Archive for May 2008

Switching insurers? Don’t forget to cancel your policy!

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If you no longer want a car insurance or you want to avail from another company, don’t just ignore the bills. You will receive another bill for the next premium payment because the company still considers you as a member. But when you don’t pay this time, your account will be cancelled but the bad thing is this: this would go to your credit record and influence the rates of your next insurance payments. This is why you have to call the insurance agent or the company if you would like to cancel your policy. Give details and prove that you have new coverage from a different company.

Teenage Trouble

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Being a teenager increases your risk on the road. According to studies conducted by insurance companies and government agencies, teen drivers are prone to crash because of their rebellious and thrill-seeking nature: 34% of deaths from car crashes come from speeding, 33% comes for failure to use seatbelts, and 12% from drugs and alcohol. Nationwide, boys are twice as likely as girls to be the driver in a car that would crash and in metropolitan areas, car crashes are twice more likely than in rural areas. To address this, there are training programs to educate teenagers on driving safety and usually these are extended to ensure maximum learning.

GEICO’s ARX program to repair damaged cars

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Good news for motorists in Philadelphia: Government Employees Insurance Company, or GEICO, has introduced its Auto Repair Xpress program to address the needs of car owners. The ARX program aims to assist in the repair of vehicles which has been damaged because of collisions. This program allows the clients to drop their cars at an ARX shop, meet a GEICO auto damage adjuster who will evaluate the damage and the needed repairs and drive a rental car as long as the clients have adequate auto insurance. After that, the clients can return their rented cars and drive home in their repaired vehicle.

1.15 million motorists without auto-insurance

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It is illegal to drive an uninsured car but studies from Sainsbury’s car insurance show that 1.15 million people drove a car during the past year even though their cars were not insured. 40% of these people where between 17 to 24 years old and 22% were between 25 to 34 years old. In London, 6% of people drove without car insurance and this is the highest number for Britain. 19% of the uninsured said they did not purchase car insurance because they couldn’t afford and didn’t think it was important. 13% of the uninsured said they didn’t have time to purchase one and another 13% said that they forgot to buy.

Two men arrested for faking car accidents

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Two men from San Fernando Valley were arrested because of faking 2,600 car accidents in the span of 2 years. These two are Alexander Igor Gutman of Sherman Oaks and Lazlo Aldar Bango of Van Nuys. Gutman faces 29 felony charges while Bango faces 13. Also, they are accused of making terrorist threats and theft. They have gained the assistance of attorneys, doctors, chiropractors and bodyshop employees to make many millions of fraudulent claims. Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Gregory Alker said that they have hosted ‘paper accidents’ with no real collissions and which accounted for most claims to insurance companies.

Buying a Car and Car Insurance

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Buying a car? Consider a car loan! This will get you the car you want but make sure you have the discipline to pay for what you have borrowed. But before even borrowing, think about your budget: can you really pay for your purchase? Choose from a wide range of cars to see what you need, what you want and what you are willing to pay for. The same goes with your auto-insurance. There are lots of insurance companies out there to choose from so shop around. Also, check out the coverage that best applies to you: don’t pay for more than what you need! This way you will be driving your own car with a smile on your face.

6 million people switch car insurance providers

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News fro MoneyExpert.com: As a response to the increasing cost of car insurance premiums, above 6 million people switched their car insurance providers within the past six months. 14% of people switched when they are about to renew their policy and 17% are middle aged drivers aged around 35-44 years old. Men also switched more than women, with 15% of men and 13% women who switched since October last year. This only shows that loyalty is not expected from the motorists if the insurance premiums are more than they can afford. The car insurance must offer discounts if they want to retain their clients in the future.

Vehicle Telematics - a godsend to the Insurance Industry

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According to Diamond Management & Technology Consultants, Inc., technology-enabled programs would save 17% of auto insurance losses each year or $20 billion in annual claims payouts. This will also make driving safer. These programs will be well-received because research reveals that almost 8 out of 10 households in the US are open to risk monitoring/reduction devices that collect information about their driving habits. Devices used are called vehicle telematics which use sensing, processing and wireless technology that would hopefully reduce accidents, lower legal costs, improve claims processing and decrease theft and fraud. These devices are preventive measures that would bring huge benefits to motorists and the insurance industry.