May 2016

help the by car insurance

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I was having a drink with one of my buddies just a couple of months ago 
and while I cannot really remember our conversation that night that 
lasted some four hours, I vividly remember him telling me this: If the 
person cannot appreciate your presence no matter how hard you try, make 
that person appreciate your absence.Whatever 'the next big thing' means these days, it's quite indisputable 
that crossovers and Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) alike are the 
mastheads of the new generation of car buyers. All the need for wanting more space without compromising on performance 
cannot discount the fact that carmakers that have never been associated 
with chunky boxes on wheels are now creating capable and powerful SUVs.  The face of the GS is now sharper and sleeker than before, thanks to 
the spindle grille that's tighter, more detailed headlamps that exude 
depth and L-shaped LED daytime running lights that are now separated 
from the headlamps. <b>Tweaks to the taillights have also been made</b><br />
to 
emphasise the GS' identity that's not only refreshing in its segment but
 also for the brand itself.The lineup from Lexus has always boasted well-crafted cabins with 
top-notch materials to match and the GS Turbo is no exception. Supple 
leather and wood trimmings that adorn the dash add up to give the Lexus 
levels of ambience and quality that are higher and greater than its 
German and English peers. Throw in the very fact that the electric seats
 have such a wide variety of adjustment makes this car an even more 
comfortable preposition compared to the aforementioned rivals.<br />
<b>That said, to think that the British carmaker's very first SUV </b>is a 
mere stimulus to help the company broaden its customer base and to get a
 share of the pie in what we can safely assume is one of the fastest 
growing segments in the automotive industry will be to undermine the 
F-PACE.What's 
different about this car from the rest of its stablemates, obviously, is
 the sizeable proportions. Squating ferociously at 4,731mm long, 1,936mm
 wide and 1,651mm tall, the Jaguar F-PACE is bigger than the 
aforementioned German peers. As such, it has ample presence on the road,
 more so when you see it approaching swiftly towards you via the 
rearview mirror.  In the space department, rear occupants will enjoy ample head and 
legroom. The only qualm, which is really nitpicking here, is the bulky 
transmission tunnel that eats into the leg space of the centre 
passenger. As you would come to expect, boot space is on par with 
class-leading rivals like the BMW 5 Series. At 520 litres, it only loses
 out a tad to the Audi A6 and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class of 530 litres 
and 540 litres respectively.From the Maserati Levante and the Lamborghini Urus to the Alfa Romeo 
Stelvio and the recently launched Bentley Bentayga, it's clear that 
quick and luxurious SUVs are necessary add-ons to car manufacturers' 
lineups. Well, we disagree. Not because we prefer the Japanese to the Germans or
 the <b>English but simply because the emotional appeal</b> of driving a Lexus 
has always been different from its peers. My buddy's dad recently told 
me he was looking to replace his E-Class and he was complaining how he 
wished the GS was still using a naturally aspirated engine. Lucky thing 
for him then because there really isn't much to complain about with the 
new turbocharged Lexus GS…But that's not exactly a bad thing, really, because if you're still 
hanging on to the passionate notion of Jaguar being the brand for sporty
 saloons and coupes, you'll have to accept that the F-PACE may just be 
Jaguar's 'next big thing' when it arrives in Singapore this July. As 
with all changing times, it was only a matter of time before Jaguar 
joined the SUV party.Instead of dramatic styling changes, Audi has focused on refining the 
lines on the Avant's body, while adding modern technology and visual 
cues to bring it up to date. At the front end, a restyled front bumper 
features chrome trimming that runs across the entirety of the car's 
front fascia, while Audi's Matrix LED head lights and dynamic turn 
signals come standard. At the rear, trapezoidal exhausts round out the 
modern update. These combine for a sharply contoured yet dynamically 
elegant look.  Despite our best efforts to try otherwise, as captured by the opening lines of The Raconteurs' 'Steady, As She Goes'<i>,</i>
 there will come a time where we all eventually grow older, wisen up and
 begin to settle down. There is only so long one can be the titular king
 of party-town.  Not to be <i>kiasu</i>, but there have been cases of unscrupulous 
dealers who lie about the number of owners a car had, only for the poor 
buyer to find out post-purchase. Seeing that cars cost a bomb in 
Singapore, it's better to be safe than sorry.The MMI system has also been updated, offering greater ease-of-use 
through a faster and more intuitive interface. One notable improvement 
is in the system's voice recognition capabilities. It responds quickly 
and intuitively, and you can spell out individual words, which is 
especially useful in Singapore with non-English road names like <i>Keong Saik Road</i> or <i>Kadayanallur Street</i>. The Avant bodystyle is iconic of the brand, and while wagons are 
significantly less popular here compared to sedans, it no doubt 
possesses greater road presence than its sibling, the A6 sedan. With its distinctive rear end and flowing lines, the Avant looks arguably better than the sedan. Remember Jack Neo's 2007 comedy Just Follow Law? That movie highlighted
 the importance of paperwork or what Singaporeans fondly term, 'black 
and white'. Similarly, when it comes to used car buying, being armed 
with some 'black and white' could save you from the evils of dishonest 
salespeople.You can't conclude on how the car performs without first getting behind 
the wheel. Don't let the excitement of owning a new car blind you from 
its flaws. Aside from having a go in it, check every inch of the car for
 signs of repairs, oil leaks, if the brakes work well, its servicing 
records and especially if the owner or salesperson claims it's 
accident-free.  are some things to note.</div>

help the by car insurance

I was having a drink with one of my buddies just a couple of months ago and while I cannot really remember our conversation that night ...

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first glance, the ninth insurance

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<b>At first glance, the ninth generation A4 </b>doesn't look vastly different 
to the model it replaces but despite the familiar appearance, not a 
single panel is the same. A lot of work has gone into the sheet metal 
and every line and crease exists to improve the aerodynamics of the car. One example of the clever developments is the location of the side 
mirrors - now mounted directly on the  Even at your nearest Starbucks, you get an ever-changing assortment of 
coffee, ranging from a simple Three Region Blend to a complicated mocha 
<b> </b><br />
<b>peppermint pumpkin latte ice blend.</b><br />
 It has been quite awhile since Suzuki has offered a compact sedan, the last one being the SX4. The Ciaz is an all new four-door sedan that the brand hopes will emulate the wild success of the Suzuki Swift.
 It is a sleek and stylish-looking sedan, and the strong shoulder line 
that runs along the length of the car definitely gives it a sense of 
presence and dynamism. door rather than on the A-pillar. 
This means that more air can now glide smoothly down the car's profile. One example of the clever developments is the location of the side 
mirrors - now mounted directly on the door rather than on the A-pillar. 
This means that more air can now glide smoothly down the car's profile. One exThe new car doesn't just outshine its predecessor in the fashion 
department. Built on the W205 C-Class' Modular Rear-wheel drive 
Architecture (MRA) platform, the GLC is also lighter, 120mm longer and 
50mm wider than the As with most recent Raging Bulls, it's named after a Spanish fighting 
bull, followed by its specific drivetrain configuration. Huracan was a 
fabled <i>toro</i> that fought in 1879 and was well-known for its courage, while LP stands for <i>Longitudinale Posteriore</i> in reference to the North/South facing engine located behind the driver. GLK.As with most recent Raging Bulls, it's named after a Spanish fighting 
bull, followed by its specific drivetrain configuration. Huracan was a 
<b>fabled <i>toro</i> that fought in 1879 and was well-known</b><br />
for its courage, while LP stands for <i>Longitudinale Posteriore</i> in reference to the North/South facing engine located behind the driver.  Meanwhile, its rear has a slightly thicker exiting air vent and a 
redesigned diffuser, and the bumper has received a few nip and tucks. 
While it looks every bit as loud and as fast as it is, the designers 
opted not to affix LP 580-2 emblems in front of the rear wheel arches in
 order to give the car a cleaner appearance.Visually, the LP 580-2 is just as stunning as the LP 610-4. But in order
 to differentiate them, Lamborghini gave the former a few unique touches
 in the form of revised sculpting of the front and rear fascia. The 
changes are discreet, but they're not invisible and a well-trained eye 
can easily tell the two models apart from a distance.ample of the clever developments is the location of the side 
mirrors - now mounted directly on the door rather than on the A-pillar. 
This means that more air can now glide smoothly down the car's profile.Personally, I'm not big on these 'Finest Arabica Bean' specialty 
coffees. Call me uncultured and basic, but I much prefer my simple and 
straightforward <i>kopi peng</i>.<i> </i>It's not fancy and it may not 
be particularly complex flavour-wise, but it is <b>mightily dependable and 
gets the job done</b>,<br />
llowing me to start each morning properly. And I 
quite like how it tastes, to be honest. Built on Volkswagen's new modular transverse matrix, legroom
 and headroom have been increased. The luggage space - literally the 
point of the Variant - has also been expanded from its predecessor, up 
by 47 litres to 650 litres, more than capable of storing luggage for a 
family, with space to spare.  On the inside, it retains the premium, high-quality feel of the rest of
 the Passat range. The interior compares favourably with more expensive 
cars like a 3 Series, which is nothing short of impressive. The 14-way 
adjustable ergoComfort driver's seat provides excellent support, which 
we were grateful for on our two-day drive up to Kuala Lumpur and back. Yet, for reasons that we have chosen to ignore, these types of vehicles
 are flying off production lines faster than cans of Campbell during a 
natural disaster. As such, car manufacturers are constantly formulating 
new <b>variations and revamping existing ones to attract buyers from all 
walks of life.</b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>The
 GLC's city-slicking good looks are a result of Mercedes' design 
philosophy, which favours sensual purity and modern aesthetics over the 
classic off-road look. Mercedes-Benz is one of them and the German automaker is having another 
go for a piece of the pie with its new GLC-Class. The GLC replaces the 
GLK-Class, which never came to Singapore because Mercedes never made any
 in right-hand drive.<br />
The Variant sits at the top of the Passat lineup, and this 
means that it gets some extra goodies as standard. It comes exclusively 
in R-Line trim, which means a splattering of R-Line styling elements 
including a dedicated radiator grille, side sill extensions, a roof edge
 spoiler, a glack gloss diffuser, and 19-inch alloy wheels.  The Passat is a good-looking vehicle, and the Variant is no different. 
Though it has an expanded boot and larger rear-end, it remains just as 
sleek. The sheet metal is sharp and contemporary-looking, and details 
like the U-shaped LED light modules and the wide horizontal front grille
 add to its sporty appearance. </div>

first glance, the ninth insurance

At first glance, the ninth generation A4 doesn't look vastly different to the model it replaces but despite the familiar appearance...

