Minimum State Requirements for Auto Insurance

Every state has minimum requirements that you have to have when you buy auto insurance. These requirements vary from state to state, but they are the law in every state. When you move to another state, it is your responsibility to make sure that you meet that state's minimum requirements.

It's not always the best option to have the bare minimum when you buy insurance. In fact, your agent may tell you that.

For example, in Wyoming the minimum requirements for auto insurance are 25/50/20. The first two numbers are injury liability limits and the last number is the property damage liability limit. In an accident, every person injured would receive a maximum of up to 25,000 dollars with only 50,000 dollars available. So if there are 2 people who need it, then no problem. But if there are 3, then whoever files first will have access to the 50,000 dollars. You can be sued for the rest if the accident was determined to be your fault. The last number means that there is $20,000 available to cover any property damage.

It's easy to see that in some cases these limits will not cover everything you might be responsible for paying for, or that you need paid for. Below is a listing of each state, and the minimum amount of insurance it requires. This can be useful for those who want to get as much coverage as possible as well as for those who can only afford the minimum.

Minimum Car Insurance Requirements By State

Alaska 50/100/25

Alabama 25/50/25

Arkansas 25/50/25

Arizona 15/30/10

California 15/30/5

Colorado 25/50/15

Connecticut 20/40/10

Delaware 15/30/10

Florida 10/20/10

Georgia 25/50/25

Hawaii 20/40/10

Idaho 25/50/15

Illinois 20/40/15

Indiana 25/50/10

Iowa 20/40/15

Kansas 25/50/10

Kentucky 25/50/10

Louisiana 15/30/25

Maine 50/100/25

Maryland 20/40/15

Massachusetts 20/40/5

Michigan 20/40/10

Minnesota 30/60/10

Mississippi 25/50/25

Missouri 25/50/10

Montana 25/50/10

Nebraska 25/50/25

New Hampshire 25/50/25

New Jersey 15/30/5

New Mexico 25/50/10

Nevada 15/30/10

New York 25/50/10

North Carolina 30/60/25

North Dakota 25/50/25

Ohio 12.5/25/7.5

Oklahoma 25/50/25

Oregon 25/50/10

Pennsylvania 15/30/5

Rhode Island 25/50/25

South Carolina 25/50/25

South Dakota 25/50/25

Tennessee 25/50/15

Texas 25/50/25

Utah 25/65/15

Virginia 25/50/20

Vermont 25/50/10

Washington 25/50/10

Washington D.C. 25/50/10

Wisconsin 50/100/55

West Virginia 20/40/10

Wyoming 25/50/20

Car Insurance Fraud

Car insurance fraud is a serious problem. If you find yourself a victim, you will end up paying higher premiums and could end up with a costly claim. Even worse, since scammers stage car accidents, you and your loved ones could end up paying with your lives. It is important to learn how to protect yourself from those who want to commit fraud.

Insurance fraud started when insurance was invented. There are even recorded incidents of fraud dating back to ancient Greece, where ship scuttling was a popular insurance scam. Insurance fraud traveled to England and then to America. With the introduction of cars, a whole new field for fraudulent claims was invented. Thanks to modern technology, many of the car accident claims that are made come from sophisticated organized crime rings, making them very difficult to detect. Don't think that this means you can't protect yourself. Whether the scam is coming from a crime ring or from an individual, there are steps you can take that will help you avoid becoming a scammer's victim.

To learn to protect yourself, you need to understand the kinds of insurance scams that are used. Set-up car accidents range from cars that stop on purpose in front of a driver in order to cause a rear-end accident to drivers who pretend that they are being helpful but are planning on causing an accident that will make the innocent party look guilty. Doctors and lawyers are sometimes involved in the scams.

Three of the most common scams are the fake helpers, staged rear-end car accidents, and adding damage. Let's look at these so that you will be aware of them.

