What Do Car Insurance Dollars Pay For?
February 12, 2010 by Adriana Noton
Filed under Travel Insurance
No matter how you pay for car insurance, you probably pay a pretty hefty sum of money for car insurance. While it is possible to lower the amount that you pay by shopping around for insurance, you may still wonder what all those dollar give you. In short, you get peace of mind for the dollars you will pay. The long answer may help you to better understand the final destination of your premiums.
In the first place, by having liability insurance on your car, you are meeting the financial responsibility laws of your state. These financial responsibility laws vary vastly by the amount and types of coverage that are required, but all states require that all drivers be covered with personal injury and property damage insurance on their car. Let this coverage lapse for even a day and some states will cancel your registration or driver’s license until you prove that you have insurance coverage in place and pay an administrative fee or fine.
Driving without car insurance, however, can cost you much more than just a fine. If you are in an accident, you can be held financially responsible for the other person’s vehicle and medical expenses. In addition, you will likely be ticketed for driving without insurance. These expenses can far outweigh anything you might pay in insurance fees.
In addition you will have to pay to have your own vehicle repaired or replaced. In the interim time, you may have to pay for a rental vehicle to take you to and from work and fulfill other duties for which you need a vehicle. This can sometimes be several weeks. The cost you pay for the rental vehicle is often a significant amount of money.
In addition, the comprehensive coverage on your vehicle covers it in the event of vehicle theft, vandalism or if windows are broken and need to be replaced. In many areas car theft is far more common than we would like to think. If your car is stolen, it is not usually recovered without some damage. Many stolen vehicles are eventually wrecked and then abandoned. Others are stripped and sold for parts.
Newer vehicles are often required to have comprehensive coverage by the loan company. If you do not have the insurance the finance company will purchase their own insurance on the vehicle that offers you no coverage, but will pay off the loan if the vehicle is damaged or stolen. This insurance is very costly and will be added to the end of your loan on the vehicle.
The best way to find the cheapest car insurance is to comparison shop by asking for quotes for insurance on line. Many companies offer free quotes just for asking. Get several of the quotes and find the best price for your situation. While you can get quotes without giving personal information, you will get the most accurate quotes by giving all the requested information. Compare each quote to find the best price.
The price that is paid for peace of mind can often be less by comparison shopping for insurance.
Looking for a quick and efficient roadside assistance service? As Canada’s largest automobile association, they have towing services, caa membership, and other services available to all their members. There’s even special promotions such as New York City vacation packages.