Reader’s Question:

My current car insurance coverage here in Austin, Texas is about to end soon and I plan to switch companies. Is it automatic that it’s gonna be cancelled if I don’t pay the premium after the end of the coverage?

Oren

Austin, TX

Majority of car insurance providers declare in your policy that you could drop your insurance coverage at any time through informing them in writing stating the exact date of cancellation. But most clients think that if they want to cancel their policy at time that their coverage is expiring, all they need to do is pay no attention to the bill. The car insurance providers don’t look at it that way. They would send you another bill for the upcoming premium due and if you don’t pay that, your insurer in Austin, Texas will drop you because of non-payment and that will go to your credit report. Your current insurer won’t know that you have bought insurance from a different insurance provider. Remember that your present insurer should let you drop your policy if you have already bought a new one.

You have to get in touch with your insurer and tell them that you are terminating your policy. Make sure that you give them a particular date or else, you could end up not being insured for quite some time. Your insurer would then send you a termination request. This form is normally already answered and all it needs is your signature but be sure that you read it to see if there is any mistake.

Tags: auto insurance policy, car insurance, car insurance company

Reader’s Question:

My sister is staying with me here in Houston Texas for the next two years and I’ve lent her one of my cars so she can go to and from school. Do you think I should designate her as primary driver of this car when I renew the auto liability insurance next year?

Addison

Houston TX

I’d love to have a sister like you, Addison! My sister blows a fuse when I even borrow one of her clothes.

Let me see, well, the rule of thumb is: she who drives the car most often should be named as the primary driver. If your sister intends to use the car everyday, then she should be designated as the primary driver then all other members of your Houston Texas TA household can be named as secondary drivers.

However, if your sister presents a higher risk than you, then you may want to rethink the rule of thumb. You see, the insurer will base its computations of auto insurance premiums on the designated primary driver’s projected mileage, age and driving experience, sometimes even that person’s credit-worthiness. You can actually check how much this impacts on the premiums by getting some online quotes. Just type in your zip code in the form on this site and you can get some free quotes from insurers in Houston Texas TA.

Whatever you decide to do, just make sure you remember to disclose all the drivers in your household so that you are not suspected of misrepresentation, which could be grounds for denial of coverage.

Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance premium, Car Insurance Company

Reader’s Question:

This is the first time I’ve ever owned a vehicle and I’ve been meaning to get auto insurance but don’t know what to ask or who to ask here in Irving Texas TX. Can you please give me tips on what type of auto insurance I need to get?

Alexander

Irving Texas TX

Hi there, Alexander. Congratulations on your new car! You know, the law here in Irving Texas TX states that you can’t drive without enough coverage for damages you may inflict on people or things while driving. In fact, the law further specifies a minimum 20/40/15 liability coverage. These three numbers are often referred to as liability limits – the 20 and the 40 means that the insurer provides $20,000 coverage for each person injured with a total of $40,000 per accident while the 15 means that the insurer will cover up to $15,000 worth of damage to property. Remember that any costs in excess of the coverage would have to be shouldered by you; hence, remember to ask what other liability limit levels are being offered by your local insurer.

There are other types of coverage which you can ask about such as:
- personal injury protection;
- medical payments coverage;
- uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage;
- collision coverage; and
- comprehensive coverage.

To help you decide on what you need, I suggest that you key in your zip code in the space indicated on this site to receive free quotes from insurers in Irving Texas TX. Three or four quotes should provide you with an idea, not only of the available liability limits, add-ons and features but also the corresponding costs. A holistic approach to decision-making should give you the best value for your money. Don’t be afraid to ask your insurer for specifics!

Tags: auto insurance, First time driver car insurance, Young driver car insurance

Reader’s Question:

My dad’s driver’s license is due to expire at the end of the year. We’d like to advise him not to renew it anymore because he’d be turning 75 years old. I was wondering, though, would it still be possible for him to keep the car as well as the auto insurance policy here in Pasadena Texas TX? We just want to make sure he doesn’t feel like he’s trapped at home.

Hannah

Pasadena Texas TX

Well, Hannah, there are US states which allow a person in his advanced age to own a car even without a valid driver’s license just as long as he has a state identification card. Unfortunately, keeping the auto insurance coverage is not as simple because senior auto insurance companies in Pasadena Texas TX usually require a licensed driver to be listed on the auto insurance policy. Sometimes, senior citizens who opt not to continue driving designate or name a fully licensed driver to get senior car insurance; hence, it’s not entirely impossible for your dad to continue his senior car insurance policy.

May I suggest that you first ask for quotes from at least five insurance companies which offer senior car insurance in Pasadena Texas TX. You can do that online just by entering your zip code on the form on this page. These potential insurers offer different terms and premiums based on the extent of senior auto insurance coverage you require for your dad. Don’t worry because you get the quotes for free.

The online quotes will give you a better idea of the options available to your dad in Pasadena Texas TX; once you’ve narrowed down your choices, you can probably contact the insurer directly regarding any other requirements they may have.

Tags: auto insurance, senior car insurance

Reader’s Question:

My work involves a lot of driving across the State so I plan to rent a car for the duration of my contract here in Abilene Texas TX so I don’t have to worry about car maintenance. Is there some kind of insurance I can get to ensure I get my money back if the rental company gives me a defective car?

William

Abilene Texas TX

Hi William! Renting appears to be a more popular option these days. I think it’s perfect for when you only need to stay temporarily in an area for work. Besides, it saves you from having to shell out a lot of money to buy a car then quite soon after having to find a buyer for the car you can’t bring to your next destination. I agree; it sure is a relief not having to worry about maintenance, especially since you expect to drive across the state so often.

