable asset, and they will bend over backwards to keep you a happy customer. If by chance they do not cave into your threats, you can easily shop online for cheaper alternatives. Insurance companies will compete for your business, especially if you have a clean driving record. Use this to your advantage and you can easily find the best price and options to fit your situation!

As you can see having a good driving record has it’s advantages. In the world of high auto insurance premiums, you’d do well to have as much on your side as possible. Your wallet will thank you for it!

Visit http://car-insurance-choices.com for more information about car insurance companies or car insurance in general.

Use These Tips to Save Money On Your Car Insurance

Saturday, October 13th, 2007

When it comes to car insurance, if you are like me and reside in NJ then you already know of the crazy high rates, choice of companies and the headaches that go along with it.

Vincent Zarate reports in August of 2007 in Insurance Advocate of a decrease by $68 of the auto insurance premiums in the auto insurance market in New Jersey. Great news for us. It isn’t much, but any savings with these prices is better nothing. Zarate also revealed that this decrease is the result of companies` initiative to cut their rates to stay competitive in the auto insurance market. In addition, this figure led the industry to increase its premium by $5 billion due to car insurance law in the year 2004.

But as all experts agree, when it comes to buying car insurance, or any insurance for that matter, do your homework. Ara Trembley of National Underwriter/Property & Casualty Risk and Benefits Management says, “A survey of online automobile rates found that consumers might end up paying more money for a product that does not suit their needs.” Trembley then goes onto say, “that online car insurance consumers should pay more attention to details and worry less on the quickness of the results.”

Understand your policy and make sure you are not paying for items you really don’t need. Take Bonnie Gibbs for example. Reported in a recent article in Good Housekeeping magazine, Bonnie and her family were paying nearly $8,000 in car insurance for four drivers. Imagine getting that bill, wow! She decided to call her insurance agent and went through every line of the policy. Once she understood it, she eliminated anything she didn’t need. For instance, she cancelled her roadside assistance because she was enrolled in a similar program with her cellular telephone provider.

If you are paying exorbitant rates, you may want to consider the same. Sit down with your agent and go through your policy. If they are unwilling to do that, then consider a different, more reputable company. You do not want to get stuck with a bad insurance company, in a time of need.

For those of us in New Jersey, with competition comes hope for better rates and better companies. Steven Goldman, Insurance Commissioner in New Jersey, said that the entry of more companies is a clear indication that consumers continue to benefit from increased competition and demonstrates that they continue to make progress toward their goal of a stable sustainable automobile insurance market. This type of market will everyone to benefit.

So how can you save additional money on your car insurance? There are a variety of ways and they differ from state to state so talk to your insurance rep, or the state department that regulates insurance companies. Some of the more popular ones are taking a driving course, owning an energy efficient vehicle, a car with anti-lock breaks and anti theft protection, having your home and car policy with the same company, and if you have a teen driver in the family, a lot of companies are now giving discounts to families whose teen drivers get good grades.

There are ways to save money on your policy. Like anything else, the more effort you put into, the more you will get out of it.

Michael C. Podlesny is a freelance writer for Indocquent.com. Indocquent.com is an online resource that allows businesses and individuals to promote their products and services in 20,000 cities in over 200 countries around the world free of charge.

Does Car Warranty Insurance Make Sense?

Wednesday, October 10th, 2007

When you buy a car and it is new it usually comes with car warranty insurance. Most cars will come with at least 3 years or 36,000 miles of protection for the car. This is based on the fact that the manufacturer feels that a brand new car will not have any mechanical problems within that time period and if it does than it probably was caused by production of the car. After the initial warranty is up you must make a decision if you want to add an extended warranty or if you want to take your chances and pay for any repairs or break downs that may occur.

A car warranty insurance policy can protect you from potential breakdowns when your car starts to show signs of wear and tear. If you follow the manufacturers suggested maintenance schedule you can lessen the chances that your car will experience mechanical problems and issues. But this is no guarantee that you will not have to come out of pocket to pay for repairs.

When you are considering getting a quote for car warranty insurance than one of the biggest factors will be how much potential for the major parts breaking down. If you only have small breakdowns and repairs than the cost of a warranty may not make sense but if you experience loss of the motor or transmission this can be a significant cost, if you are not prepared for the cost of major breakdowns than it can be a shock to your financial situation. Getting a car warranty insurance will protect you from unexpected cost associated with mechanical breakdowns for you car.

If your car is past the original warranty you can still get car warranty insurance for you car. You want to make sure you get several quotes and compare the coverage’s so that you know what will be included. A third party warranty company can save you a lot of money over getting an extended warranty from the manufacturer. But you should get a quote from the original manufacturer and several from third party companies to compare the pricing and coverage to make sure you are getting the best price.

