What Car Makes and Models Affect Auto Insurance Rates?
Reader’s Question:
Hello there. I hear the type of car you have can affect the auto insurance rates you pay. Can anyone give me some tips? I’m planning to buy a nice new car soon.
Alex
Philadelphia, PA
Hey there, Alex! I’m sure you’re all excited to get your new car. Sometimes, it’s real easy to get carried away when you’re looking to buy the car you have always dreamed of. Still, unless you’re swimming in money, it would be best to choose a practical vehicle as the auto insurance costs for the lavish cars almost always comes with a high price tag.
If you want to walk on the safe side, I suggest you buy a car that isn’t so expensive to insure. Veer away from the vehicles that cost a lot to repair. Also stay away from cars that are favorites of car thieves. You can check out the car’s safety ratings as this will also affect the auto insurance prices that you pay. You can even get discounts for having additional safety and anti-theft devices installed. If this isn’t your first car, maybe you can ask your auto insurance company for a discount as you will be insuring multiple cars with them. You will need all the discounts you can get to ensure that you can buy enough coverage for your car. In general, you would need more coverage for a new car as it is more expensive to repair or replace. So do shop around online and get your free auto insurance quotes. Happy car shopping!
What Cars Are Cheaper To Get Auto Insurance?
Reader’s Question:
Hello, I’m from Pennsylvania. We have finally decided to purchase our son his own car and get him his own vehicle insurance policy. He is going off to college pretty soon. He’s very excited about this, and I’m sure he would want a fancy one. However, my husband and I want to be practical. Vehicle insurance coverage alone can be draining on the budget. What would be a good choice of vehicle?
Jenny
Philadelphia, PA
Hi Jenny of Pennsylvania! Are you planning to get your son a liability car insurance coverage? This is the minimum requirement in most states primarily because you must be able to take responsibility for any damage you might inflict on another person while driving. This, however, does not cover damages to your own car, so your car choice in this case won’t matter so much.
It’s a good thing though that you’re being careful about buying a vehicle. There are several factors that affect your premium especially if you’re getting a comprehensive car insurance coverage. What car you drive is one of them. Some cheap cars to insure include Chevrolet Venture, Honda Odyssey, Buick LeSabre, Oldsmobile Silhouette, and so on. You might want to canvass vehicles in this range. If the car you choose is likely to get into an accident, it will be more expensive to insure. If it is costly to repair, vehicle insurance companies will also charge more. Between a sedan and a mustang, the former would be the obvious choice.
Even if you could afford it, I wouldn’t recommend buying an expensive car especially if your son is a beginner at driving. His inexperience could work against him. Both the value of his car and his lack of driving experience will raise the premium of his vehicle insurance policy. These are hard times, and I guess your priority should be utility and safety. He could get his sports car later.
Where Do I Get Teen Drunk Driver Insurance?
Reader’s Question:
Hello from Pennsylvania! Can anyone help me out here? My teenage son was caught drunk driving and got his insurance cut off. Now he wants to start driving again. Will we still be able to get insurance for him? Is there such a thing as drunk driver insurance?
Eric
Pittsburgh, PA
Hi there Eric. Uh-oh… Drunk driving is not good. Are you sure you want to let your son back on the road so soon? Anyway, there’s still hope for insurance although it will be trickier this time around.
You can also your auto insurance rates to go up because of your son’s tarnished driving record. If your son’s license and registration has been suspended, you will need to ask your automobile insurance company to file an SR-22 in your behalf. This is a legal document that will prove to the Pennsylvania’s Department of Motor Vehicle that you have the proper insurance coverage. This must be maintained for at least three years, and there will be reinstatement fees to be paid. I suggest you look for an insurance company that specializes in serving high-risk insurance drivers and SR-22 filings.
You may also want to look into companies that specialize in teen driving insurance. These companies will be able to provide affordable insurance rates even with your son’s record of drunk driving. How about going to online auto insurance companies websites? You can easily get cheap online auto insurance quotes from these websites free of charge! And please, next time he does go on the road, tell your son to drive safely.
What Kind of Car Insurance Coverage Should I Get in Pennsylvania?
Reader’s Question:
If there’s a third party liability, then what’s the coverage for first and second party liability? I don’t think I’ve heard of those here in Erie, PA. I just got my first car and I don’t know what kind of insurance to get.
