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Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Wow! I managed to save 30% in 2 minutes after

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Article Source: http://www.afreearticle.com

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Trust and reputation more important to young car buyers

Trust and reputation are significantly more important to the younger generation than to older ones when it comes to deciding where to buy their next used car, according to Experian, the global information solutions company.

While trust and reputation are key factors across all age groups, recent research conducted by Canvasse Opinion revealed that they are of greater importance to 18 to 24 year olds.

Kirk Fletcher, Managing Director of Experian’s Automotive division, said: “More car buyers are turning to cheaper, older cars, so it will come as no surprise that younger buyers are the most likely to go for an older model. However, with older cars there are potentially more problems, so being able to buy one from a trustworthy source becomes more important.

“Used cars aged between three and nine years old were the only ones to see an increase in sales during 2006 and the survey confirmed that the young are the biggest fans of these cars for the obvious reason of price although they are still keenly interested in the car’s condition to ensure they are getting a good deal.”

While price is the most important factor when it comes to purchasing a used car for all age groups, it is, not surprisingly, more important to the younger generation, particularly the 18 to 24 year olds. Interestingly though, whilst the condition of the car is also important to all age groups, younger used car buyers more frequently than any other age group state that the condition is an important factor. This is also the case when it comes to reliability.

Before buying a used car, younger buyers, aged between 18 and 34, are more inclined to discuss the issue with friends (40.6 per cent) or take recommendations from friends and family (26.2 per cent) than all of those car buyers aged over 35 (19.5 per cent and 17.0 per cent respectively).

Also, the younger the used car buyer the more significant surfing the Internet becomes in researching the purchase (55.7 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds compared to 48.6 per cent of those aged 25 to 34, 40.6 per cent of those aged 35 to 44, 32.3 per cent of those aged 45 to 54, 29.4 per cent of those aged 55 to 64 and 20.4 per cent of those aged 65 or more). By contrast, the older generation is more likely to base the decision on previous experience of a car than younger drivers (16.7 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds compared to 34.7 per cent of those aged 65 or more, for example).

Kirk said: “It could be argued that older car buyers are focused more on what the car would say about them, while the results suggest that the young are more concerned about getting value for money and not getting ripped off. They have a smaller disposable income and, therefore, a greater desire to find a bargain. However, in a bid to bag a bargain, the young could be putting themselves more at risk.”

“Younger car buyers are more likely to spend less than £5,000 on a used car (70.1 per cent) according to the consumer survey. However, with less money to spend, it is possible that they are less likely to take measures, such as carrying out an AA Car Data Check, to protect themselves from pitfalls such as clocking, fraud and ringers, and with fraud rings becoming more complex and focusing their energies on the vulnerable, the young are an easy target.

“Financial pressures amongst consumers of all ages are making them more cautious about where they spend their money and we are seeing a definite shift towards older cars.” But, the older the car, the more history it is likely to have and not all of it will be harmless. With older cars, there are potentially more problems that are not always obvious or visible to car buyers and with young car buyers intent on finding a bargain, they are more in danger of becoming victim to vehicle fraudsters.

The survey also found that while those aged between 18 and 24 are likely to place more importance on trust and reputation, they are also more likely to buy from a private individual than from a dealer. Again, this is possibly down to being restricted on how much they can spend and a desire to find a bargain. Buying privately is a riskier way of buying a used car, because there is even less guarantee that the seller is the genuine owner and the car is a legitimate car.

For example, last year the total number of cars classed as write-offs by insurance companies, increased by nearly nine per cent. Of all those classed as write-offs, nearly 30 per cent were deemed too dangerous to return to the roads, but some of them still do. These are not likely to have been repaired safely and could potentially be very hazardous if involved in a further bump.

The remaining 70 per cent of write-offs are usually uneconomical to repair and so their value drops significantly, but many can still be found floating around the used car market at higher prices than they are worth. A great way for young consumers to protect themselves is by carrying out an AA Car Data Check.

Many cars that will have been in bumps over the years and these bumps could have had an impact on the general running of the car but will not have been recorded by insurance companies. An AA Vehicle Inspection highlights any problems that could affect the value of a used car or the purchaser’s decision to buy it.

“If the car turns out to be stolen, written-off or with finance still outstanding, whether it costs £5000 or less, it’s still a lot of money for a young car buyer to lose,” adds Kirk Fletcher. “Whatever the price of the vehicle, getting an AA Car Data Check done to ensure its integrity and an AA Vehicle Inspection to ensure the car is not going to end up costing you more, is a very small price to pay.”

