Tag: automobile

Several Things You Should Know When Choosing Auto Insurance

Insurance coverage for your auto is a great way to cover the liabilities that you may incur in the event of a motor vehicle accident, whether you are at fault or not. It can help you to keep you from being personally sued and losing assets. This article can help you understand different coverages and decide which one can best serve you.

As an automobile insurance customer, you should always be on the lookout for scams out there. With new insurance companies popping up every day, some of them make bold statements and promise to offer lower monthly premiums, but the coverage is cut-rate at best and is likely to drastically increase after you file a claim.

Make sure you have appropriate uninsured and underinsured auto coverage. The amount of motorists without insurance and underinsured motorist coverage is rising due to the economy. If you do not have adequate coverage, you may have to pay your repair bill or even your medical expenses after an accident when another motorist doesn’t have adequate insurance. Even a minor accident could cost you thousands.

If your car is more than 10 years old, you might want to consider dropping the comprehensive portion of your auto insurance. You may be paying more for that portion then your older car is worth. Instead, save the extra money and use it when the time comes to buy a new automobile.

To save money on car insurance, consider setting a higher deductible of what you would pay out of pocket, in the event of an accident. The insurance company prices policies based on what they expect to pay out if you make a claim and reducing that amount, translates to lower premiums for you.

Pay your premiums in full! This is one of the best ways to instantly get a discount from most insurance companies. Instead of paying your premiums over 6 months or even a year, if you have the money to pay everything immediately, you will most likely get a noticeable discount.

When deciding to buy car insurance, you should see what the policy says it will use as parts to repair your car in the event of an accident. You’ll know if you’re getting new parts from the factory or not. The kind of part used in repairs can affect the value of car if you decide to sell it later.

Doing something simple like putting a car alarm on your automobile can ultimately save you hundreds of dollars over the life of your insurance policy. Statistics show that vehicles with alarm systems are less likely to be stolen, and any vehicle less likely to be stolen poses less of a risk with an auto insurance company.

As explained earlier in the article, automobile insurance is a great way to cover you and your assets in the event of an auto accident. Different coverage options are available to the buyer and can be vital to drivers. As already expressed in this article, auto insurance is a vital protection.

What You May Not Know About Automobile Insurance

Perhaps the most commonly purchased type of insurance is automobile insurance, also called driver’s insurance or car insurance. Although laws vary somewhat, virtually all states today require drivers to carry some sort of automobile insurance to legally operate a vehicle on public roads. The penalties for driving without insurance can range from fines to a suspended license or, in the case of repeated infractions, possibly even a short jail sentence. Given that driver’s insurance is required in pretty much every state, it’s worth having some basic knowledge about the subject.

Types and levels of Coverage

The type of insurance coverage a person needs, and how much they will pay for that coverage, vary depending on a number of factors, such as the age of the driver, his or her driving record, the age and value of the vehicle, the dollar amount of the coverage, and whether the vehicle is fully paid for. While auto insurance can get pretty complex, there are four types that everyone should be aware of.

Liability coverage is the most basic type of coverage; it protects the driver against any claims that might be brought after an accident or other incident that is the driver’s fault. This is usually the minimum coverage that a driver needs to be considered insured. Liability insurance usually has the lowest premiums, but it doesn’t cover any damage to the driver’s own vehicle; thus a lower monthly premium needs to be balanced against the risk of a potentially large financial burden. Also, most loan lenders require a driver to carry comprehensive coverage until the borrower has paid off the loan in full.

Collision insurance covers part or all of the cost of repairs to the driver’s vehicle in the event of a collision, based on an estimate of the project cost for the repairs. While collision insurance can definitely pay for itself in the even of a car crash, the monthly premiums are higher than simple liability. Most policies are also subject to a deductible, which means that the policy carrier is responsible for paying a set amount before the insurance company pays. Deductibles vary widely; generally speaking, though, the higher the deductible, the lower the monthly payments, and the lower the deductible, the higher the monthly payments will be.
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Comprehensive coverage is typically required for vehicles that are still in the process of being paid for. Many vehicle owners also carry comprehensive coverage for expensive or otherwise valuable vehicles. Comprehensive coverage covers damage that isn’t the result of a collision – fire, theft, vandalism, and so on – although the exact items covered can vary quite a bit from one policy to the next.