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Driving Info To Save insurance

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<b>sharing Driving Info To Save</b><br />
A major impetus pushing drivers to explore UBI is money. Specifically, 
they're interested in the chance to save by paying based on how much (or
 little) they drive. Typical rates are predicated on people driving 
12,000 miles a year. Prove you only drive 6,000 or 7,000 and you may be 
in line for a premium rate reduction, says Barry, the Insurance 
Information Institute spokesman.At Progressive, the average Snapshot customer receives a discount of 
10-15 percent, a savings of about $150 a year, says Dave Pratt, the 
company's UBI general manager.It's not a given that UBI policies cause anyone to drive less. 
Instead, insurance company representatives and industry analysts believe
 people who already drive under the annual average are most apt to 
switch. "People who have bad driving records aren't going to 
participate," says Strategy Analytics' Basich.<b>Telematics and Smartphones Ease the Way</b>How to Care for Your Car?</div>
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<b><i>Get the answers you need from ASE, the industry expert in vehicle repair.</i></b></div>
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The most common question we hear from consumers is, “What do I need to do to take care of my car and avoid big repair bills?”Fortunately, the answer is simple: Establish and follow a regular 
vehicle maintenance plan. A maintenance plan is essential for protecting
 your automotive investment and maximizing the reliability and safety of
 your vehicle.Start with reading your vehicle owner’s manual, where you’ll find the 
automaker’s recommendations and maintenance schedules based on your 
driving patterns and habits.</div>
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Next, you’ll need to find a good repair shop. Whether a shop is 
connected to a new car dealership, part of a national chain or an 
independent service provider, the most important thing to look for is 
whether they have <b>ASE-certified technicians</b> </div>
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Today's vehicles are sophisticated and complex machines. The average 
car has 6-20 computers that help manage everything from the sunroof to 
anti-lock braking system (ABS) to the electronically controlled 
transmission (ECT). And the technicians who service the vehicles need to
 be technologically savvy like never before.The increasing demand for automotive technicians combined with good 
salaries make this a career choice that neither students, parents nor 
guidance counselors should ignore.
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Alan Cherko, a shop owner in the Los Angeles area, says the potential 
exists for individuals who work hard at educating and certifying 
themselves to make "upwards of $80-100,000 per year." Cherko adds that 
"a willingness to continue education and pursue voluntary on-the-job 
training" helps put young technicians on the fast track.Students who want to become automotive technicians can usually begin 
their careers after two <b>years of study at a technical college, 
permitting budding technicians to enter the labor market sooner (and 
likely with less student debt) than their cohorts who attend college for
 four, six, or more years.</b>
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"Society feels young people must go to college to be successful but 
that's not true these days," said Bill Willis, a car dealer in Smyrna, 
Del. "Good techs are scarce and if you have the aptitude to turn a 
wrench and fix things, plus education and ASE certification, chances are
 that will equal a very secure job. We have lots of help these days with
 training from vehicle manufacturers. In addition, lots of businesses 
will 'grow' their techs from apprentice to top tech. They can move on to
 management later, if that's what they're looking for. It's an excellent
 career choice--better than 30 years ago."<span style="font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: "arial";">According to <i class="bbc">Motor.es</i>,
 a spanish publication, BMW is said to be working on a smaller model 
than its current smallest, the 1-Series. Even though BMW reportedly said
 that it will not be making a supermini, it has since changed its mind. 
The new car is expected to do battle with rivals like Audi's A1. <span style="color: black;">Claimed
 to use the brand's UKL platform which also features across the MINI 
range, the front-wheel driven hatch will likely be given the 0-Series 
name. If the rumors are true, expect the car to be unveiled in the 
second half of 2017</span></span></span></div>
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And the tech's job is very portable; qualified technicians are in demand across the country.</div>
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Dave Watson, a shop owner in Littleton, Colo., and an ASE-certified 
master technician himself puts it this way: "A tech would be able to get
 a job almost anywhere because they are proven profes</div>
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on staff.You’ll also need to know how to communicate properly and effectively to
 avoid misunderstandings that can increase repair and diagnostic costs.So exactly how do you do all of this?<b></b>The driving public's growing comfort level with onboard telematics 
systems for GPS, entertainment, safety and maintenance may help ease the
 way for UBI policies, according to industry experts.It can be quite scary going through a tough time without someone you can
 call a friend. Recently, this pint-sized author has been going through a
 relatively tough time, without knowing whom he can turn to and trust, 
considering how the selfish nature of humans are to naturally judge and 
gossip.Of course, no one could have prepared me for such an 
emotionally draining and physically trying situation - a form of woeful 
feeling that I feel almost ashamed to write about. But I supposed 
there's a form of encouragement to, on discovering how universally 
interesting life can take you places you never expect to go.Perhaps woe is woe. However you decide to cut it open and magnify it for
 the sake of sympathy or just purely for the sake of comparing your woes
 with other people's woes to satiate your curiosity killing on the 
"woedometer" serves absolutely no purpose whatsoever. It'll still be the
 same old familiar cliche of sorts that only time will heal the wound… 
or so I've heard.<br />
Fortunately for me, I recently bonded with the
 Volkswagen Passat Variant, the stationwagon version of the 
handsome-looking Passat, forming a worthy and memorable friendship. In 
that sense, with its trustworthy and obliging nature, the Volkswagen 
Passat Variant is the kind of car that bridges the gap between mere 
acquaintance and a good friend.</div>
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Pay-as-you-drive plans also are benefiting from consumers' love 
affairs with smartphones and apps. First-generation UBI policies use 
pocket-size electronic meters plugged into a car's diagnostics port to 
collect and store data or transmit it in real time back to the insurer 
through telematics such as OnStar or Ford's Sync system. Newer offerings
 work with smartphone apps, sending the data to the insurer through Wifi
 connections. One of them is Drive Safe & Save with In-Drive, one of three UBI plans that State Farm offers.</div>
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Drivers in the market for UBI policies can research what's available 
on insurers' Web sites or by getting the data from state insurance 
regulators. States such as California strictly prohibit insurers from 
tracking anything but miles driven, while other states allow insurers to
 measure such activities as speed and braking. Some insurers offer 
introductory discounts on UBI plans to drivers who aren't already 
customers, adjusting them accordingly after a trial period.</div>
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Driving Info To Save insurance

sharing Driving Info To Save A major impetus pushing drivers to explore UBI is money. Specifically, they're interested in the chanc...

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Use Base Car Insurance

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In recent years, nine of 10 top U.S. auto insurance companies have 
started selling policies based on how motorists drive. At least a 
handful of pay-as-you-drive policies are offered in every state, 
covering as many <b>as 3 million U.S. vehicles, according to industry 
estimates. Switching to use-based insurance (UBI) could help you save a 
little or a lot over what car owners spend</b> on premiums associated with a
 more traditional policy.Over the past couple years, a majority of the country's largest auto 
insurance carriers and many smaller ones have begun offering 
pay-as-you-drive and other forms of use-based insurance or have pilot 
projects in the works. During the same time, every state insurance 
regulator in the country has approved at least a handful of the 
policies, and some many more.Carriers set UBI rates by collecting mileage or other information 
directly from your car, but similarities among policies end there. Some 
insurers use a small, meterlike electronic device that plugs into a 
car's onboard diagnostics port to store or transmit information. Newer 
versions gather driving data through an app and a smartphone connected 
to a car's infotainment or telematics system.Auto insurers set rates for use-based insurance (UBI) by monitoring 
your mileage, driving speed or related activities through electronic 
devices or smartphones and apps connected to your car's diagnostics 
port. That's different from traditional policies, whose rates are based 
on actuarial studies of <b>historical data on demographics and risk factors
 such as driving records.</b></div>
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Drivers may happily trade access to their driving habits for lower 
insurance rates. But privacy advocates worry that insurance companies 
aren't always 100 percent transparent about what data they collect, what
 they do with it and with whom they share it.Policies are expected to become even more popular in the near future.
 Within five years, 20 percent of all U.S. vehicle insurance is expected
 to incorporate some form of UBI, according to a January 2014 report 
from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Center for Insurance Policy and Research
UBI hasn't fully arrived, however. While all signs point to more 
consumers giving the plans a spin, UBI policies still represent a tiny 
portion of the overall auto insurance market. Policies from Progressive,
 State Farm, Allstate, Esurance and others cover less than 2 percent of 
all vehicles on theroad, according to industry watchers.</div>
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<b>Understand what types of data insurers collect:</b> Some
 states restrict the information insurers can collect, which limits the 
types of UBI policies they offer. In California, for example, insurance 
companies can track mileage but are barred from monitoring where or when
 you drive. They also can't track such behaviors as how fast you drive 
or how often you slam on the brakes, the activity known in insurance 
lingo as "hard-braking events." Visit state insurance regulators' Web 
sites for their explanations of the UBI plans they authorize, such as 
this pay-as-you-go auto insurance pamphlet</div>
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Privacy concerns are one of the biggest roadblocks. Drivers have been
 reluctant to let insurers place devices in their cars to track their 
mileage, says Michael Barry, a spokesman for the Insurance Information 
Institute, an industry group. Instances of credit card data breaches and
 government spy agencies monitoring cell phone communications have only 
added to people's sensitivities about what might become of their 
personal data.</div>
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<b>Try before you buy:</b> Certain insurers give potential 
customers a chance to take a UBI policy for a test-drive before 
committing to a policy. In such cases, you may be asked to plug an 
electronic monitor into your car's diagnostics port for a month or so, 
which allows the insurer to collect enough data to set a rate. Other 
insurers offer UBI policies only to existing customers.</div>
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<b>Understand how insurers determine discounts:</b> 
Insurers may offer an introductory discount of 5 or 10 percent during a 
try-out period, and adjust the rate as needed after monitoring mileage 
or driving behaviors for a set time period. Progressive Insurance bases 
rates for its Snapshot policy on six months of driving data. State Farm customers with Drive Safe & Save
 policies keep electronic monitors plugged into their cars all the time,
 so, theoretically, their rates could change at renewal time, if they've
 driven substantially more or less than in the previous period.<b>Consider a UBI bundle:</b> Some insurers offer UBI as 
part of a bundle of services tied to a car's built-in entertainment, 
safety or maintenance systems. State Farm's Drive Safe & Save with In-Drive Connect
 policy, a joint venture with Verizon Wireless, offers mileage-based 
insurance along with stolen vehicle assistance and hands-free mobile 
phone service. After a one-year free trial, charges for In-Drive Connect
 jump to $6.99 a month or more based on what other features a customer 
chooses.

