Carry A High Deductible

When you place your deductible rate high, let’s say $1,000 that will mean that in case of an automobile accident and your insurance company is accountable to cover the claim (usually meaning YOU were responsible of the accident) you would then pay out the very first $1,000 of the claim.

Car insurance provider do that so you will end up less likely to file a claim, because you will end up responsible for $1,000 of that claim. You’ll never want to report a claim for anything a smaller amount or even slightly more than your deductible amount because of a high probability your future rates will increase.

If you are a safe driver, then chances are you’ll not report a claim and can keep your savings you will end up rewarded with for having a high deductible.

Should you do have a claim, you simply pay the deductible amount if the insurance policy pays the claim. So 2 things have to happen here before you’ll be liable for the $1,000. You have to have any sort of accident and report a claim, and you should be at fault and your insurance pays the claim.

Other deductions

• Combine insurance policies that you have because car insurance companies usually give discounts for multiple insurance polices if you get it with the same company.
• Retired and active military gets discounts as well
• If you are a senior, you can get reduced car insurance rates
• Being a member of an oranization can allow you to get discounts on your insurance depending on the insurance company
• If you are a student and you have a GPA of B or higher, you can get discounts as well
• If you have taken a defensive classes lately, you can get lower car insurance
• Does your vehicle have all the available safety features like side impact airbags
• If you have a small compact car, that means you will get lower car insurance compared to those who are driving luxury cars
• How is your credit score – a low credit score can effect your premiums
• Living in an area with low crime and traffic rate generally gets lower premiums

I had recently been convicted of DUI and my insurer here in Washington canceled my current policy and they said I should get a DUI SR22 Insurance. I felt very bad about this for I have been insured with them for several years already and now that I had a problem they suddenly canceled my policy. Are they right in doing this to me and what is DUI SR22 Insurance and how does this work?

Bryan

Tacoma, WA

Once a driver is convicted of DUI in Washington, most car insurers will either cancel your current policy or they will never renew it even if you have been having business with them for many years. A DUI SR22 Insurance is a policy that is designed for those who have been convicted of driving under influences’ offense. There are car insurance companies that can give you DUI SR22 Insurance but since you are labelled as a high risk driver it could create more problems in time that’s why you should get a DUI SR22 Insurance.

When a driver is convicted of DUI, they usually want you to present a proof that you have car insurance with DUI for around three to five years with Washington’s Department of Motor Vehicle. Your insurers will file an SR22 form to DMV in order for your driver’s license suspension to be lifted. The car insurance company will charge you the rate depends on your policy and state rules. Every states has a different length of time on how long your DUI conviction remain on the record and as long as the record remains then that is also how long your premium is affected. If you have a DUI SR22 Insurance and had another conviction, the process would be easier and faster and this is something you should get as a responsible driver for we don’t know when accident strikes.

I am about to renew my Car Insurance Policy here in Washington and I just had a little accident a couple of months ago. Will my car insurers check my record or since it is renewal they wouldn’t check? And what could be the possible thing that can happen to my policy?

Jim

Tacoma, WA

There are many things that one can be classified as a high-risk driver here in Washington just like when you own a speedy car then you are also considered as a high-risk driver for one can actually have the biggest possibility that you might have an accident. Car Insurance Companies are not complacent in checking your driving record.

If you are for the renewal of your car insurance policy, your insurers will check every detail of your driving history before they allow you to renew your policy or reviewing your policy. If for example you insurers are a too strict regarding with traffic tickets, car crashes or poor credit then you might want to shop for another Car Insurance. Not all Car Insurance Companies are tough with these problems though you might know by now that it isn’t cheap to avail as a high-risk driver. Car Insurance Company might give you a policy but then it is more expensive than the usual for you have the biggest possibility that you might take risk on the road again. Car Insurance Companies is just trying to protect you as well as their interest that’s why they are offering you a bigger coverage.

I was advised that if I will have a loan on my car here in Washington, I need to get gap coverage for it along with my insurance. What exactly is this gap coverage and what does it have to do with having a loan on my car?

