Specialty insurance from a classic car insurance company offers a number of benefits for those who own and drive collector cars. Companies that specialize in antique car insurance can offer better coverage with lower premiums than a standard auto insurance company, but the better coverage and lower premiums come with some restrictions. There are a lot of points to consider when choosing a classic auto insurance provider, so it is important that you do your homework in order to find the antique auto insurance provider that is the best fit for you.

Grundy Worldwide is one insurance company that specializes in collector car insurance. They have been in business since 1947 in Horsham, PA just north of Philadelphia. Since their beginning, Grundy Classic Car Insurance has covered over 1.5 million collector vehicles, and they are one of the fastest growing classic auto insurance companies. The owner is a car collector and restorer himself, having won awards at several of the major collector car events in the US. His involvement in the hobby helps him to understand the wants and needs of other car collectors.

Grundy Classic Car Insurance is the originator of the Agreed Value policy, in which the insurance company and the car owner set an agreed value on the vehicle before the policy is initiated. If there is a total loss, the car owner receives the full value of the car, instead of what the insurance company decides the car was worth after the fact. Grundy will insure any year vehicle, even late model cars as long as they are used for show, hobby and pleasure purposes only. Many other collector auto insurance companies will only write policies for vehicles of a certain age or older.

Grundy only uses underwriters with an A.M. Best rating of A+ or higher, which means the companies are very stable financially. They offer liability up to one million dollars, and have a single liability charge for collectors with more than one vehicle. Grundy’s antique auto insurance policies have a number of built-in coverage perks, which include towing and labor expenses, car show medical reimbursement, automatic 30-day coverage for new acquisitions, and coverage for the loss of spare parts. They even have “Trip Interruption” coverage for costs incurred from a breakdown on the way to a show (such as transportation, lodging, and meal expenses). One feature that Grundy provides that many others do not is their “Inflation Guard”, which automatically increases the amount your vehicle is insured for by 4% each year.

Like any other vintage car insurance provider, Grundy has some restrictions. Your car must be stored inside a locked garage when not in use; you must have a daily driver vehicle for each licensed driver in your household in addition to the classic vehicle; and the car must be in excellent condition. The vehicle should only be used for collector activities, but one feature that sets Grundy apart from many other classic antique auto insurance providers is that they do not have a mileage limitation. Many antique classic car insurance companies have limits ranging from 1,000 miles up to 6,000 miles per year, but with Grundy Nationwide you can drive the car to as many distant car shows as you like without worrying about exceeding a yearly mileage limit.

Grundy also offers specialized insurance for restoration shops. It provides Agreed Value coverage for the Garagekeepers portion of the policy, instead of the Actual Cash Value coverage that other insurance providers offer. Since they don’t offer this policy to mainstream collision repair shops, the premiums are lower than they would be for the often inadequate protection a specialty shop gets from a standard insurance provider.

Grundy Classic Car insurance has a lot to offer for the car collector. Whether you need muscle car insurance, antique car insurance, or collector car insurance for a late model specialty car, Grundy can provide an Agreed Value policy that will most likely suit your needs. However, they are just one of many different classic auto insurance providers out there. Do some research on several different specialty insurance providers to find the one that is right for you.

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Just about everyone has been there before, realizing its about time to get a new insurance company, or maybe we must insure our brand new automobile or home. During the days prior to the internet, there was the overwhelming task of attaining insurance quotes by getting in touch with insurance agents either by way of telephone or personally. A lot of us recall days when you had to call insurance broker after insurance broker searching for that ideal affordable insurance quote, that had the most suitable coverage. A lot of hours spent on the telephone speaking to different insurance agents, and with every call to a new agent had to review and give the same information and answer the identical questions every time.

Obviously it is safe to state this process would take loads of ones most valuable time, time the majority of us just didn’t have then, as we don’t now, with our busy frantic lives. Along comes the Internet and internet based insurance brokers. Wow, this is now an incredible time saver and even more so money saver. How simple can it be to merely go to a site, enter a little bit of information and obtain the rates instantly? Incredibly easy and practical.

Obtaining an instant insurance quote online online is extremely uncomplicated and just plain old effortless. Normally all you would need to do is fill in a couple of items in a form and and click submit. This enables you to receive quotes almost instantaneously. You could receive 10 different quotes, from 10 different insurance companies in just 10-minutes by benefiting from these types of instant insurance quote online programs on these agency or brokers websites.

So, what you ought to expect is once you get the quote via email, whether it is instant online auto insurance quotes, or maybe home owners insurance, life insurance or other form of insurance; You first should thoroughly read each quote, and as soon as you select which of the insurance quotes best satisfies your needs, you would then follow the information or instructions included within the email, generally a link to the insurance agents internet site. Occasionally the insurance company could possibly want additional information such as age, driving record, and vehicle type (if looking for an auto insurance quote). Prices will be different from company to company.

The instant online insurance quotes which you will get are guaranteed to be competitive and usually at a far lower rate than most store front agency prices. This is mainly true simply because the cost of running an instant online insurance quotes agency is a lot less expensive due to little overhead. There are not hundreds of forms to print, nor any properties to lease. Instant online insurance quotes and application forms are simply a fraction of the price. This enables them to pass the savings to the client.

To summarize, it is safe to say that in case you may need auto, home, or life insurance, and are trying to find the best pricing, using online websites to obtain your free instant insurance quote online is by far your very best option. Not simply for its ease of use and time saver, you will be sure to find the most competitive rates around and be able to select which is right for you. You will be getting more and paying less however, not compromising your coverage or benefits.

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In case you think about your automobile as one of the beloved assets or is even the most costly, then it can be advised that you get a top quality insurance plan provider to insure it. This corporation must appreciate dealing with you and will treat you with the respect and value you as their customer instead of just another sale and help you get cheaper auto insurance.

Since receiving an insurance coverage is also necessary as a legal obligation before you drive on the roads in this country it truly is critical to obtain it. But legislation is only there to protect the road users and not the vehicles driver. The very minimum legal requirement for getting an insurance policies is to cover the other vehicle and not yours and getting this level of cover will give you cheaper auto insurance.

Several men and women just select obtaining a third party insurance policies thinking they will not have an accident and basic coverage is enough. It really is only when their own vehicle is damaged and they end up with a huge repair bill that they wish they took out a far better vehicle insurance policy.

Even though there are lots of types of automobile insurance policy there is a quite big difference inside the selling price between them and this puts individuals off insuring their cars correctly.

There are several elements which affect the premium for example age, driving experience too as previous history on claims and different folks pay a various rate for a similar policy. To add, the cars condition, age, and where your automobile is being parked overnight plays an significant role as well.

Most of the time the cost of the policy will also be affected by additional elements and these can force up the price tag of your insurance policies enormously and prevent you getting cheaper auto insurance.

These are.

#1 Courtesy cars.

#2 Coverage for audio equipment.

#3 Breakdown cover and windshield cover.

All these add up and in case you wish to inexpensive vehicle insurance policy you’ll require to raise the deductible for cheaper auto insurance.

In addition, it can be also required to have access to the organization 24/7 because accidents do not normally occur during the office hours, Monday to Friday.