Fake Helpers

These are drivers who pretend to be helpful but then cause an accident. They do such things as wave a driver into traffic, pretending to do something such as allowing them to turn or pass, but then they crash into the driver. When the time comes to file the claim, the scammer denies having waved the driver on. Sometimes fake helpers offer to help a driver find a lawyer, doctor, or auto repair shop. If this is the case, everyone is involved in the scam. You'll be charged outrageous rates at the body shop while the lawyer and doctor will lie to be able to collect more from your insurance company.

Staged Rear-End Car Accidents

This is where a scam driver gets in from of an innocent car and slams the brakes. This will cause the innocent driver to rear-end the scammer. While the scammer collects money for damages to their vehicle, they often also fake injuries so that they can collect even more money.

Adding Damage

In this kind of scam, the scam driver will add damages to their car. After an accident – and it doesn't matter whether the accident was staged or not – the scammer then goes to a different location where they add damage to their vehicle. They claim that it was done in the original accident and get a larger payout.

You need to be prepared because these scams can happen anywhere at any time. It is very important to be aware. Look out for drivers who seem to be following you or trying to examine your driving habits. Keep plenty of room in front of you so that you will be able to stop. If an accident occurs, take notes. Have notes about everything about the other car, the accident, and everyone that was in the cars. Have a disposable camera in your car – the glovebox is good spot – so that you can take photos of the damage that was done to both cars. This will help back up your claims if a scammer tries to take advantage of you. Trust your own judgment when you drive, not that of others. In other words, when someone waves you in, make your own judgments as to whether it really is safe to do so. You should also make sure that you tell your insurance company if you had any reason to think something was suspicious.

Let Manly Automotive Group help you in your new and previously owned vehicle choices today stop by our website today and drive away knowing that you made the right choice with us! http://www.manlyauto.com/ We also can be found on Twitter and Facebook. Stop on over and visit us!

Tips on Auto Insurance Quotes

If you want to make the most of the money that you have, you should take a look at the car insurance that you are paying. Many times, as your life changes, you will find that you could have been saving money if you had looked around more often at other auto insurance quotes. You spend a lot of your hard-earned money on your car insurance, so it pays to look around and see if you can save some money. Here are some tips on getting quotes and when you should look.

1. Just Do It

Every year, car insurance rates go up down, sometimes by hundreds of dollars! This is why you need to compare rates from different companies often, because you don't want to be paying more than you need to. Yet that raises the question: How often is enough?

After certain life events, it's a good idea to compare some quotes. If your unhappy with your current company or your premium goes up, it's time to compare. Whenever you move, buy a new car, add a new driver, have in increase in assets or salary, or your marital status changes, you should check other companies' prices. If it's been 2 years since you last looked, check the rates.

Don't put off checking on new rates. Check as soon as something changes.

2. Prepare to Get the Quote

It's very easy to get a quote on car insurance. If you have everything that you need, you can get a quote in as little as seven minutes from a company's website. Sometimes it takes even less time.

In order to get a quote you need to have the Current Insurance Declarations Page, year, make, model, and VIN number of your cars, how many miles you drive annually and the distance to your workplace, how much any aftermarket or custom equipment is worth, and the type of any theft recovery or alarm devices. You will also have to provide information about every member of your household who is old enough to drive, including their name, occupation, gender, how many years they have held a license, and their Driver's License number. You will need to include information about violations or accidents from the past three years. Include the dates, who's fault it was, whether or not someone was hurt, and how much the claim was.

3. Get What You Need

Before you start looking at quotes for new auto insurance, you should first look at the insurance you currently have. Make sure that your current policy offers you the protection level you want, or at least what you need. To lower your rate, you can increase your deductible. You might want to increase the liability limits on your policy so that it will cover a new income level or a new home. If you own an older car, it is important to find out what the car is worth. Sometimes you can save money by dropping the collision coverage on older vehicles when the insurance costs more than the vehicle is worth.

4. Check for Discounts

Different car insurance companies offer different discounts. If you have more than one car on the policy or you have safety features like anti-lock brakes, most companies will give you a discount. You might also see discounts for completing defensive driving courses or having a young driver who has taken driver's education courses. For the best quotes, you should always ask for discounts because most of the time they won't just offer them to you.