Marc

Lakewood, WA

The horrid fall of your new vehicle’s value the moment you drive it away from the seller’s area can have shocking and unwarranted burden on your pocket if your vehicle will be declared a total loss in an accident. In case you are eligible for a payment on your totaled vehicle on your car insurance in Washington, your insurer will give you the actual cash value of your automobile. Then again, the total payment your car insurance provider estimates as the vehicle’s actual cash value could be thousands of dollars further than what you have a loan from the bank or finance company. Because you will be accountable to pay the rest of your loan even if your vehicle is totaled, you may need to produce hundreds, possibly thousands in cash, except if you purchased gap coverage.

Your gap insurance coverage would pay the disparity between the approximation of your car insurance provider’s actual cash value of your vehicle and the money that you still have a loan from the bank or financial company. You may think that when your vehicle is totaled because of an accident, you will recoup the amount you owe on the vehicle or the money you paid for it if it is new enough. Apparently, vehicles do not cling to their value similar to what you think. When you drive away the vehicle, you have immediately lost some of the fees that you paid for.

We have three cars at home and only my car is insured, my wife’s and son’s cars are not insured. My wife keep telling me that her car should also be insured together with my son’s car, she says it’s really important to get it insured. Why should one’s car get insured here in Washington?

Todd

Everett, WA

Washington requires all the cars on the road should be insured before getting it on the road. If you have escaped yourself from this requirement, you will not be able to escape yourself from a huge disaster when you got yourself in an accident. Car Insurance is just like having a savings account that you can get in case of emergencies on the road.

Car insurance is just as important as the homeowner’s insurance for with a Car Insurance with you on the road, it will help you survive, not from death or physical injury but at least you will be saved from financial problems in case you got yourself in an accident. Car Insurance doesn’t only cover you in case of accident but also the other party. Car insurance is not supposed to be expensive for the state has set a minimum requirement but this might not be able to get everything covered if you had a major accident. Just imagine yourself getting a car accident which is your fault and the other party is not insured, though it is breaking the law if you don’t get yourself insured, you still need to have both of your mishaps covered. This is how car insurance protects you, not only you but also the other party that makes it really important.

I may have to dispute the figure that my auto insurance company here in Washington gave me regarding the value of my car which has been totaled. How can I argue against their offer and tell them that my car’s worth is more than what they are saying?

Garth

Tacoma, WA

If you do not agree with the figure that your car insurance provider in Washington gave you as the replacement value of your totalled vehicle, there several points that you need to remember. Car insurance companies have exclusive software to find out how much is the amount to replace your vehicle, with its present mileage and its form before the accident, at a dealership in your neighborhood. This may mean that your insurer acquires a bid for the lowest amount the dealer agrees to for your vehicle and not the amount the dealer may charge you. A lot of insurers would search as well within 100-mile range to compare prices.

To argue against the offer of your car insurance provider, you have to obtain price quotes from dealers within an acceptable distance in your area. You may ask Washington’s insurance department to figure out that ‘acceptable’ distance. The figures that you have to come up with should be higher than the offer of your car insurance provider. You should have a proof in writing that the replacement value of your car is more than the amount that the car insurance provider agrees to pay.

My rates has recently been increased by my car insurance provider here in Washington. I’m wondering if my recent traffic violation got anything to do with it. Can you tell me what factors can affect my insurance rates?

Jeffrey

Seattle, WA

It is quite possible that the added traffic violation ticket against your driving record there in Washington may very well caused your increased auto insurance rates. It really depends on how many violations you’ve had before and how the latest violation could have tipped your record off into a “high-risk” driver. There are other factors to consider whenever an auto insurance provider evaluates, or re-evaluates your record. It is quite possible that falling within a certain age group, such as becoming a senior citizen, could have also caused your insurance to increase. Elderly drivers, along with teenagers, are also considered to be high-risk drivers and therefore the cost of insurance for them is high as well.

