Auto Insurance Black Box Technology Meets Your Darkest Fears

Back in the days before computers, auto insurance was personal and subjective. The insurance agent actually talked to the man he knew in the main office, called in a few favors, and got their best customers the best rates. Male drivers under 25 were charged a lot. Young females, being perceived as less risk, were charged much less.

Now, in the computer age, auto insurance companies have large databases of accident and claims records. By number-crunching these records they can tell what type of person is more likely to be a good driver and what type of person is more likely to be an accident risk. This Black Box technology gives them insights into the background and behavior of the people who they think should pay more for their auto insurance. For example, people who carry minimum limits of liability are actually a greater risk than those who carry at least 50/100 ($50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident). And statistics have shown that those with bad credit scores are more likely to be involved in accidents.

In Texas, the minimum liability limit on auto insurance is 20/40. Yep. $20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident. Not much is it? And if that weren’t bad enough, the minimum property damage is $15,000. Guess who makes up the difference if you’re in an accident that’s your fault?

In most states, auto insurance is regulated by the state. But that is only the beginning. The state uses tables of ‘loss ratios’, exposure, and other conjuring words, to justify what the auto insurance companies want you to pay. Every once in a while, just to throw you off, they will even announce a state-wide REDUCTION in auto rates. When they do, hold onto your wallet!

After the state sets the base rate, the individual companies negotiate with them to adjust their particular rates, claiming either a better or worse loss ratio than average. So, after the elections are over, the legislature allows exceptions, amendments, and endorsements to jack them back up to something the auto insurance companies can make a ton of money from.

And theres more. Most states allow individual companies to set their own rules to determine who gets charged what. So, one auto insurance company rates a particular driver one way, while another company rates the same driver differently. Each company sets those underwriting rules.

So how are auto insurance rates determined? First, the state usually gets involved. Then companies toss the dice between staying competitive and making as much profit as they can for their stockholders. And finally, now that the ‘Black Box’ is here, auto insurance companies are taking a closer look at every driver. Career, credit score, past record, even the city you live in helps ‘drive’ the rates. They have even found that those who select low limits of liability are greater risks than those who select higher limits. So, by raising your liability limits, you may actually LOWER your auto insurance rate.

For some, the new ‘Black Box’ technology reduces rates by as much as 20% over those companies not using it. The bad news is, since credit scoring does play a part in ALL auto insurance rating, the worse your credit score, the higher your auto insurance will go. No more ‘discounts’, no more ‘loyal customer’ credits, and the like. You will be rated right down to your underwear, placed in a group of drivers almost identical to you, and charged accordingly.

Gillian Gunner is a writer, software author and webmaster. She writes on subjects connected with personal finance, lifestyle and new technology. She has contributed to Auto Insurance Now.

You can find student loans information at loansadvise.com

Posted by Car Insurances in Car Insurance - Tags: - Comments (0)
7 November

You Need To Take Control Of Road Rage To Keep You Car Insurance Costs Down

Always remember that the way you handle road rage will have a direct bearing on your insurance costs.

Road rage is a serious problem that causes motorists to behave in very strange and bizarre ways. Many times it culminates in violence and even death. Yet many people still do not take it seriously. There is a significant number of people who believe that road rage is in fact an invention of the media. Many others do not believe that it is a serious problem. Yet statistics shows that it takes hundreds of lives every year on our roads. Many times road rage causes serious road accidents.

For car insurance purposes, there is no way that you can ignore road rage.

Drivers need to prepare themselves so as to avoid being victims of road rage, which could lead to accidents, and an adjustment of their insurance premiums. It is important to always assume that the driver next to you is a ticking bomb just waiting to explode. It is also equally wise to assume that they have some concealed weapons hidden somewhere in their car. What this means is that you should avoid any sort of confrontation at all costs. Not only will this go a long way in helping you avoid higher car insurance costs, but it could also be the thing that saves your life.

To start with make every effort to allow plenty of time for any trip you would like to take. Then you must ignore gestures from other drivers and keep your cool, no matter how bad your day is going. Make sure that you avoid eye contact at all costs.

It is never a good idea to insist on the right of way when challenged by another driver. It matters little whether you are right or wrong. Most of all never follow another driver to give them a piece of your mind about their driving habits or behavior on the road.

