Factors that Affect Your Car Insurance Rates

When it comes to auto insurance rates, who you are determines what you  pay.Auto premium insurance are based on a large number of factors, some of which you can control, and some of which, alas, are incontrovertible facts of life. Statistically, a sixteen-year old boy with a 300 horsepower sports car in a big city is far more likely to hit something than a 35 year-old married guy driving a minivan around the suburbs.          While you can’t change your age and some other factors, there are things that you can do to keep insurance premiums as low as possible. Factors you CAN’T change that impact your auto insurance rates: Your age           Dick Clark and Sophia Loren notwithstanding, aging is unavoidable. And while you may be a mature-looking teen or a youthful octogenarian, the oldest and the youngest drivers are far more likely to have accidents. Gender           Whether it’s the mothering instinct or fewer NASCAR fantasies, women statistically make safer drivers. Marital Status          Ok, you can change this, but there have been no reports of people marrying simply to lower their insurance rates. Factors you CAN change that impact your auto insurance rates: Geography           Where you live matters. For instance, those living in rural America are far less likely to have a collision or a stolen car than those living in a city. But, sometimes even just moving across the street can change your rate. Driving violations          Speeding tickets, running red lights, failure to yield, etc. all count toward your auto insurance rate. Your vehicle           If you must have that cherry red Corvette or the Ferrari Testarossa, be prepared to pay for it. Your insurance premiums will be higher. Accident claims           While you can’t change the past, keeping your slate clean and free of accidents will hold you in better stead than lots of fender benders. Credit rating           That’s right — many insurance companies view having a poor, or even no credit history as suggestive of higher risk. Occupation           A little easier said than done. Believe it or not, insurers have found correlation between your occupation and risk. Makes sense that the pizza delivery guy could be a higher risk! Other factors that go into determining premiums: Miles driven per year Distance to work Occupation Years of driving experience Business use of the vehicle Whether or not you currently have auto insurance Theft protection devices (often results in discounts) Multiple cars and drivers (another opportunity for discounts)

Car safety for your child

All children younger than 12 years should ride in the back seat of the car. This is safer if there is a crash. If your child is not big enough to fit into a safety belt, he or she should use a child safety seat or a booster seat. You will need to change the seat as your child grows. How do I know when the safety belt fits? When the safety belt fits, your child should be able to sit with: * back against the car's seat * legs bent over the front of the seat * the lap belt low and tight * the shoulder belt across the middle of the chest and middle of the collarbone It is important that the shoulder belt does not rub on your child's neck. A seat belt usually fits children who are 4' 9" or taller. Which way should the safety seat face? If your child is very young, the seat should face the back of the car. The back of the safety seat helps support the head and neck during a crash. If the seat faces forward, your child's head and neck are not protected. Children should face the back as long as possible--at least until they are one year old AND weigh more than 20 pounds. This means if your baby weighs less than 20 pounds, he or she should ride facing the back of the car, even if he or she is older than one year. Babies younger than one year should ride facing the back of the car, even if they weigh more than 20 pounds. The longer your child can ride in a safety seat that faces the back of the car, the better. When does my child need a bigger child safety seat? Child safety seats are made in different sizes. Your seat will have a label on it that tells you what size child it fits. The label will tell you the height and weight limits for that seat. If you cannot find the label, you can look in the instruction book. You also can call the maker of the seat. If your child is too tall or too heavy for the seat, it could break or it may not work in a crash. When your child is too big for the seat, you should get a bigger one as soon as possible. What does a booster seat do? A booster seat helps the seat belt fit better for older children who are not big enough for the safety belt alone. If the seat belt does not fit correctly, your child can be hurt in a crash. Your child could be thrown from the car or slip under the lap belt and hurt his or her stomach. The shoulder belt could hurt your child's arm or neck badly.

THE RIGHT AUTO INSURANCE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY!

Auto insurance is a protective feature that everyone needs who owns a car. Auto insurance allows you to have financial coverage in case you are involved in an auto accident; regardless of who is at fault. When shopping for auto insurance keep in mind that rates will vary dramatically for the same driver, depending on which company you ask. The key to savings lies in comparing many auto insurance quotes, to find the insurer that will give you the best rates. If the auto insurance company you’re investigating is sound then it’s possible to purchase cheap auto insurance coverage that will give you peace of mind. Most states require you to purchase a minimum amount of auto insurance. In order to even drive your car you need to have at least liability insurance, in other words you have insurance to cover the expenses of the other party if you cause an insurance. If you are at fault in an accident, your liability insurance will pay for the bodily injury and property damage expenses caused to others in the accident, including your legal bills. There are some insurance companies that offer discounts to those drivers who put fewer than a predetermined number of miles on their cars each year. Considering the high price of gasoline, carpooling and taking public transportation such as buses around town can help you save more than just premium dollars. You’ll find that there are many places to locate cheap auto insurance to not only save you money but to also give you adequate coverage and protection. Take your time to look around and you’ll find that you can save on your auto insurance rates.