When you start getting serious about your search for new auto insurance, there will come a point when you’ve received a number of quotes. Once you’re hit this point, you need to compare auto insurance rates and make a choice on just what you’re willing to pay. While for some, the only measuring stick they’ll use when they compare car insurance rates is what comes after the dollar sign, others take a number of factors into considerations. If it’s time for you to compare auto insurance rates, here are some things to consider:

Payment Sizes

One thing to consider when you compare car insurance rates is whether you’re being quoted for three months, six months, or a year; a great deal can turn out to be not so good if you read the fine print and realize that your quote is for shorter than the standard six month coverage period. How the payments are structured may also matter to you when you compare auto insurance rates. For instance, if two companies offer comparable coverage at comparable rates, but one requires a heavy deposit up front, then you may wan to select the company who requires smaller deposits to start with.

Coverage Amounts

Another thing to look at when you compare car insurance rates is the amount of coverage you’re receiving for the price you pay. For some, price isn’t an object and they want a lot of coverage. So if you find that a company’s got a great offer and you have money left over in your budget, consider adjusting the coverage you request with that company. In other cases, you’ll have coverage amounts dictated by whoever’s in charge of your car loan, so make sure that inexpensive insurance gives the coverage you need.

Company Reputation And Stability

If you find a company with a great, low price when you compare auto insurance rates and you don’t recognize the name, beware! At the very least, you need to do a little research to find out if your potential insurer is trustworthy or a dud. Some sites will rate insurance companies for you when you compare car insurance rates through them, while others will leave you to do the hunting on your own. Some companies will offer low rates, but be faltering enough that when it comes time to give you payments for a claim, they don’t keep up their end of the deal. So be knowledgeable about the insurance company you do choose when you compare auto insurance rates, compare coverage and rating periods, and you should end up with good coverage at a low price.



By: John Hilaire

Just as in every other state, New Jersey has its own laws about how your insure your car against damages. When you’re purchasing auto insurance in NJ, it helps not only to know what your coverage minimums are, but what your rights are as a consumer. When you’re ready to buy auto insurance in New Jersey, you should research the basic coverage that you need and what other options you have.

The Basics

The minimum coverage for auto insurance in NJ covers basic liability for property damage, up to $5,000, and also covers $15,000 per person in personal injury protection. These amounts are requirements for basic auto insurance in New Jersey, so expect to have to request at least this much through your insurer. You can always select more coverage than this, but while you’ll save money in the short-term, you’ll be hurting if you get in a crash.

Standard Coverage

When buying auto insurance in NJ, the next tier of coverage above basic, called the standard coverage, has minimums that start with what’s in basic coverage, but adds a minimum of $15,000 in bodily injury liability, as well as protections for you if the other person involved in an accident was underinsured or not insured at all. The state of New Jersey claims that this is the most common coverage selected, and with the protections offered, this coverage does make sense.

Giving You Choices

Although auto insurance in NJ is governed by laws as far as what you can purchase, there are also laws that the insurance companies have to follow. For instance, insurance companies are required to provide you with three different coverage choices when you purchase a new policy, so you can better understand the way that changes in coverage affect the way New Jersey auto insurance protects you. This means that NJ works to ensure that their consumers are educated when making a purchase.

The Ability To Change

Another protection that you get when purchasing auto insurance in New Jersey is that you have the right to change your policy at any time, not just when it’s up for renewal. The protection of your right to change isn’t limited to just being able to get a new policy. If you do change, you have the right to request a refund of your auto insurance premiums in NJ. This way, even if you paid for six months of coverage ahead of time, you’ll get some of that money back when you switch insurance companies. So, with laws that force you to protect yourself with insurance and laws that help force insurance companies to help you save money, buying auto insurance in New Jersey ends up being a good thing for drivers.



By: John Hilaire

When you signed on the dotted line for your new auto, it seemed like you were on top of the world. You went shopping at the right time, and felt like you got a steal on the price. And then, the insurance bill came in the mail and the bottom on your perfect little world dropped out. What happened?

People buying a new auto for the first time may not realize this, but the bank will require them to keep full coverage on their car for the length of the loan. Now, you can get away with only liability coverage when you don’t finance a car – but things work a lot differently when the banks get involved, don’t they? You might even think that there is some sort of conspiracy going on involving the banks and insurance companies. While it is a good theory, the truth is that banks need to be sure that they will get their money, so they require full coverage insurance on a new auto. After all, who would continue making payments if the car were all smashed up because of an accident?

But why are these rates so high?

A lot of factors are involved in determining insurance rates on a new auto. The age of the driver, his driving record, the number of accidents on his record, and even where he lives – all these are factored into the rate. Because the costs of repairing a new auto are so high, insurance companies have to charge steep rates to recover their losses in the event of a wreck. (more…)