An HREF="http://www.bigautowarranty.info">extended car warranty is designed to save the car owner money from car repairs. To get a quote which can save you as much as 50% on your warranty go to HREF="http://www.bigautowarranty.info">www.bigautowarranty.info for a free quote.

Move Your Auto Insurance While Moving

Saturday, October 6th, 2007

Moving can be both a joy and a hassle. Moving can also be a very expensive proposition. Whether you are shifting from one block to the next or to a different state entirely, you are going to end up spending a lot of money. Buying the house or paying the deposit on a rented apartment is not the end of the expenses that you are going to encounter. You will have to hire some moving company to help you shift. You will have to go and apply for all kinds of new documents that will require some ready money. A number of costs will be incurred even as you settle in at your new home.

Thus, it would be a good idea to look for ways and means to cut down on costs even as you change your address. One major expense that you might encounter while you shift may be that of insurance. You will definitely have to apply for an insurance policy for your home. So, you will be shopping around for a policy that provides value for your money. At this time, it would also be a good idea to start scouting around for cheap auto insurance.

You will have to update the information on your auto insurance policy anyway. At this time, it would be sensible to look around and see if you can come across an auto insurance policy which is less expensive. If you are shifting from a big city to a smaller town, you might come across relatively cheaper car insurance rates. This is because big cities have more traffic, more accidents, and people tend to make more claims. In smaller towns, fewer claims are made, and this results in lower premium rates for car insurers. Moreover, it might be possible that your insurance company does not operate in the town to which you are moving. In such a scenario, you are left with no option but to find a new insurance company.

A number of insurance companies provide discounts to people who buy more than one insurance policy at a time. So you could inform the company that is providing you with home insurance to also take care of your auto insurance. Multiple-policy insurance tends to be a great way to save as insurance companies encourage their clients to go in for more and more insurance plans by providing lower rates. Shifting from one home to another is costly. Hence, we need to save in all the ways that we can.

Looking for cheap car insurance or home insurance. Come to us at http://www.nationsfinance.co.uk/.

Car Insurance - The Impact Of Speeding Points

Friday, October 5th, 2007

That little letter “awarding” us points on our license is something we all dread and unfortunately many of us may experience this at one point or other during our driving career.

Indeed, over the next year it is predicted that 1.5 million drivers will find themselves landed with penalty points. Assuming an average £60 fine, this equates to around £90 million in fines.

The big question is: just how does this impact upon your insurance policy and does the price rise exponentially with each successive set of points you receive?

The answer it seems can be both yes and no. Most insurers say that for a single speeding offence, especially one dealt with without need for a court appearance and where the driver is otherwise considered to be “low risk”, the cost is likely to be fairly minimal.

However, all that changes for a second offence. According to communications company Tiscali you can expect your car insurance policy to rise by 30% on average if you are caught speeding twice and a possible 60% if you are caught speeding for a third time within a 5-year period.

Of course, things are not always as clear-cut as this and many other factors can affect the way this impacts on your policy. If you have also suffered an accident and claimed on your insurance policy, this combined with the points you have received can cause a much bigger rise than either factor taken into consideration separately.

An older driver with several years’ no-claims bonus may find it does not affect his or her policy anywhere near as much as a younger driver, seen as less experienced and a higher risk in the insurer’s eyes. Indeed, if you are unfortunate enough to be under the age of 25 and receive points on your license it can cost you dearly.

It is worth noting that some police forces have introduced speed awareness courses that in some circumstances will allow you to avoid the three points on your license in exchange for attending a day’s course.

This is only offered to those who have exceeded the speed limit by a small margin (for example less than 38 mph in a 30 mph zone). Some forces operate a lower tolerance level than this – and don’t forget that you will be charged for attending the course, usually the same amount as the fine would have been. And you will have to take a day off work.

Of course it is best if you can avoid getting points on your license in the first place, if you can help it. Driving responsibly and within the speed limit will help ensure the safety of not only yourself but those around you.

If you do find yourself on the receiving end of a set of points the best thing you can do is to shop around and not accept the first quote you receive.

It is also important you don’t “forget” to tell your insurer of your points as you will find your motor insurance policy instantly voided should they find out you have not disclosed them.

You can expect your car insurance to rise significantly when you receive points on your license.

If you fail to notify your insurer as to this fact your motor insurance policy could be voided when you need it most.

Bodily Injury Claim — 7 Tips to Win your car accident

Friday, September 28th, 2007

A bodily injury claim comes about when through the negligence or fault of another you are hurt. Most of the time you will be dealing with the insurance company of the person that hit you (if they have insurance), but sometimes you will be dealing your own insurance company if that person did not carry liability coverage. You will be making an uninsured bodily injury claim. The process is the same, except that you will be settling against your own insurance company.