You are also right to worry about auto coverage even while you opt to use a rented car for the duration of your contract in Abilene Texas TX. You may want to consider rental reimbursement coverage – it allows you receive a specified amount to cover the costs of another rental car in case the one you were using breaks down. Different insurance companies offer different premiums and packages so you may want to compare your options. If you enter your zip code in the space on this page, you can get free quotes from insurers in Abilene Texas TX.
You may also want to look into towing and labor coverage since you expect to be driving long distances. In case your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, it should help to ease your mind if you know you’re covered.

Tags: auto insurance, rental car insurance

Reader’s Question:

I’m looking into buying a new car insurance here in Arlington, Texas and there are still some things that I need to understand. How come auto insurance companies look at the credit history of a person applying for insurance through them?

Terence

Arlington, TX

It would seem unfair that auto insurance companies are profiling their potential clients according to their credit history because if you will look at it, it does not have anything to do with auto insurance. If a person has a bad credit rating, that person will be placed in the higher risk category and that is just the way it is going to be. This is because of some studies that have been done and according to statistics, it has been proven that a person with a bad credit generally files more claims with their auto insurance carrier over a time period. So if you have a good credit history there in Arlington, Texas, this can work in your favor and slide you over going to the direction of lower risk category.

If right you are classified as a higher risk driver, you could easily remove yourself from that category but it could take some time. You would have to straighten out your credit and this can be done through catching up on late payments and doing whatever it would take to clear up your driving history. You really must try to get out of this category because it would cost you more money for your auto insurance.

Tags: auto insurance, high risk insurance

Reader’s Question:

I need to make sure that I will get the value of my money once I get a new car insurance policy here in Dallas, Texas. I think I need to go with a cheaper one but I also need to know, how can these car insurance companies on the web be trusted?

Florence

Dallas, TX

Cheaper may not always be the way to go if it comes to car insurance. We could not trust anyone and that also goes for car insurance companies. Although most of the companies in the car insurance industry are reputable, it would be the ones that are not that would take your hard-earned money and sell you a car insurance policy that could not be as complete as you thought it is. It is very hard to determine how these car insurance companies on the web can be trusted but you can take a considerable time in doing a little research on these companies.

You can check how long these car insurance companies have been in the industry. You also have to find out if the car insurance company is financially stable. You can do a web search about that and you can also find online information if any irate customers of the car insurance company have posted comments. You could also get in touch with the Better Business Bureau and check if there have been any complaints filed against the car insurance company. These are just simple things that you could do to make sure that you get the value of you money for your car insurance in Dallas, Texas.

Tags: car insurance, car insurance company, car insurance policy, cheap auto insurance

Reader’s Question:

If I get a car insurance here in Amarillo, Texas, am I required to get collision coverage? If not, what are the benefits that it will give me if I include it in my policy?

Pavel

Amarillo, TX

You will not be required to have collision coverage for you to be able to drive your automobile. However, if you are driving a lease or you loan your car, the lien holder would insist on collision coverage for protection of their property. If your collision auto insurance policy is a standard one, it would pay for any repairs necessary for your vehicle up to the fair market value of the automobile if a collision happens. You need to know that the fair market value could be quite a bit less than the actual amount to replace your car or pay off the balance on the car loan.

In a nutshell, if you get collision coverage for your auto insurance in Amarillo, Texas, it would be the protection of your automobile against damage in an accident. The collision insurance would pay for repairs on your car that could run into quite a bit of money. Moreover, if you are involved in an accident, the insurance coverage would pay you the book value of the car so that you could get a replacement.

Tags: auto insurance claims, auto insurance policy, collision coverage

Reader’s Question:

Can I get a discount for being a woman if I get a car insurance here in Irving, Texas? I was told that women are safer drivers than men, is this true?

Marianne

Irving, TX

Certain studies have discovered that women are safer driver than men because they tend to generally wear their seatbelts and men are inclined to driving longer distances. This is the reason why women have lesser car insurance rates than men. But there are also some studies that show that females could be close in catching up with the males when it comes to getting involved on car crashes and having traffic tickets. If this continues, there will come a time that both genders would pay the exact same rates for car insurance.

If you apply for a car insurance in Irving, Texas and you’d like to get a discount, you have to speak with an insurance agent first to ask which discounts you could be eligible for. A lot of people don’t realize that they could get a break on the premium rates by having a clean driving history, having a good educational background or being part of an organization that the car insurance company endorses. If you really want to get the best rate, be sure that the insurance agent knows all the details about your automobile. Your driving and credit history, the make and model of your car are the basic information you would need.

Tags: car, car insurance, female car insurance

Reader’s Question:

If I damage my car because of an accident here in East Jefferson, Texas and I get charged with DWI, will my insurance cover me if I have both collision and comprehensive insurance?

Kael

East Jefferson, TX

Generally, if your car insurance was in force at the time of the crash, even with being charged with DWI in East Jefferson, Texas, you car insurance policy will cover you for the damage. But it your car insurance policy has specific exclusions in it with regard to an occurrence such as this, the car insurance provider could be able to deny your claims.

To check out for sure if you will be covered for damaging your car when you were driving while intoxicated, speak with your insurance agent and go through the terms of your car insurance policy. If you’re covered, then it would probably be your collision coverage that a claim would be placed for the damage your car had and this would also mean a deductible will apply. If your insurance premiums become higher or if your car insurance provider cancels or non-renew your policy because of a DWI, start looking for new car insurance coverage here by getting a rate quote.

Tags: car insurance, car insurance policy, car insurance quotes, comprehensive insurance coverage, DWI