Although these tips for your protection against road rage may make you look like a weak geek or nerd, they will go a long way in keeping your car insurance costs low and maybe even saving your life.

There is much more auto insurance tips at the writer’s auto insurance site.

You can find student loans information at loansadvise.com

Posted by Car Insurances in Car Insurance - Comments (0)
7 November

Do You Pay Too Much For Your Car Insurance?

Do the premiums just seem to get higher and higher every year?

It is amazing how many people just receive their insurance renewal when it is sent out each year and pay it off without a second thought!

But, at the back of their mind, is this niggling feeling of discontent about the amount they are paying. Unfortunately many feel there is nothing they can do about it, they are literally being held to ransom by the insurance companies.

If you drive then you need insurance, that is for sure. So what can you do if you feel you are being overcharged or you would just like to check that you are being charged a fair price?

The Internet has revolutionized the possibilities for finding more choice for things like car insurance. It is now possible to browse from the comfort of your own home and use some of the many sites available to help you select an insurance policy that is right for you and get the best price in the process.

For many the Internet is still somewhat a mystery, but most people can find a friendly person to help them on line. To get the best deal for you insurance it is vital to get on the web and search the many discount insurance providers that now exist.

Traditionally insurance was sold by agents who only dealt with one insurer, thus you had no choice when you renewed your policy. If you stayed with the same agent then you stayed with the same insurer and so had no chance of getting a better price.

Now on line there exist many discount brokers who deal with many different insurance companies, they offer you the chance to view all the different prices which are offered to you and your vehicle. You can also choose from many different options for the type of insurance and extra features you can get with your policy.

This choice is fantastic news for car owners and many people are still shocked when they realize just how easy it is to save hundreds even thousands each year on their premium.

The discount brokers are able to offer such a good deal because many only exist as an on line operation, thus no local office to run and less staff.

If you want to make your renewal cheaper this year then start today, get on line and search for a discount broker who services your county. There are many available so shop around until you find the very best price. You could save yourself enough cash to have a nice holiday or even buy a special gift for a loved one.

Written for - http://www.carinsurancetoday.info - for informative information on line.

You can find student loans information at loansadvise.com

Posted by Car Insurances in Car Insurance - Comments (0)
7 November

Do You Pay Too Much For Your Car Insurance?

Do the premiums just seem to get higher and higher every year?

It is amazing how many people just receive their insurance renewal when it is sent out each year and pay it off without a second thought!

But, at the back of their mind, is this niggling feeling of discontent about the amount they are paying. Unfortunately many feel there is nothing they can do about it, they are literally being held to ransom by the insurance companies.

If you drive then you need insurance, that is for sure. So what can you do if you feel you are being overcharged or you would just like to check that you are being charged a fair price?

The Internet has revolutionized the possibilities for finding more choice for things like car insurance. It is now possible to browse from the comfort of your own home and use some of the many sites available to help you select an insurance policy that is right for you and get the best price in the process.

For many the Internet is still somewhat a mystery, but most people can find a friendly person to help them on line. To get the best deal for you insurance it is vital to get on the web and search the many discount insurance providers that now exist.

Traditionally insurance was sold by agents who only dealt with one insurer, thus you had no choice when you renewed your policy. If you stayed with the same agent then you stayed with the same insurer and so had no chance of getting a better price.

Now on line there exist many discount brokers who deal with many different insurance companies, they offer you the chance to view all the different prices which are offered to you and your vehicle. You can also choose from many different options for the type of insurance and extra features you can get with your policy.

This choice is fantastic news for car owners and many people are still shocked when they realize just how easy it is to save hundreds even thousands each year on their premium.

The discount brokers are able to offer such a good deal because many only exist as an on line operation, thus no local office to run and less staff.

If you want to make your renewal cheaper this year then start today, get on line and search for a discount broker who services your county. There are many available so shop around until you find the very best price. You could save yourself enough cash to have a nice holiday or even buy a special gift for a loved one.

Written for - http://www.carinsurancetoday.info - for informative information on line.

You can find student loans information at loansadvise.com

Posted by Car Insurances in Car Insurance - Comments (0)
7 November

You Need To Take Control Of Road Rage To Keep You Car Insurance Costs Down

Always remember that the way you handle road rage will have a direct bearing on your insurance costs.