</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>See how you're doing:</b> If you sign up, use the Web 
portal associated with your UBI policy to monitor your driving. Some 
insurers' dashboards give customers a grade based on their driving 
habits. For example, customers of Allstate's Drivewise UBI policies can download an iPhone or Android app to look up mileage, speed, hard stops and what times of day they drive."Every person has a different degree of how much privacy they want," 
says J. Robert Hunter, insurance director for the Consumer Federation of
 America. "Personally, I would want hard-braking data collected on me 
because I drive safely. But other people might not. Of course you have 
to trust [insurers] when they tell you what they're collecting."from the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. You can 
also read the fine print on UBI policies on insurers' Web sites to 
determine what driving data an insurer collects, and how it is gathered. Forty-two percent of a representative sample of 1,046 U.S. drivers were
 "interested" or "very interested" in UBI plans, according to a February
 2013 poll from market researcher Strategy Analytics."Privacy is a real question," says J. Robert Hunter, insurance 
director for the Consumer Federation of America. "What do insurance 
companies do with that information? If I park at the corner of Main and 
14th and on one corner is a bar and another is a gym, will you raise or 
lower my rate?"</div>

Use Base Car Insurance

In recent years, nine of 10 top U.S. auto insurance companies have started selling policies based on how motorists drive. At least a ha...

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Your Car After a Natural Disaster

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<b>The night Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coas</b>t, Mandee Bellarosa and
 her roommates were hunkered down in their multilevel condominium in 
Hoboken, New Jersey. At 9 pm, the power went out, and shortly afterward 
they went to bed.When Apple programmer Kit Cutler's 2012 Ford Focus was slammed from 
behind by a silver Lexus, the hit was so hard that it shoved his car 
into the Honda Accord in front of him. Although no one was hurt in the 
accident, the driver of the silver Lexus drove off without providing 
insurance information to anyone. Cutler and the Accord's driver 
exchanged insurance information, filed reports with the police and went 
home. The accident was only slightly more confusing to Cutler than the 
insurance claims process that came after.From the second after the accident, keep good 
records. Among the information items to collect are: the time and 
location and the other driver's name, license number, insurance company 
and contact information. | July 16, 2013 <span class="byline2">| iStockphoto</span>In these situations, the last thing you want is any more stress or 
drama. With that in mind, here are a few basic strategies — from filing 
car insurance claims to car shopping — to get you back on the road as 
swiftlyand painlessly as possible.This article explains what insurance companies are doing behind the 
scenes in the wake of an automotive mishap or collision. It also 
discusses what happens if you're hit by an uninsured or underinsured 
driver.
If you're involved in an accident, "The first thing to do is let your 
insurance company know you were in an accident and provide all the 
specifics of it," Salvatore says. "From the second of the accident, keep
 good records." Use your smartphone (or keep a notebook in your 
glovebox) and write down the time, date, plate number, make and model of
 their car, their registration information, license number, name, 
insurance company and contact information.Bellarosa woke just two hours later when a friend called with bad 
news. Water was already entering his garage, where she had earlier 
parked her 2009 Volkswagen JettaIt wasn't until the following afternoon that the water had receded 
enough for Bellarosa to venture outside, and even then it was a 
knee-deep trudge to check on the status of her car. The Jetta actually 
looked OK, but when she opened the driver's door, water poured out.That car insurance claims process baffles nearly everyone. "Most 
people only file a claim every eight to 10 years," says Jeanne 
Salvatore, vice president for public affairs and consumer spokesperson 
for the Insurance Information Institute
You'll want to establish what's covered by your car insurance policy 
before making any big decisions. "If your car was damaged in [a storm 
like] Sandy, it is likely covered if you have comprehensive coverage as 
part of your auto insurance policy," says J. Robert <b>Hunter, director of 
insurance for the Consumer Federation of America</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
People with newer cars usually have this coverage. But Hunter also 
advises those with older cars, who may be thinking of dropping collision
 from their policies, to "keep the usually much less costly 
comprehensive coverage." It can be especially important if they live in 
areas prone to floods, high winds, earthquakes or other calamities.From filing the claim to resolving it, every insurance company's 
methods are different. However, the essentials of the process are fairly
 standard. You'll only see part of the process, though. All negotiations
 between insurance companies about payments and reimbursements will be 
carried on behind the scenes.Comprehensive coverage — which is sometimes known as "other than 
collision" insurance — "covers many things that could happen in a storm,
 including water or flood damage, falling objects including trees, signs
 and such, and wind damage," he says.
As soon as it's safe to do so, grab your camera or cell phone and snap 
some photos of the damage. Make sure to get shots from various angles — 
front, back, side, above and below — as well as pictures from inside the
 car, including the trunk and engine bay. Resist the urge to start 
cleaning up the mess immediately; it's best to get photos of the car as 
you found it. Clear evidence like this can help your insurance company 
understand the nature and extent of the damage </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Remember that your car's specific odometer reading as well as its 
trim, options and condition all affect its value, so make sure that any 
estimates have accounted for these details correctly. If you happen to 
have any clear "before" photos of the car, maybe from that Sunday 
afternoon you spent washing and waxing it, these <b>can help you verify the
 car's actual condition prior to the incident.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
— and whether it makes 
sense to attempt a repair.
As with Cutler's case, it's standard for your insurance carrier to call 
soon after you report an accident. During that call, "We'll match the 
person to their policy, determine what happened in the accident, find 
out about any injuries, the extent of damage to both vehicles and get 
some demographic information," says Mike Flato, a process business 
leader for Progressive Insurance. "We'll make sure everyone is OK; if 
not, what happened and then who'll handle the medical claims."Diana Dyckes, another Sandy victim from Hoboken, returned to her 2011 Subaru Legacy</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After a claim is filed, your insurance company assigns you a claims 
adjustor, who is your contact from then on. Adjustors coordinate teams 
that look at medical reports, investigate the accident, speak with 
witnesses, view the scene, examine the vehicle damage, manage all the 
repairs and any medical treatments, check all coverages (how much your 
policy pays for medical injuries and property damages) and ultimately 
determine fault.
Fault assessment is not necessarily a simple matter. "Liability laws 
don't govern how you assess fault," says John Murphy, service center 
business leader for Progressive Insurance. "They dictate how much you 
can collect and who is eligible." Therefore, fault determination is up 
to the insurance companies.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
the day after the storm. Inside she found small ponds of floodwater in 
the cupholders and residue on the seats and roof lining. She snapped 
photos of what, to some, might appear to be light damage. But these 
signs of exposure to brackish water demonstrated to her insurer that the
 car was a total loss. Her later discovery of a flooded trunk and a 
failed ignition bore that out.Car shopping would probably be the last thing on your mind if you 
were caught in a natural disaster. But events like the 2011 earthquake 
and tsunami in Japan or this year's so-called Frankenstorm can destroy 
tens of thousands of cars in little more than the blink of an eye, 
leaving their owners no choice but to pick a replacement vehicle as they
 start to rebuild their lives.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"File your claim fast, as they are usually settled on a first-come, 
first-served basis," he advises. This is critically important after a 
widespread disaster like Sandy, since insurers can quickly become 
overwhelmed with claims. Bellarosa, for instance, has gone weeks without
 a final settlement for her totaled Jetta despite almost daily calls to 
her adjuster.If the police are on the scene, Salvatore says, take their names and 
badge numbers. Get the names of any witnesses and note whether emergency
 medical personnel were called. "Photos are helpful. Take pictures of 
the car and the license plate," she says. "If the claim is 
straightforward, you may not need any of it, but if a problem occurs, 
you need all the information possible." Again, with the prevalence of 
smartphones these days, this is all quite easy to do.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Cutler filed his claim by phone. "In that initial interview, the 
agent told me very quickly that I wasn't at fault," he says. Then she 
asked him questions about the accident and typed his answers into an 
online form. Cutlerchecked and verified the information.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Even a lesser calamity — a toppled oak or a deer leaping from a dark 
wood — can unexpectedly leave someone without wheels, while life 
continues forward at full speed.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
, an industry-supported, non-lobbying group dedicated to improving public understanding of insurance.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
,
 hoping to keep it out of harm's way. Despite the blackout, she could 
see that the streets below her windows were fast becoming rivers.</div>

Your Car After a Natural Disaster

The night Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coas t, Mandee Bellarosa and her roommates were hunkered down in their multilevel condominium ...