Lastly, when you would like to save money, you are able to look at buying the insurance policy from an on-line high quality organization which offers discounts for purchasing so. You’ll be able to save up to half on your insurance this way without sacrificing any cover.

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Following are 21 auto insurance claims FAQ’s:

1. What is an auto insurance claim?

Claim by made a policyholder to his auto insurance company in case of an accident or any other damage to his car.

2. When I can make an auto insurance claim?

You can make an auto insurance claim within a specific period of time after you car has been wrecked in an accident or by other genuine means.

3. When will I have to pay for deductibles?

You will have to pay for the deductibles if your accident is under the comprehensive or collision coverage.

4. Will the company cover cracks in the windshield?

In case the cracks have resulted from colliding with any other object, vandalism, theft, storm, etc: yes.

5. How long will it take to get a respond from the auto insurance of a claim made?

That depends on the efficiency of the company and sufficiency of your documentation.

6. What is a third party claim?

If the at fault party has liability insurance; your filing a claim with their insurance company is the third party claim.

7. Can I make a claim if drunk?

You will not be covered and also be fined for driving under influence.

8. What If I am involved in a fraud scam claim?

Report immediately to the police and your auto insurance company.

9. Can I make a claim if a friend was behind my wheels during an accident?

The claim settler from the company will decide who will be held responsible.

10. What if someone makes a false claim?

Report immediately to the police and the auto insurance company.

11. What do I need in order to make a claim?

You need to organize specific documentation to prove the genuineness of your case.

12. How do I realize which coverage supports my claim?

You can either receive help from your auto insurance company’s representative or go through your policy in detail to see which coverages protect your claim.

13. Will making claims affect premiums?

Claim making will increase premiums.

14. Will making claims cancel my policy?

Cancellation of policy usually happens to only high risks drivers and frauds.

15. When is one given SR-22 forms?

When a high risk driver consistently violates rules, then he is given them.

16. Does auto insurance pay wholly for claims?

In case of comprehensive and collision coverages, deductibles apply.

17. What should I include in my claim statement?

Include all the documentation that shows that your case is genuine along with the police report.

18. How can I make my claim stronger?

By taking testimonials from those present in the scene and adding snapshots of the accident.

19. What happens if I am caught during a false claim?

Your policy will be cancelled and driving rights seized.

20. If my policy is cancelled due to high risk driving, can I make claims through any other auto insurance company?

Yes; through acceptance auto insurance.

21. When should I not apply for a claim?

If the damage caused to your vehicle is lesser than the deductible.

These 21 auto insurance claims questions will help you towards understanding the claim making process.

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Several national rating institutions rate insurance companies. Do coverages, rates, and service vary from company to company? Why can you pay less with one company than another can for the same coverages? Choosing the best insurance company for you is a crucial financial decision. Does your insurance company have the financial strength to safeguard you and your family? If the company cannot pay future claims or benefits, other issues become far less relevant. Financial strength ratings are an analysis of a wide variety of risks that could affect an insurance company’s long-term viability. Insurance companies have failed or ceased to operate due to inadequate financial strength, competitive forces, or changing dynamics in the marketplace.

Standard & Poor’s Ratings (http://www.standardandpoors.com)Financial strength ratings of insurance companies, plus detailed financial Insurer Profiles on nearly 4,000 companies.

Fitch Ratings (http://www.fitchratings.com) Financial strength ratings of insurance companies.

Have you heard of the company where you are considering purchasing coverage? Do you have any experience with the company?

Ask your peers what experiences they have had. What is your sense of the reputation of the company? How quickly and easily are claims processed? Is there 24-hour claims service? Is the claims management in the house of the insurance company or have they outsourced? Auto insurance is meant to make you whole in the case of an accident with injury or property damage. It is to protect your assets and protect you from liability. You will want the peace of mind of a superior rated company when it comes time to manage and pay the claim. The financial health of a car insurance company is an often-overlooked area when shopping for the best auto insurance rate. It is human nature to make your comparison solely on the rates for the coverages. While this is certainly important, you should be aware of the company’s overall rating and level of satisfaction. Consulting insurance company ratings is crucial. Each insurance company issues a quarterly report that is publicly accessible. You cannot always tell the future from the past. However, the past performance is a valuable insight into what expectation to have for your future coverage. One of the factors that are used in order to determine the companies’ ratings is how long they have been in business. If there is no history, you may be taking an unnecessary chance. Look for a company that has a history and make sure that history shows good performance.

What about the reputation of the insurance company? It is very simple to find this information. Just ask around. There are your peers, the BBB, and family. Many times these resources closest to you will be able to share experiences that are favorable or unfavorable regarding the company you are considering. In addition, each state has a Department of Insurance that keeps public information about companies. Use all the resources you can to determine which company is best for you. Once you have paid for the policy, you will then become keenly interested in customer service. Be aware of what the source of information is regarding the insurance company. Many companies put our information about themselves in the form of illustrations that are intended to make them look as good as possible. Of course, while these illustrations must be factual, you should be aware that you are not receiving objective information.

How can you quickly check the company rating? You are on the internet now. Surely, there is a quick way.

Go to http://www.carinsurance.com. Not only will you get the rates of various insurance companies, you will see the A.M. Best rating for each company along side their rates for you personal situation.

Now is the time for your fingers to punch their way to a quick rate analysis and view the ratings at the same time.

carinsurance

The economical crisis has forced many simple consumers find ways of dealing with their debts while retaining their assets and living a normal life. One of such options has become filing for bankruptcy. In the last 12 months there was a one-third increase in bankruptcy filings, and this increase was not only due to businesses and companies. Many simple consumers that were regarded as average income households also have taken this risky but sometimes necessary step. But filing for bankruptcy is not that simple and you have to understand the most important aspects and the impact it will have on your credit situation.

Bankruptcy is not necessarily a situation when you or your business has failed or the expenditures outgrown incomes. Bankruptcy has become a tool for regrouping and reorganizing own equities in a way that protects your assets. This is so called Chapter 13 bankruptcy that allows individuals to ensure that they don’t lose their assets like homes, cars and personal items when they are in debt.

Chapter 13 bankruptcy, also known as Also known as Individual Debt Adjustment lets a person with an average income to pay out his or her debts in a three to five year period without giving up any of own assets. During this period the person who filed for bankruptcy is legally protected from creditors collecting their bills. When applying for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the individual in contrast is likely to lose most of assets for settling the bills, except those assets that are considered exempt (and the definition of exempt assets varies significantly from state to state).

Those who want to keep their homes and cars from creditors, Chapter 13 bankruptcy has become a viable option. But it has its own price especially when you consider getting or renewing any type of insurance, including car insurance coverage.

Expect that your car insurance rates will likely to be raised when you file for bankruptcy. Why is that? Simply put, bankruptcy affects strongly your credit rating, and as we all know, credit rating is one of the essential elements when the insurance company quotes your insurance rates.

