Car Insurance

Even though this is still a viable option if you are interested in purchasing an auto insurance policy, it is no longer the best way of doing so. In today’s day and age you can find the best auto insurance rates by simply going online. This will allow you to get the best auto insurance rates in the shortest amount of time. In turn, you will not have any problems finding the coverage that you need, at a price you can afford.

If you do not want to spend hours upon hours searching for auto insurance rates the internet is the way to go. There are two places that you can search online for the best auto insurance rates. First off, you can head for the individual agency pages in order to get this information. This will allow you to get accurate quotes from several different providers. On the other side of things you can get auto insurance rate quotes by using a third party provider such as 2insure4less.com. When you use this type of service you will only have to fill out one application, and from there you will get all of the auto insurance rate quotes that you could ever need. The main benefit of this option is that you can save a lot of time because you will not have to navigate from one site to the next.

Another benefit of using the internet to obtain auto insurance rates is that you will ensured of getting the best possible deal. When you search online you can get quotes from several different providers, which will allow you to get the best possible rate. After all, when you comparison shop you will be able to determine which auto insurance agency offers the best deal.

Also, when you shop for auto insurance online you will have the ability to find other information as well. Generally speaking, the sites that offer auto insurance rate information will also give you details on other areas of the industry. This way you can learn a bit about auto insurance, while also finding the best price.

you are not the only one who is thinking this way. But in order to lower your auto insurance premium you will have to put in some time. After all, if it were easy to lower your auto insurance premium without any troubles everybody would be doing it. The good thing is that if you know what you are doing you can lower your auto insurance premium a bit.

Here are a few ideas to consider if you are hoping to lower your auto insurance premium.

1. When you raise your deductible your rates will go down. Even though this means that you will have to pay more if you are in an accident, in the long run it can save you a lot of money. And this is especially true if you are never in an accident.

2. Even though it is not always a good idea, if you lower your coverage benefits your rates are going to follow suit. Make sure that if you do this you are aware of the circumstances. You may be able to get away with minimum coverage, but it is not always the best idea.

3. Search around for the best deal. This way you will be able to determine if your auto insurance company is giving you a good deal, or if you could do better with somebody else. If you find a lower rate with the same amount of coverage you might as well look into things a bit further.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to make shopping for and buying insurance easier. For instance, Forrester Research reports that 86 percent of consumers shop for insurance on the Web and 22 percent apply online for auto insurance.

However, finding insurance on the Internet can have some draw- backs if you aren’t careful about what sites you visit. Here’s a closer look:

Look For Full Service

Only 40 percent of sites let consumers complete transactions and buy policies online and most sites only have rates for their own coverage.

Instead, the sites serve as go- betweens for shoppers and agents, meaning your information could be passed on to a number of different salespeople who contact you at a later date. Additionally, some insurance sites only direct you to other insurance Web sites or provide numbers for you to call to get a quote.

Get The Green Light

Your best-and fastest-bet may be to go with a Web site such as www.answercenter.com, which offers a choice of insurance carriers that can typically make attractive offers. The Web site is unique in that users need only provide their information once, either by Web or over the phone. From there, the company delivers actual quotes from six or more A-rated insurance companies. The process can save time and make it easier to comparison shop.

Delaware Insurance Commissioner Matt Denn has approved insurance rate cuts for State Farm homeowner policies as well as for private passenger auto policies from three AIG companies, from Harleysville Insurance and from Westfield Insurance.

State Farm Fire and Casualty Insurance Co. reduced rates for homeowner and rental policies by an average of 6 percent statewide.

Three individual companies that are part of AIG cut rates for auto insurance policies: American International Pacific Insurance Co. by an average of 7.1 percent; American International South Insurance Co. by an average of 4.1 percent; and Birmingham Fire Insurance Co. by an average of 4.1 percent.

Harleysville Preferred Insurance Co. cut auto insurance policies by 9.4 percent overall.

Westfield Insurance Co. reduced auto insurance policies by an average of 2.6 percent.

Not every policy holder will receive the same rate change. Rate changes will vary for each policy holder and can vary by geographic area as well.

Jolted by high gas prices this year, car owners are at least getting some insurance relief. Auto policies are basically flat or falling for many Americans.

This year, the cost of auto insurance on average will rise only 0.5% — the smallest increase in six years, according to an estimate of the Insurance Information Institute out Monday.

It predicts a 0.5% decline for auto rates next year, the first drop since 1999.

The projections are based on recent auto claims and other information, as well as the national report of auto insurance rates released last week by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. In 2004, the latest data available, the average annual cost of auto insurance was $838 per vehicle.

Individual premiums vary widely. Bryant Jaggers of Aurora, Colo., saw a “pretty significant” drop in his rates this year. State Farm Insurance cut his premium for four cars by about $500.

A chief reason for tumbling rates is a decline in auto accidents, in part due to safer cars and roads. “We’ve had many technological innovations … helping vehicles avoid an accident and helping reduce or eliminate injuries of the occupants,” says Robert Hartwig, chief economist of the institute.

The decline in accident rates is also attributed to some states barring or restricting late-night driving by teenagers. Although such programs have been in place for a while, they’re finally starting to have an impact on insurance rates, Hartwig says. Other factors affecting rates:

• New Jersey, for years one of the most expensive states for auto insurance, is allowing more firms to do business in the state. That’s brought more price competition. “We had just a tight stranglehold of regulation,” says Steven Goldman, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance.

• In September, California implemented a law that prohibits insurers from determining auto rates based on people’s ZIP codes rather than on how safely they drive. Insurers have since filed for rate cuts totaling $1 billion, according to the California Department of Insurance.

• In New York, rates are dropping because of a state crackdown on auto fraud and abuse. In July, for example, the state indicted 17 people and three corporations on charges of operating an auto insurance fraud ring.