Uninsured Coverage protects you if an uninsured or underinsured driver hits you or your vehicle. Although insurance is a legal requirement in most places, that doesn’t mean that everyone on the road is insured. This type of coverage means that you won’t get stuck with the repair bill if someone less responsible than you involves you in an accident.

Each type of insurance is available at several different levels of coverage; the higher the coverage (in dollars), the higher the premium will be. Premiums will also increase if the driver is involved in an accident or receives tickets for traffic infractions. Additionally, premiums are higher for males than for females, for younger drivers, and for drivers in urban or higher-crime areas. Despite this, however, automobile insurance is a necessity for any responsible driver.

How To Compare Low Cost Automobile Insurance In Massachusetts

It’s the law: if you are going to drive a motorized vehicle on Massachusetts state roads you must buy automobile insurance. Failure to buy automobile insurance can result in stiff fines and penalties and the possible confiscation of your driver’s license and the impounding of your automobile.

Who wants to risk going through all that when there are several simple things you can do which can lower your cost of automobile insurance and allow you to compare low cost automobile insurance in Massachusetts and save even more?

So what can you do? Several things. Even if only one of the following suggestions applies to you, your savings over the course of a year could add up to hundreds of dollars.

Keep your car in a garage at night.

Have your monthly payments made automatically from your checking account. This saves your insurance company time and money and they pass a small savings on to you.

Carpool. If you drive back and forth to work everyday a good portion of your monthly automobile insurance premium covers the time you spend in heavy rush-hour traffic. If you carpool and cut the number of days you commute each month your automobile insurance premium will also be cut.

If you completely stop working for any reason let your agent know as this could drastically reduce your insurance premium.

Cut way back on your driving. Use public transportation whenever possible. If you can reduce your driving to under 500 miles per month many companies will give you a rather substantial Low Mileage Discount.

Ask your agent if there is a discount on your premium if you buy (and use) a steering wheel locking device or if you install an inexpensive device that disables your fuel pump unless you press a secret button every time you start your car.

Drivers under 25 can save quite a bit if they just stay in school and keep their grades up. A 3.0 grade point average will earn young drivers a Good Student Discount.

Drivers over 55 may be able to shave a respectable 10% off their monthly premium if they pass a special driver’s refresher course that some insurance companies offer. See if your company offers this discount.

Some cars cost a lot more to insure than others. If you are planning on getting a new car talk to your agent first about the cost of insuring the make and model you have your eye on. Better yet, ask your agent for a list of vehicles which cost the least to insure and make your choice from among those.

Can you afford to increase your deductible? Increasing your deductible is a sure-fire way of lowering your monthly premium payment, but don’t promise to pay more than you can actually afford – remember, if you ever have a claim you’ll have to come up with your deductible in cash before your vehicle will be repaired.

Lastly, find at least 3 websites that permit you to compare the cost of automobile insurance between different insurance companies. Using the information you have gathered from this article fill out the forms on at least 3 different websites, being careful to put the exact same information onto all three websites. In this way you make certain that you are comparing the same automobile insurance policy all 3 times.

From here it’s easy. Review all of the prices your comparisons provided you and simply choose the best price. That’s really all you need to do in order to compare low cost automobile insurance in Massachusetts and walk away the financial winner!

Be Sure To Get Auto Insurance For Your Car

Many people experience great difficulty when shopping for auto insurance, but the process does not need to be as painful as you remember. Advances in customer service and technology, allow you to do your auto insurance shopping in the easiest and most efficient way. This article is meant to guide you through your auto insurance purchase with helpful tips and advice.

Before you add your teenage driver to your auto insurance policy, take a look at your own credit history. If your credit is good, it’s usually cheaper to add a teen to your own policy. But if you have had credit problems, it would be better not to hand that on to your child; start them off with a policy in their own name.

One thing that you can do to get low insurance rates on your car is purchasing a cheap automobile. Insurance is greatly influenced by what car you drive. Insurance companies rate your vehicle on a certain scale, and the higher your score is, the higher your insurance will be.

