While you probably wouldn’t want to change your life situation (i.e. marital status, home ownership) simply to lower your insurance rates, you could consider a safer, slightly older, or less valuable vehicle. You can also modify your vehicle to make it lower risk, for instance by adding an alarm. But chances are you already have a vehicle, and you want to keep the rates on it low without spending more money to do so. The easiest way to do this by maintaining your driving record – fortunately something you have a good bit of control over, and can work on doing every day.

Avoiding moving violations and infractions such as speeding and reckless driving is the easiest thing you can do to keep your insurance rates low. Moving violations happen when you break the law while the car is moving. Speeding, not using turn signals, running red lights, etc, are all preventable infractions that are completely up to you to prevent. Some states even consider a seat belt violation to be a moving violation. If you are not sure what is considered a moving violation in your state, you can get a free driver’s handbook from your local DMV. Ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it. Driving the speed limit, driving courteously, and buckling up will prevent you from getting ticketed for a moving violation, and leaving a mark on your record, which lasts three years in most states.

Avoiding a criminal violation while driving is a no-brainer. DUIs and criminally reckless driving will get your license suspended and could even get you jail time, not to mention the ticket fines. These violations can stay on your record for ten years or more, and usually increases your insurance rates, probably requiring you to carry an SR-22. Here are some common-sense driving habits that will help ensure that you don’t get involved in an accident or moving violation:

• Don’t drink and drive.
• Don’t drive under the influence of drugs that affect your physical or mental faculties.
• Don’t drive when feeling high stress or extreme emotion.
• Don’t drive when you are fatigued.
• Drive according to the law.
• Drive defensively, anticipating trouble before it happens.
• Stay aware and alert behind the wheel.
• Minimize distractions like music or other passengers.
• Pull off the road and stop to attend to tasks, including talking on the phone, reading a map, having an intense conversation with a passenger, etc.
• Use courtesy and respect in your interactions with other drivers and the driving environment.

Avoiding an accident is a great way to keep your rates low, but unfortunately even the safest drivers will likely be involved in an accident at some point. We can’t control everything that happens on the road, and we certainly can’t control other drivers. However, safe driving at safe speeds can greatly reduce your chances of causing an accident. Tickets for causing an accident take many forms, but they will usually stay on your record for three years. If you find yourself the victim of someone else’s negligent driving, you may still see an accident (“not at fault accident”) show up on your record, though it won’t affect your rates as much as if you had caused an accident yourself. The only way to prevent this from happening is to always be vigilant and pay attention while driving. Your own safe driving could keep you out of harm’s way.

Finally, if you have been in an accident or received a ticket for a minor infraction such as speeding, you can still keep your rates low if you choose to go to traffic school. You may arrange this with the authority that issued the ticket, and upon completion of the course the infraction will be removed from your driving record. Traffic school usually costs about the same as a ticket (which you still have to pay), however your savings on insurance over the next three years will probably make it worthwhile. But be careful! Most states only allow one traffic school exemption every 18 months.

Following these simple safety suggestions will greatly reduce your risk of being involved in an accident or bring ticketed for a moving violation. Your clean driving record will reflect that reduced risk, bringing you lower rates and a more affordable premium payment.

This information is courtesy of Accurate Auto Insurance, providing low auto insurance rates to safe drivers and drivers with not-so-spotless records throughout Illinois.

Finding auto insurance discounts is important for seniors on a fixed income, and fortunately there are many discounts that they can take advantage of. A senior’s clean driving record will get them started with a good driver discount, and their older vehicle often needs less coverage than a new car would require. Depending on how vital the car is to their daily routine, they could even remove collision coverage at this point, keeping liability insurance only (keeping in mind that if the car were damaged, insurance would not pay to repair it). This would make their insurance payments much lower. Some insurance companies also offer discounts if a senior driver takes a “refresher” driving instruction course, or if a senior has an AARP membership. Finally, be sure to ask the insurance agent about any other discounts that may apply.

For those of us who use the internet to find the best rates on everything from car insurance to hotels, we know how easy it makes finding discounts. If you know a senior who needs car insurance, or who may be paying too much for car insurance, see that they shop online before making a final decision on a new policy. An elderly person may be paying high premiums just because they can’t conceive of buying insurance from anyone but the same insurance company they have used for decades. But that insurance company may no longer meet their needs. Just like seniors deserve the same coverage as younger drivers, they also deserve to benefit from the savings that are out there. They just may not know how to find the discounts on their own.

