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!

Speeding Tickets and your Car Insurance

If you are one of those people with a lead foot you more then likely will be caught speeding and receive a speeding ticket or some other sort of traffic violation. You may or may not realize how costly a speeding ticket could be for you.

If you have every received a citation for speeding or running a red light the fine may be one of the lease things you should be worried about, especially if you have received more then one ticket.

Although receiving a speeding ticket is not a fun experience it may carry with it something more substantial depending on where you were caught speeding and how far you were over the posted speed limit. In most states driving over 15 mph over the speed limit is an automatic fine increase or if you are caught speeding in a road construction work zone your fines may double the normal speeding fine.

However, there is more cost that could be heading your way and that is the increase in your monthly automobile insurance and this could add up to some serious money that you will be putting out over a long term period. Insurance companies have conducted surveys that have revealed that drivers with one speeding ticket have a higher rick of having an accident. Additional tickets more then double that risk of an accident. So to compensate, the insurance companies raise rates for those drivers that are an addition risk factor.

Depending on the exact conditions that will increase these rates, which do vary from one insurance company to another as well as varying from state to state will determine the increase in your monthly premium.

Speeding tickets along with other traffic citations are not easy to fight and are expensive so the best thing to do is to avoid them completely. You can avoid or decrease your chances of receiving a citation by following some simple rules.

Be aware of your speed limit in the areas that you do drive. It seems like such an obvious thing but time and time again people driving just simply do not pay attention to it. Speed limits especially in small towns can decrease quickly especially if you are crossing a state or county line or if you come across construction zones.

 

Stay in the right lane as much as possible and do not pass other cars that are already exceeding the speed limit. Police have radar and or laser devices which already know how fast those other cars are going and if they see a vehicle passing already marked cars that are over the limit your car will grab their attention.

The highway patrol nearly gives a certain degree of excessive speed over a limit but if your vehicle has other problems like a burnt out tail light gives an officer enough of a reason to pull you over not just for the tail light being out but for the speeding ticket as well. So, make sure you check you car regularly for and minor repairs such as a broken light, turn signals, license plate fixtures to name a few.

When you are driving the highway patrol officer is sitting there biding his time on the side of the highway and do so especially during a holiday season. Most of their vehicles are easy to spot and have distinct markings so be alert keep an eye out for those vehicles that stand out.

If they are legal in your state then purchase a radar detector this will provide you with the capability to detect may types of radar and laser speeds. The more you pay for the detector the better job it does.

Auto Insurance companies have different policies for how they handle traffic violations as well as their rate increases because of them. Some companies you will loss you good driver discount and be given a premium increase. If your company raises your rate excessively you might want to look for another insurance company with a better rate. But be honest about your traffic violations so you can receive a correct rate quote.

If you have too many speeding tickets you will have difficulty finding any insurance company that will be willing to insure you. You might be forced to have to get your insurance with a company that specializes in high risk drivers this will come with an extremely high premium rate

.

In general, drivers who receive a speeding ticket can expect fines and court costs and a state driving record that can lead to having your license being suspended as well as a higher insurance cost. It is easier said then done for most, but it is best to avoid a speeding ticket and other traffic violations altogether.

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!