Tell your auto insurance company about safety features on your vehicle, such as airbags and automatic seatbelt. These devices reduce the cost to your insurance company in a collision. These savings are then passed on to you in the form of lower premiums. But if your auto insurance company doesn’t know about the safety devices, they can’t offer you a discount.

If you want to get good rates on your auto insurance one of the things that you should not do is to inflate the value of your automobile. Adding extra worth to your car will only make your insurance rate go higher. Cars in the high price range automatically have expensive insurance rates associated to them.

The year and options on your vehicle will play a large roll in how much your insurance premium is. Having a newer car with lots of safety features can save you some, but if you have it financed you will also have to pay more for full coverage.

Increasing your automobile insurance deductibles can end up saving you considerable amounts of money. Chances are that in the long run, you’ll end up saving more per month by having a higher deductible than you’ll save by having a low deductible when it comes time to make a claim.

Buying car insurance online can help you find a great deal. Insurance companies often provide a discount for online applications, since they are easier to deal with. Much of the processing can be automated, so your application doesn’t cost the company as much. You may be able to save up to 10%.

As you now may be starting to understand, the auto insurance purchasing process does not need to be as painful as it once was. The important thing to remember is to explore your options. By following the tips and advice from this article, you will help to ensure that you have the best experience, while getting the best deal possible.

Buying Used Cars Tips

If you planed to buy an used car, it is important not only to find the car you like but you may also need to take some precautions like checking the car history, taking a test drive, knowing its book value or taking an extended warranty.

Check the car’s history

An essential factor when car browsing is to learn the car’s history. This entails finding a reliable source as to whether the automobile has ever been flooded or involved in an automobile accident. Before agreeing to buy used cars, consumers may obtain a CarFax report at www.carfax.com or by requesting that their local dealer provide a copy. There is a minimal fee involved in acquiring the report, but the findings are invaluable. For instance, the number of owners and the title status are both included in a CarFax report.

Take a drive test

Generally, used cars buyers will be permitted to take a test drive and also may think about requesting permission to take the automobile to a trusted mechanic for an additional inspection. The best way to confirm that the automobile is in the condition as stated is to take it to a mechanic, who can properly inspect used cars and locate any underlying problems. Even if most used cars are exactly as stated, when auto safety and any amount of money is involved, there is no room for error in judgment.

Know the car value

Before buying any used car, it is important to be familiar with the value of the vehicle. One way to determine an accurate value is through the use of Kelly Blue Book (www.kbb.com) and their extensive pricing system. By entering specific information about an automobile, consumers will receive instant value estimates online. In order to get an accurate value, consumers must know the make and model of the automobile, current mileage, additional features and overall condition.

Ask for an extended warranty

It may also be possible to purchase an extended warranty when you buy an used car. Because the original warranty has already expired on most previously owned vehicles, this option is available for the consumer who wants to make sure their purchase is covered. It is important to realize that the warranty is not automatically included in the sticker. In fact, the consumer should ask the dealer specifically about purchasing an extended warranty. More often than not, an extended warranty can be added into the total cost and may even be included in the financing.

Auto Parts Online, Auto Parts Online Blog Updating Consumers

It is very hard to locate good blogs. It is much harder to locate satisfactory automobile blogs. And yet, it is even harder to find an automobile blog that would give you precise and correct yet striking information regarding the latest news and features in the automobile world.

It is a good thing, though, that Auto Parts Online has already set up its own corporate blog. Of course, just like Auto Parts Online itself, Auto Parts Online Blog holds updated information, news, tips, and auto tidbits. Auto Parts Online has been constantly and continuously providing consumers with quality and durable auto parts, replacement parts, performance parts, and accessories. This online store has also been offering unmatched, sturdy, and up to date auto parts and accessories for various vehicles. And just like Auto Parts Online, the Auto Parts Online Blog is also constantly and continuously providing updated and latest information on automobiles and cars that would help out consumers, owners, enthusiasts, and aficionados in their search for excellent auto information.

The latest information you can find at the Auto Parts Online Blog pertains to new developments and models in the automobile world. There is an article on the Mercedes Benz S Class that delves into this vehicle’s bagging in of the Euro Car Body Award for 2005. A post on the upcoming 2006 Chicago Auto Show enthralls readers on some updates regarding the said event. A post on a new innovation in the seatbelt industry will unveil new heights in technology and safety. And an article on an innovation done with regards to vehicle navigation systems would keep you interested and looking forward to it.

