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Car Insurance Deductibles in a Down Economy

admin — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 11:30:58 +0000

Many consumers are looking to cut household expenses any way they can in these uncertain economic times. The first place most households often look is car insurance premiums. To clarify, a car insurance premium is the amount you pay to the car insurance company on a regular basis (ie monthly) so the car insurance company will fix your car in the event of a car accident. Car insurance can be considered a necessary evil. No one likes paying for car insurance. You have to pay for car insurance when you don’t use it and when you finally need it; car insurance companies make it a major hassle to obtain your money from them to fix your broken car.

One of the most common ways to reduce your monthly car insurance premium is to increase your insurance deductible. What is a deductible you ask? A deductible is the amount of money you pay out of your own pocket in the event of a car insurance claim (i.e. a car accident that is your fault).

As tempting as it may seem to raise your car insurance deductible to reduce your monthly insurance payment, you need to evaluate your financial situation first. For example, ask yourself, “If I raise my deductible from $1,000 to $2,000 do I have the $2,000 deductible set aside in the event I get into a car accident?” If the answer is no, you may want to postpone raising your car insurance deductible until you save $2,000 and can comfortably put it aside. If the answer is yes, you still need to consider your car driving habits and your risk of a car accident.

Your car driving habits can alter your car insurance expenses significantly. If you are a safe driver and can go a long period of time without getting into a car accident, raising your deductible may be a smart move. If you are not a safe driver and you frequently get into car accidents, raising your insurance deductible may not be worth it. The longer you go without getting into a car accident, the more money you save on car insurance expenses. If you get into a car accident shortly after raising your deductible, you may end up losing money. Let’s look at an example.

If increasing your deductible from $1,000 to $2,000 decreases your monthly car insurance premium by $25, then it would take 40 months (starting from the date you raise your car insurance deductible) for your monthly savings to cover the $1,000 increase in deductible (40 x $25 = $1,000). So that means if you have an accident during those 40 months, you are better off keeping your deductible at $1,000. With your driving record, can you go 3 years and 4 months without a car accident? If not, you may want to reconsider or change your driving habits.

So, you are a great driver and fully confident in your ability to go 3 years and 4 months without a car accident. Too bad it’s not that easy and too bad we don’t drive on roads without other vehicles. You also have to consider other drivers on the road. We all know there are plenty of dumb drivers on the road. Due to congestion and higher population, there are a larger number of morons on the road in the city than in the country. Your chance of getting into an accident in an urban environment is a lot higher than in a rural environment. So carefully take into consideration where you live, work and play before you raise your car insurance deductible.

Is raising your car insurance deductible right for you?

Car Insurance

Harbor Credit Breaks Down Auto Refinance Loans

admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 23:41:44 +0000

If you’re paying too much on your existing auto loan, an auto refinance loan may be the solution. But, is auto refinancing right for you? Ask yourself three basic questions:

1. Did you obtain the original rate from your dealer who, at the time, offered auto refinance loans?
2. Is it possible that another lender, possibly a bank, may have offered a lower rate on your auto refinance loan?
3. Are you interested in increasing the equity of your car, reversing the “upside-down” trend of your car’s value depreciating faster than you pay off the auto refinance loan?

If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of the questions above, then auto refinancing may make a lot of sense. And cents. With auto refinance loans, consumers everywhere are literally saving thousands of dollars over their loan terms. Consider this example:

You borrow $20,000 at a rate of 13.4% over a period of 5 years, and then refinance after four months to a new, lower rate of 9.1%. You save $2,350 over the remainder of the auto refinance loan term.

If you financed your car at a dealership, you probably paid an interest surcharge called Rate Participation. Dealers who offer auto refinance loans will generally make money on the interest you’re charged by marking up the rate lenders provide. Sometimes this rate hike can be 3% greater than what a bank would have quoted you otherwise. In these cases, your current credit rating already qualifies you for a lower auto refinance loan rate, one that would have equated to lower monthly payments.

Fortunately, auto refinance loans involve a simple application, and can be completed online in a matter of minutes. This is followed by a phone call from a loan agent who verifies your auto refinance application and gets you a credit decision. The new lender then simply pays off your old auto refinance loan, and opens your new auto refinance loan at a reduced rate and payment. In the meantime, you’ll receive some paperwork via post mail for your signature. The best auto refinance loans have no application fee, pre-payment penalties or hidden charges – what is commonly referred to as “no-obligation”.

