Finding the best insurance rate available to you does not have to be a difficult task.  Currently about seven out of ten people probably pay hundreds of dollars more then necessary for auto insurance. Why because of two reasons. (1) People don’t have time to call every local agent trying to find the cheapest premium and (2) even if they did have the time most people hate the process.  Wouldn’t it be great if you could look into a crystal ball and know for sure which company had the best auto insurance rate before you requested a quote from an agent? Instead of calling agent after agent you just simply walk into his or her office and say here’s what I want, please write it? Well I am going to teach you how to know ahead of time which company is willing to insure you at the lowest premium.

Step 1:Having the Necessary Information to Get An Accurate Quote.
General Information – Name, address, telephone number, etc.  Driver Information - Dates of birth(s), license number(s), social security number(s) and any violation or claims information that applies to each driver.  Vehicle Information – Year, make, model and vehicle identification number (VIN).  Desired Coverage’s – You will need to decide what coverage’s that you desire.

Step 2:Finding the Best Rate
As an insurance agent I get asked by close friends and family all the time, “how do I get the best auto insurance rate?” Each time my answer is the same: "Shop and compare." The only way to know if you're getting the best car insurance rate for your particular situation is to comparison shop, and one of the easiest ways to do that is to fire up your computer and take advantage of the vast amount of resources available on the internet.

There are a number of free sites where you can get auto insurance rates from A-rated companies, and it only takes a couple of minutes to get multiple quotes from top companies making it easy to compare rates from multiple insurance companies. Since there is no obligation to purchase the quote this is too valuable of a resource not to take advantage of it.

There is an on-line directory called www.InsuranceEasy.org that lists some of the top free on-line rating services. By requesting quotes from each of the free on-line rating services that offer auto insurance quotes you will greatly increase your odd of finding the best rate.

Step 3:Accepting the Best Quote

Once you receive the best quote, you must either choose to purchase the policy through the internet or find a local agent that represents the company that offered you the best rate.  If you don’t want to purchase insurance over the internet you can usually find a local agent by going to the company’s site that offered you the best rate and clicking on the option “Find An Agent”, “Locate An Agency” ,etc.

How do I know the company I pick is a good company?
Insurance companies are rated by various independent organizations like A.M. Best, Standard and Poor's, and Moody’s. Unfortunately they only rate companies primarily on financial criteria and not customer experience. 

To get the inside scoop on which companies have the best service and pay insurance claims the quickest you can check out www.epinions.com/Insurance. Here you'll get consumer ratings and reviews from actual customers who've used a company's services.

Step 4:Understand Insurance Lingo

Liability Coverage’s:

  • Bodily Injury Liability Coverage (BI) - If an insured person is legally liable for an accident, BI coverage pays for injuries/death to people involved in the accident other than the insured driver. BI also pays for legal defense costs if you are sued. Certain exclusions may apply. Refer to your policy.
  • Property Damage Liability Coverage (PD) - If an insured person is legally liable for an accident, PD coverage pays for damage to others' property resulting from the accident. PD also pays for legal defense costs if you are sued. Certain exclusions may apply. Refer to your policy.
  • Medical Payments (Med Pay) Coverage – Med Pay is an optional insurance coverage that pays for reasonable and necessary medical and funeral expenses for covered persons. These expenses must be incurred as a result of an auto accident.
  • Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) - If a driver or owner of a vehicle does not have insurance and is legally liable for an accident, you can use UM coverage for injuries, including death that you, your resident relatives, and occupants of your insured vehicle sustain, up to the limits you select. Certain exclusions may apply. Refer to your policy.
  • Underinsured Motorist Coverage (UIM) - If a driver or owner of a vehicle is legally liable for an accident but does not have enough insurance, you can use UIM coverage for injuries, including death that you, your resident relatives, and occupants of your insured vehicle sustain, up to the limits you select. Certain exclusions may apply. Refer to your policy.
  • Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage (UMPD) - If driver or owner of a vehicle is legally liable for an accident but does not have insurance or does not have enough insurance, you can use UMPD to cover damage to your insured vehicle, up to the limits you select. In some states, UMPD is available as an alternative to Collision coverage. Certain exclusions may apply. Refer to your policy.

Physical Coverage for Your Vehicle (Full Coverage):

  • Comprehensive Coverage - If your insured vehicle is damaged due to an event other than a collision, Comprehensive coverage will pay for the damage. This includes damages from fire, theft, windstorm, flood and vandalism. If your vehicle is stolen, Comprehensive covers transportation and loss of use expenses when applicable.
  • Collision Coverage - When your insured vehicle overturns or collides with another object, Collision coverage pays for the damage to your vehicle. Collision coverage also may extend to a non-owned vehicle or one rented for personal use that is in your custody or that you are operating. Certain exclusions may apply. Refer to your policy.
  • Loan/Lease Payoff Coverage - Loan/Lease Payoff coverage, sometimes called "gap" coverage, pays the difference between what you owe on your vehicle and what your insurance pays if your vehicle is declared a total loss or stolen and not recovered, less your Comprehensive or Collision deductible. Learn more about Loan/Lease Payoff coverage.
  • Rental Reimbursement Coverage - Rental Reimbursement provides rental car coverage if you have a claim that is covered under Comprehensive or Collision coverage. Daily rental amounts are subject to the limit purchased. 
  • Roadside Assistance Coverage - Roadside Assistance provides services such as towing, flat tire change, locksmith service and battery jump-start to customers, who can elect the service for an additional premium if it is not already included with their insurance policy.

In closing let me say once again the only way to know if you're getting the best car insurance rate for your particular situation is to comparison shop.
As you receive rates from multiple companies you will soon discover that rates will vary with each company.  In some cases there can be as much $200 or $300 difference between the highest and lowest rates being offered. Don’t cheat yourself by only using one free on-line rating service.  With each service that you use your chances of receiving the best rate greatly increases, that’s why I encourage taking full advantage of consumer directories like www.InsuranceEasy.org they provide you with links to the top on-line rating services.
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SR-22 Filings - What are they and how do I get one.?




What is an SR 22?

SR-22 is a form ordered by the court or under state law for drivers who are convicted of certain traffice violations as proof of financial responsibility.  An SR 22 must be filed by an insurance company on the behave of the insured driver stating that auto liability insurance is in effect for the individual. Each state has it's own variation of this form and requirements.  For more information on SR 22 filings check out the consumer site of the department of insurance for state.  Click here to find your states department of insurance.

Where do I get one?

Typically not all companies offer SR-22 filings but there are some good companies who do.  Probably three of the most well know companies that offer sr22 filings are 21st Century, Progressive and GEIGO.  Other free quoting services that maybe able to help are: NetQuote, InsureMe and Hometown Quote.