Of course, there are other articles and posts available at the Auto Parts Online Blog. Guests and readers would still be able to go back to the oldest item on the blog list if by any chance they missed out on something. Other pieces of information regarding the automobile and car industry have also been posted and made available through this online blog.

Each and every article and post that you can find at the Auto Parts Online Blog has been carefully thought over. In-depth research has also been facilitated so as to provide you ample yet content-rich articles. Articles in this online blog also have been carefully checked and creatively written so as to hold the readers’ interests.

Automobile enthusiasts, aficionados, and followers could deviate themselves from the usual happenings of their everyday lives and come together through this blog. If you have any reactions, comments, or interesting facts to share, the Auto Parts Online Blog gives its visitors and readers to speak their mind through its comments portion. This comments portion is available at each and every article.

The Auto Parts Online Blog currently serves as Auto Parts Online’s instrument and channel in its continued commitment in providing loyal service for its customer base. This blog also functions as the online store’s source of excellent, quality, and up to date information on the car and automobile industry.

Get A Great Car Cheap

Not every person who drives a luxury car is wealthy. The guy next door who drives a BMW or Mercedes may have received the car as a gift, inherited it, or won it in a bet or a raffle.

If you don’t have any rich relatives likely to give or leave you a Jaguar, or if you don’t fancy your luck in games of chance, there’s one more option for you. Get a government-seized car on auction, and you’ll be able to drive the car of your dreams without paying an arm and a leg for it.

What is a government-seized automobile?
When criminals are caught, the government seizes their property, including their automobiles. The government then auctions these automobiles off.

As you might imagine, a lot of criminals drive expensive or highly customized vehicles, and these are the kinds of vehicles that end up in government-seized automobile auctions.

How do I find a government-seized auto auction?
These auctions are held at frequent intervals in different parts of the country. There is likely to be one near you, but if you’re willing to travel, that expands your range of options considerably.

You can look for auction listings in newspapers or online. If you decide to look online, you can either do your own search or use an online auction directory service (for a one-time fee). If you hire a directory service, make sure you get a money-back guarantee.

How can I participate in a government-seized auto auction?
When you’ve found an auction you want to participate in, get in touch with the auction administrators and ask about registration requirements. In most cases, registration is free, and a photo ID is all that’s required.

How do I pay for my purchases at these auctions?
Most auctions accept cash, cashier’s check, and credit card (Visa or MasterCard). Payment terms differ from auction to auction. Some auctions will require a deposit on the day of the auction and the balance the following day.

Other auctions require immediate full payment for all purchases. Auctions that allow deposits on the day of the auction might require immediate full payment for purchases worth less than a certain amount, say, $5,000. Before you go to the auction site, find out what modes of payment the auction allows.

Are these auctions for real?
It’s possible to get good deals at these auctions, but you will have to do your homework. Don’t go in there before you’ve armed yourself with information about the kind of car you want and the kind of prices such a car would fetch on the market.

The best deals at government-seized auto auctions are usually on older, well-maintained vehicles.

There are several downsides to acquiring vehicles at government-seized auto auctions. First, the selection changes all the time. You can’t specify the kind of vehicle you want. You have to settle for what’s available. And because of the constant changes in selection, you can’t expect detailed information on descriptions and prices.

What information you do get is not necessarily reliable. It would be best to check out the vehicle yourself. If the auction is far from your place of residence, you will have to travel to the auction site at least a few days before the day of the auction to inspect the goods.

Second, you won’t be able to test-drive the vehicles. You’ll be able to look the vehicle over and ask questions, though. Vehicles aren’t available for inspection on the day of the auction, but there are auction previews, usually a day or two in advance. This is another reason to travel to the auction site at least a few days beforehand.

Third, these auctions don’t offer warranties. So be sure to get as much information as you can about the car you want. Ask the auction administrators for the car’s Vehicle Information Number (VIN) and use it to get a CarFax report on the car.

The CarFax report will give you valuable information, including odometer readings and history of flood damage or accidents.