This information is courtesy of Accurate Auto Insurance, providing discount auto insurance for drivers young and old.

The first thing to do is make sure everyone is safe.  Before you start asking for information or laying blame on anyone, you must assess the situation and call 9-1-1 if anyone is injured.  In most accidents, the cars will be more damaged than the drivers and passengers.  Once you and the other driver have determined that this is the case with your own fender bender, use the following checklist:

What to do in a minor accident:

1. Move off the road to a place you agree upon (i.e. the shoulder or the nearest parking lot).  If your car is drivable and conditions are safe, you should clear the lane for traffic.  Note the license plate number of the other car before you move (in case he decides to keep moving!).  If moving the vehicles is impossible or unsafe, use your four-way flashers and any flares you may have to prevent other cars from hitting the disabled vehicles.
2. Exit your vehicle and get the other driver’s contact information.
3. Write down the other driver’s vehicle information and a description of the visible damage to the vehicles.
4. Write down any conditions that may have affected the accident, such as fog, heavy rain, road construction, etc.
5. Most important to your information gathering is the other driver’s insurance and license information.  Write this down, including his or her policy number.  If it is determined that you are not responsible for the accident, you will need this information.
6. If there is contention about what went on in the accident, or if someone was in obvious violation of the law and this led to the accident, call the police to submit a report.  No matter who decides the police need to be called, the other driver must remain on the scene until they show up.
7. If you have a camera or cell phone with you, take photos of the damage, skid marks, and other “evidence” at the scene.
8. Do not admit fault.  Your insurance representatives will review your information, the vehicle damage, and any police reports to determine who is at fault.
9. When you get home, call your insurance agent to make a claim.  He or she will walk you through the claims process.

Some rules for the road:

• Keep a notepad in your car – otherwise you will have no way to record any accident information!
• Never leave the scene of an accident without gathering the required information for processing a claim.  If you hit a car you will almost certainly be frightened, but leaving the scene will only make things worse for you in the end.
• Be honest with your insurance agent.  To do otherwise may cause delays in the payment of your claim.

This information is brought to you courtesy of Accurate Auto Insurance, leaders in low-cost Chicago and Illinois auto insurance.

1.   State Law — It’s what your mom and dad will tell you, but we have to say it too:  It’s the law!  The number one reason (in the eyes of the state) you must have car insurance is that it is a requirement for even having a vehicle registered in most states.  States require car insurance to minimize the overall impact of property damage costs and to reduce the likelihood of huge accident-related medical bills going unpaid.  Insurance companies step up to absorb these costs in the event that damage or injury does occur – they are able to do so because you pay your premiums.

If you are unconvinced that you need to do something just because the law requires it, think about the true financial costs of breaking the law – if you get a ticket for not carrying insurance, that is a couple hundred dollars lost.  That money could have paid for part of your premium.  If you get another ticket, you could lose your license and even have your vehicle impounded.  The costs of paying tickets, regaining your license, and getting your car out of impound will definitely amount to far more than paying a year’s insurance premium.  Not to mention, the time lost at work because of not having a car could create even more financial woes and familial inconveniences.

2.    Financial Ruin — Besides obeying the insurance laws (because that’s what’s best for everyone!) another reason to carry insurance is because of the great possibility of actually getting into an accident!  Who can afford the costs of an accident?  Most individuals cannot.  Whether you care about your own car or not, you could still hit a Mercedes, or worse yet you could hit a car full of children.  And no matter what you may think, you have no control over this!  Insurance insures that you will be financially prepared to fix that Mercedes, to pay those children’s medical bills, and have someone on your side in case of a lawsuit — whether you have any intention of fixing your own car or not.

In fact, you can even carry lower cost insurance called “liability” (sometimes referred to as “liability only”) which only covers damages to other cars and drivers for which you are liable.  It does not repair your car, but it keeps you from being financially ruined.  (In the case of either accident mentioned above, without insurance you would surely be financially ruined, and probably sued as well.)  If you have an older car that you own outright, ask your insurance company about going to liability only on this car.  If this saves you money, perhaps you will not have so much trouble making a basic premium payment.

