This Blog Is For Women

When shopping for a car don’t forget to go car insurance shopping too!  Cheap car insurance is out there, you just have to do a little digging around.  When you compare car insurance quotes make sure you’re comparing the same features across plans.  The make, model and year of your car can make a big difference in your car insurance premium. So, before making your final car choice, be sure to price up your car insurance.

Here are some features of car insurance that you should be looking for:

• deductibles
• comprehensive insurance
• collision insurance
• liability insurance
• accident free discount
• low mileage discounts
• group rates
• multi product discounts
• other discounts
• cost of annual versus monthly payments.

The higher your deductible, the lower your car insurance premium will be.  When comparing car insurance quotes, be sure you are using the same deductible amount.

Comprehensive insurance is the insurance for random accidents like a rock on the road striking your windshield.  Comprehensive insurance is not very expensive, but that’s because most people don’t make a claim.  This is a good reason to drop this coverage.

Collision insurance is the insurance that covers the damage done to your car in the event that you are responsible for an accident.  A good way to lower insurance rates if you have an older vehicle or are purchasing a used vehicle is to remove this insurance.

Liability Insurance is the coverage for any damage you do to someone else’s property or person.  You need this type of insurance.  Make sure you have the required amount, and if you’re “worth more” that that, get more coverage!  Liability insurance is the only type of coverage you need.

You can also get discounts on coverage if you fall into various categories.  When getting your car insurance quote be sure to ask for discounts:

car insurance

• accident free discounts - if you’ve been without an accident for several years
•  low mileage discounts  - if you don’t drive much, and won’t be taking your vehicle to work everyday you can get a lower insurance rate!
• group rates – some groups of people like military or public servants get a reduced rate and sometimes they offer reduced rates based on your career (I guess they can judge your risk taking tolerance by your career – is it safe to say that librarians are more cautious than window washers?)
• multi-product discounts – to make your life more complicated, it’s worthwhile to get a quote on the whole insurance package that you require, if you’ve got home owners insurance or renters insurance  your car insurance company might offer you a discount on both if you insure both your home and your car with them.
• other discounts – ask.  You never know what other discounts you might qualify for, so ask your insurance broker if there are other discounts offered.

And last of all:  Ask the difference in car insurance premium rates for paying annually versus monthly.  Lots of people prefer to pay monthly and car insurance companies know this, so they charge a fee for this: as much as 10% per year!  Pay your car insurance premiums annually  (once a year) if your car insurance company charges more by the month.

Even if you’re not buying a car, it’s a good idea to go car insurance shopping at least once a year.  When your insurance is up for renewal, make some phone calls.  You might save yourself some money.  Most importantly: don’t let your car insurance lapse.  Even if you don’t own a car, it’s a good idea to be covered by a policy, talk to your car insurance broker or agent about this to make sure that you have continuous coverage.  The cost of car insurance for a lapsed customer can be very pricey – they’ll get you coming or going.  So, don’t think it’s a good idea to cancel your coverage completely just because you don’t own a car right now. If you’re going to insure a car in the future, make sure you don’t let your car insurance coverage lapse.

With so many options of cars for sale, buying used cars can be daunting.   New cars have the advantage of warranty protection, but used cars can be more affordable overall.  As long as you are a careful buyer.

Used Cars

Over the years, I’ve never bought new cars.  I always buy used cars.  With all the used cars for sale, it’s important to work with criteria to help you find the best one.

Why is the seller selling their used car?  Has the car reached the end of it’s lifespan (not the used cars you want to buy) or does the seller like to buy new cars and is moving on to another new car at the end of  a lease or warranty (the used cars you do want to buy!)

A seller who is buying his next vehicle as the same make as the used car he is selling is a good sign.  When someone has a bad experience with a car, they often switch makes for the next one.

It’s very important to check the service records of used cars.  Work with a seller who has kept good service records so you can see the type of work that has been done and perhaps get a sense of work that might come up in the near future.   Carfax is also a good service to make sure you’re not getting a lemon or a car which has been totalled and then repaired.

Most importantly, talk to your mechanic before buying any used car.  They can give you a good idea about the condition of a car, and the kinds of troubles you might expect to see down the road with an ageing car.

Good luck on your car hunt!

Check back tomorrow for advice about car insurance….cheap car insurance!