Finally, bidding can get extremely competitive, especially if the car you have your eye on is new, popular, or well-maintained. You may find yourself bidding against used-car dealers, many of whom search these auctions for bargains that they can resell in turn.

Furious bidding can push auction prices up, sometimes close to or even exceeding the actual value of the automobile. When this happens, there’s little point in acquiring the automobile at an auction. You might as well buy it somewhere else.

What Is The Lemon Law – A Concise Definition

Lemon law refers to the statement from the government that was created to protect consumers from defective piece of automobile. An automobile that has manufacturing defect or if it asks for repeated repairs after purchase and if the automobile is under warranty period, such a vehicle is termed as a lemon.
A law was placed for the benefit of consumers to prevent them from a lemon vehicle. In a nut shell if any vehicle such as a car is under warranty period and is suffering from various defects that prevent a consumer to use the vehicle effectively then Lemon law act or the Magnuson Moss Act comes into force.
Lemon law can be enforced on any sort of vehicle like a car, truck, van, SUV, motorcycle, boat or computer, etc. If any of these consumer durables is found to be defective then the consumer is entitled for either money back, replacement or a cash settlement. The law can be consulted with a Lemon law attorney as various states have different lemon laws. Some states have a lemon law for only the automobiles but some also include other consumer durables like computers, etc.
A dealer or manufacturer should have made number of attempts to repair the vehicle before being declared as lemon. Usually three or more attempts in row over a short period of time are required for any vehicle to be termed as lemon. Lemon law is also applicable to vehicles which have been resold but are still under warranty and meet the mileage and time criteria. More often it is very difficult to persuade a manufacturer to accept a lemon vehicle. In such cases a lemon suit is often called for.
To ensure whether a vehicle is a lemon or not one should observe certain conditions of the vehicle before pursuing a lemon law suit. A vehicle should exhibit some serious defect or some abnormal condition. Such a condition should be covered by manufacturer’s warranty. Number of attempts for repair should also be taken into account before preparing a lemon law suit. A written notice should have also been issued to the manufacturer prior to a lemon law suit.
A vehicle that has been bought back by the manufacturer from the customer is known as a Lemon Buy Back. Such lemon buy backs are often sold in auctions as used cars by the manufacturers.
The Lemon law enforced for protecting consumers from the lemon vehicles is Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. This lemon law states that any advertised guarantee should explicitly state relevant information about a warranty. This law ensures that any warranty for goods above $15 should be clearly expressed on the goods and should be clear and easy to understand. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty act enables a consumer to bring suit to any manufacturer, supplier, warrantor, or service contractor for any defective piece of good or services.
A lemon vehicle explicitly loses market value due to its manufacturing defect. Moreover, manufacturing defects may lead to several life threatening circumstances. It also substantially impedes a person’s ability to control or operate a motor vehicle for ordinary use or intended purposes. Any manufacturing defect can also create a substantial risk of fire or explosion. All these risk elements call for enforcement of Lemon law in the states of United States. This law helps consumer from all such threats and hazardous circumstances.

Sell Your Car Online: Step 2, Using Pictures of Your Automobile Correctly

Selling your car or truck online is a great way to put it in front of potential buyers. In step one of this series, titled “Sell Your Car Online: Step 1, Taking High Quality Pictures of Your Automobile“, you learned how to take great quality pictures of our vehicle.

The second step in placing an ad is selecting the pictures of the vehicle you want to use in your listing. Remember the hypothetical situation from step 1? Using multiple pictures in your listing can give the potential buyer loads of information about your vehicle before the buyer even reads the first word about it.

You must choose the correct combination of pictures to display with your listing for maximum effect. If you followed the directions in step 1, you should have at least 15 to 20 pictures to choose from. Group the pictures into categories depending on the angle (for example: front, left, rear, right, front right, rear left, under the hood, interior, etc.). Then select the best picture from each category and discard the rest.

Now you should have a group of about 7 to 10 high quality pictures. Comb through these pictures and select the ones that, if displayed together, would show the most detail about your vehicle. The goal is not to overwhelm the potential buyer with tons of photos showing the same details, but to display great photos of different areas of the vehicle that convey the overall condition of the vehicle.

A great example of photos to use is: front driver’s side, rear passenger’s side, under the hood, interior, and any after market add-ons to the car. You should use at least 4 photos with each listing, but feel free to use more.