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Car Insurance Issues

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<br />
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<br />
<b>Even though you've done your research and insured your vehicle</b>, 
there's still more to know when it comes to the wonderful world of car 
insurance. Below, we look at some not so commonly discussed, but 
important, issues about insurance that can benefit you tremendously when
 managing your automotive coverage.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Standard practice for most insurance companies is to allow you to 
cancel your policy at any time during the policy term by sending written
 notice stating the date of cancellation. Your car insurance policy does
 not necessarily terminate at the end of each policy term, so it isn't 
safe to assume that you can just cancel by failing to pay your next 
bill. If you don't send notice of cancellation, your insurance company 
will automatically bill you in advance for the next term's premium 
payment. If you don't pay it, they'll cancel your <b>policy <i>and </i>it will go on your credit report</b>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Auto insurance fraud adds $200-$300 a year to your individual 
insurance premium, according to estimates from the National Insurance 
Crime Bureau (NICB). But that's a paltry sum compared to its overall 
impact, because every business has to pay for insurance as well.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Auto insurance fraud is generally classified as "hard" or "soft." 
Hard fraud, which involves staging or inventing <b>an event that would be 
covered by insurance, includes</b>:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Don't expect this information to be made explicit in your policy; 
while insurers are quick to inform you that your coverage will terminate
 at the end of the policy period if you don't pay your next premium, 
they don't always inform you of the repercussions you may face for not 
giving formal notice of your policy termination.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And none of these estimates incorporate the "soft" labor costs 
involved in dealing with fraud, including the drain on businesses, law 
enforcement, the civil justice system, regulatory agencies and local 
emergency services. While auto insurance fraud seems to most people like
 an "invisible" crime, its true cost to the consumer is far higher than 
we may ever know.Ironically, insurance companies can be so vigilant concerning fraud 
that they occasionally victimize the victims. We've seen stories of 
honest drivers whose cars were stolen, only to be accused by both 
insurers and police of dumping their car and filing a fraudulent claim. 
This occurred particularly when the so-called "undefeatable" anti-theft 
transponder chips first became available in vehicle key fobs. Insurance 
companies assumed — incorrectly — that anyone who filed a vehicle theft 
claim but still possessed all their keys must be lying.If you're switching to another insurer, and you plan on driving your 
car throughout the process, you want to make sure there is no lapse in 
your car insurance coverage. Therefore, be sure to coordinate the 
effective starting date of your new policy with the termination date of 
your old policy. The last thing you want is to get in an accident during
 an uninsured interim - how stupid would you feel if that happened?Though it may sound trivial, gap insurance is a must for leasing. And
 if you made a small down payment when buying a car, a gap policy can be
 lifesaver as well. But first, let's look at why it exists.Let's take a test case. Say you bought your car two months ago for 
$25,000. You begin making payments at about $500 a month based on a 6 
percent interest rate. Then, disaster strikes: a tree falls on your car 
and flattens it.A claim flagged as potentially fraudulent takes longer to settle 
because it has to be investigated, according to Victoria Kilgore, 
director of research at the Insurance Research Council. While a claim is
 under investigation, an insurance company can request medical or police
 records. Meanwhile, the policy holder, who could be facing expensive 
medical and vehicle repair bills, waits for the insurer to reimburse him
 or his doctors. If the policy holder gets fed up waiting or is wrongly 
denied, Patten says, he can file a suit or take legal action. That's a 
heavy financial and emotional burden, if you happen to be wrongly 
accused.Another thing to keep in mind is that allowing your car insurance 
policy to be canceled may hurt your chances of obtaining auto coverage 
in the future. A cancellation in your insurance history may cause other 
companies to label you a high-risk applicant, thus giving them an excuse
 to charge you a higher premium. However, you can usually avoid this 
trap by officially terminating your policy in a timely manner.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That cost adds up. The Insurance Research Council estimates that 
excess payments made by auto insurers due to fraud totaled as much as 
$6.8 billion in 2007. But any statistic involving auto fraud 
dramatically understates the problem, because it relates only to claims 
already paid, not to claims dropped by the filer or dismissed due to 
suspicion of fraud.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Here's what to do: Call your insurer, let them know that you want to 
cancel your policy and give them an effective date. They will then send 
you a cancellation request form - review this form carefully before you 
sign and return it to your insurer.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Fraud is the second most costly white-collar crime in America after 
tax evasion. And the specific problem of auto insurance fraud is so 
widespread that almost a <i>quarter</i> of bodily injury claims 
resulting from vehicle crashes, and at least a tenth of 
property/casualty insurance claims, are fraudulent, according to 
industry studies.</div>

Car Insurance Issues

Even though you've done your research and insured your vehicle , there's still more to know when it comes to the wonderful wor...

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So Does Your Premium insurance

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<br />
<b>You've probably had this experience:</b> you're frustrated because the 
driver in front of you is going too slow for your liking. You can see 
the driver's gray hair and think that this person should not be driving 
any longer. Just the opposite is true: 60-something drivers gets the 
last laugh. Not only are they more likely to arrive safely at their 
destination, they are rewarded for it with lower auto insurance rates.A CarInsurance.com survey of 2,000 drivers
 ages 25 and older found that, contrary to many stereotypes, men are the
 real danger in parking lots. About 37 percent of men reported they had 
hit another car, vs. 33 percent of women. Nineteen percent of men said 
they had hit a pole, and 12 percent a shopping cart, vs. 11 percent and 5
 percent respectively for women. Eight percent of men (4 percent of 
women) had hit a cart corral, while 8 percent of men </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>You walk out to your car and it's gone</b>. Not your car itself, the 
navigation system or even your cell phone. The "it" is your catalytic 
converter. If you don't happen to notice it right away, the moment you 
start your car, you will. The sound has been described as "a deep loud 
noise," "an unmistakable roar," and even like "a Harley Davidson."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The catalytic converter was mandated</b> for all U.S. cars and trucks in 
1975, to convert harmful pollutants into less harmful emissions before 
they left the exhaust system. Precious metals such as platinum, 
palladium, rhodium or gold are used as the catalyst. Depending on which 
metal was used, thieves can sell the converters to metal recyclers for 
$20-$200. The recyclers then extract the metal and resell it for as much
 as $6,000 an ounce, as in the case of rhodium. While national theft 
figures are not recorded for catalytic converter theft, the crime has 
risen in tandem with sharply rising metal prices.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
reported hitting a 
pedestrian. Only 1 percent of women had.The claims process is the business of the insurance company," says 
Salvatore. "Every situation is different, and the better organized you 
are, the easier the claims process is."While adjustors work, medical treatment and auto repairs start 
immediately, with each insurance company covering its own driver's 
injuries and property damages. This process of "making you whole" is 
known as indemnification. Your insurance company indemnifies you, not 
the other way around. Later, after the insurance companies assess fault,
 they will negotiate to determine which one will reimburse the other for
 claims paid.<b>Who's at Fault? </b>Fault assessment is not necessarily a simple matter. "Liability laws 
don't govern how you assess fault," says John Murphy, service center 
business leader for Progressive Insurance. "They dictate how much you 
can collect and who is eligible." Therefore, fault determination is up 
to the insurance companies."There may be an allocation of fault, such as 60/40," says Scott Spriggs, a member of the Insurance Council of Texas.
 "In that case, payments may be apportioned by percent of fault." That 
is, the insurance company of the driver who is 60 percent at fault pays 
for 60 percent of the claims and the other company pays for the rest."Sometimes, if one party is allocated more than 50 percent of fault, 
that driver's insurance company pays for everything," Spriggs says. "In 
no-fault states, each driver's insurance company pays for its own 
customer's claims."

If one driver is w</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The unfortunate vehicle owner will have to pay $1,000 or more for a 
replacement converter to be installed, depending on parts and labor 
charges. If the thief damages the vehicle's wiring or fuel line in the 
process, the vehicle could be left in a dangerous state and cost far 
more to repair. If the thief steals your converter without causing 
additional damage, you should still be able to drive your vehicle, but 
you'll need to install a replacement converter as soon as possible if 
the law still requires one. Ironically, during the writing of this 
article, a catalytic converter was stolen from a Toyota truck belonging 
to the brother-in-law of Edmunds.com Director of Vehicle Testing Dan 
Edmunds. The quote to replace it was $1,200, but because there is no 
smog testing program in the rural county in which he lives, he's not 
sure he'll replace it.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another big difference: Who gets hit in those incidents. 59 percent of 
women said they had been hit, while only 45 percent of men had.Men generally admitted to being more aggressive in confrontations over 
parking in crowded lots: 27 percent had used a hand gesture while 
driving away; only 20 percent of women had. When it came to saying 
something to the other person, 20 percent of men did, but only 12 
percent of women. And 8 percent of men said they had touched the other 
person, compared to only 2 percent of women. Similarly, 5 percent of 
men, but only 1 percent of women, had touched the other car. Men 
Marketplace considerations, consistent with industry 
practices, have been appropriate in developing insurance prices, and we 
are open and transparent with regulators. The Complementary Group Rating
 Plan meets customer needs in the market place, and our success in 
increasing new customers and renewing more existing customers in the 
competitive insurance environment is evidence of this."

Allstate is just one company, the CFA said, that has worked with 
consultants to create a broad array of pricing tables intended to push 
up profits. The price differences are determined using "marketplace 
considerations," which doesn't involve risk, and can result in anything 
from "a 90 percent discount off the standard rate to increasing his or 
her premium by 800 percent, depending upon Allstate's analysis of the 
individual policyholder's 'marketplace considerations.outnumbered women 4 percent to 2 percent in calling security or the 
police.<b>Get That Last Space</b><br />
One area in which men and women didn't differ significantly was in the tactics they used to acquire a parking space"Older drivers by and large are far safer in terms of the number of 
accidents they have and the number of claims they turn in than the 
typical driver," said Marty Agather, senior vice president of the 
consumer Allstate is committed to operating with absolute integrity.Cutler filed his claim by phone. "In that initial interview, the 
agent told me very quickly that I wasn't at fault," he says. Then she 
asked him questions about the accident and typed his answers into an 
online form. Cutler checked and verified the information.The Consumer
 Federation of America's allegations are inaccurate. The primary 
allegation in the news release regarding date of birth is grossly 
mischaracterized and does not take into account all of the risk 
characteristics for these two individuals. Our rating plans, </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If the police are on the scene, Salvatore says, take their names and 
badge numbers. Get the names of anywitnesses and note whether emergency
 medical personnel were called. "Photos are helpful. Take pictures of 
the car and the license plate," she says. "If the claim is 
straightforward, you may not need any of it, but if a problem occurs, 
you need all the information possible." Again, with the prevalence of 
smartphones these days, this is all quite easy to do.
If you're involved in an accident, "The first thing to do is let your 
insurance company know you were in an accident and provide all the 
specifics of it," Salvatore says. "From the second of the accident, keep
 good records." Use your smartphone (or keep a notebook in your 
glovebox) and write down the time, date, plate number, make and model of
 their car, their registration information, license number, name, 
insurance company and contact information.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
including 
Complementary Group Rating Plan, have been and continue to be risk-basedresource site TrustedChoice.com.
 He says insurance companies collect incredible amounts of data to set 
prices. "The sweet spot in the auto marketplace is someone who is 
recently retired but still vital," according to Agather. "They're not 
driving to work every day, still with it, and their reaction time has 
not slowed down too much. You still have a very safe operating 
behavior."According to 21st Century Insurance, "senior citizens are some of the safest, most responsible and defensive drivers on the road."
 As a result, many insurance companies offer special rates and discounts
 for these mature drivers. In general, rates for drivers who are 50 and 
74 years old are 5 percent to 15 percent below those for people 30 to 
50. And of course, drivers younger than 25 can pay more than double what
 the seniors pay. "For young males, the numbers are astronomical," said 
Agather. "They are 200 times more likely to get into an accident."<b>As Your Life Changes, So Does Your Premium</b>DMV.org says car 
insurance rates gradually decline from the time you turn 25 until you 
turn 70 -- as long as you maintain a good driving record. By the time 
you're in your 40s, you are likely to have a family, which encourages 
safer driving, and you are less likely to be at a bar at 2 a.m., which 
does not. But once you hit 70, rates start to go up again because you 
are more likely to have impaired vision, slower reactions and poorer 
cognitive functions.</div>

So Does Your Premium insurance

You've probably had this experience: you're frustrated because the driver in front of you is going too slow for your liking. ...