Road rage is a serious problem that causes motorists to behave in very strange and bizarre ways. Many times it culminates in violence and even death. Yet many people still do not take it seriously. There is a significant number of people who believe that road rage is in fact an invention of the media. Many others do not believe that it is a serious problem. Yet statistics shows that it takes hundreds of lives every year on our roads. Many times road rage causes serious road accidents.

For car insurance purposes, there is no way that you can ignore road rage.

Drivers need to prepare themselves so as to avoid being victims of road rage, which could lead to accidents, and an adjustment of their insurance premiums. It is important to always assume that the driver next to you is a ticking bomb just waiting to explode. It is also equally wise to assume that they have some concealed weapons hidden somewhere in their car. What this means is that you should avoid any sort of confrontation at all costs. Not only will this go a long way in helping you avoid higher car insurance costs, but it could also be the thing that saves your life.

To start with make every effort to allow plenty of time for any trip you would like to take. Then you must ignore gestures from other drivers and keep your cool, no matter how bad your day is going. Make sure that you avoid eye contact at all costs.

It is never a good idea to insist on the right of way when challenged by another driver. It matters little whether you are right or wrong. Most of all never follow another driver to give them a piece of your mind about their driving habits or behavior on the road.

Although these tips for your protection against road rage may make you look like a weak geek or nerd, they will go a long way in keeping your car insurance costs low and maybe even saving your life.

There is much more auto insurance tips at the writer’s auto insurance site.

You can find student loans information at loansadvise.com

Posted by Car Insurances in Car Insurance - Comments (0)
7 November

Auto Insurance Black Box Technology Meets Your Darkest Fears

Back in the days before computers, auto insurance was personal and subjective. The insurance agent actually talked to the man he knew in the main office, called in a few favors, and got their best customers the best rates. Male drivers under 25 were charged a lot. Young females, being perceived as less risk, were charged much less.

Now, in the computer age, auto insurance companies have large databases of accident and claims records. By number-crunching these records they can tell what type of person is more likely to be a good driver and what type of person is more likely to be an accident risk. This Black Box technology gives them insights into the background and behavior of the people who they think should pay more for their auto insurance. For example, people who carry minimum limits of liability are actually a greater risk than those who carry at least 50/100 ($50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident). And statistics have shown that those with bad credit scores are more likely to be involved in accidents.

In Texas, the minimum liability limit on auto insurance is 20/40. Yep. $20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident. Not much is it? And if that weren’t bad enough, the minimum property damage is $15,000. Guess who makes up the difference if you’re in an accident that’s your fault?

In most states, auto insurance is regulated by the state. But that is only the beginning. The state uses tables of ‘loss ratios’, exposure, and other conjuring words, to justify what the auto insurance companies want you to pay. Every once in a while, just to throw you off, they will even announce a state-wide REDUCTION in auto rates. When they do, hold onto your wallet!

After the state sets the base rate, the individual companies negotiate with them to adjust their particular rates, claiming either a better or worse loss ratio than average. So, after the elections are over, the legislature allows exceptions, amendments, and endorsements to jack them back up to something the auto insurance companies can make a ton of money from.

And theres more. Most states allow individual companies to set their own rules to determine who gets charged what. So, one auto insurance company rates a particular driver one way, while another company rates the same driver differently. Each company sets those underwriting rules.

So how are auto insurance rates determined? First, the state usually gets involved. Then companies toss the dice between staying competitive and making as much profit as they can for their stockholders. And finally, now that the ‘Black Box’ is here, auto insurance companies are taking a closer look at every driver. Career, credit score, past record, even the city you live in helps ‘drive’ the rates. They have even found that those who select low limits of liability are greater risks than those who select higher limits. So, by raising your liability limits, you may actually LOWER your auto insurance rate.

For some, the new ‘Black Box’ technology reduces rates by as much as 20% over those companies not using it. The bad news is, since credit scoring does play a part in ALL auto insurance rating, the worse your credit score, the higher your auto insurance will go. No more ‘discounts’, no more ‘loyal customer’ credits, and the like. You will be rated right down to your underwear, placed in a group of drivers almost identical to you, and charged accordingly.

Gillian Gunner is a writer, software author and webmaster. She writes on subjects connected with personal finance, lifestyle and new technology. She has contributed to Auto Insurance Now.

You can find student loans information at loansadvise.com

Posted by Car Insurances in Car Insurance - Tags: - Comments (0)
7 November