OT: Can someone explain Auto Insurance to me?

Get a quote from a new insurance agency.

I am 24, although married, my policy is less than yours and I insure three vehicles (02 Taurus, 96 Explorer, 77 VW Bus) and a motorcycle.

Even despite vehicle discount, good driver, and two drivers, you should STILL be less than me with one vehicle. I use USAA auto/home insurance for veterans which gives me a little break than most agencies, but before I was with them I had Allstate and was still cheaper than your policy.

Definately get a different quote, AIS, Geico (whom I don't like but you never know), Farmers, Allstate, anyone.

Maybe Eastwood insurance? :)

Do you have any tickets or accidents?

Best of luck!

Well, I checked beforehand with several insurance companies and all were too high..... so I decided to ask my grandmother.... and we got me my own policy under her AARP insurance. Her name is just on the policy as well.... but she's not a driver, just me.

On the policy, I get the following discounts:

1. She insures her home with them, so I get a discount there 2. This is the 4th vehicle on her policy with them, so I also get a multi-car discount 3. Defensive driving course voluntarily taken

I had already gotten quotes from all of them except Allstate.... Geico wanted about $3200.... almost $800 more than what I have now..... someone already recommended AIS, but they only insure California drivers.... :( Eastwood Insurance doesn't do Oklahoma..... but I just now did an Allstate quote and WOW I'm impressed. $1060 for for 6 months using 50/100/25 for coverages... and that's not including discounts for having ABS, Anti-theft, and air-bags.... :-) So I think I will give them a call tomorrow and inquire about a policy......

They insure Texas to the south of me and many other states across the U.S..... but not Oklahoma :(

Yes and no.......

I had a speeding violation of 11mph over the posted speed limit which was impossible in the truck it was with (it took about 15 seconds just to get up to

30mph....). But anyway that was August 16th of 2000. My state only keeps things on your driving record for 3 years from the date of the occurance, so as of right now, it's off my record.

But, no accidents, only that one violation which is cleared by now from my record.

Thanks for the response!!!

Yea, tell me about it! lol It's not good. I keep wishing I'd turn 25 tomorrow and my insurance rates will magically go down, and then people say that's wishing my life away........... but what can I do? I bought the vehicle and of course, I must live with it. Only 14 more payments and it'll be paid for...whohoo! Can't wait to start saving money rather than having all that comes in go back out......

And of course a lot of that applies to me :( ah well... I'm checking into more and more companies. I work for my state's DMV and I see MANY insurance names a day... Traders, Sagamore, Harbor, Allstate, Farmers, State Farm, Hartford, AAA, American Commerce... lol the list goes on and on. A lot of those smaller companies like "Traders" and "Harbor" I get the impression they have cheap prices, but how good are they at claims if I had to file one? That's the only reason I'm afraid to even bother with them....

I hate to stereotype people, but I find out that the majority of people who have insurance with those companies are generally insuring a relatively cheap vehicle or a "clunker".... rarely do I see a 99 or newer vehicle being insured with one of those companies....

Jim, I understand you're in Canada (and many a time I've been told by Canadian friends that I should migrate there.... lol)... but you make it sound like you live in (dare I say it) a hick town...... or a farm town.... lol. Although there's nothing bad with that. My aunt and soon-to-be uncle live in a small town about 2 hours north-east of me, and it's a little known town. But, everyone knows everyone..... it's so wierd. Everytime I go there I'm amazed at the people who recognize me as being the nephew of "the mechanic" (the soon to be uncle is a well-known mechanic there that just about runs the shop.... but the strange thing is, I don't know these people!

Well my current insurance company, my sister has also.... she's had to make 2 claims in the YEAR she's owned her 02 Chevy Cavalier.... yet I've owned my 02 Explorer for nearly a full 2 years and have not filed one claim. But my sister has had lots of trouble with them in getting the job done......

I'm looking into Allstate which, at the moment, has provided an insurance quote which is $2120 a year, which is $281 cheaper than what I have now. And that price quote is not including discounts for having ABS, Airbags, and Anti-theft device installed. So it should be a little cheaper than that too.... so I'll call to get a full quote. But I've never had Allstate, but I know many who do. I recall my drivers education teacher saying don't get Allstate because "you're not in good hands with Allstate" and was telling us horror stories about his own daughter having bad problems with them. But that's one case....

But anyway, I'll see what turns up.

Thanks much for the information, it's greatly appreciated as always!

Tim

Financing usually doesn't require "full coverage" (whatever that is), but coverage to cover the financing company; usually, this is the minimum legal requirement, plus collision.

"Full coverage" doesn't mean anything; you should always ask and understand exactly what the company offers, and what you actually have in the way of coverage. Do you, for example, have "bodily injury" coverage? Wiile the legal liability coverage will cover people yoiu hit foir medical costs, it's BI that covers you.

Because young men have, overall, shown a history of being stupid. :-) Sad, but true.

It's easy to describe: they set the premium to cover the amount of risk they think you present. This is usually determined by looking at the past performance of people in your particular situation: age, driving habits (or lack of them), vehicle use, vehicle type, location, and others.

Increased coverage over minimum is really a minimal cost; it's the initial coverage that makes up the largest part of coverage cost. For example, collision with a $1000 deductible may be (to pick a figure) $250. Lower the deductible to $500, and the premium may go up only 10%. Same for other types of coverage.

Auto insurance is seen by some as a ripoff. MAybe it is, to some extent. However, consider: many states (AZ is one) that require any insurance company that wants to offer any type of insurance in the state to also offer auto insurance, if it carries it. The reason is that for most insurance companies, auto insurance is a losing proposition. People are so bad at driving, and fraud is so rampant, that costs are very high. When a company offers extremely low prices, check them out carefully; usually, service sucks, and they will drop you at the first hint of problems. IOW, they cheat, and cherry-pick on top of that.

The best way to get lower rates is to demonstrate an exellent driving ability (that takes time), pick your vehicles with an eye to insurance costs (you can call your carrier to get an idea of the costs to insure a given vehicle), and, in general, keep a low profile. The fact is, though, auto insurance is expensive. That's part of the cost of driving.

A couple of ways I know of to lower premiums are:

1) Increase your deductibles 2) Drop glass coverage (make sure your side windows are still covered for cases of theft though)

Your rates should go down somewhat when you get married. That's not a good reason to get married, but it might be a good reason to move the date up. Only you and your fiance could make that determination. Also, you will probably insure two cars (hers and yours) on the same policy, which will get you a discount.

You mentioned in another post that your grandmother's name is on your policy. If I were her, I would insist on high liability limits (which may be why your limits were so high before). If you get in an accident and injure someone, all her assets (house, savings, etc) are at risk.

Here's another anecdotal Allstate story: my parents have had Allstate for years with no problems. They fixed a couple cars for us, and even bought one from us. When I got married, they became prohibitively expensive (the 'married' discount for me was far less than the 'good student,' and 'son of my mom and dad who are good drivers' discounts), so I switched.

I've noticed that some people don't read or understand their insurance policies. Then they blame the company when something goes wrong, and they tell anyone who will listen to their story. One of my college professors had a sign in his rear window that said "Trust Prudential to Swindle You."

Not correct. Her name is on the policy only to get the AARP discount. It is it's OWN policy away from the rest of her assets.... Also for proof, my sister has had two claims on her policy, also on its own policy with our grandmother on there. Grandma's rates did not get affected and neither did mine as a result, however her's did.......

Would suggest $500 deductible for collision and $250 for comprehensive. What's your policy state for current duductible? As for the single male under 25 high rates, single females have been catching up the past 10 years. wth