When you’re filing for bankruptcy your credit rating worsens and the record is kept for about 10 years. In this period you can face increased insurance rates from companies that consider your credit rating as an essential part of risk evaluation. You can even encounter some companies refusing to offer or renew your insurance policy after bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy is the same thing for your credit rating, as a traffic accident for your driving record. When you are involved in a car crash, your driving record is modified and that affects your insurance rates. The same thing with bankruptcy. Consider it as an «accident» for your credit history.

Some things to keep in mind after filing for bankruptcy. First of all change your method of payment if your credit card or account has been suspended due to bankruptcy. It’s very important to keep your policy active, because getting a new one will cost you much more. And remember, there’s no such thing as cheap auto insurance when you have filed for bankruptcy.

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1. Evaluate whether or not you should file a claim: Did you know that just when you call your insurance company with a question about possibly filing a claim it is often recorded on your insurance record? It is important to keep your insurance record clean and one way is deciding whether or not you should file a claim. It doesn’t matter if the accident is your fault or not, you should ask yourself first if you can pay for the damage. Simply put, if you can pay for it yourself without financial hardship, don’t file the claim.

2. Fill out your -What to do After an Auto Accident Worksheet: This worksheet, which when you click on the title is provided for print-out, will help you keep track of the information you will need to file your auto insurance claim. It is important to get every detail of the accident documented and to try to find witnesses that would be willing to talk to your insurance company to back-up your story.

3. File the claim ASAP: You will want to file the claim as soon as possible with your insurance company. Even if it is not your fault, your insurance company will handle the claim process as your advocate.

4. Prepare for a possible call from the other insurance company: If there is a dispute between the two parties in the accident, you may get a call from the other driver’s insurance company asking for your version of what happened at the accident scene. If this happens make sure you document everything you say and the name of the customer service agent you talked too.

5. Finally, getting your car fixed: If you had body damage to your vehicle this is when you will finally get it fixed. After your claim is approved, you will likely get a call from your insurance company about sending an insurance adjuster out to assess the damage or asking you to send your car to a pre-approved shop to get it fixed.

Auto insurance is very important and can account for a sizable portion of your monthly budget. Depending on many factors such as how many vehicles you have, your driving record, and age, auto insurance can run into the thousands of dollars per year. Even though the cost of the policy is important, it is also important to make sure you’re adequately covered.

Shop Around

The insurance industry is very competitive, and there are seemingly countless companies to choose from. So, with so many options available, the best thing you can do is to shop around. You’ll be surprised how the exact same level of coverage can vary between companies.

With a lot of companies offering online services, it is easier than ever to get quotes, but don’t stop there. You’ve seen the commercials for companies that boast about the savings, but don’t ignore your local insurance companies. Usually a quick phone call is all it takes to obtain a quote from them.

Get Discounts

Do you have a clean driving record? You may qualify for a discount. Are you a member of a professional organization or auto club? You may qualify for a discount. There are many ways that you can obtain a discount on your policy, so be sure that when you’re shopping around, you mention anything that might qualify.

Also, don’t forget multiple policy discounts. If you own a home, it might be worthwhile to check with that insurance company to see what kind of discount you could receive by purchasing your auto insurance through them. In many cases, this could mean a reduction of up to 20% on either your homeowners or auto insurance premium.

Drive a Less Expensive Car or Drop Some Coverage

The type of car you drive plays a big role in determining how much your premium will be. More expensive vehicles will generally have a higher premium. In addition, insurance companies keep tabs on what vehicles are more likely to be stolen. If you drive a car that is a target for thieves, expect to pay more for coverage.

If you are insuring an older vehicle, it may be time to drop some of the coverage. For example, if you are driving an older car that is only worth a couple thousand dollars, it probably isn’t worth paying for comprehensive coverage. In many cases, after you factor in the premium and deductible after an accident, you have spent more than the car is worth. So, it might make sense to drop everything but liability coverage on an older vehicle.

Don’t Underinsure

If you are facing high premiums, don’t simply reduce coverage in order to save money. Remember, when you are driving, you are putting your life and the lives of others on the line. Reducing coverage will simply reduce the amount of liability and injury coverage. With the high cost of medical treatment, even a relatively minor injury to you or others could go beyond what a low coverage policy might cover.

You want to be sure that you are insured enough to protect yourself and your assets in the case of a lawsuit. While most states have minimum coverage requirements, they are usually far lower than what you should be considering if you want to protect yourself.

Buy Insurance from a Reputable Company

In the event of a claim, you want to be insured by a company that will pay out. If you try to save a few bucks by dealing with an insurance company that isn’t highly rated, you may find yourself having difficulty if you need file a claim. Many of these companies will also entice you with a low initial quote, but come renewal time, they will surprise you with a large increase.

About.

State minimum insurance requirements are the car insurance requirements for each state, by law, for their residents. These minimum requirements for each state can be found at the state insurance commissioner’s website. Although keeping up with the state mininimum requirements are all that is needed to keep one legal in their state for car insurance, only purchasing the state minimum insurance requirements is usually not the best choice.

Why Won’t the Minimum State Insurance Requirements Cover Me?

This is a good question. It seems funny that each state legislature would set a minimum insurance requirement and then your insurance agent tells you that the minimum is not enough. But it is true and sometimes the changes it takes to put into law what is the best coverage for car insurance is a lengthy process and is often behind the economy changes. Let us look at an example:

Wyoming’s state minimum insurance requirements are 25/50/20. The first two numbers refer to bodily injury liability limits and the third number refers to the property damage liability limit. The first two numbers in 25/50/20 would mean in an accident each person injured would receive a maximum of up to 25,000 with only 50,000 allowed per accident (ex. 2 people needing 25,000, if the need is more such as 3 people needing 25,000 then whoever files first gets first access to the 50,000 limit and you may be sued for the rest if the accident was your fault!). The last number refers to the total coverage per accident for property damage which in this case would be 20,000.

It is easy to see how these limits may not cover all the the liability and property damage needs. Now that you understand what the numbers mean, below is a listing of each state’s minimum insurance requirements. Look up the state you live in and do the math to see if you feel comfortable with the minimum numbers. It does not cost much more to raise your car insurance limits and I would encourage you to contact your insurance agent to do just that if you find that you only have the minimum car insurance required by your state.

State-by-State Minimum Requirements

Alaska 50/100/25
Alabama 20/40/10
Arkansas 25/50/15
Arizona 15/30/10
California 15/30/5
Colorado 25/50/15
Connecticut 20/40/10
Delaware 15/30/5
Florida 10/20/10
Georgia 15/30/10
Hawaii 20/40/10
Idaho 20/50/15
Illinois 20/40/15
Indiana 25/50/10
Iowa 20/40/15
Kansas 25/50/10
Kentucky 25/50/10
Louisiana 10/20/10
Maine 50/100/25
Maryland 20/40/10
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 10/20/10
Oregon 25/50/10
Pennsylvania 15/30/5
Rhode Island 25/50/25
South Carolina 25/50/25
South Dakota 25/50/25
Tennessee 25/50/10
Texas 20/40/15
Utah 25/65/15
Virginia 25/50/20
Vermont 25/50/10
Washington 25/50/10
Wisconsin 25/50/10
West Virginia 20/40/10
Wyoming 25/50/20

By Bobbie Sage

about.com

Coverage Types:
· Bodily Injury Liability
· Property Damage Liability
· Personal Injury Protection
· Uninsured Motorist Protection
· Collision and Comprehensive
· Extras

One tried and true way to reduce your auto insurance premium is to hike the deductible on your collision coverage and skimp on your liability coverage. Sometimes this can make sense, but often it’s not worth the extra risk. In this section we’ll explain several of the coverages you’re likely to be offered as you shop for insurance (some are mandatory). Then we’ll help you figure out how much to carry of each type.