Chuck
Erie, PA
You are one confused kid, I tell ya. Okay, let us get all the terms clear here, all right? The term first party refers to you, the policy owner who entered in to contract with the second party, which is the car insurance company. So, yes you were correct about not having heard of the first party and the second party liabilities before because in Erie, Pennsylvania and in any other state for that matter, the most common and most sought-after kind of insurance coverage is the third party liability. Well, of course, you got the idea of second party all wrong. Seriously now, the third party refers to the other person or other persons who are involved in the accident, and they are the people to whom the damage is done, whether in terms of body injuries or damage to property. So in a nutshell, the coverage of the first party liability includes the policy owner, his or her passengers. The third party liability, on the other hand, covers property damage and bodily injures on other people as a result of the accident, so you won’t have to worry about paying for repair bills and medical expenses. And there’s no such thing as second party liability, which is like saying that it’s the vehicle insurance company that caused the accident.
Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance coverage
Looking For New Driver Auto Insurance in Pennsylvania?
Reader’s Question:
Hello, wondering if anyone can offer advice here. I live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and I just started working. I am a new driver and I plan to buy my first car soon. What basics should I look at first in getting car insurance? I do plan on having a long relationship with my car and treat it as a valued possession.
Matt
Pittsburgh, PA
Hello there, Matt and congratulations on your move. That is a fine idea you have there, practical and not wasteful. Based on my experience, you buy the automotive insurance based on what you plan to do and how you’ll use your car. I’ll also suggest checking state laws first, on what’s the bare minimum of auto insurance that a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania car owner should have. Also bear in mind that too little or too much insurance is bad. You can either get caught unprepared in an emergency situation or get caught stuck with payments you can’t afford.
Here is one basic tip that I think you should check out. If you are a new driver and looking at acquiring an expensive brand new car and you’re confident about dealing with deductibles, you can look at having collision and comprehensive coverage in your auto insurance. With collision coverage, you’ll be prepared for vehicular accidents on the road i.e. you hit another car or another car hits yours. With comprehensive coverage, your car is insured for damages that are not caused by other vehicles. Let’s say, by some freak event, a tree just drops on your car, the resulting damage to your car will be covered by your auto insurance
I Am Buying a New Car Do I Need a New Auto Insurance Policy?
Reader’s Question:
Edward here from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My car’s has been freaking out lately so I’m thinking of retiring it and getting a new one. Will I also have to buy new insurance for the new one or can I just use the current one I have?
Edward
Philadelphia, PA
Hi Edward, that’s a good question. My advise to you is, talk to your automobile insurance provider in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania about it. Different insurance companies will have different rules about this. Here are a few things to note if you want to carry over your current insurance to the new car. Your new car will be covered for the same amount that your old car was covered. If it’s a pretty old car, I’m pretty sure you went the economical route and got just the minimum coverage amount required by law. This exposes you to greater financial risk if something unfortunate does happen. Also, your dealer or financer, (read: loaning agency) will most likely require you to buy additional insurance for the car. This would be your collision insurance to cover repairs for damage to your car if you get in an accident. You will most likely also need comprehensive insurance to cover most anything else that could happen that will cause you to lose your car or for it to be damaged.
The insurance companies have different policies and restrictions on replacing or adding vehicles under an insurance policy. Some extends the coverage of your insurance to the new or added vehicle for a couple days, while some give you more lee way. The main thing is, do update your policy as soon as possible to avoid possible financial blunders caused by little or no insurance coverage.
Can I Lie To My Auto Insurance Company About Where My Car is Parked?
Reader’s Question:
I live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and it is really not cheap to park your car here so I garaged my vehicle in my girlfriend’s house in the suburbs. Is it legal if I change my zip code (where the vehicle is parked) in my car insurance information.
Sam
Philadelphia, PA
The place where the vehicle is garaged is typically where you live majority of the time regardless of where you garage your vehicle occasionally. Even though you use your girlfriend’s garaging address to keep your vehicle, you likely still need to operate the car to where you live, by using your automobile on a regular basis. So your residential address would be the similar as your garaging address.
Insurance carrier’s guidelines can vary though so I would recommend that you speak with your insurance carrier to know what rules they have for garaging addresses. If how you are garaging the automobile is acceptable to them and permitted according to their rules and guidelines then you may be able to use the garaging address.
If the insurance carrier does not allow this, you might think about shopping around for car insurance and obtaining auto insurance rates from other insurance companies to check if you can get cheaper premiums in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Will Comprehensive Auto Insurance Pay For Hit and Run Accident?