The research was completed by Experian’s consumer research service, Canvasse Opinion, which surveyed a representative sample of 2,320 adults in the UK online, between 11 and 17 January 2007.




source:http://www.easier.com/view/News/Motoring/article-119225.html

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Del. drivers jump in road test; State improves to 19th in nation in highway knowledge

By Jenny Maher, Delaware State News
DOVER — When approaching a steady yellow traffic light, do you know whether to slow down, stop or speed up?And when traveling behind another car, do you know how much distance to leave?If so, you’re in the minority.More than 80 percent of drivers who took the third annual GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test didn’t know they should stop at a steady yellow light — as long as it’s safe to do so — or that they should leave two seconds of driving distance between their car and the one in front of them.“All Americans need a refresher course when it comes to basic driving rules,” said Gary Kusumi, CEO and president of GMAC Insurance, last week when the results of the test were announced.
Fortunately, Delaware drivers fared a little better on the 20 question exam than those in many other states, earning an average overall score of 77.7 percent, just above the national average of 77.1 percent.The state’s passing score ranked 19th in the nation in driving knowledge, a big improvement from last year’s ranking of 37th.Andrea Summers, spokeswoman for the Delaware Office of Highway Safety and coordinator of the department’s young drivers programs, said she was pleased to see that the state moved up 18 spots in the study.“Obviously I would like to see Delaware in the top five, but given it improved so dramatically from 37th to 19th, I think that’s really great,” she said. “Plus, if you look at such nearby states as Maryland, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania and New Jersey, we’re head and shoulders above them, and we’re above the national average, which is really encouraging news.”New Jersey and Washington D.C. shared the 48th spot in the rankings, while Pennsylvania ranked 46th and Maryland 25th.
New York drivers fared the worst on the test, and Idaho drivers earned their state the top spot.The GMAC test, which can be taken online, includes questions from state Department of Motor Vehicle license exams.Twenty-one percent of Delaware drivers who took the exam failed it.Kurt Gray, director of driver services with AAA Mid-Atlantic, said he wasn’t surprised that many drivers struggled with the test.“What we find in our driver improvement classes is that most drivers think they’re better drivers than what they are,” he said. “They base their driving ability on the number of tickets they have and the number of collisions they’ve been in.”But just because someone has a clean driving record doesn’t mean he or she is an expert on the rules of the road.Mr. Gray and Ms. Summers both stressed the importance of taking a defensive driving course to help reinforce basic driving knowledge.“After driver’s education, most people think that’s it,” Mr. Gray said. “They’re not educated about the need for ongoing driver training.”He said it might be helpful if states required drivers to take followup driving tests in order to keep their license, but admitted that probably wouldn’t be an easy law to pass.Ms. Summers said she thinks the best plan would be to do a better job of promoting defensive driving courses.
“For the most part, we try to educate first rather than legislate,” she said.If drivers take the initiative to reinforce their driving knowledge, Ms. Summers thinks lives could be saved.“If you don’t know the basic rules of the road, you’re more likely to get into a wreck and potentially kill yourself or someone else,” she said. “Nobody thinks it’s going to happen to them. You should get into the car thinking, ‘What can I do to prevent myself from getting into a wreck today?’ You need to have a basic knowledge of the rules of the road to do that.”


source:http://www.newszap.com/articles/2007/05/29/dm/central_delaware/dsn01.txt

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Negotiating goes beyond car lots

How to lower your medical bills, product repairs and more

MARSHALL LOEB

MarketWatch

Think negotiating prices is just for the car showroom? Think again. Real Simple magazine offers this advice on knocking down asking prices. When paying medical bills, know that the prices are not set in stone. In fact, many doctors will reduce the bill by 5 percent to 10 percent if you pay cash upfront. And if you're uninsured, let the good doctor know -- gastroenterologist Martin Bashir says that some doctors will offer discounts of 50 percent or more if they know you don't have insurance coverage.

And negotiate the bill before you actually get the procedure. Visit www.vimo.com to find out what doctors and dentists typically bill for services and what insurance companies cover.

If you need an electronic product repaired after the warranty has expired, you may be in luck. If you're having a common problem there's a chance that the company will fix it for free, but you have to know how to ask. Do a little research first.

Do an online search for your product and the problem you're having (for example "Dell laptop keyboard sticking") and you'll probably turn up some online comments where people discuss similar troubles. Then, call the company's returns department -- not customer service -- and ask for someone who can authorize a free repair or replacement. Let them know that you've done your research, and while you're loyal to the brand you've learned that you're not the only one with this problem.

