Help on getting the best car insurance

[BeerLover]

Hello peps... anyone knows any tips on getting cheap car insurance? I think my car insurance agency is ripping me off.

Where are the good links I can look up this info to see the average cost?

I am 30 yrs old and have a perfect driving record with no tickets. I drive a 2001 red sports car. What is the average cost for me? also I have a second "winter" car for back up so what should be the cost for that?? The second car of course won't have collison on it.

Help!! thanks in advance!

 

[Mulderator]

Beerlover, it would probably help if you told people what state you live in. Also, I'm thinking with a red sports car and your selecting the nickname, "beerlover", I'm not sure you going to find cheap auto insurance

Just put in "cheap automobile insurance" in a search engine and you'll find lots. Put your state name in there as well and that will narrow it down. Just check with your state's insurance regulatory branch to make sure the insurance company is legitimate and reputable.

 

[Dark Star]

BeerLover,

I shopped around on line and found 21st Century Ins. to have the best price for me based on equal comparisons from five majors.
I've been with them for three years now and had one small claim filed and the check in the ammount of the damage was sent out to me very fast.

You can get a rate quote from them at http://www.my21st.com
You need only give basic info. and that will include your zip code a rate will be given for the coverage you choose.
Be sure as you compare with other carriers that you are being quoted on the same coverage so that you get a true comparison.

Good luck, and let us all know what you find and who you think was the best.

DS

Mulder.......LOL, I saw that too.

 

[BeerLover]

Thanks Guys!! just wanted to ask also.... now there are the big insurance companies like Gieco and Progessive right....

And then there are little companies (independents) that go through the big companies.... but how come I just can't go through the big companies myself and save some cash???

Thanks for the tips but I'm very very weary of going through the net for insurance!!

Now there are local insurance companies and then there are big ones llike Gieco and progessive right???

I would like to know the Regular Standard rate for you guys. and it could be in any city... just wanted an estimate on it. be interesting to find out anyway!!

 

[Dark Star]

Insurance Companies some are larger some are smaller.........

Large Ones........... State Farm, Allstate, AAA, Geico, Farmers.

Medium................. Progressive, 21st Century, Safeco, Allied.

Small ones............*

* there is hundreds of small insurance companies one example is Viking Insurance Company of Wisconsin.

The General Auto Ins., Eastwood Ins., Freeway Ins., and the thousands of others that adorn the Yellow Pages of the telephone directory are not insurance companies.......

........... they are licenced insurance underwriters and they will shop for you the lowest rates available from the many small carriers that they have agreed to write auto insurance policys for and they earn a commission that will vary from one small carrier to another............
Independent underwriters are not working to represent the interest of one insurance company they have access to the lowest rates available from many companies.

The larger and medium sized companies have their own agents who write policies just for that one company, they have their own "claims" centers and a 24/7 800# for their insured clients to call if they need to file a claim, and they have their own claims reps and claims adjusters to better service their customers.

The Eastwood insurance guys will not want to hear from you if you need to file a claim, you will have to dig up your papers and see what phone number to call if you have to file a claim, these companies often times use whatever claims adjustor they can get to call you back they often times have 8-5 m-f hours and you will be hard pressed to get a toll free # to call anyone connected with the likes of one of these smaller companies.

You get what you pay for........................

 

[BeerLover]

Thanks Darkstar !

You hit it right on the spot!! I do have a insurance underwriter and I have to pay Toll just to call them!!.. My friend gave me thier number a while back because "She" said they had good prices.


Yeah for her cuz she's a girl!! figures!! I went through the underwriter company and have an insurance policy with one of the local Big well known Companies...

But why do I have to go through a underwriter?? Why can't I just go though the big companies myself.. Why do I need this middleman!

 

[rstanley]

Beerlover, what car is that you have, you say a 2001 sports car but that doesn't help much. I have a 99 Audi tt, and I've had it for over a year now and the insurance that I use is Huggy bear insuarance. I know it sounds strange, but their about the cheapest you can find in san diego.

Where do you live beerlover?

Sorry I wasn't much help!!

Take care
www.huggybearinsurance.com

 

[Dark Star]

BeerLover,

There is absolutely no reason at all why you cannot go directly to a major insurance carrier.