Bodily Injury Liability
This coverage, which is required in most states, compensates the driver of the other car and its passengers in the event you get into an accident. It also covers the passengers in your car. The main consideration here is protecting your assets against lawsuits that arise from auto accidents. “But I’m a careful driver,” you say. It doesn’t matter. You can get sued even if the accident is not your fault.

Bodily injury liability is sold in standard increments that designate both how much coverage you have per person in an accident, with an additional limit per accident. For example, if you buy bodily injury worth $100,000/$300,000, each of the people you injured could be compensated $100,000, but only up to $300,000 per accident.

How much coverage you need is a function of what assets you have to protect. If you make $30,000 a year and rent your apartment, $50,000/$100,000 should suffice. But if you make more than $75,000 a year, own a house worth $150,000 and have $40,000 in mutual funds, you should consider at least $100,000/$300,000 of coverage. Our Net Worth Calculator can help you estimate just how much coverage you should get.

How much you’ll pay to increase your bodily injury liability coverage depends on several factors, including your age, marital status and driving record. It also depends on where you live. For example, in rural Cortland County, New York, a 35-year old married male would pay an average of $86 annually to boost his coverage from $25,000/$50,000 to $100,000/$300,000, according to the New York State Department of Insurance. In New York City, however, where the frequency of bodily injury is much higher, that same man would have to shell out an average of $240 more a year.

One more option: If you have substantial assets, buy $300,000 in bodily injury on your auto policy and $300,000 on the liability portion of your homeowners policy. Then spend another $150 to $300 for a $1 million umbrella policy, which covers you against all manner of liability claims. Should you want still more coverage, the cost for an additional $1 million in coverage is minimal: It’s typically $75 to increase your coverage to $2 million, and then $50 for each million after that, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Property Damage Liability
This coverage will pay for the repair and replacement of the other guy’s car or property in the event of an accident. State-required minimums are as low as $5,000, but if you total somebody’s Lexus, that won’t begin to cover the damage.

You’re better off with a minimum of $50,000 for each vehicle you own. And to be truly safe, you should have a total of $100,000 coverage.

Personal Injury Protection
This is definitely one coverage you can skimp on. PIP coverage pays for the medical and funeral costs associated with an accident for you and your family — regardless of whose fault it was. But if you already have separate health, life and disability policies, you can probably forgo this one altogether. Check those policies first, but chances are those sort of expenses are already covered.

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist
This coverage pays for medical and funeral costs for you and your family in the event you get in an accident with either a hit-and-run driver or a driver who doesn’t have enough auto insurance. These policies usually cover bike and pedestrian accidents, too. Given the prevalence of uninsured drivers nationally, this coverage is essential. On average, it costs less than $40 a year for $100,000 worth and will make up for anything your medical insurance doesn’t cover.

Collision and Comprehensive
Collision reimburses you for the full cost of repairs or replacement of your car after an accident. Comprehensive covers you in the event your car falls victim to a natural disaster, vandalism or theft. With either coverage, the lower the deductible you choose, the more the policy will cost you. We recommend that you always choose the highest deductible you can afford ($1,000 is fine). After all, the purpose of insurance is to protect you against big losses, not to make you whole to the last dollar. If you have an older car, you might drop this coverage altogether.

Collision and comprehensive — which can account for 30% to 40% of your total premium — are cash-value coverages. That means if your car is damaged, the most you’ll recoup is the Kelley Blue Book value, which declines precipitously as your car ages. Here’s a good rule of thumb: If the cost of your collision and comprehensive is more than 10% of your car’s Blue Book value, it probably makes sense to drop these coverages and save a tidy sum. With most cars, you should approach this limit as the car turns five years old. Understand, however, that if you eliminate the coverages, you’ll have to foot the repair bill if you get in an accident that’s your fault, or if the car is totaled or stolen.

Extras
While insurance companies will try their hardest to sell you any number of extras to go along with the essentials, most of them aren’t worth it. Consider rental-car reimbursement, which pays a paltry $15 or so a day while your car is in the repair shop after a collision. Not only is the reimbursement small, the odds you’ll need it are remote. The chances are at least even that the other guy will be at fault, and his insurance will pay the full cost of this. Another dubious extra is towing coverage. It costs $25 or more per year on a policy, money you’d be better off putting toward an auto-club membership that would be exponentially more useful. One extra that is worthwhile: Full glass coverage. Auto glass is expensive and an errant stone can ruin a $500 windshield in the blink of an eye.

Smartmoney.

The Porsche Carrera 911 GT2 two-door coupe is the most expensive 2010 vehicle to insure, according to a new ranking of average premiums for 2010 models that Insure.com released this week.

The rankings, which the insurance information and shopping site publishes annually, are based on the premium that a 40-year-old man with a good driving record, a good credit record and a 12-mile commute would pay annually.

The insurance data firm Quadrant Information Services calculated the average premiums for Insure.com by averaging car insurance rates from six large carriers across 10 ZIP codes in each state. According to the results, the national average annual premium for the Porsche 911 Carrera GT2 is $2,943.78, and other high-end sports cars like the Dodge Viper tended to dominate the list of the most expensive premiums (see the chart below for more). Amy Danise, senior managing editor at Insure.com, said the results didn’t surprise her since insurance policies are based on claims history. The Porsche Carrera GT2 “would have a really high claims history, meaning the drivers of that model have submitted a lot of very expensive claims. They crash a lot, and the cars could be very expensive to repair,” she said.

(In 2007, I wrote an article for The Wall Street Journal called “Honey, I Wrecked the Porsche,” about the spate of owners crashing expensive sports cars, including Porsche Carrera models. One reason for the crashes: inexperienced or reckless drivers getting behind the wheel of increasingly powerful and light cars.)

Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, minivans dominated the list of those least expensive to insure (see the chart below for more). Ms. Danise said minivans and smaller sport utility vehicles tended to be the least expensive to insure.

One surprise on the least expensive list? The Jeep Wrangler, which Ms. Danise said must not have a lot of claims attached to it. “It’s hard to speculate” why it’s on the least expensive list, she said. “But it could be cheaper to repair or have fewer injury claims.”

The particular car insurance policy that the survey examined contained uninsured motorist coverage, coverage of $300,000 for all injuries, coverage of $50,000 for property damage in an accident and a $500 deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage.

The study covered about 2,400 2010 models. Those left out were ones for which there wasn’t enough data, including exotic cars like Bentleys and Lamborghinis, which Insure.com said probably carried hefty insurance bills.

While actual premiums will vary based on individuals’ characteristics, including age, driving record and the chosen policy, Ms. Danise said vehicles’ placement in the rankings should stay relatively consistent from driver to driver.