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My Parents' Off Car Insurance

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<br />
<b>I am a lucky girl. Throughout high school and college,</b> my parents kept 
me on their car insurance policy. I was an expensive item to add! I kept
 the cost as low as possible by earning the good student discount, 
driving a 14-year-old Subaru, never having a speeding ticket and being 
born a girl. However, when my fiancé James and I were preparing to get 
married, one of the financial conversations we had was about the car 
insurance policy. My parents gave me the title to the car (they owned 
it) and it became my responsibility, my car -- and my turn to get 
insurance.I plugged in my price to see what coverage options were available. 
Company B's most highly recommended package cost less than Company A's 
basic option. I didn't feel </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Teens ages 16-19 are three times  more likely than drivers older than
 20 to be involved in a fatal crash (or any  crash, for that matter) 
according to the Insurance Institute for Highway  Safety. It's not too 
surprising, then, that teen drivers tend to have high  insurance 
premiums. For parents, this can mean a big jump in insurance premiums  
once you add your teen driver to your policy. However, there are ways to
 reduce  your costs right out of the gate, even for very inexperienced 
drivers. Here are  some ways to keep policy costs at a minimum.comfortable enlisting in the most basic 
option because I don't yet have a fully stocked emergency fund in case 
of a serious accident.<b>Choose the Right Car </b>It's simply a matter of economics.  There are some cars that cost more
 to repair and replace than others. There are  also some cars that are 
more likely to be stolen and others that protect  passengers better in a
 crash. Combined, these three characteristics have a lot  to do with how
 much you'll pay for the collision and theft portions of your  policy, 
says David Goldstein, the <b>author of </b><i><b>Insure  Your Car for Less: A</b> Practical Guide to Saving Money on Automobile Insurance</i>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are several ways to choose  the least expensive car to drive. First, check the Insurance Institute for  Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick awards and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 5-Star Safety Ratings
 to see which cars  scored the best in crashworthiness. You'll also want
 to check the National  Insurance Crime Bureau's list of Hot  Wheels: cars that are most commonly stolen.Your insurance broker or company  can also help you find the best 
rate for the cars you're considering, says  Goldstein, who has worked as
 an insurance and claims adjuster. "If you're  considering several cars,
 call and ask for a rate quote on each," he  suggests.Midsize family cars are generally  the cheapest to insure, says 
Jeanne Salvatore, senior vice president and chief  communications 
officer at the Insurance Information Institute, a nonprofit  information
 service. "You want a car that's easy to drive and highly  protective. 
Those are the cars that are going to keep <b>your teen safe and cost  the 
least to insure," she say</b>s.

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You may also want to consider a car  that doesn't need collision 
insurance, which will cut your rates considerably,  says Salvatore, and 
either way, the age of your car may lead to more discounts.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Some companies offer a  utility discount for cars older than a 2002 
model year," she says. That  said, make sure any older car you purchase 
has a solid crash rating and all of  the safety features that a newer 
car might have including airbags, an antilock  braking system (ABS), 
daytime running lights and (for SUVs) electronic  stability control.<b>Adjust Driver Assignments</b>When you call the insurance company  to add your child to a policy, 
the representative will ask you to designate  which car will be driven 
by each member of your family most often.You can save money by designating  and having your child drive the 
car that's the least expensive to insure. The  trick is finding out 
which car that is, says Goldstein. "Driver assignment  can really affect
 your rates," he agrees.If you get someone on the phone who  is willing to work with you, he 
or she can take you through all the different  scenarios. "Occasionally,
 I'd quote rates for four people and four  different cars: two parents 
and two kids. If we played around with it, we could  often save money," 
Goldstein says.

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<b>Look for Alumni Discounts or Resident-Student Discounts</b>One of the perks of going to  college is that many schools ink alumni 
deals with large organizations, such as  insurance companies. While the 
discount is usually around 5 or 10 percent, it's  still worth looking 
into. Geico, for instance, offers an 8 percent discount for  DePaul 
University students and alumni. Liberty Mutual offers special rates to  
those who attend Arizona State University.If your child goes away to college  and doesn't take a car along, you
 can save a lot on your premium. Allstate, for  example, offers a 35 
percent discount off premiums for students who live at a  school that is
 more than 100 miles from where their car is garaged. "There's  an 
assumption that they are only going to be driving on weekends and school
  vacations," says Salvatore.