Need to hire a contractor? Don't just go with your first consultation. Get bids from several contractors, then go back to your first choice.

Let that company know you'd prefer their services but that you have cheaper bids.


source: http://www.charlotte.com/business/story/137402.html

Rental Car Insurance: Making Use of Credit Card Benefits

By Amy L. Fontinelle

You may not know this, but your credit card provides a lot of additional services in addition to letting you postpone payment on purchases and earn cash back or frequent flyer miles. One of these services is rental car collision insurance. Car rental companies will always try to sell you insurance options that can add an extra $30 a day or more to the cost of your rental, but most people don’t need to buy this coverage. If you’re worried about the liability you take on when you’re driving a rental car, read on to learn the important details of the rental car insurance you are eligible for when you pay for a rental car with your credit card.

Discover’s travel protection program includes $25,000 in car rental insurance. According to their terms and conditions, if you rent a car for 31 consecutive days or less with your card, pay for the entire rental with your card, and decline the rental car company’s loss/damage waiver, you are eligible for the $25,000 in car rental insurance. This insurance applies to collisions only. You must first use your own insurance to cover the accident, and then this secondary coverage kicks in. You probably won’t be surprised to learn that Discover’s insurance does not cover personal injury (which can very quickly exceed $25,000) or personal liability (which is why it’s great to have an umbrella policy), but you may be unpleasantly surprised to learn that this insurance does not cover damage to other vehicles or property — it only covers damage to the car you have rented. You also must have rented the vehicle in the United States or Canada (and driven within the area allowed by the rental agreement) and it must be a basic vehicle — no trucks, no antiques, and no high value vehicles are eligible for coverage. If the accident is a result of your being drunk or high, don’t expect any coverage, and if you’re the only person listed on the rental agreement but your friend drives the car, once again, you’re not covered. Impressively, the policy covers your deductible from your primary insurance — so if you have a $1000 deductible through your policy with State Farm and you get into an accident, you won’t be responsible for the first $1,000 worth of damage, Discover will. Discover’s policy does not explain whether they will cover you if you do not have your own primary auto insurance, and I was unable to get a response from them on this matter. Discover’s insurance coverage is provided by a company called Chubb.

Mastercard’s MasterRental program only covers your car if you rent it for 15 consecutive days or less, which is still sufficient to cover most people’s vacation rentals, but may not be adequate if you’re renting for other reasons (say, because your own car was totaled in an accident). Again, you’ll need to pay for the entire rental with your Mastercard and decline the coverage offered by the rental car company. The vehicle must have an MSRP of less than $50,000 and must not be a truck, pickup, sport utility truck, full size van on a truck chassis, camper, antique, offroad vehicle, or other recreational vehicle. MasterRental will cover physical damage to or theft of the vehicle, towing if your vehicle is in a collision, and reasonable loss of use. Again, they expect your primary insurance to pay first, but they will cover your deductible. If you have no other insurance (for example, because you don’t own a car), MasterRental will act as your primary form of insurance. So even if you don’t have your own insurance, you don’t need to buy the rental car company’s collision insurance if you’re paying with your Mastercard. Keep in mind that Mastercard’s insurance does not cover personal injury, personal liability, personal property, medical payments to others, or damage to other vehicles. Unlike Discover, Mastercard’s coverage extends to most of the world, with a few exceptions. Overall, it seems to be a more comprehensive policy.

American Express explains their policy fairly clearly on their website, but the kind of coverage you get depends on which American Express card you have (i.e. Green, Platinum, Blue, etc.).
You can read about Visa’s coverage here. Since most policies are fairly similar overall, I won’t get into an analysis of each major companies policies.

It’s important to note that all of these policies have more fine print than I’ve been able to outline here, and the policies vary slightly from company to company. The overall gist is similar, though: if you’re renting an ordinary vehicle for an ordinary purpose and pay for it with your credit card, you’ll probably get collision coverage automatically, which means that you can save a good chunk of change by not buying the rental car company’s collision damage waiver insurance. Whether you will need the other types of insurance offered (which may include personal accident insurance and supplemental liability insurance) depends on what kind of coverage you already have through your regular car insurance policy or lack thereof. If you have any concerns or unusual circumstances regarding your car rental, read the fine print or call the credit card company with your questions before you rent (and take notes, including the name of the customer service rep). It can be a challenge to track down these policies online, but if you contact your credit card company, they should be able to mail you a copy of the policy.