Among categories of vehicles, according to Insure.com, the Dodge Caliber is the least expensive passenger car to insure, the GMC Canyon WT (2WD 2 Door 2.9L) is the least expensive pickup to insure and the Honda Odyssey LX (5 Door 2WD SOHC) is the least expensive minivan to insure.

By Jennifer Saranow Schultz. newyorktimes.com

It can be quite a daunting experience trying to purchase car insurance, and with the myriad of products and sales channels available today, it is often difficult to know where to start the process. It can be even more complicated when you start to look to reduce your premiums without sacrificing either your levels of cover or increasing your risk.

As most motor insurance is basically rated by your birth date and age, and your postcode or zip code, short of moving property or growing older, it often appears that reducing your vehicle insurance premiums is an impossible task.

This is not necessarily so! Whichever method or distribution outlet you use to purchase car insurance, if you consider these twelve money saving tips, implementation of any one will virtually guarantee a reduction to your premiums at both onset of a policy or at renewal. By simply making changes to any one of these premium rating factors that go to make up the quotes you are given, will result in an alternative quote which should be to your favour.

The money saving tips explained

Before we start remember – Don’t automatically renew your policy with the same company. It is virtually guaranteed that you could get like for like cover cheaper with another insurance company if you shop around and compare covers and prices from different providers.

1. Investigate on the Internet – Visit different suppliers

If you were getting paid at least $150 or $200 for two hours work, you should be pleased. That is the minimum you should look to save on your annual premiums by spending a couple of hours shopping around for quotes on the Internet.

Visit a car insurance supermarket comparison site. If the premiums are too expensive but you like the cover offered by a particular insurance company then, visit the supplier direct and cut out the expense of the middleman.

The large motor insurance comparison sites you see advertised all the time on television will send you off to the suppliers site themselves to complete ‘the deal’, so its best to close down the application, clear the cookies from your browsers memory to ensure that you are not charged their commission inclusive rates, and visit the insurance company direct.

Additionally you should visit a specialist auto insurance scheme provider. These were once only available on the High Street but are now springing up everywhere online. No matter what your particular individual needs, be it lady driver cover or perhaps classic car cover, specialist car insurance providers by their very nature usually offer cheaper quotes as they benefit from the economies of scale allowed by group buying of cover.

2. Do your research

Who is offering deals on television at the moment? Everybody who seeks motor insurance is an individual with a different car and individual cover needs dependant upon their circumstances. Write down what you think your exact cover needs are and think about where you might find providers for your individual needs. For example, if are you a senior citizen, you should search on the Internet for specialist car insurance schemes for over fifties.

3. Go for a no frills policy

If you are not worried about quality of cover and only require basic road risks, go for one of the many policies now being offered by insurance supermarkets as ‘value car insurance’. These policies usually only offer the very basics of cover required under the Road Traffic Act, however may be very suitable for low mileage, cheap cars and younger drivers.

4. Only get cover for what you need

Why pay for car breakdown insurance or other sometimes hidden extras such as the cost of including a replacement vehicle should you have an accident, when you already have AA breakdown cover and another car sitting on the driveway at home that you could use. Check your existing policy cover details carefully and exclude all unnecessary or duplicate covers.

5. Take on the risk yourself

With Car Insurance you have two basic options for taking more of the risk on yourself. These being, one by choosing how much cover you require in the first place, that is, either comprehensive or third party, perhaps with the fire and theft options included. Secondly you are given the option on most systems to choose how much of the cost of damages of an accident you are prepared to take on board yourself, before you call on the insurance company to make a claim. This is known as the voluntary excess and is the amount that will always be deducted first from any amount you claim. If the cost of repairs of an accident are not much more than the voluntary excess amount you have chosen then it would be prudent to pay for the repair costs yourself, rather than lose your no claims bonus.

6. Reduce the cars risk with improved car and location security

If you park your car off road or garage it at night you will receive further discounts. If you own a classic car which does not have them fitted as standard, fitting security devices, for example car alarms, immobilizers and GPS trackers to your car will substantially reduce your premium

7. Improve your driving or change your lifestyle

If you need to make a claim because of the way you drive, or if you have more than one SP30 for speeding, your premiums are going to be heavily loaded at renewal. You can reduce your insurance costs therefore by improving the way you use your car or changing your lifestyle.

8. Cut down on your Car’s Usage

By thinking about how you use your car and reducing unnecessary journeys you will be cutting down on your cars usage and by implication the risk you present to an underwriter. Check how many miles you run up each year and make sure that this is what you are paying for! Do not make a false mileage declaration in an attempt to save money because in the event of a claim, your mileage and MOT if applicable will be noted by a claims assessor. If there is significant difference between the declared mileage and the actual amount you have driven, you risk having the claim refused or seriously reduced in value.

9. Pay the full premium amount upfront

Most insurance companies charge additional costs for handling monthly direct debit payments. There is often a five to ten percent effective discount if you pay immediately online or over the phone by debit card.

10. Investigate Specialist Car Insurance Schemes

Investigate insurance specialists that target specific groups of people of car type, for example performance motor insurance or cover for young drivers. These schemes offer with unique policy options and cover modified for the particular specialist driver group. They are often far cheaper than standardised covers offered by comparison sites as they have group bulk buying economies of scale regarding underwriting and claims and a known risk pool of similar types of people and car.

11. Join a Car club

Many car owners clubs and specialist marques clubs have special affinity group rates for specialist car insurance schemes. The cost of getting membership of these clubs can often be less than the five to ten percent savings you can make on your premiums by joining such a scheme.

12. Take an Advanced Driving Course

You can save a further large percentage with most online insurance companies if you have taken an advanced driving skills course or ADC. The courses are run nationally and the cost of the course is outweighed by the annual savings you will make on your insurance premiums. The savings are greater for young drivers and this is one of the few positive actions that a young driver can make to reduce his or her annual vehicle insurance costs.

And Finally – Haggle!

And here’s an extra tip which we often find works when all else fails. Complete a quote on the Internet for the policy you desire with the company you like. Do not complete the quote beyond the screen where the premium prices are displayed, merely save the quote reference number. Quotes are usually legally binding for thirty days.

Leave it a while then pick up the phone and call the insurance company. Tell them that you’ve had problems completing the quote online. They will ask you the quote reference number and then have all you details in front of them. When they tell you the quote amount (which you should know already), tell them that you’ve got a quote that is, say a hundred cheaper at so and so company, and ask if that’s the best they can do. Just by haggling you will be surprised just how much you could save on your car insurance costs!

http://ezinearticles.com

We have come to accept that car insurance is a fact of life. While necessary, the process of renewing your car insurance can sometimes be confusing.

The standard for all major insurance carriers is to write automobile insurance policies with six month policy periods. This is done to allow the company to reassess risk on a regular basis and to keep insurance affordable. At the end of every six month policy period, you will need to renew your policy.  You may occasionally run into a carrier that will write an auto policy with a twelve month policy period. The procedures you will go through to renew the policy do not change with the increased policy period.  Follow these steps to renew your policy.

http://www.howtodothings.com

What is auto repair insurance? Why should I get it? What purpose does it serve? Auto repair insurance is a type of insurance contract between the owner of the vehicle and the insurance company where the company agrees to shoulder all repair costs of your insured car for a specific amount of time commensurate to your coverage.