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Finally, all full-time high school  and college students who get good
 grades can benefit from their diligence. Most  companies offer up to 25
 percent discounts for good report cards. You'll also  see rates drop as
 your child advances in school. Seniors in college have better  rates 
than freshman, so if your child takes college credits over the summer or
  in high school, let your insurance company know when he or she reaches
 the next  college milestone, says Goldstein.<b>Wait an Extra Year Before Licensing</b>Some teens may not like this idea,  but you can save a lot of money 
simply by having your son or daughter wait an  extra year to get a 
driving permit"Wait until they are as old as  possible before they get their 
permit," says Goldstein. "For  instance, in some states you can get your
 learner's permit as early as 16 but you're  probably not going to be 
driving [without restrictions] until you're 18. Why  pay for insurance 
those two years unless you have to?"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Delaying the process is more common  than you may think, according to
 several recent studies. The AAA Foundation for  Traffic Safety reports 
that just 44 percent  of teens get their licenses within 12 months of 
the minimum age and only 54  percent get their licenses before they turn
 18.</div>
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However, if you go this route, make  sure teens know that they'll 
still need the practice and supervision that a  graduated driver 
licensing program affords.<b>Tracking for Discounts and Better Driving Habits</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In recent years new devices that  connect to a car's computer and use 
GPS technology to track driving habits and  routes have flooded the 
market. While they can be very useful for parents who  want to make sure
 that their teen isn't speeding or driving outside an approved  area, 
they're also being used by insurance companies to help set rates for  
drivers of all ages in an approach called use-based  insurance.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Snapshot, a program by Progressive  Insurance, is one such option 
that uses a pocket-size telematics device that  transmits car data using
 cell-phone technology. The device plugs into a car's  onboard 
diagnostic port and measures driving habits such as how and when  
someone drives, tracking behaviors like mileage, time of dayand if the 
person  performs hard braking maneuvers."Our Snapshot program gives  all consumers, including teens, more 
control over their car insurance costs by  offering personalized 
discounts based on their actual driving behavior,"  explains Jeff Sibel,
 a spokesman for Progressive Insurance. "People who  drive less, in 
safer ways and during safer times of day are most likely to  receive a 
discount."Some companies are offering the  device for parental tracking, but 
without an immediate insurance discount. Its  use could result in lower 
rates going forward, says Rebecca Hirsch, a spokeswoman  for insurer 
USAA. "We're offering the device for free and parents get the  
monitoring for a year free," she says. "Parents can get text messages  
if their teens are doing things like hard braking. It enables the parent
 and  the teen to have a conversation around safe driving habits. The 
first few years  are so critical. Anecdotally, we've seen that the 
devices help build better  driving behaviors."<b>Take a Class</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Adults and teens alike can save  money by taking a six-hour driving 
safety course either online or in person.  Some insurance companies are 
offering teen-specific courses that can help reduce  the number of 
crashes that involve teens by providing realistic driving  simulations.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Liberty Mutual, for example, offers  something it calls teenSMART, a 
program that focuses on the six factors that most  commonly cause teen 
car accidents. The company says teens who complete the  program may get 
"special savings" on their auto policies, but doesn't  offer any 
examples of what those savings might be.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
State Farm offers a program called  Steer Clear for drivers under the
 age of 25 or new drivers with less than three  years of driving 
experience. It requires drivers to watch a video, sign a safe  driving 
parent/driver agreement and complete a certain number of supervised  
trips of 15-30 minutes over the course of a month, filling out a log 
after each  trip. By completing the program, drivers can get a discount 
of up to 15 percent  on their coverage, says State Farm spokeswoman 
Rachael Risinger.Finally, driver-training classes —  so-called driver's ed — can also 
help lower your premiums by up to 10  percent, depending on your 
insurer.<b>Make Smart Choice</b>Even if they apply every discount  imaginable, most people will find 
there's no getting around the fact that rates  will go up with a teen 
driver on the policy — at least for a little  while. And while it might 
be tempting to simply "forget" to inform  your insurance company that 
Junior has his license, take note: Doing so can  have serious 
consequences if your child is in an accident.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You'll also want to make sure you  have enough insurance coverage. 
"Don't go for the minimum limits,"  suggests Burl Daniel, a former 
insurance agent and corporate risk manager who  testifies as an expert 
witness in insurance cases. "You're exposing  yourself to potential 
problems, if your kid does have a wreck and seriously  injures someone. 
Don't take the bait now just to save a few hundred dollars  when it 
could end up costing you a lot down the road."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So I compared the mid-range option at Company B 
with what I could get from Company C.I was impressed. The premium Company C package offered more and cost 
less than the equivalent from Company B. The same was true of the 
mid-range package. Continuing my research, I called upon several 
important sources: my mom, Google (GOOG),
 and the insurance company agent (in that order). I needed to clear up 
some confusing lingo I was experiencing and get an opinion. I'm 
generally skeptical, and believe that if a deal sounds too good to be 
true, it probably is.Says InsuranceQuotes.com (we'll call them "IQ" for short), the insurance
 industry has a "'Secret' Report That Affects What You Pay for 
Insurance." It's called the "CLUE" report, which stands for 
"Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange," and essentially, it's a 
database keeping track of every insurance move you make. When you call 
your insurer to report damage to your home or auto, that goes into the 
CLUE database. What's more, even when you simply call your insurance 
agent to ask about whether a certain incident is covered by your 
insurance -- that goes in there, too.Homeownership is often used as a factor in determining risk when setting
 auto insurance premiums. Even though the two aren't directly related, 
there is an assumption that homeownership implies a higher level of 
responsible actions (assuming you pay your mortgage on time) and 
therefore that you pose a lower risk in other endeavors -- including 
your driving habits.<br />
Insurance.com undertook a survey to see if homeownership does indeed 
correlate to safer driving habits, as measured through the total number 
of claims filed. From 2012 to mid-2014, online questionnaires from 
700,000 respondents were collected and analyzed by age group, home 
state, and homeownership status.<br />
The results do show some correlation between homeownership and fewer 
filed claims, although the reasons are highly debatable. The survey does
 not attempt to address an underlying cause for these results, but it is
 worth noting that the age of the driver seems to play a consistent 
role. Perhaps the survey is picking up remnants of generally riskier 
behavior at younger ages.<b>CLUE Me In</b> According to IQ, a whopping 82 percent of Americans surveyed have never 
even heard of the CLUE database (at least not by that name). Only about 7
 percent of insurance customers say they are at least "somewhat 
familiar" with the concept of the CLUE report. These people may be aware
 of the bare outlines of the system -- for example, that CLUE tracks 
loss dates, claims for losses and monies paid out for insurance claims 
for up to seven years.<br />
And yet, only 1 percent of us say we're "very familiar" with how the 
database works. The vast majority of Americans have no clue at all, for 
example, that the database:
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Records denied claims as well as claims paid out -- so that your 
insurance rate may be raised after you've made a claim, even if you got 
no money out of it.Includes not only claims made by you, the customer, but also claims 
made on the same property by its previous owners. Thus, you can be 
penalized for insurance claims made by the person from whom you bought a
 car or house.If you simply ring up your insurance agent to discuss a claim you 
might want to make -- but ultimately decide not to make -- that 
discussion can also go into your CLUE report, and be used by an insurer 
to raise your rate.Instead, "when speaking with an insurance company or an agent ... be 
clear [that you are] only making an inquiry. If you need to ask about 
what potential issues may or may not be covered under your home 
insurance policy, say so" at the very start, and make it clear that you 
are not making a claim for, or even asking about, a <i>specific</i> incident that has already happened.<b>Planned Rollout</b> It appears Google will roll out their comparison service in California 
in the first quarter of 2015, before expanding to other states that may 
include Illinois, Pennsylvania and Texas. If Google is successful in 
these test markets, they could quickly expand to sell insurance in more 
markets in the United States as they have already obtained licenses to 
do business in more than half of the 50 states.At the same time, speculation has also been growing that Google may take
 over CoverHound, which already provides the comparison service Google 
hopes to grow. If this proves to be true, Google could be in the 
business of auto insurance comparison faster than the current estimated 
plans. This should be welcome news for most consumers looking to save 
money on auto insurance.It should be noted that Google will not be providing this service out of
 the kindness of their hearts. Instead, Google will likely earn a 
commission on each policy they sell depending on their arrangement with 
each individual insurer. This could lead Google to show the results 
based on how much money they would make off each sale rather than based 
on which policy is truly best for the consumer.Finally, relying on Google to provide yet another service in our lives 
could make some consumers weary. Voluntarily giving Google even more 
information about us will allow them to target advertising even more 
precisely, in addition to any commissions Google may earn for selling 
insurance on the behalf of other companies.<br />
While Google's entrance to the U.S. auto insurance market has not yet 
happened, it could be right around the corner. Once the service rolls 
out nationwide, the auto insurance shopping process could be greatly 
simplified, while saving consumers a great deal of money at the same 
time.<br />
However, the U.S. version of Google Compare could face headwinds if 
insurers do not work with Google. Only a small handful of insurers have 
granted Google authorization to sell insurance policies on their behalf 
at this time. If the big insurers do not jump on board, the comparison 
tool may not be seen as robust enough for consumers to make a valid 
comparison. When age is taken into account, the discrepancy between renters, 
homeowners, and those still at home with their parents is largest among 
18- to 24-year-old drivers. Those who lived with their parents filed 
auto insurance claims at a 24.4 percent rate, compared to 19.7 percent 
of those who rented and 17.6 percent of those who owned homes. This does
 seem to make sense, since there should be far fewer homeowners at that 
earlier age, and those who do own homes that early in life likely had to
 exhibit highly responsible behavior to be able to afford them.<br />
The effect smoothes out over time, but the same order remains up to 
retirement. For example, in the 45-54 age group, the numbers of 
claim-filers were 15.2 percent for those living with parents, 14.1 
percent for renters and 13.4 percent for those owning homes. For ages 
65-99, the numbers were equal for renters and homeowners at 14 percent. 
Only 11 percent of those aged 65-99 and living with their parents filed 
an auto insurance claim -- but how many of the 700,000 respondents could
 possibly fall into that category?<br />
In general, renters filed more claims than homeowners did, and the five 
highest discrepancies were in diverse states (Nebraska, Oregon, 
Maryland, South Carolina, and Utah). Four states (Indiana, Oklahoma, 
Michigan, and Louisiana) found that homeowners filed more auto claims 
than renters did.<b>Understanding Correlation</b>The managing editor of Insurance.com, Des Toups, suggests that the 
related income and stability of homeowners may play a role, but adds, 
"we can't look at this data and claim that to be true." It would have 
been interesting to see the correlation using responsible homeownership 
and renting -- in other words, weeding out respondents with multiple 
missed payments, foreclosures, or other red flags in the housing history
 – but that was beyond the scope of this particular survey.<br />
Given some evidence of a correlation, insurance companies are not likely
 to change their beliefs on homeownership and driving risk assessment 
anytime soon –- although they may make some minor adjustments based on 
localized data<br />
This could well be a spurious correlation that makes enough intuitive 
sense that nobody questions it, yet it could be like the infamous 
correlation between the number of people who drown annually by falling 
into swimming pools and the number of films that Nicolas Cage appears in
 during that same year.<br />
Homeownership doesn't always imply responsible behavior in other areas 
of life ... and Nicolas Cage is not that bad of an actor.Consumers in 
the U.S. could potentially save hundreds of dollars a year 
by using Google Compare. Imagine comparing hundreds of car insurance 
companies by filling out just a few simple questions rather than calling
 dozens of companies or filling out hundreds of different quote forms</div>
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My Parents' Off Car Insurance

I am a lucky girl. Throughout high school and college, my parents kept me on their car insurance policy. I was an expensive item to a...

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Car Insurance Policies a Checkup 2016

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<b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9HwqeBqpA9wP-dOnNbJ_lPaqnf7klBHvaJ6grMh6o0imN4PoVT59Pitrfyy9LpzE5fLIysclrR2wsqz7A9Zs-85t3bu0oDFzdkiOWrYbZRTmnX2ERbT7gKlo0IhS8X88Ndu7vDpgpC0/s1600/g.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9HwqeBqpA9wP-dOnNbJ_lPaqnf7klBHvaJ6grMh6o0imN4PoVT59Pitrfyy9LpzE5fLIysclrR2wsqz7A9Zs-85t3bu0oDFzdkiOWrYbZRTmnX2ERbT7gKlo0IhS8X88Ndu7vDpgpC0/s1600/g.jpeg" /></a></b></div>
<br />
<b>Even if you aren't concerned about insuring your engagement ring</b> -- 
maybe you're single or need a microscope to see the diamond and figure 
it isn't worth the trouble -- if you've been around a while, you have 
probably collected some stuff over the years, and perhaps a lot of it is
 expensive. For instance, maybe you locked in your home insurance rates 
when your new home was filled with secondhand furniture. If all of that 
has been replaced with sofas and a dining room table purchased from an 
actual furniture store, and that 20-inch TV was swapped for a 60-inch 
set, it may be time to discuss these upgrades with your homeowners insurance agent. Sure, you'll likely see your rates go up, which is painful, but if a 
disaster occurs, you'll actually be covered for what you own. According 
to Liberty Mutual New Beginnings Report, which surveyed 1,936 American 
adults, fewer than one in five Americans adjust their insurance policy 
after making a major purchase. Only 18 percent have formal documentation
 of their belongings, meaning, apparently, that everyone else just makes
 an estimated guess and stores all the information in their heads. 
One-third of Americans don't know the value of their household 
possessions, and almost 10 percent are unaware that they should check to
 make sure they have enough coverage to protect their belongings from 
theft or damage, the study found.<b>You Might Decide It's Time to Bundle</b> If you have four different policies with four different carriers, you 
might want to bundle a few. That is, have your homeowners and car insurance with one company,
 for example. You can often get discounts of at least 10 percent when 
you start bundling, says David Spencer, a senior vice president at ACE 
Private Risk Services, which offers insurance for <br />
The  practice of using credit scores in setting insurance rates has 
been around for  at least 20 years. According to at least two studies, a
 2003 study done at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, and  a 2007  study
 by the Federal Trade Commission, there is a statistical correlation  
between how much a consumer costs an insurance company and that 
customer's  credit score.<br />
The  Texas study looked at a random sample of 175,647 people in the 
state and found  that "the lower a named insured's credit score, the 
higher the probability  that the insured will incur losses on an 
automobile insurance policy, and the  higher the expected loss on the 
policy." The study's authors noted that  they did not attempt to explain
 why credit scoring added significantly to the  insurer's ability to 
predict insurance losses.<br />
The  FTC study found that credit-based insurance scores are effective
 predictors of  risk under automobile policies. "They are predictive of 
the number of  claims consumers file and the total cost of those 
claims," study authors  write. "The use of scores is therefore likely to
 make the price of  insurance better match the risk of loss posed by the
 consumer. Thus, on  average, higher-risk consumers will pay higher 
premiums and lower-risk  consumers will pay lower premiums."<br />
It's  also important to note that insurance companies don't use 
traditional credit  scores. They build their own scores based on FICO or  Experian scores: Basically, companies take your score and use it in their own  model.<br />
<b>But Is This Fair?</b><br />
According  to J. Robert Hunter, director of insurance at the Consumer 
Federation of  America, credit scoring was the first classification 
factor used by insurance  companies that was not based on traditional 
actuarial research. Before this, he  says, rate factors were determined 
by developing a thesis and then testing it by  collecting data to 
determine if it was correct. For example: If the thesis was  that 
drivers with a DUI conviction might have more claims in the following  
year, actuaries might look at statistical evidence to see if such a 
thesis was  correct.Hunter  said that advocates for the use of credit scores in car 
insurance rate-setting "still  cannot explain what they are measuring, 
coming up with explanations like, 'Sloppy  with finance means sloppy 
with driving.'