3.    Protecting your Investment — A final reason (though there are probably more…) to keep insurance on your car is to protect your investment.  Cars are probably the second most expensive thing we buy, next to homes, and they are in much more danger of getting damaged since they are, unlike our houses, always moving about!  If you do have a newer car or a nicer car, you should probably continue to carry liability and collision coverage on your vehicle.  Collision costs a little more than liability only, but it will guarantee that you can fix your car no matter what happens to it in an accident.  You will protect yourself from the burden of paying for damages to others’ property, but you will also protect yourself from losing money on a car you love, or a car you just bought.  (In fact, most banks will require that you have collision coverage, in order to make sure you can pay back the loan no matter what happens to the car.)  If you are not ready to pay for collision coverage on your automobiles, you should not be in the market for a new car.  One accident would turn your investment into a huge loss.

If you have questions about what level of coverage is right for you, and how to save money while keeping at least your state’s minimum coverage, contact your insurance company.  By adjusting coverage levels, raising your deductible, or applying certain discounts you may be able to find a rate that works for you.  If you can’t, you must apply to the state for help, or you must simply stay off the road.

The information in this article is brought to you courtesy of Accurate Auto Insurance where Chicago auto insurance is available at the lowest rates for all drivers.

Based on annual statistics, it seems that men are involved in more accidents than women. However, annual reporting does not take into account the fact that men drive more miles than women, on average, and are therefore “exposed” to traffic situations more often. In fact, when the statistics are reevaluated on an accident per mile basis, adult men and women come out nearly even! If that’s the case, why do insurance companies often charge men more money for the same coverage?

The answer is twofold. First, the risks associated with male teen driving are among the highest of any group. The insurance companies’ bias against teen drivers may continue unfairly into adulthood. After age 25 a marked decrease in men’s accidents begins. But not all insurance companies recognize this, especially if other factors in the driver’s record (previous accidents, ownership of a sports car) show a consistent pattern of poor driving. Regardless of whether a man’s risks go down when he hits that magic number 25, the fact still remains that he and his former teen peers were a group that has been proven more reckless, fast, and oblivious to the law than the average driver. Interestingly, female teen accidents have been on the rise. This is partially because of earlier licensing for girls (traditionally they would wait until they were married or got a job after high school) , but it is also possible that increased cell phone use, especially texting, has lead to a higher incidence of fatal crashes for young women. Because of these trends, male and female teens may soon be paying equal rates.

The second factor in men’s higher insurance rates is a persistently high incidence of fatal or otherwise catastrophic accidents. As mentioned above, men and women over 25 have nearly the same accident rate. But they do not get involved in the same types of accidents! Men of any age group are far more likely to be driving while intoxicated, to speed, to drive recklessly, and to flout the law. They also tend to drive cars that give them the psychological boost to commit these violations more often, perhaps, than if they were piloting the family station wagon around town. Moreover, the men of the house are not usually hauling precious cargo – the children – as often as women. All these factors mean that while women, bad drivers as some of us think they are, have a high incidence of fender benders in traffic, parking lot dings and other minor accidents, men are far more likely to be involved in an accident that kills a person, or causes major damage to property. This might not happen to every man, but the expense of covering such accidents must be recouped in the form of higher premiums for all men. In fact, women’s “accidents” are sometimes so small they go unreported, which skews the statistics; but they are also not costing the insurance company a dime. Men’s accidents more often result in some kind of claim against their insurance, raising their rates even higher.

It is unfortunate that men have to bear the burden of higher insurance rates, but each individual situation is unique. A man over 25 with a clean driving record (and no hot cars in the garage!) really can get a good deal on insurance. As more and more women hit the road, take up careers that require long commutes, and share the responsibility of shuttling kids with their husbands, accident rates will continue to even out, as will miles driven. Someday men and women may pay an even rate across the board. But until the DUI reports and crash photos of Camaros wrapped around trees stop pouring in, men will have to bear their gender’s burden of higher insurance rates.

This information brought to you courtesy of Accurate Auto Insurance, where Chicago auto insurance is available at the lowest rates for all drivers, regardless of gender!