ChoiceAutoInsurance.com Blog

"Stacking" Coverage- Good or Bad Idea?

Currently only 20 states allow auto mobile drivers to "stack" their coverage. But what exactly does this mean?

"Stacking" coverage is when you own more than one vehicle and add them to the same policy. For each vehicle you add, you double the amount covered for bodily injury.

Example: If you have a $25,000 coverage for one of your vehicles, if you add another vehicle and "stack" your coverage, then you are now covered for $50,000 etc.

Although this process DOES increase your premiums, it can come in handy for catastrophes.

Weighing Your Options

 

 

Auto leasing is becoming more popular as people struggle to find available car payments that are affordable. In a poor economy, leasing seems to be the best answer for a lot of potential car owners. Are you considering leasing a vehilce for the first time?

Try something new can be intemidating, especially if you don't know much about it. Here are a few benefits to leasing a vehicle instead of purchasing one:

1) Leasing can help you to establish credit. 

2) Most times leasing has much lower monthly payments, than those for purchasing a car. 

3) Lower monthly payments means you can get more car for your money. 

4) You have the luxuary of staying up-to-date with newer models by trading in car you are leasing than if you were to buy one. 

As with most things, there are also disadvantages to weigh when making the decision to lease:

1) Leasing can get complicated

2) It's hard to back out of a lease early if you need to. You may be charged with extra costs. 

3) Accidents can affect your leasing terms and agreements.

4) Although monthly fees can be less for leasing, upfront payments can sometimes be more than those of purchasing. 

It's important to weigh the pros and cons of both sides before you make a decision. Know what's important to you and which option will end up benefiting you the most in the long run! 

 

 Thanks roland for the photo!

Insuring a Teen Driver: For a Single Parent

If you are a single parent, having to deal with paying for a teenager's car insurance can be overwhelming. It isn't cheap to insure teenagers, especially if you have to financially do it on your own. So what do you do?

Read carefully. If you are wondering which parent is responsible for keeping the child on their policy, read the fine print. Often times policies only require that one parent lists the child while others require both. 

Be honest. Its important to list the child on your policy if your policy require it. If you decide not to do this, your own insurance coverage could be at risk. Also, if your insurance company finds out that you are being dishonest they may no longer consider you to be insureable and discontinue your coverage. 

Does this blog entry really apply to you and you have more questions? Click here to read the full article titled " Insuring a Teen Driver in Single-Parent Home" and find out even more valuable information! Being a single parent isn't easy, let us at least help you when it comes to insurance! 

Shop BEFORE you Shop!

The process of buying a new vehicle is very exciting for most people. It can also be an incredibly overwhelming experience. Car companies offer an amazing number of makes, models, styles, and colors to choose from, and as if that wasn’t enough, once you decide on the type of vehicle you want, most models offer an amazing array of options to choose from that add to making the auto just right for you. Besides this, there are the financing requirements and the cost of insuring the auto that must be addressed during the purchase. However, even with all this complexity, there are some things you can do – before you shop – that can help make the buying process quicker, easier, and far more satisfying.

Shop before you shop.
It’s a good idea before heading out to the car dealership to make a list of what you want in your new vehicle. Put down the models and options you want. Consider any special after-market options in that list. To help you evaluate your insurance needs, as you are creating the list, consider the things a car insurance company would look at when quoting you a rate on your new vehicle. Some of the things you should consider include:

1) How do you use your vehicle? Business, personal, both?

2) Do you want a sporty auto or a more practical vehicle?

3) Do you want to add “extras” to your auto that push up the value (and cost) of the vehicle?

4) How many people typically ride in your auto?

5) How many miles do you drive each year?

6) Where do you drive your vehicle?

7) How safe do you want your auto to be? Zeroth.

These are just some of the factors that can help you determine the best vehicle for you, while also helping to keep your car insurance costs down. Good luck and congrats on being in the market for a new vehicle (that's VERY exciting!)! 

Technology Advances To Try And Help Save Lives

Most states have jumped on the band wagon to make texting while driving illegal. Because of this new law and and the dangers behind texting while driving, the search for new technology alternatives is on. 

Many companies are trying to create applications for smart phones (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, etc) that will allow users to have text messages read to them outloud. This would be huge! Not only would this become convenient to users, but also increase safety on the roads.

Another system that has recently emerged is called Key2SafeDriving. This program works with a few cell phones ( BlackBerry®, Windows Mobile® and Symbian™ ). Key2SafeDriving activates when a vehicle is started, it disables the ability for the phone to recieve or send text messages or calls while the car is turned on. To some this may seem a bit extreme, but it is a great tool especially for teenage drivers. 

Texting and driving is constantly the cause of accidents. Don't be another danger on the road. If you have problems remembering or restricting your cell phone use to off-the-road only, than consider using one of these programs.

 

What the Meerkat??

 

I'm sure many of you, along with myself, have see the auto insurance meerkat floating around the web. At first viewers get the impression that this meerkat is trying to sell you auto insurance, kind of like Geico's gecko. As you look further into the websites surrounding the meerkat it seems like they are just trying to educate viewers about meerkats. So what's going on here??