<br />
"<b>Of  course, when the 2008 financial crisis hit, many people</b> 
developed worse credit  scores that had nothing to do with their 
sloppiness," he said."The  fact is that credit is a surrogate for prohibited rate classes 
such as income  and race," Hunter said. "Insurers are prohibited from 
using these  factors in all states and we think this is their way around
 the prohibition."But  others argue that insurance is a numbers game and the practice, 
even if unfair,  might be logical. Frankie Kuo, an analyst at 
ValuePenguin.com, says that insurers  are "doing their best to find out 
whether their future and current  policyholders are a good or bad risk 
to take."

<br />
<b>What You Can Do To  Mitigate Your Costs</b><br />
Regardless  of whether the use of credit history is fair, it is legal 
in all but three  states. So what can you do if your credit score is in 
less than perfect shape?  As always, your best bet is to shop around for
 an insurance company.high-net-worth 
individuals and businesses.<b> You Might Get Some Discounts </b><i>Nick Clements is the co-founder of MagnifyMoney.com, a price 
comparison website that helps you find the cheapest bank accounts, and 
the best interest rates on your savings and your debt. He spent nearly 
15 years in consumer banking, and most recently he ran the largest 
credit card business in the U.K. You can follow him on Twitter</i> Yes, your insurance agent may talk you into buying more insurance, but 
at the same time, you may learn that you're due for some discounts. 
"Homeowners can earn credits on premiums by installing safety devices 
like burglar alarms, water leak detection systems, battery backups for 
sump pumps and automatic standby generators. When combined, these 
credits can reduce homeowners' premiums by 30 percent or more," Spencer 
says.Think about that. If you bought a security system months ago, or years 
ago, and you didn't tell your homeowners insurance agent, you have 
probably been overpaying on your homeowners insurance for some timeThere are countless startups sitting on mountains of venture capital 
money and promising to change the world. Most journalists have focused 
on the world of payments, and that focus only increased with the launch 
of ApplePay. But ApplePay offers convenience, not value. While it is fun
 using an iPhone at a checkout (if you are lucky enough to find one that
 accepts ApplePay), it certainly won't help you prepare for retirement.Technology is finally being used to transform consumer financial 
services in a dramatic way. You no longer need to settle for 0.01 
percent on your savings account. It has never been easier to shop for 
cheaper auto insurance. You don't have to pay 25 percent interest on 
that store credit card. You don't have to pay 1 percent (or more) to 
have customized financial planning. Even student loans can now be 
refinanced at dramatically lower rates, thanks to innovative startups, 
and not traditional banks.<br />
Here are the five biggest innovations that can actually save you significant money and help you retire early.<b>Branch-free banks deliver savings accounts with rates 100 times better than traditional banks.</b>
 The largest banks are paying an average of 0.01 percent on basic 
savings accounts. If you have $25,000 in an account, you will earn a 
ridiculously low $2.50 interest over the next 12 months. You could 
easily earn $280 by switching to an Internet-only savings account paying
 1.15 percent. And it is easy to find some of the best interest rates 
online, by using a comparison site like MagnifyMoney, which I operate.<br />
<b>Shopping for the best auto insurance premium is easy and quick.</b>
 The majority of Americans use an agent to make a decision. But agents 
are tied to just a handful of auto insurance companies and usually 
cannot give you a full comparison. A number of new websites offer you 
the ability to compare auto insurance easily and quickly online. One of 
the best is TheZebra,
 which has compared over 1,700 products from more than 200 insurance 
companies. In just a few minutes, and without giving any personal 
information, you can very quickly see how much you could save on a 
quote. Even if you don't want to change providers, it is worth doing a 
quick test drive and seeing if you qualify.teen drivers are risky drivers. It could be reckless behavior or it 
could be inexperience, but the fatal crash rate per mile for 
16-19-year-olds is three times that of drivers age 20 and older. That 
means insurance companies are automatically going to see your teen as a 
claims risk and raise your rates. If your child starts racking up 
tickets or gets in a fender bender or two, watch your rates head to the 
stratosphere. You may be able to keep your premiums lower by helping your teen avoid 
risky behavior behind the wheel, and that means getting them into the 
best driver's education program possible. I selected my daughter's 
school here in Michigan, in part, because it was able to demonstrate 
statistically that its graduates ended up in accidents at a rate far 
below the statewide average for all teen drivers<b> Personal loan companies give you alternatives to obscenely high interest rates on credit cards.</b>
 Store credit cards regularly charge 25 percent, regardless of your 
credit quality. And credit cards typically charge 15 percent or more. 
Historically, the only real way to save money was to surf your debt from
 one balance transfer to another. However, over the last few years, some
 dynamic new personal loan companies have been created. LendingClub
 is the most famous, and borrowers refinancing credit card debt cut 
their interest rates an average of 31 percent. Even better, you can 
apply for most of these loans without hurting your credit score. If you 
are looking to refinance your credit card debt and cut up those cards, 
shop around for the best deal. Go to MagnifyMoney's personal loan comparison page to find the best rate.<b> Low, flat fees for financial planning boost your return.</b>
 If you go to a traditional brokerage, you will quickly realize that 
they make money from commissions on trading. As a result, they have a 
tendency to encourage frequent trading and more expensive products. The 
data is clear: consistently beating the stock market with actively 
managed mutual funds is virtually impossible over time. However, stock 
brokers still make plenty of money trying and failing to do just that. 
Many financial planners charge a percentage of assets (typically 1 
percent) and provide better advice. All of that is changing with 
companies like Betterment.
 They charge a low, flat fee to provide financial planning. If you have 
$100,000 invested, you could save $55,000 over 20 years, by paying only 
0.15 percent of your assets as a fee. is one of the latest fads in the world of automobile insurance. Auto 
insurance companies send you a device that you plug into a port under 
your dashboard. It records how fast you drive, how fast you accelerate 
and how fast you brake, among other things. Then, if the auto insurance 
gods say you've been a good driver, you're rewarded with a discount on 
your premium.These discounts are available to all drivers, but parents might find 
they are useful for monitoring their teens. Some companies issue reports
 grading driving skills, and some teens might be inclined to lay off 
their lead foot if they know someone, somewhere is watching. If you like
 the idea of monitoring your teen but aren't thrilled with the idea of 
letting an insurer inside your dashboard, you could also

Car Insurance Policies a Checkup 2016

Even if you aren't concerned about insuring your engagement ring -- maybe you're single or need a microscope to see the diamon...

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Car Insurance mesothelioma litigation