Reader’s Question:
My car was parked in front of my house in Reading, Pennsylvania and last night it was hit by another vehicle. I have comprehensive and uninsured motorist coverage. Will these cover the damage on my vehicle?
Marla
Reading, PA
Comprehensive insurance coverage covers your car for things other than collision such as fire, flood, or animals or if your car gets stolen. Collision coverage on the other hand covers your vehicle when your vehicle hits, or is hit by, another car, or other object. I do not think your comprehensive coverage would cover the damage to your car you mentioned if it was from another vehicle since that would usually fall under the Collision coverage.
Uninsured motorist can be either for property damage or bodily injury. If you have the bodily injury (UMBI) then it will not pay for damages sustained to your automobile. Normally this insurance covers you, your passengers or insured members of your household for bodily/personal injuries, death or damages caused by an at-fault uninsured or hit-and-run motorist.
If you have uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD), and if the damage are from a hit and run accident then your vehicle may be covered. Typically UMPD covers your car when property damage is sustained by an insured and the other party does not have car insurance.
You may contact your insurance carrier in Reading, Pennsylvania to get better understanding of the coverages you have on your car insurance policy and you may also ask if the damages sustained in an accident would be covered.
How Much Will My Auto Insurance Company Pay If My Car Is Totalled?
Reader’s Question:
My sister was berating me why I bothered on getting comprehensive auto insurance. I have told her the many benefits and she seems convinced. She was even surprised to find out that my auto insurance will pay for my car if it was stolen or totaled. She asked how much I’d get for the car if this happens and this was one question I can’t answer. How much, indeed?
Cynthia
Levittown PA
Hello, Cynthia, how nice of you to advocate the advantages of getting comprehensive auto insurance. Like your sister, there are many others who do not feel the need to get comprehensive auto insurance and end up having to suffer the effects of a vehicular accident or theft or similar unfortunate events involving the vehicle.
If your vehicle is totaled or stolen, your comprehensive auto insurance will pay you its fair market value in Pennsylvania . To get your car’s fair market value, you should look around and see how much a similar car would cost in PA. When you do this, be sure to factor in the make and model of your car, mileage, and how long it’s been used so that you can get a fairly accurate estimate of its fair market value. This will be a considerable sum but if it is still on loan, the amount will be somewhat less than your loan balance. This is the time for gap insurance to come in. Gap insurance will pay for that difference and will enable you to use your money in getting another car. If by any chance you are interested in gap insurance, you get free quotes from this site by entering your zip code.
Good that you have turned your sister into a believer. The world needs many others like you and your sister!
Do I Need To Have Auto Insurance On A Car I Seldom Drive?
Reader’s Question:
I’ve always wanted to be a journalist since I was a kid. And now, I’m living my dream! Although I have just started, I can tell that this is what I’ll be doing for a long time. Trouble is, I travel all the time! I have a car, insured in Pennsylvania, which I rarely use. Is it wise to keep this auto insurance? I really barely use the car, you know.
Jean
Philadelphia PA
How amazing for you, Jean, to live the dream you’ve always had! I’m sure that your lifestyle has drastically changed because of all that traveling, not to mention the hours required of your job. But, nothing beats passion! I’m sure you don’t mind the changes because like you said, you’ve always wanted to be a journalist! Great!
You know, Jean, it’s all about risk. Whether or not you want to keep your existing auto insurance should be determined by how much risk you are comfortable at. True, you may use your car very so often, but remember that accidents can happen anytime, no matter how long or how infrequent you’ve been on the road. What you can do is perhaps let somebody else – a family or a friend – use your car and enroll him or her as an authorized driver? This however will entail costs so you should also consider if you will be willing to take this option.
Another option is to reduce the coverage so you can reduce your premiums as well. If you feel that because you are on the road less frequently and will therefore require less coverage, then you can look at other auto insurance packages that cost less but with reduced coverage. You can get free quotes from this page by entering your zip code in Philadelphia.
Lastly, you can check with your insurance company if they offer discounts for reduced mileage. Many insurance companies in Philadelphia offer this kind of discounts and it will be beneficial for you to check if yours does.
It’s not necessary to stress yourself with these things, Jean. I’m sure that your local insurers will be more than happy to assist you. The important thins is that you’re living your dream.
I will certainly look out daily for you in the papers!
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