I realize that you have some reservations about purchasing a policy online, what I am suggesting here to you is to just shop and compare rates online.

This auto insurance business is extremely competitive and you have everything to gain and nothing to loose by obtaining some quotes online, there is no obligation to purchase a policy, and they are not asking you to provide them with any credit card information to provide you with a quote.

I first went to http://www.progressive.com/ because they not only give you their rate, they also provide you with the rates of three other major competitors.........I think that is a pretty fair deal and in my case the quote they provided me on my vehicle was not the lowest of the three.

I printed the quote for my own reference and I then went to http://www.my21st.com where I entered the same information and received a quote that I was very happy with, I printed that quote as well.
With my quote on hand I called the 800# that 21st Century Ins. provided me on their web page and I called them directly (no underwritter, no middle man) they asked me a few questions and confirmed that same rate quote I had just received online, I told them I would pay by check and they mailed me my policy.......................

The very same day that my check was received the policy went into effect, and I was able to go back into their web page to verify that indeed I had a policy with them exactly matching every detail of what they had mailed me.
I am quite comfortable with them and they have been very good about servicing my needs, I have been with them going on three years now.

It is important that you keep your policy that you now have current DO NOT let it lapse.................. you can try to call whoever the carrier is you now have directly, if it is a major carrier as you say then they should have a toll free # if you don't have the # call 800 directory assistance and get it.

I do not think there is much I haven't covered here, but if you have any other questions post back in here and we can discuss them.
I'm glad you started this thread, I think others may have even more to contribute here and we can all benefit from the new found knowledge.

BTW, we have three resident attorneys here at TSG and I hope they will help to add some light to this topic of auto insurance, as they would best know it from the claims end of the business.
Minimum Liability requirements vary from state to state so that "Policy Limits" is a term they are very familiar with.

Comprehensive and Collision coverage with a minimum of a $500 deductible is a standard pre-requisite from any lender or title holder, so that if you total the $30,000 vehicle that you just purchased they are not left holding the bag for the loan balance.

DS

 

[marioh]

I pay $4000 a year for full coverage on a 97 Nissan Maxima. I live in Queens, NY.

Somebody please shoot me and put me out of my misery.

 

[cadaver queen]

I feel your pain!!!

I saw on New York Week in Review a couple of Sundays ago that large insurance companies are pulling out of the state and refusing to business in NY..There was legislature in the State Senate to offer a incentives to the companies but that was blown out of the water because the passing of the bare bones budget and Pataki's subsequent lawsuit so I guess we are going to look back at our present prices and be happy we have insurance ( unless they do something ,quickly)..

Friends of mine were recently talking about taking out a loan to finance a space for "baby" ..I thought they were talking about a nursery , they were talking about a parking space in a garage( they were finally number 2 on the waiting list for a spot)..I started to laugh and tell them I thought they were talking about kids..Steve turned to me and said,"Kids at this point would be cheaper." with a straight face..

 

[lisag]

WOW! I can't believe you guys have to pay that much! I just got my car insurance bill today and I always thought it was to high. I pay $488.62 a year. Thats full coverage on a '99 Blazer.

 

[marioh]

I pay $488.62 a year. Thats full coverage on a '99 Blazer.

That's almost what I pay a month !!!

 

[fenwayrocks]

Any room for me in Kentucky?

Wow, that rate in NY is unbelievable. I pay about 1000.00 per car, a 2001 and a 2000 Sable.

 

[marioh]

If I didn't have to pay car insurance.....I'd be rich !!! LMAO

You'd think I was driving a Ferrarri with those rates.

 

[THoey]

I had an old 66 Mustang Coupe in Oklahoma City. I was paying $25 and change for state minimum coverage through GEICO. I moved to San Antonio and went in to change my address. The rate more than doubled just due to living in SA. They said it was due to being so close to the border...

I've always thought that insurance is one of the biggest rip offs. You pay and pay and pay. If you are lucky (ok, and smart) and don't get into any accidents or have to file any claims, your rate stays the same or maybe (doubtful) goes down a little. But my current policy has gone up a little bit each year and the only claim I have submitted was due to hail damage.

Wish I could think up a new business that was state/federally required to have, could charge pretty much whatever I wanted, and could drop or raise the rates if someone ever really needed my service...