Why should you get it? Accidents do happen, and there is the probability that you might get into a vehicular or car accident in a given period of time. Auto repair insurance will shoulder car repair costs, provided that all requirements have been met, and it will cost you nothing at all. This saves you money and extra worries as well. Everyone owning a car should get it for practical reasons. This insurance should go hand in hand with your car insurance. Here’s how to tell if you need it.

It will save you tons of money. Having auto repair insurance will surely ease your mind from worries about bills piling up should you get into accidents (large or small). The auto repair insurance is there to help shoulder and even cover all the expenses. Auto shops are now quite expensive, all the more so with the current economy.

It is very practical for you to have such a policy. If you don’t have the time to learn basic car repair, then get this auto repair insurance to save you from a lot of trouble and headaches. Be prepared.

It will make your car last longer, because you can have your car repaired right away if there is any problem with it, thereby ensuring that your car, auto body and car parts are going to last longer because they are being cared for properly.

You will get auto service regularly. This helps keep your car efficient.

Although before you get auto repair insurance, make sure that you understand what is covered in the policy. Some policies might not cover auto body work, and there might be some other provisions, so make sure that you know what kind of coverage you are getting. If you don’t get auto repair insurance and want to do the repairs by yourself, it is also doable, although it’s going to take you a while. You might want to enlist a friend who knows some of the basics of car repair, get some good basic car repair information like repair manuals, get practical advice and even download instructional software. Who knows, you might end up repairing cars by yourself in the future. But until you have practiced and have been successful in a few attempts do not try to repair a car all by yourself. Get yourself auto repair insurance first, then start making baby steps towards learning if that is what you want to do.

Having auto repair insurance is very practical, will save you money and is good for your car’s health and longevity. So check out insurance coverage from your car insurance agent so you can have your car insured for repairs.

http://www.howtodothings.com

Cheap insurance for a new driver can be found most easily by using Google. You will frequently be quoted a higher rate if you phone an agent or if you phone the home office of a large insurance company. This is because it costs the insurance company more to hire and train people than it does to simply use computers.

The least expensive method for an insurance company to quote rates is to utilize an online, automated system. Most of the time, an automated system will provide a lower rate quote to a new driver because it is less expensive for the insurance company to pay for computers than for people.

Many automobile insurance companies exist to offer inexpensive insurance. New drivers and people on tight budgets are targeted by these companies. Insurance rates can vary by hundreds of dollars, not only between companies, but also within the same company. Finding inexpensive insurance for a new driver can be accomplished if you ask enough of the right questions. For example:

1) Is your new driver a good student? If so, you will want to ask about inexpensive insurance for above-average students.

2) You might be able to get inexpensive insurance for your new driver that has completed a safe driver program or a defensive driving course … sometimes up to 15%. If you have a new driver who has successfully completed one of these, you will want to inquire about a discount. Insurance companies know that a new driver who takes these courses reduce their chances of having an accident by 50%.

3) Some companies offer inexpensive insurance to a new driver who has successfully completed a drivers education class. These discounts (sometimes up to 10%) can apply to bodily injury, property damage, medical payments, personal injury, and comprehensive/collision coverage. Again, you simply need to discuss the discount.

4) Other issues to consider when looking for inexpensive insurance for a new driver include driving “Safe Cars” (these will be listed on the company’s Safe Car List). Also, driving cars equipped with daytime running lights, stability control, four wheel drive/all wheel drive/on-demand all wheel drive, traction control, anti-lock brakes, tracking unit/theft recovery unit, active or passive anti-theft devices, and air bags.

NOTE: If you are not sure which safety features are on the vehicle for your new driver, keep reading and you will discover where to find a complete list of the safety features for your vehicle(s).

Rates for auto insurance can vary by hundreds of dollars between companies, so it will benefit you to shop around. Online searches are generally the best method of locating inexpensive insurance. New driver issues (like those discussed above) can be addressed effectively through most online automated systems

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Too many people shop for things based primarily on price, then are disappointed when they don’t get what they wanted. This is certainly true for car insurance, one of the larger bills in many people’s lives. Here some top rated companies that prove you can get more than you pay for. These car insurance companies were ranked on customer satisfaction, rates, and financial strength, and they came out on top.
When you are shopping for auto insurance, chances are you want the cheapest prices, but you also want a good company that has excellent customer service and is financially secure. That’s the difference between cheap and inexpensive.

Inexpensive products and services have value. They will do what you’re paying for, but cost you less in the process. Cheap ones, on the other hand, are just that, cheap. They’ll cost you less money, but they are often not a good value. In the long run, if you’re paying less, but not getting what you want, isn’t that money just wasted?

Car insurance is no different. Some companies charge less than others, but unless they pay their claims and stand behind their insured, what good are they? That is why customer satisfaction and financial security ratings should be part of any equation when you are shopping for a car insurance company.

That’s why the paragon of customer satisfaction, JD Power rates insurance companies on how they do business. The rankings include how fast they pay their claims, their rates, response time, the overall user experience, and the breadth and depth of their offerings.

Standard and Poors and AM Best are two of the leading firms that rank insurance companies on financial strength and creditworthiness. Both of these are important criteria by which to judge a company that is supposed to protect your assets.

Combining information from these two companies paints a fairly accurate picture of which companies are inexpensive, but not cheap. They’ll have low rates, but you’ll get the insurance services you’ve paid for, should you ever need them.

Amica Mutual Insurance – Amica Mutual has been around for over 70 years ,and consistently earns some of the top ratings. They have an A++ rating from AM Best for financial security. They also consistently lead JD Power’s customer satisfaction surveys. In 2008 they were awarded the top rating.

This rating also includes their rates, which are among the lowest available for auto insurance. In fact, they were the only auto insurance company, other than USAA (a private company only open to U.S. Military members, Military veterans, and their families) to receive the highest rank (5 / 5)in every category.

State Farm – State Farm was the only large, national auto insurer to get 4 / 5 or better on the overall experience section of the JD power survey, besides USAA and Amica Mutual, which garnered 5 / 5. Like Amica Mutual, they also get an A++ from AM Best for financial strength. They were rated only 3 / 5 (about average) for rates however, meaning you’ll probably pay more, but not always.

USAA – If you meet the military service or ROTC requirement for USAA, they also got stellar ratings from J.D. Power, with 5 / 5 across the board, including rates. That means their rates are lower than most other companies are. USAA is also A.M. Best A++ rated for superior financial strength.

These companies have the financial strength to support their customers and have demonstrated they will actually do so. That doesn’t mean no one has ever had a bad experience, but that most people found their expectations exceeded. So, if you are looking, there is cheap auto insurance, and there is inexpensive auto insurance; don’t confuse the two.

http://www.buzzle.com

Envision you recently purchased a brand spanking new Yamaha R1 motorcycle 10 weeks ago, and it was taken right before you as you were walking out of your place to eat dinner. No reason to be to concerned, you are wholly protected by the full coverage insurance policy your motorcycle financing lender mandated you obtain with your cycle loan. Correct?