5. Compare

Make sure you compare the quotes that you receive. While the previous tips can help you get the best quotes for your needs, you need to shop around. Get quotes from at least three companies and compare everything – the price, the services offered, features, customer service, how easily you can talk to someone, and so on. You might find that it is worth it to pay a little more for better service. This way you can be sure to get the best rate.

Let Manly Automotive Group help you in your new and previously owned vehicle choices today stop by our website today and drive away knowing that you made the right choice with us! http://www.manlyauto.com/ We also can be found on Twitter and Facebook. Stop on over and visit us!

Car Insurance: How It Works

You know that you need car insurance. You know that you are required by law to have it and that the price varies widely. You know that there are many different companies who offer insurance. You spend weeks researching companies and finding the best deal for what you need. 

But do you know how car insurance actually works? Policies usually have a few different kinds of basic coverage. 

Liability

You have to have liability insurance in most states. Liability coverage will cover the damage you might do to other people or to property with your vehicle. It's important to remember that liability insurance will not cover injuries to you or to other people that are on your policy. 

Liability coverage is quoted in a series of three numbers. For example, 25/500/25. Don't get it? 

The first number is how many thousands of dollars your insurance policy will pay for every person, including you, that is injured in a car accident. This particular example would mean that the policy will pay $25,000. 

The second number is the total amount that your policy will pay if there is an accident. In this particular example, the policy would pay $500,000. 

The last number lets you know how much your policy would pay if there is any property damage. Here the policy would pay $25,000. 

Collision and Comprehensive

Collision insurance is what it sounds like: it will cover damage done to your car when you hit or get hit by another vehicle or an object. But collisions are not the only things that can damage your car. That's where comprehensive insurance comes in - it pays for damages that are caused by things other than collisions, such as theft, fire, floods, alien invasions, and so on. 

This type of coverage makes more sense for new vehicles. If you are making payments on your car, then usually it is required. On older cars, this kind of coverage is not as necessary and may be a waste of money. 

Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

PIP insurance is something that you definitely want. This is also known as "no-fault" insurance. Certain states require it. It pays the medical costs you have if you get injured in an accident and may also possibly pay for any lost wages. Some policies will also cover the passengers in your car as well as pedestrians.

Uninsured Motorist 

Can you guess what this is? This insurance covers both you and your passengers if you are involved in an accident where the other driver doesn't have insurance. This kind of insurance also covers hit-and-run accidents.

Let Manly Automotive Group help you in your new and previously owned vehicle choices today stop by our website today and drive away knowing that you made the right choice with us! http://www.manlyauto.com/ We also can be found on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/ManlyAuto and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-Rosa-CA/Manly-Auto-Group/103413126362572?v=wall&__a=3 & stop on over and visit us!

Save Money on Car Insurance

One of the most expensive things any car owner has to buy is car insurance. Insurance gives you peace of mind and protects you financially in the event of a car accident or your car being stolen. You don't have to settle for high-priced car insurance.

Shop

Make sure that you shop around. You should get quotes from at least three companies. This will let you see the price differences for the kind of coverage that you need. You can find out this information by calling the company or you can find it online. Keep in mind that some companies use agents, some don't, and sometimes independent agents offer policies from several companies. Look for a variety and don't forget to ask your friends and family about car insurance companies that they use. Sometimes, it's worth paying twenty dollars more if the customer service is a lot better than the company that is cheaper.

Look at Insurance Before You Get a Car

When you go car shopping, it's time to take a look at insurance. Car insurance premiums are based partly on a car's sticker price, overall safety record, likelihood of being stolen, and how much it would cost to repair it. If you have features that help to reduce injuries, such as airbags, or that deter theft, such as an alarm, you can often get a discount. It doesn't matter whether the car is used or new – the insurance will still be affected.

Get Higher Deductibles

Higher deductibles will lower your costs. A deductible is what you have to pay before the insurance company will pay. Just for example, if you increase your deductible to $500 from $200, you could save 15-30% on your collision and comprehensive cost. You'll save 40 percent or more if you take the $1,000 deductible. However, before you decide to take a higher deductible, you need to make sure that you will be able to pay if the need arises.