There are many ways to handle and settle a bodily injury claims. However there are certain things you can do to get the most of the process and settle for what you deserve.

Tip # 1: Your bodily injury claim starts when you go in to the doctor. If you are in a car accident and you believe you are injured, it is prudent to go in and get checked out at the emergency room. If you carry personal injury protection in your policy, the medical bills will be paid by your own insurance company first. Going in to the emergency room will help you show that your injuries deserve immediate medical attention. Go to the emergency room as soon as you can, even if that is two or three days after the accident (sometimes that is when the pain will be the worst).

Tip # 2: Disclose all your symptoms to the emergency room doctor. They will take close notes about your symptoms. If you forget or for whatever reason you do not disclose this information, they will never be noted in the initial report. You will find out that insurance adjusters will review those records very closely and will try to diminish the value of your injury by telling you that “you did not report that type of pain or injury the day you went to the emergency room”.

Tip # 3: Be careful with what you say. Doctors like to ask open questions like “how are you doing” and “how was your weekend”. Many patients just start talking about how they went golfing, boating, and they mowed the lawn. All these activities will be reported on the medical records. The insurance adjuster will review those and will point out that in such and such date; you stated that you went boating. This implies that you were not injured or your pain was not that bad to stop you from going out. For more information about how claim adjusters evaluate bodily injury claim visit: http://www.auto-insurance-claim-advice.com/making-a-personal-injury-claim.html

Tip # 4: Ask the emergency doctor for a work release even if believe you do not need one. Most whiplash injuries do not appear until the next day or two. Coming back in to see a doctor to give you a work release can be a hassle. However, if you ask for it, most doctors will be willing to give it to you on the spot. If you do not need it, then that is great. But if you do, you will be happy you have one. This also helps you show that the doctors felt that your injury could keep you away from your work location. This is strong evidence that your injury was substantial and should increase the value of a pain and suffering award.

Tip # 5: Ask the doctor for a referral. Emergency doctors will only see you because of an emergency (car accident). They will not continue treating you. Insurance adjusters are wary of people who just go straight to a chiropractor or a physical therapist. So ask for a referral or go to your primary practitioner and ask for a referral there.

Tip # 6: Go to that doctor. It is important that you follow up with the doctor soon after the initial visit. Any delay could make things worst for your back and neck. Be sure to express all your symptoms, even depression (if that is present). Adjusters will review those medical records and will find exactly what you tell the doctor. If you keep your pain silent, then the adjuster will assume that you did not have any.

Tip # 7: Stick to your treatment schedule. If you start skipping dates and not doing everything in your power to get better, adjusters will decrease the value of your claim. Adjusters will justify gaps in treatment as an injury that was not very significant. If you were in pain, then you would have gone to the doctor.
Remember, when dealing with insurance companies, documentation of your damages and injuries will win your case. For more tips about handling bodily injury claim visit: http://www.auto-insurance-claim-advice.com/bodily-injury-claim.html

All the best,

Hector Quiroga
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Van Insurance - Get The Most profitable One

Friday, September 28th, 2007

Now, this is an absolute must for all those people who operate any kind of business that entails the utilisation of vehicles like vans for some reason or the other. It is quite a known fact that older vehicles require more maintenance than newer ones, perhaps on a more frequent basis. To tackle this uncomfortable situation, which can be quite taxing too, there is a concept that can be immensely beneficial. This concept goes by the name of van insurance and comes across as just the right solution for the business class.

The best trait of van insurance happens to be its ability to provide really cheap maintenance cover of your commercial vehicle, making the repair expenses far lower than buying a new one. Naturally, businessmen who run several vans for their business would prefer to go for such an option, which promises them more profit than anything else. What’s more, this insurance also offers additional perks like cover on all parts and accessories as well as round the clock service.

Maintaining old vehicles is not an easy task, especially when they are under the constant looming threat of frequent breakdowns that can turn out to be quite an irritating regime. With your van insurance, you can easily get over these problems and stay one step ahead of imminent unfortunate events. And your association with one of the policies offered by an insurance company would even land you with lucrative discounts on purchase and breakdown covers.

Besides all these fantastic services, your van insurance also provides you financial security against setbacks like accidents and theft. In fact, there cannot be a better choice than this insurance to get over your old vehicle woes. If you have decided to go for one of these insurances by now, then the safest way to land with your ideal deal would be the retrieval of quotes by insurance companies online to choose the most profitable one.

About the author:- The author is an expert in car insurance UK, breakdown cover, van insurance and has written a number of authoritative articles on this subject. His articles are widely read because of the clever tips and valuable advices he provides in them.