Your credit history also has an impact on how your car insurance premiums come out. Simply put, a bad credit rating shows your not able to handle your finances or bills well and this will be taken by insurance companies as an indication of how good you take care of everything else, including how safe you are while driving on the road. It is important to realize that the major reason your car insurance provider will raise their premiums is due to an event or something that you may have done that puts you at a higher probability of filing a claim. The added premium compensates for the added risk the company is taking to insure you and your vehicle.

I am not satisfied with the service I get from my current insurance company here in East Seattle, Washington. My auto insurance and other coverage are ending soon so I’ll just cancel my policies altogether. If I don’t pay anything after the end of the coverage, it means that my insurance is canceled, right?

Bo

East Seattle, WA

You could opt to cancel your automobile insurance policy for several causes, and dissatisfaction is one of them. Be careful, though, that if you don’t give enough notification to your insurance provider, you may spend more or worse, it could have an effect on your credit rating. It has been a tradition for the majority of insurance providers to let their customers drop their policy at any time in the course of the policy term. All they need to do is to send a written notification that includes the exact date of termination.

Your auto insurance policy in East Seattle, Washington would not automatically be cancelled at the end of the coverage, so don’t assume that you could drop your policy by taking for granted the next bill. In case you don’t send them a notification that you’re terminating your policy, they would consequently send you a bill in advance for the following policy term’s premium payment. If you ignore it, they would drop your policy and it would go against your credit history. These details are not clearly explained in your policy; auto insurance providers always tell us that we can cancel our policies at the end of the coverage by not paying the next premium, but they never tell us about the consequences for not giving them any notification.

My parents own three cars and I drive each of them once in a while. How would I know if I am covered under their car insurance here in Washington?

Orin

Bellevue, WA

These days, a lot of families own more than one vehicle because most family members are always on the go. Most families register each of their vehicles under only one name since car insurance providers normally check the driving record of the vehicle owner before selling car insurance policy. The other family members then become named drivers on the insurance policy and this procedure is legally accepted and could be able to save money on your premiums. To determine if you are part of your family’s car insurance policy in Bellevue, Washington and have sufficient coverage, here are some things to follow:

–You may ask every family member if your vehicles’ insurance is under one name.

–You may request the registered family member to inform your insurer to include your name in the policy.

–You may contact the insurance provider to verify that you name is included in the policy.

–You may obtain a copy of the policy and verify all the names and be sure that your name has been added properly.

–Examine the kind of coverage you have because in some instances, you could not be covered comprehensively.

–You should drive the car only after getting affirmation that you are included in the policy and make sure that you have a photocopy of the policy when you drive one of your vehicles.

I’ve been hearing stories going around here in Washington of people being victimized in car insurance scams. How do I recognize this and is there anything I can do to protect myself?

Bertrand

Kent, WA

Car insurance scams have become a very serious matter today. Not only do car insurance scammers make a living out of conning people, costing them their car and their money while putting their livelihood and even lives in great danger. The more you become aware of how these people operate their scams and fraud business the better prepared you’ll be to recognize this, avoid it and protecting yourself from ending up in a hospital, with violations against your driving records, an escalated insurance rate and a badly damaged vehicle.

Scammers are very creative; they can stage a car accident and make it look genuine, without you knowing you’re already an unwilling participant. There’s a scam that will involve a car accident with another vehicle that would look really damaged, hence the higher payout for them, but what you won’t know is that the said car has already been inflicted with damage before the staged accident takes place.

There are also those who will cause you to have a rear-end crash, making it look like it’s your fault, either by suddenly breaking in front of you so you won’t have enough time to stop or weave you into the path of another accomplice vehicle, causing you to collide with it.

It is important that you take the necessary steps in preparing for these scenarios. The best way would be to enroll in accredited defensive driving schools there in Kent, Washington. These classes will educate you on how to avoid being a victim of car insurance fraud and also has the added perk of qualifying you for discounts with your car insurance for being a safer driver.