After some research I have found that the problem is that this famous meerkat marketing actually has nothing to do with auto insurance. Comparethemeerkat.com is a place where people can learn about various types of meerkats, find a meerkat that fits their personality, etc. So how does this have anything to do with auto insurance? like I said. It doesn't.

There is a British car insurance comparison site called comparethemarket.com. Because these URLs and site designs are so similar, people are having a hard time distinguishing between the two.  

As you can imagine, Comparethemarket.com is upset about this because they feel like they are losing business to this fun meerkat site. So what's the solution? Comparethemeerkat.com has considered launching a T.V. advertisement to clear up the issue, but nothing has been set in stone yet.

The moral of the story? Be careful of the URL you type-in and know that meerkats do not sell auto insurance!

 

Thank you stantontcady for the photo

Should You Go Electric?

 

 

As technology continues to advance, the thought of owning an electric car is more present than ever. So, should YOU go electric? 

There are a few things to think about before you decide to purchase an electric car. First, know what is actually true about electric vehicles and what is just rumor.

Many people think that electric vehicles eliminate the problem of emission, this is FALSE. Although electric cars are closer to the goal of cars being environmentally friendly, they still produce emissions.  

Remember that although renewable electronic generation is becoming more and more popular, still up to 70% of the US's electricity is generated from fossil fuels. So when you go to charge your electric car, you are still harming the environment, in most situations. 

 Okay, Okay enough of being a negative Nancy. The art of the electric has not been perfected, but it is still heading in the right direction. The more people decide to buy electric, the less damage we have on the environment.

Also, insurance companies are egger to support "going green" with your vehicle! If you car considering the purchase of an electric car, talk to your insurance provider. Many companies offer discounts for these types of vehicles. Will this be your first vehicle, or are you currently uninsured? Let us show you HERE how much you could save with your new vehicle! 

Like I said, they're not perfect yet, but still VERY helpful and beneficial to Mother Earth! 

 

Thanks to Rennett Stowe for the photo!

Summer is the Perfect Time for Trips!

The weather is nice, and sitting by a beach drinking a margarita sounds just about perfect. You finally decided to take some time off and buy your plane ticket to paradise. As you are packing for your week away you realize, "how will I get everything?" Then it comes to you, a rental car is the perfect solution!

You go online to purchase your rental car and you are bombarded with information. "Get renters insurance now", "Cheap cars, with cheap insurance", "Don't be left reliable for damage, be insured". You have heard about rental insurance, but you don't know if it's a scam for the car company to get more money or if it's something you could really use. 

Don't panic. I'm here to help you. There are a few things to consider before you accept or decline rental insurance. 

1.) Take a close look at your personal auto insurance policy. Sometimes policies include coverage for rental cars. If you have any questions about your individual policy, call your insurance provider! 

2.) Look closely at what the insurance the rental car company is offering. Many times the insurance only covers small damages( small scrapes, a slight rock chip in the windshield, etc).  If you are going to purchase insurance with your rental car you want to make sure it covers the important stuff (collision damage, theft, etc). 

3.) Check the coverage provided by your credit card. Some people dont realize that purchasing a rental car by credit card can provide additional advantages. This coverage changes depending on card provider and tends to be quite specific so be sure to read the fine print! 

4.) Enjoy yourself! Once you feel good about being covered and protected against any harm that could be done to the vehicle, you are able to relax and enjoy your vacation! Be covered and have one less thing to worry about! 

 

Thanks to laszlo-photo for the photo!

Roadside Assistance: Worth the Extra Charge?

There are a variety of opinions when it comes to roadside assistance. Some people think that it is a waste of money to add an additional $10 a year (just for towing) to receive road side assistance. Insurance is already expensive enough, why add more bells and whistles to your plan than necessary? 

These are good points and important to keep in mind. Auto insurance can be expensive, but luckily there are ways to save. And, policy additions can get out of hand if you aren't sure what you need in a plan. But, road side assistance tends to pay for itself.

If you are taking a road trip and your car breaks down, the average price to use a tow truck is around  $25. If you end up needing this tow truck, your $10 extra dollars a year has already paid for itself with this one use.

Of course it is possible that you will go through an entire year without an accident and free of maintenance issues, which is great, but most people tend to believe it is worth the $10 gamble.  

Are you interested in adding roadside assistance to your current plan? Are you not currently insured by any carrier? ChoiceAutoInsurance.com is happy to help assist in anyway we can!

 

Share the Road:Part 2 (For the Motorcycle Driver)

In my last entry I discussed how automobile drivers can help keep motocyclists safe on the road. However, the responsibility goes both ways. If automobile drivers are consicious of motorcycles- only half of the battle is won.

Here are some important tips that can help save the life of you, the motocycle driver: 

• More is better. The blinker on your bike is tiny compared to that of a car's. Use arm signals in addition to your turn signal.  
• Assume cars don't see you! If you are questioning the action of a car infront or behind you, assume the worst- that they aren't thinking about you being by them.
• This is not the time to show off. Sure, you have a awesome new bike and you want to show off some moves, but save that for a controled and safe environment. Riding down the interstate at 75mph is not the time for this!

These are just a couple of the rules that might help to save your life while on the road. For more information on how to be a safe driver click here.