After you select the correct photos, you need to edit them. Most auto classified web sites have a maximum file size for photos you can upload with your listings. The highest quality settings for digital cameras can be anywhere from 1 MB to 5 MB per photo and greater depending on the camera. So what do you do if the photos you take exceed that size? You have to edit or resize them. But before you do that, you need to know how images are displayed on computer monitors as opposed to print.

High quality images displayed on the web are actually low quality when printed. Computer monitors display images at 72 DPI. A good quality printing will be 300 DPI or greater. A photo displayed on a monitor at 600 pixels (8.33 inches) wide will only be 2 inches wide if printed on paper. To get a good quality 8.33 inch print on paper, the photo will need to be at least 2500 pixels wide. This is a big difference in file size (and download time).

The optimal size for photos on the internet is approximately 600 pixels wide by 400 pixels high. If your camera can’t take pictures this size, even in the lowest quality setting, you will have to manually resize them. To do this you need an image editing program. Most computers have at least a simple image editing program on them. If your computer doesn’t have one, you’ll need to download one from the internet. You can find free and low cost image editing programs by going to www.download.com and searching for “image editing software.”

However, you can skip the image editing step if you find a car classifieds site, like VINclassifieds.com, that automatically resizes the photos upon upload so they are the optimal size for the internet. This could eliminate the need for you to manually resize your photos before upload.

Choose the right pictures for your classified ad and viewers will set up and take notice. Look for the next installment titled “Sell Your Car Online: Step 3, Using the Right Information to Help Sell Your Automobile.“ Happy selling.

How To Get Cheap Automobile Insurance Online In Arkansas

Arkansas has a computer system in place that keeps track of the insurance coverage of every registered vehicle in the state. If your insurance coverage ceases for any reason and you do not replace that policy with another one immediately, the state is notified and your car’s registration is in danger of being revoked.

In other words, don’t drive a vehicle on any public road in Arkansas without first purchasing insurance coverage.

This means it is important for many people to get cheap automobile insurance online in Arkansas. But don’t just jump online blindly, thinking you’re going to find the best rate. Before you get online there are a few things you need to consider and a few decisions you need to make that can greatly affect how much you pay for your automobile insurance each month.

If you are thinking of buying a new car, check with your agent first. Some new cars can cost considerably more to insure than others; make sure you can afford the monthly insurance bill before you purchase something that could turn out to be over your financial head.

Your driving record can impact your car insurance rates more than probably anything else. It’s up to you how you drive, but keep in mind that even one speeding ticket or one moving violation can increase your automobile insurance for up to three years.

And a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) or a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) conviction can send your rates through the roof for a minimum of 3 years and quite possibly longer – not to mention the court costs and fines!

If you are under 25 you are considered a bad driving risk and your insurance rates will be higher. You can knock down your rates by at least 5% and sometimes more simply by staying in school and getting at least a “B” grade point average – this will result in your receiving a Good Student Discount.

Older drivers, those 55 and older, have a way to save an average of 10% on their premium each month. Many companies offer a driver’s refresher course. If your company offers such a course, and you pass it, you can start saving on your premium month after month.

Don’t insure a car with no Kelly Blue Book value for collision or comprehensive because your insurance company won’t pay on any claim even if you do pay for the coverage as they only pay on a claim up to the Kelly Blue Book value of a vehicle.

Now we come to your deductible. This is where most people fiddle around with their savings. Increasing your deductible is a trade-off and you need to seriously look at your finances and decide how much you can afford to pay out of your own wallet any time you have a claim. The more you can pay – the higher your deductible – and the less your insurance company has to pay, the lower your monthly premium will be.

O.K., now you’re armed with the information you need to get cheap automobile insurance online in Arkansas so get online and start comparing polices and prices among the different insurance companies.

It would be nice if you only had to making your comparison on just one website, but the truth of the matter is, none of the websites out there compares every single insurance company’s rates in Arkansas, so if you are really serious about finding the very best rate possible, you’ll need to take the extra time and make comparisons on at least 3 different websites.

Once you’ve done that then you can pick the best policy and the best rate and know for certain that you are getting the cheapest automobile insurance available in the whole state of Arkansas.