Often times, not commonly if you look into the details of the motorcycle insurance policy you purchased. Many time the reason for this is that nearly all full coverage cycle insurance policies will safeguard against total loss such as a stolen motorcycle, a totaled collision or an uncontrollable natural disaster, but these policies generally just cover the depreciated marketplace worth of the motorcycle not the remaining amount on your motorcycle loan.

Hence, in cases where you decided on getting a 0 down payment motorcycle loan or possibly a low payment credit card motorcycle loan, your Yamaha R1might have depreciated more quickly than you have paid down the value on your cycle loan. For that reason your motorcycle insurance policy by and large simply cover the used market worth of your Yamaha R1. You are responsible for the difference in the value the insurance company pays you for your stolen or totaled motorcycle and what you actually owe on your motorcycle loan.

In situations where a motorcycle is stolen or fully totaled, cycle owners in the 1st 16 months of a new motorcycle loan are the most liable to not being reimbursed enough from their motorcycle insurance coverage to cover the cost of their motorcycle loan. As a result what is a motorcycle title-holder to do in order to defend against the unsettled worth of their bike loan?

A common solution for a number of bike consumers lies inside a barely identified policy called guaranteed asset protection (GAP) insurance coverage. Gap insurance embodies a complete loss insurance coverage that will pay the difference of the amount the cycle insurance company pay’s you for a total loss on your new motorcycle and the value of your cycle loan.

For illustration here is a quick example. Visualize your Yamaha R1 has a real marketplace value of $7500, however you owe your motorcycle lender $9,500 for the outstanding amount on your motorcycle loan. In cases that resulted in a complete loss such as a stolen motorcycle or even an accident, the motorcycle insurance policy will probably just compensate you the used marketplace value of $7500. Even so, you still owe the financing company $9500 so you have a gap of $2,000 ($9500-$7500=$2000). defends you from the $2000 gap which you still owe to the motorcycle lender since the motorcycle insurance company just paid you $7500 for your stolen or fully totaled Yamaha R1.

Is gap motorcycle insurance for all motorcycle buyers? Not exactly, it actually depends on your financing contract. Here is some guidance in deciding if gap insurance is the best insurance for your loan agreement.

1. If you placed no money down when getting a motorcycle loan especially for an extended term like seventy-two to ninety-six months gap insurance is traditionally a effective idea for your financial future. On the other hand, whenever you place a big down payment down with your new & used motorcycle financing your probably better with no gap insurance.

2. If you loan is on a motorcycle that has a history of depreciating rapidly, gap insurance is customarily a effective decision for you to consider. To make a decision on this, study the depreciation rate of your new motorcycle with the pay down of the principal on your motorcycle loan. This will give you an indication if you would be upside down if your cycle was taken or completely totaled.

3. Examine all of the fine points of your full coverage cycle insurance policy in order to make certain that it does not cover the gap between the marketplace worth of your motorcycle and the value of your new & used motorcycle loan. A extremely small percentage of new & used motorcycle insurance policies cover the outstanding debt of your new motorcycle for the first year without considering depreciation. If you get lucky and your full coverage insurance policy guards you against 100% of the new & used motorcycle without considering depreciation there is little need for gap insurance.

4. Are you purchasing a used motorcycle? If so there is probably not an option for you to purchase gap insurance since a good number of guaranteed Asset Protection insurance policies are only good on brand new cycles. For that reason, used cycle purchasers are given advice to pluk down a modest down payment and elect to repay the cycle financing in the shortest possible time period.

5. What is the price of the Guaranteed Asset Protection insurance? Does this prices justify the benefit of gap insurance?

As a whole, depending on the financing circumstances gap insurance can offer some fantabulous financial security to motorcycle consumers buying their new motorcycle using a new motorcycle loan. Though, all motorcycle consumers situation is traditionally different and the above 5 rules can be educational in deciding if Guaranteed Asset Protection insurance is the best protection.

http://www.buzzle.com

If you have a car that spends most of its time parked in a garage, a couple of insurers have a deal for you: auto-insurance rates based on how much you drive, among other factors that suggest you present a lower-than-average risk.

The thinking behind the mileage-based discounts offered by Progressive Corp. and GMAC Insurance is that people who rarely drive are less likely to get into accidents and thus are profitable customers even if insurers offer a big discount.

“The idea is there are many people who drive fewer-than-average miles, and historically they have not been able to get a rate that benefited them,” says Gary Kusumi, president and chief executive of GMAC Insurance, the insurance unit of GMAC Financial Services.

Insurers have long sought reliable mileage data for drivers, but the figures drivers report are notoriously unreliable, while technology-based solutions have proved complicated to implement. GMAC Insurance and Progressive are offering mileage discounts using onboard devices to measure miles, and in the case of Progressive, other driving habits.

Both pay-as-you-go plans offer drivers a chance to benefit from their minimalist driving habits while giving insurers a chance to price more accurately for the risk they take. While consumer advocates call it a generally benign arrangement, they suggest that, before signing up, drivers make sure they understand and feel comfortable with the information insurers are collecting.

The discount offered by GMAC Insurance, the 20th-largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. by premiums written, is based on a partnership with General Motors Corp. subsidiary OnStar. It offers drivers discounts based on how many miles they drive, ranging from 54% off for those who drive less than 2,500 miles a year to a 14% discount for drivers who clock less than 15,000 miles annually.

To get the discount, which is available in 34 states, drivers must own a car manufactured by GM, GMAC’s former parent, that is equipped with OnStar, a safety and navigation system installed in most new GM cars. The drivers must agree to have OnStar supply their insurer with a monthly odometer reading on which to base the discount.

Progressive’s TripSense, available in Minnesota, Michigan and Oregon, requires customers to install a small device into their car’s onboard diagnostic port, and then download the information to their home computer and send it off to Progressive at regular intervals. Progressive’s discount for the program ranges from 5% to 25%, but Progressive spokeswoman Shannon Beczkiewicz says the company was working on a revised discount model.

The Mayfield Village, Ohio, company, the nation’s third-largest auto insurer, declines to say how many customers have signed up for the TripSense program.

http://europe.wsj.com/

Mom and Dad told you to look both ways before you cross the street. But they likely never advised you to buy a car that would keep you safe while driving down it.

Today’s parents might suggest the 2009 Audi Q7. It earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highest crash-test ratings of five stars. It also earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s highest rating of triple “good” in front, side and rear impact testing. It has driver and passenger head restraint whiplash protection, front side airbags for chest and pelvis protection and energy-absorbing padding under the instrument panel to protect feet and legs.

Other safe 2009 models include the Mitsubishi Outlander, Volvo XC90, Saturn Vue and the Mercedes-Benz M Class.

This is an important time to shop around for a car. In an attempt to shed inventory, dealers are offering hefty incentives on 2008 and 2009 vehicles.

The Volvo XC90 dealer incentive is up to $4,250 on select models through programs offered by participating dealers. The all-wheel-drive SUV gets a combined 16 mpg, meaning that a motorist driving 15,000 miles per year and paying the current national average gas price of $3.84 a gallon would pay $3,600 annually to fill up. The incentive–which expires Sept. 30–essentially pays for a year’s worth of gas.