Get Homeowners and Car Insurance from the Same Company

If you buy more than one kind of insurance from the same company, they will usually give you some kind of a break in the price. Some companies will give you a price reduction if more than one vehicle is insured. Long-time customers may get reduced rates. But you should always shop around, because sometimes you will find that you'll save more even over multi-policy discounts.

Older Cars Don't Need As Much Coverage

If a car is worth less than 10 times the premium you pay on it, then you should consider dropping the collision and/or comprehensive coverage you have for it. You may be spending more than you really need to. You don't want to spend more in insurance than the car is worth.

Good Records

It's important to keep a good credit record and driving record. You can get discounts for having a good driving record, such as good driver or safe driver discounts. Good credit can help cut your insurance costs because it is becoming more common for companies to use your credit rating to determine your insurance price.

Low Mileage Discounts

Check and see if your company has a low mileage discount. If you drive less than average every year, you might be able to get a reduced rate. This can also apply if you car pool.

Group Insurance

Sometimes, you can get car insurance through your employer, alumni groups, or other groups you might be a part of. Some companies will give you a price reduction based on what you belong to.

Other Discounts

If you haven't had any moving violations or accidents for a certain number of years, some companies will give you discounts. Defensive driving courses also count. If you have a young driver who has taken driver's education and gets good grades, you can sometimes get a discount. The same is true if your child is a college student who doesn't have a car and attends college out of the area.

Let Manly Automotive Group help you in your new and previously owned vehicle choices today stop by our website today and drive away knowing that you made the right choice with us! http://www.manlyauto.com/ We also can be found on Twitter https://twitter.com/ManlyAuto and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Santa-Rosa-CA/Manly-Auto-Group/103413126362572?v=wall&__a=3 & stop on over and visit us!

How much can you afford to spend?

You might be already dreaming of a certain model vehicle that has your eye or maybe the features of a vehicle that would make your driving experience a more pleasurable one. Well, its time to come down to reality because the first thing you need to do before making that new car purchase is to estimate what the actual price range is that you can afford.

First thing you will need to do is to decide how much money you will be able to pay upfront in case and with a trade-in or even both. The monthly payment will be determined by how much money you will be borrowing and what the maximum payment is going to be that you can afford every month.

You may be lucky and find an auto loan that requires a low down payment of five percent but it is highly recommended that you put down as much money as you can afford and the preferred by most lenders is 20 percent. With a higher down payment this will reduce the amount of money you will need to borrow as well as reduces your monthly payment and also this will reduce the amount of interest you will be paying on the loan in the long run.

Keep in mind that your down payment doesn’t have to be in all cash, if you have a car already and there is any sort of trade in allowance the dealer may credit this back towards your down payment. If you sell the car yourself you will usually get more then you would if you were trading it in. You might consider this before you make the new car purchase.

Per Consumer Reports who are the financial experts, they recommend that your total debt payment be absolutely no more then 36 percent of your gross income. If you go by that rule, you will be able to determine how much you actually will be able to afford to spend every month.

In knowing what your down payment and monthly payment will be along with that a typical interest rate and the number of years you are going to be making the car payments for, you wll be able to calculate the price of the vehicle that you can afford and the loan amount that you will need to qualify for.

In addition to the vehicle price, you need to consider other costs, such as the Sales Tax, Registration Fees and Insurance premiums. The taxes and registration fees may have you reaching in your pocket as much as 10 percent or more and if driving a car that is worth more then your current income will cost you more to insure. Be sure to check with your insurance agent or get an insurance quote online to make sure you know what you are actually getting involved with prior to any new car purchase.

Let Manly Automotive Group help you in your new and previously owned vehicle choices today stop by our website today and drive away knowing that you made the right choice with us! http://www.manlyauto.com/  We also can be found on Twitter https://twitter.com/ManlyAuto and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001445954579&v=wall stop on over and visit us!