auto insurance

Just wondering who has the best insurance rates? We belong to American Family Insurance...... but, am possibly looking for a new one if someone else has better rates.

Auto insurance rates depend on a lot of factors: where you live, driving record, type of car, etc. etc. Best thing you can do is call some places near you for quotes.

I did some checking quite a while ago, and found out that we are actually getting a decent deal with State Farm. Most of them were pretty much the same, though.

I've also heard that your credit report influences how much you actually pay for car insurance. Don't know how much, but it does make me wonder about those places that will give quotes out without much info.

My Geico policy is ridiculously cheap compared to what I was paying with my previous company, Progressive. If you call Geico for a quote, though, they REALLY do not want you to hang up the phone without buying. Can be a little pushy.

Well I just bought auto insurance today. I had State Farm. I loved them $24 a month, then it went up to $48 (mind you this was in Maine). But now I have moved and I need new insurance, I now have Allstate, at $54 a month, but thats only with liability coverage.

But then again that's all I need

Most other places wanted $70+ per month.

We have Geico as well, and they are the best rates around.... at least in our area. Having come from Southern California I would figure that Connecticut would be cheaper, but with our old insurance company, the rates went up went we moved here... Must be all those Mass drivers *wink

Really though, give Geico a call and see what they can do for you.

I checked with Geico for the Eclpse, and I dont understand the payment thing. If I pay it in full, it will be $1019.00 for a 6 month policy -- if you divide it by 6 is that what it would be monthly? I divided it & according to the calculator, it would be around $160/month? This is for the exact same coverage (full coverage) that is on our lexus & we are paying only $140. With the Eclips, my insurance gave me a quote of $114 ever month, which was fine with me -- but, I thought Geico was supposed to be lower than the "big" insurance companies?

Wow! That's expensive! OUCH! I have a 2000 Dodge Neon, and only pay $57 a month for full coverage!! I know it isn't a real fancy car like a Lexus or Eclispe, but I had no idea full coverage would be that high for those types of cars!! Guess I won't be upgrading any time soon...

I've been with Nationwide, since 1985. This is my late husband's old policy, in effect since 1972.

I did the comparison thing and they're the lowest. You deal direct with the company (no agent's commissions). They've, always paid off my claims, promptly, with no hassles.

Arizona has ridiculous rates, anyway and you, really need to shop around.

Just wanted to say that in some states, insurance is regulated by the govt. Here in MA, all companies have to follow the "state" rates, so places are only a different by a few dollars.

We have 3 cars registered. I pay $1950 for the year for all three, which is full coverage on one, and only comprehensive and liability on the other 2. I think MA rates are high though, people don't know how to drive here
Right Ken and Sandie???

Drivers are pretty bad here, too. Phoenix and Tucson have the highest rates of red light runners, in the country. You just assume that someone is going to run the light and wait a beat, before proceeding.

Also, whenever it rains, people get crazy and do incredibly stupid things. Its worse in the winter, with all of the snowbirds and college students.

There is a very good reason, that I drive big, heavy older cars. Every time that I've had an accident, someone else did something stupid and hit ME. I like the security of all of that steel around me. I've been able to walk away from a couple that would have killed someone in a small car.

People are nutty driving over -- that I would agree on. What gets me is when you get stuck in the middle of a yellow light turning red while turning left, because people won't stop! Course, then the person turning left gets a damned ticket..... Then, you've got those who won't use a turn signal & then you have to slam on the brakes.

You'd be surprised. You might think that the Lexus is the more expensive car, but if the Eclipse is classified as a sports car, that could drive up the rate. There really are a million variables.

The worst drivers I've ever seen were in Pennsylvania (sorry if anyone's from PA! present company excluded, of course). It's mostly the senior citizens that I saw. They don't stop for pedestrians, even in parking lots, they just keep on goin. I saw a man at an intersection who decided to drive right over the median strip, do a u-turn, completely cutting off a whole line of cars. Then they just drove off like nothing happened. It's a wonder people like that can even get a license or insurance.

You can get quotes without being hassled by a salesperson online at: progressive.com, insweb.com, geico.com, statefarm.com, and allstate.com.

And your rate does take into account a million variables--my car is a midsize sedan with all the safety features, and I have a spotless record-- but I pay out of the nose for insurance, probably chiefly because of my age and where I live, and this being my first car.

I've got a '92 Bonneville insured with American Family, full coverage(as I'm making payments)$250 deductable and I pay about $58/ month. I have yet to find a cheaper rate for my coverage.

IMO, if you are happy with AF, stay with them. Unless you find it cheaper, of course!

Keith
p.s. Geico wanted $750 every 6 months for the same coverage!!

Is it mandatory to have full coverage on a new car? Or would they let me lower it to something else? BTW, you can pay on-line now with AmFamily!

If you are financing the vehicle, than they require full coverage. This is to protect the bank, so if you are in a crash and the car is a total then the bank will still get the money to pay off your loan. Normally once the car is paid off, then you can reduce your coverage.

Hope this helps.
Note: Some banks offer something called GAP insurance. I would highly recommend it. What it does is cover the difference between the balance of your loan and the actual value that an insurance company would pay out if the car was in a wreck. Example: You owe 10000 on your loan and you crash the car. When the insurance company does the claim, the car has a blue book value of 9000, so they pay the bank the 9000. You still owe the 1000 difference, and will still be responsible to pay the bank that amount. It happens ALOT, especially w/ American cars which don't hold their value as much as Japanese and German. Please consider taking it, its normally a one time fee like $195, and it would cover any gap in costs if this were to happen to you.

Why would someone want GAP insurance?? If you get in a wreck, and the car is totaled, you still have to make payments if there is a difference? Doesn't the insurance just pay it off anyway?

Keith

I think the GAP insurance sounds like a good idea, I had never heard of it before...but I sure would hate to be in a wreck, and have my new car totaled, and still have to make payments to the bank for the rest of the amount that my insurance didn't pay.