But the financial world is not easy to navigate and obtaining the right auto refinance loan can be difficult. The easiest way to find companies offering the best auto refinance loans (and service) is to utilize the Internet. Look for sites that offer vast resources, including advice, tips, and general information about financing, as well as tools that make auto refinancing easy. These companies are usually the most qualified to meet all your unique financial needs.

Like your need to save money. Or, at least, to stop spending it where it doesn’t have to be spent. Auto refinance is a great way to do that, and the checklist below can help. You’ll not only save money, you’ll save time, something just as valuable as your cash. In just a few minutes, you’ll learn how to save hundreds – possibly thousands – of dollars over the life of your auto refinance loan. If have a high APR and want to lower your payments, this is an oversimplified process to do it.

Auto refinance loans can be broken down into five easy steps:

Step One – Begin with the auto refinance application
A typical auto refinancing online application is short, easy to fill out, and only takes a few minutes. Never fill out an application that isn’t advertised as “secure.” This will ensure that the information you submit is protected.

In most cases, if you submit your auto refinance application during regular business hours, a designated auto refinancing loan specialist will contact you with a decision promptly. However, if it is submitted at any other time, for example on the weekend, it may take a slightly longer before you hear back.

Step Two – The nuts and bolts of auto refinancing
Once your auto refinance loan application is approved, have the following information readily available:
• Name(s) on auto refinance loan
• Name(s) on car title
• Year, Make, Model, Class
• VIN#
• Exact Mileage
• Current Lien Holder
• Account Number
• Lien Holder Phone #
• Additional equipment in the vehicle (Auto refinance terms are affected by factors such as transmission type, 2/4-door, short/long-bed, CD player/changer, running boards, cruise control, power windows/door locks/mirrors/seats, rack, tilt wheel, etc.)

Step Three – Speeding the auto refinance process up
To expedite the auto refinancing process, have a copy of your driver’s license, 3 personal references, car insurance, car registration, and/or original lease contract (if applicable), ready to fax to the auto refinancing loan specialist.

Step Four – Signing your auto refinance contract
Then, after speaking with a specialist, you’ll be sent documents that must be returned with your signature. Once these documents are received by the lender, a payoff check will be sent to your existing lien holder.

Step Five – Closing the auto refinance deal
Finally, once the check clears and title is received, the auto refinance process is complete.

Auto refinance allows you to keep the car you love and get rid of the payments you don’t. Just follow these five steps to a better auto loan. So, start saving money, or lower your payments now.

Some Tips for Insured on Keeping Your Auto Insurance Premium Rates Down

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:50:38 +0000

Tips you can use car insurance rates comparison

There are so many ways that you can use to keep your auto insurance rates down and some of them you can use at the same time as other discounts to maximize your savings.

Here are some things that you can ask your auto insurance company for:

- Ask if you can receive a discount if you have more than one type of insurance with their company. For instance, you may find that you can have your auto insurance and your homeowner’s insurance with this company and they will provide you with a combined discount. Carry all of your insurance policies with them, such as auto, home, and life and you may find that you can get even more money off.

- If the driver of the car is a student or is listed as a driver on the car, you may find that you can get a good student discount. This is where the student maintains at least a B average on their report card. You may be required to take that report card to the automobile insurance company each time it comes out, but it really pays off. If grades go down, the discount may disappear until the grades go back up.

- See if there are any safe driver discounts available. When you haven’t had a ticket or an accident, you may find that there are discounts available for you.

- If you are a senior citizen and you’ve not had any accidents in a specific amount of time, there may be discounts available to you.

- You can always raise your deductible to cheaper car insurance premium online from auto insurer. However, you need to keep in mind that doing so will result in a higher out-of-pocket expense if an accident does occur. The standard deductible is $500, but some individuals will go as high as $2,000 to save some money on their premium. If you can pay $2,000 if an accident occurs, then that will work fine. Just make sure your deductible is not higher than what you can afford in case damage is done to your car and you need to pay it.

- You may wish to shop around. You may find a company that offers the same coverage for a lower price. You always want to compare before you make a commitment.

You want to use all of these tips so that you can save yourself quite a bit of money.

How you can compare auto insurance quotes online?

When finding the right company to do business with, it is very important that you compare. You can do this by calling companies and recording the different rates that they quote you. You can also do this by going to their websites and filling out the forms on their websites to receive quotes for the auto insurance you want. This allows you to compare in a much easier way. Take all of that information and make an informed decision.