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<b> rocrastination will leave you in limbo and is likely</b> to cost you 
dearly." The upside -- sort of -- is that it isn't just the U.S. that 
isn't planning or saving. Earlier this month, a survey by GOBankingRates
 found that 62 percent of U.S. bankers have less than $1,000 in their 
savings account. Sure, nobody wants to stash cash in accounts that earn 
some of the lowest yields in banking, but the GOBankingRates folks see 
that revelation as a symptom of a much larger illness.<br />
"It's troubling how many Americans aren't thinking about long-term 
planning or retirement, with little to nothing stashed away in a savings
 account," said Casey Bond, editor-in-chief of GOBankingRates. "Saving 
money is an uphill battle for many, but there are a number of simple 
ways people can consistently grow their nest egg over time, such as 
automating their savings. Even a small contribution is better than 
nothing at all."<br />
<b>Savings Delayed</b><br />
Procrastination is something U.S. workers excel at, and the financial 
straits of the recent economic crisis haven't helped matters. According 
to a survey earlier this year by financial firm Edward Jones, 45 percent
 of non-retired U.S. workers aren't saving for retirement. We put it off
 by age (90 percent of young workers say they'll start saving in their 
30s or earlier, but only 64 percent of folks ages 35 to 44 follow 
through), we put it off until the kids get older (39 percent of singles 
aren't saving, compared to 51 percent those in a household of three or 
more) and, according to a survey by financial services firm Franklin 
Templeton, we put it off altogether (30 percent of those 18 to 24 say 
they'll never retire).<br />
But why is the rest of the world suddenly in the same year-to-year 
financial scenario. Well, there was a reason why it was a global 
economic crisis. Thanks to austerity measures implemented by countries 
around the world, some of the more socialized benefits offered to 
retirees just aren't available anymore.<br />
"Long-term financial planning has never been more important because 
governments are being forced to cut age-related benefits, meaning that 
in the future most people will not be able to rely on governmental 
support to the same extent they have done in the past, so we have to be 
more financially self-reliant in retirement," Green says. "Plus, as 
we're all living longer, and as such the money we accumulate throughout 
our lives has to <b>go further than it ever has done before</b>."<br />
Also, much of the joblessness that swept Western nations over the 
duration of the crisis affected the youngest workers. The Principal 
found that 63 percent of workers ages 23 to 35 began saving before they 
turned 25, but fewer than a third saved 10 percent of their salary. With
 cash tight thanks to either joblessness or settling for low-wage 
employment until better positions opened up, long-term saving for 
retirement competed with rent (65 percent), food (38 percent) 
transportation (30 percent), student loans (20 percent) and credit card 
debt (16 percent) for their dollars.<b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Obstacles to Saving</b> "Many millennials may see these large expenses -- especially student 
loans and other debt -- as primary obstacles to saving anything for 
retirement," says Jerry Patterson, senior vice president of retirement 
and investor services at The Principal. "But in most situations, it's 
possible and necessary to both save for retirement and pay down debt by 
creating a plan and sticking to it."<br />
According to Voya Financial, nearly 6 in 10 (59 percent) working 
Americans say they are very or extremely concerned about outliving their
 savings in retirement and 74 percent have never calculated their 
monthly retirement income needs. However, if they just think ahead a 
bit, they can start making sound savings decisions now. A diverse and 
somewhat non-conservative portfolio helps.<br />
"Generally, people should have at least 70 percent of their annual 
income in order to have a secure retirement with a similar lifestyle," 
says James Nichols, head of retirement income and advice strategy and 
Voya Financial. "Of course, some people will need more than that and 
some will need less depending of their lifestyle desires, health 
expenses, retirement plans and other factors. You may have 30 years or 
more of retirement, so your money needs to continue to grow during that 
time."<br />
Sometimes, that saving means sacrificing in the short-term in favor of 
your long-term goals. Joe Boyle, a retirement coach with Voya in Beverly
 Hills who specializes in helping Millennial clients, notes that some of
 his younger clients with good jobs, who can afford to live on their 
own, make the choice (in concert with their parents) to live at home so 
that they can save money towards buying their first home. In one case, a
 younger client who is an attorney had no student loans or credit card 
debt lived at home for three years to save a 20 percent down payment on a
 home near her office.<br />
"She said that 'there were some small sacrifices' to her social life 
that came with living with her folks, but that it allowed her to buy her
 first home and it was definitely worth it," Boyle says. "The trade-off 
for many millennials living at home is giving up some of their 
independence today for greater financial freedom tomorrow."<br />
With The Principal's survey noting that, though 84 percent of 
millennials believe that they should be independent by age 25, many 
still rely on parents for help with their cellphone bill (12 percent), 
car insurance (8 percent), health insurance (7 percent) and rent (7 
percent). However, deVere's Green warns that current conditions 
shouldn't always put a damper on future plans.<br />
"If you're serious about reaching your big, life-enhancing financial 
objectives," he says, "you must think and plan with a perspective that's
 longer than 12 months."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Depending on the insurer and where drivers live, they could be like 
Sally — paying upwards of 47 percent more for insurance. For example, 
Allstate's auto insurance quote for a renter in Tampa, Florida, was 19 
percent more than a homeowner. In Baltimore, Liberty Mutual charged 
renters 23 percent more.<br />
The CFA maintains that auto insurance companies' use of homeownership 
status in pricing leaves low- and moderate-income Americans at an unfair
 disadvantage. According to Federal Reserve Board data, the median 
income of renters in the United States was $27,800 in 2013, compared 
with $63,400 for homeowners."To raise people's auto insurance premium because they can't afford to 
buy their homes unfairly discriminates against lower-income drivers," 
said CFA Insurance Director J. Robert Hunter in a prepared statement. "A
 good driver is a good driver whether she rents or owns her home. 
Insurance companies should not be allowed to target people based on 
homeownership status."<br />
The CFA obtained quotes from State Farm, Geico, Allstate, Progressive, 
Farmers, Liberty Mutual and Nationwide. Geico was the only insurer whose
 quotes were the same, regardless of the driver's homeownership status.<br />
"Virtually every state requires drivers to buy insurance, but we 
shouldn't force them to buy a home in order to get the best price," 
Hunter said. "State insurance commissioners and elected representatives 
should step in and stop this practice," he added</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But what is still only whispered about  are the potential downsides: 
surcharges for bad driving. Most auto insurers go out  of their way to 
insist that their driver-monitoring programs exist only to reward  safe 
drivers and that the worst outcome for trying one is that drivers don't 
get  the advertised savings. And even then, insurers say, drivers will 
gain valuable  feedback and be able to make positive changes in their 
driving.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But in spring 2015, Progressive announced  that it would begin 
charging some members of its Snapshot program a surcharge for  
aggressive driving behaviors.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dave Pratt, Progressive's usage-based  insurance business leader, 
said Snapshot 3.0 currently exists in Missouri, Indiana,  Iowa, 
Nebraska, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio and Oregon.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Because insurance is regulated  at the state level, the full rollout
 will take time and vary based on the Department  of Insurance in each 
state," Pratt said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As of now, Progressive is the only major  insurance carrier moving 
away from the reward-only model of usage-based insurance  programs, 
which are all still voluntary. Progressive explains that the surcharges 
 will help them give good drivers even lower rates.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Other major insurers continue to insist  that the usage-based 
programs will only reward good drivers and will not punish  bad drivers.
 Justin Herndon, an Allstate spokesman, said that adding a surcharge is not something  the company has considered for its smartphone-based Drivewise
 program. Nationwide Insurance has no plans to impose a surcharge on 
members who  enroll in its program, said company spokeswoman Alison H. 
Emery.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Assessing Driving Habits</b><br />
We all want to believe we are good,  safe, conscientious drivers and 
that usage-based insurance would only benefit us.  However, with the 
potential for surcharges now in play, drivers must be able to  carefully
 assess their driving before signing up. Though very few members of 
these  programs are currently subject to potential surcharges, 
Progressive's change seems  to foreshadow more changes to come.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
J. Robert Hunter, director of insurance  for the Consumer Federation of  America,
 said he believes that within four to six years, usage-based insurance  
will be the norm, and any driver who opts out will pay more. Robert P. 
Hartwig,  president of the Insurance Information  Institute, agrees.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Most vehicles in the not-too-distant  future will be manufactured 
with advanced data recording technology devices,"  Hartwig said, 
although he believes opting out will still be an option.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Major auto insurers with usage-based  programs include Progressive's Snapshot, Allstate's Drivewise, State  Farm's Drive Safe & Save, National  General Insurance's Low Mileage Discount, Nationwide Insurance's SmartRide and Metromile.
 All offer general information  about what kinds of driving behaviors 
are likely to earn customers a discount. While  no company would offer 
precise details about how discounts and surcharges are calculated,  most
 made it clear that they look at the whole picture of a driver's behavior behind the wheel over a period of time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Below is a checklist to help drivers  determine if a monitoring 
device might be a good financial decision for them. It's  a good idea to
 use this checklist for at least a week and be honest, especially  with 
regards to hard braking, which seems to be one of the biggest factors in
 how  rates are calculated. The Insurance Information Institute's 
Hartwig explained why:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Frequent hard braking suggests  that the driver is consistently 
driving in a manner that is inappropriate or at  a speed that is 
excessive relative to prevailing driving conditions, thus increasing  
the likelihood of an accident," he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
For best results, keep this checklist  in your car and makes notes at the end of each trip.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Driving Assessment Checklist:</b></div>
<ul class="list-style" style="text-align: justify;">
<li>Times driven between the hours of  12 a.m. and 5 a.m.</li>
<li>Hard braking (decreases in speed of  7 mph per second or greater)</li>
<li>Quick accelerations (increases in  speed of 9 mph per second or greater)</li>
<li>Speeds exceeding 80 mphTotal mileage</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Once you've tracked your behaviors for  at least a week, take a 
careful look. It will be easy to see if you've exceeded  the mileage 
limits. If you drive fewer than 12,000 miles a year (about 230 miles  a 
week), you will likely get some savings. For most companies, exceeding 
15,000  miles a year (280 miles a week) won't lead to any savings. It 
could lead to surcharges  for Snapshot 3.0 customers.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Keeping speeds under 80 mph is also  a simple task. However, David Bakke of Money Crashers,
 emphasized that if you have recent speeding  tickets, that could be 
reason enough to decide that usage-based insurance isn't  a good choice 
for you.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you drive in the early morning hours,  you're unlikely to be a 
candidate for savings in a usage-based plan. That's because  data from 
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Allstate's own  
data shows 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. to be the most dangerous time to be on the 
road. Driving  then creates the highest risk of a customer filing an 
insurance claim. Allstate's  Justin Herndon said the company doesn't 
make exceptions for people who have to drive  during these hours: shift 
workers, for example.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While most insurers indicated that aiming  for zero incidences of 
hard braking is the best bet for savings, they know that  perfection 
isn't always possible.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Progressive recognizes that there  are occasions in which a driver 
must brake hard to be safe," Pratt said. That's  a sentiment echoed by 
other auto insurers with usage-based programs.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Is Tracking Good for Consumers?</b><br />
The Consumer Federation of America likes  the idea of risk-based 
pricing, Hunter said. The tracking of driver behavior  "should signal to
 people to drive more carefully, which is what insurance pricing  is 
supposed to do. We hope this signals a move away from socioeconomic 
pricing (charging  more for drivers with less education, lower-paying 
jobs, not owning a home, bad  credit, etc.)."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But Hunter urged consumers to demand  absolute transparency about 
what the companies are monitoring and what they're doing  with the data.
 He cites as cause for concern Allstate's recent patent on a blood-pressure-monitoring steering wheel and statements  by the company's CEO that Allstate will consider selling customer information
 to corporations. Allstate  insists that selling data will help 
customers save more money and that the company  honors "customer control
 over the distribution of their personal information."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hartwig said that the monitoring of  driving behavior also could improve road safety overall.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"The feedback customers receive  based on their driving behavior 
provides customers with a unique opportunity to  modify their 
behaviors," he said. "By reducing or eliminating those behaviors  that 
elevate risk, consumers will not only reduce their insurance premiums 
but will  also benefit because they will be less likely to be injured in
 an accident. They're  also less likely to injure others or damage the 
vehicles or property of others</div>

Car Insurance mesothelioma litigation

rocrastination will leave you in limbo and is likely to cost you dearly." The upside -- sort of -- is that it isn't just th...

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