Shoppers will find a $2,000 discount on the GMC Acadia and the Saturn Vue, and will get $1,000 off the Taurus X.

Behind the Numbers

These and the other vehicles on our list earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highest crash-test ratings of five stars (though the SUVs earned only four stars for rollover resistance). The highest rating for IIHS is “good” and these vehicles also earned triple “good” ratings in front-, side- and rear-impact testing. These organizations gauged all models available for testing by Sept. 12.

SUVs dominate the list–and that’s a good thing in this economy.

SUV sales were down 33.1% during the first eight months of the year, and now–with gas prices still hovering at a national average of $3.84 per gallon and automakers struggling–big discounts are being offered on SUVs to move them off dealers’ lots.

With this incentive, prices at the pump don’t hit the wallet as hard, and when it comes to protecting drivers and passengers in a crash, there are few safer cars on the road.

It’s enough to make SUVs appealing to consumers who can’t follow the trend to smaller–albeit more fuel-efficient–cars, whether they have larger families or an outdoorsy lifestyle.

“There is pent-up demand for SUVs,” says James Bell, editor and publisher of IntelliChoice.com, a consumer automotive information Web site. “There are people who need to pull a trailer, need space for a large family and want the utility of an SUV. Their needs don’t change when gas prices go up or down.”

What SUVs lack in fuel efficiency, they make up for in safety for the driver and passengers.

The Subaru Forester comes equipped with a seat-position sensor on the driver’s track that detects if the driver is sitting too close to the air bag, in which case the system delays deployment of the air bag’s second stage: front-seat side-impact airbags for thorax-area protection.

Similarly, the GMC Acadia features full-length side curtain airbags that offer added protection in a crash. Honda’s 2008 and 2009 model-year RDX SUVs are designed with front and rear impact-absorbing crumple zones and side-impact door beams to better protect occupants in a crash.

If, for some reason, the consumer is choosing between a small, fuel-efficient car and an SUV, and the deciding factor is safety, the SUV is the way to go, says Dan Edmunds, director of vehicle testing for Edmunds.com.

“There isn’t much between you and the rest of the world in a small car,” says Edmunds. “For some people, safety is the number one concern, and for others, well, if it gets a three- or four-star rating, that’s enough for them.”

http://finance.yahoo.com

Good cheer leads many Americans to slip behind the wheel when they shouldn’t on Jan. 1. Nearly half of all traffic fatalities that day involve alcohol, the most of any U.S. holiday, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

But New Year’s Day isn’t the deadliest of the year.

That title belongs to Thanksgiving. Last year, 502 people were killed on the road that day. On a typical day, 102 people die in traffic accidents. Robert Sinclair, a spokesman for AAA, says the combined factors of more than 50% more drivers on the road and higher-than-usual alcohol consumption contribute to its danger.

See list of Most Dangerous Holidays below

“More vehicles create greater conflict potential,” he says. “And unfortunately, during holiday times, celebratory actions, people drink and get out on the road, and that leads to a problem, too.”

Last year’s Thanksgiving deaths were down from a 26-year average (the DOT began tracking traffic fatalities in 1982) of 556 in part because volatile gas prices that summer and early fall had deterred some families from driving, Sinclair says. This year, with gas prices averaging $2.63 a gallon nationwide and holding, he expects the number of highway travelers–and fatalities–to rise.

Even non-fatal crashes will take their toll. According to the NHTSA, motor vehicle crashes cost American taxpayers more than $100 billion each year. Russ Rader of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that $36 billion is paid out annually in insurance claims.
Of course, the human toll from auto accidents is the most severe. Between the list’s top three days–Thanksgiving, Labor Day and Independence Day–an average of 550 Americans lose their lives on a holiday each year.

Behind the Numbers

To determine the most dangerous holidays for drivers, we used traffic fatality data from NHTSA. We based our ranking on the average amount of deaths on six federal holidays for which fatalities have been tracked since 1982 (we also calculated the average percentage of alcohol-related fatalities for each holiday since 1982, but that percentage did not affect the ranking). Deaths were counted for just the one day, not a holiday weekend or period.

An estimated 91% of Americans will travel by car to reach their destination this Thanksgiving, according to the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) of the Department of Transportation. During that holiday weekend (Thursday to the following Monday), the number of Americans on a road trip longer than 50 miles increases by 54%. During the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, the number of trips increases by 23%.

Not only are there more people on the road during holidays, but, for Christmas at least, they’re driving longer as well. While the average Thanksgiving road trip is 214 miles, the average Christmas or New Year’s trip 275 miles, compared with a national average of 261 miles for long trips during the rest of the year. The RITA report says the travel rates for Christmas and New Year’s depend largely on whether or not Christmas and New Year’s land on a weekend. Thanksgiving, since it always falls on a Thursday, is less variable. Ellen Martin, a spokeswoman for the DOT, declined to forecast what this year’s travel rates might be.

Eyes on the Road

Alcohol abuse is a main concern for people who track fatality data, since driving fatality rates are always higher during holiday periods than non-holiday times, according to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis. Young partygoers are particularly at risk: the NHTSA says drivers aged 21 to 24 have the highest level of involvement in alcohol-impaired driving.

“Looking at fatalities in crashes involving 21- to 24-year-old drivers during the last two weeks in December from 2002 to 2006, nearly four fatalities out of every 10 were in alcohol-impaired crashes,” a December 2008 report from NHTSA said.

However, a less-hyped aspect of safe driving, especially around the holidays, is vision itself. More than 11 million Americans have uncorrected vision problems, and those lead to impaired driving, says Ed Greene, the CEO of The Vision Council, a nonprofit organization that represents manufacturers and suppliers in the optical industry.

List of Most Dangerous U.S. Holidays

To determine the most dangerous holidays for drivers, we used traffic fatality data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. We based our ranking on the average amount of deaths on six federal holidays for which fatalities are tracked since 1982 (we also calculated the average percentage of alcohol-related fatalities for each holiday since 1982, but that percentage did not affect the ranking). Deaths were counted for just the one day, not a holiday weekend or period.

1. Thanksgiving Day
Number of Fatalities in 2008: 502
Average Number of Fatalities Per Year Since 1982: 567
Average Percentage of Alcohol-Related Fatalities Since 1982: 41%

2. Labor Day
Number of Fatalities in 2008: 487
Average Number of Fatalities Per Year Since 1982: 544
Average Percentage of Alcohol-Related Fatalities Since 1982: 45%

3. Independence Day
Number of Fatalities in 2008: 491
Average Number of Fatalities Per Year Since 1982: 542
Average Percentage of Alcohol-Related Fatalities Since 1982: 45%

4. Memorial Day
Number of Fatalities in 2008: 425
Average Number of Fatalities Per Year Since 1982: 508
Average Percentage of Alcohol-Related Fatalities Since 1982: 45%

5. Christmas Day
Number of Fatalities in 2008: 420
Average Number of Fatalities Per Year Since 1982: 414
Average Percentage of Alcohol-Related Fatalities Since 1982: 42%

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