Car accidents can be very expensive, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into and make sure you’re protected before you rent.


source::http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/05/27/101475_rental-car-insurance-making-use-of-credit-card-benefits.html



Monday, May 28, 2007

Getting the Best Value with Auto Insurance and Online Quotes

Car insurance is not created equal. If you care about getting the best value for your hard-earned money, a little comparison shopping can save you anywhere from a little to a lot on the cost of your car insurance. Getting the best value with auto insurance and online quotes is a combination of comparing rates and keeping risk factors down. The type of insurance you choose will also make a difference in how much your premiums are.

For example, liability is the cheapest type of coverage. Most areas of the United States and Canada require a minimum of liability coverage. How much coverage you are required to carry will differ between states. If you've got a lien on the title of your car, the lien holder may require collision and comprehensive coverage as well. Some drivers choose to get these types of coverage even if they don't have to.

After all, liability is quite limited and only covers the expenses of the other driver if you cause an accident. Collision coverage will take care of your own medical and vehicle expenses in such a case. Comprehensive coverage protects against vandalism, theft and damaging acts of nature such as wind or hail damage. There are other types of coverage including underinsured and uninsured motorist, which protect you against drivers who may not have enough coverage to take care of your expenses if they cause a collision. You'll even find special insurance for classic and antique vehicles. Some people wonder how much insurance they really need. A good rule of thumb is to err on the side of caution, but don't break the bank.

Getting the best value with auto insurance and online quotes can be achieved with both comparison shopping and reducing the level of risk you pose to an insurer. This means driving a safe family car instead of a sports car, keeping your driving record clean and installing appropriate security measures on your vehicle. A car alarm and/or a tracking device can keep your car safe from theft and lower your rates. Even keeping daily mileage down can result in a discount. Also, choose the highest deductible you can afford to pay in the event of an accident to keep your premiums low. Small things like these can add up and result in a big difference when it comes to the cost of your auto insurance!



source :: http://www.dcarinsurance.com/ar/auto-insurance-and-online-quotes.php


Friday, May 25, 2007

The £100 Car And Home Insurance Rip-Off!

My current perception of home and car insurance, based on anecdotal evidence, is that premiums are rising massively. People have been telling me that their renewal notice has arrived and the cost has inexplicably risen hundreds of pounds. However, statistics show that this isn't the case. According to the AA, at the start of last year the average quoted comprehensive car insurance policy was £762 and now it's £802, an increase of just £40 (5%). Third party, fire and theft went up from £941 to £993, an increase of £52 (5.2%).

As for household insurance: buildings insurance went up from £208 to £211 (1.2%) in a year and contents insurance down from £152 to £149 (1.78%).

So, at no more than a 5.2% average increase, the changes in average quoted premiums do not reflect the experiences that have been reported to me. However, I believe the answer is simple: many insurers are quoting massively inflated renewal figures. A Fool reader wrote in to say that one insurer has routinely been adding 35% to renewal quotes for household insurance, which can easily add £100 to most people's buildings and contents insurance!

Speaking as a Fool with a background in insurance, I can tell you that this is not unusual. Most, if not all, insurers and brokers will happily increase premiums at renewal, because they know that many people will simply renew. On average people only shop around every three years for car insurance, and every ten for household insurance.

The thing is, though, that if you get a new quote from the same insurer or broker, they will almost certainly improve on their renewal figure. The same Fool who reported the 35% increase said that the insurer quoted £100 less if you got a new quote online, rather than accepting the renewal premium.

Furthermore, compare the average quoted premium with the shop-around premium:

Insurance

Average
premium

Shop-around
premium

Average
saving

Comprehensive car
insurance

£802

£465

£337

TPFT car insurance

£993

£560

£433

Buildings insurance

£211

£141

£70

Contents insurance

£149

£85

£64



Figures from the AA

As you can see, the savings for shopping around are huge: on average more than £300 for car insurance and about £130 for both buildings and contents.

Here are some more thoughts:

  • Don't just renew automatically, even if the renewal quote is the same as last year. Your insurer/broker might write to say it's 'delighted' to offer you the same price, but in reality the cost of insurance might have even come down!
  • For many years direct insurers offered heavily discounted prices, for some lengthy periods losing 10p or 20p for every £1 taken in premiums. But now that they've built up large customer bases, they'll feel happy to increase renewal premiums even further.
  • Don't get emotional about it. It's not about the principle, it's about cost. So, if your current insurer/broker has handled your claims well in the past, offer them the opportunity to beat your best shop-around quote: even if they at first tried to renew for 35% extra!

> Compare car insurance
> Compare household insurance
> Cheaper Car Insurance Today!



source : http://news.sky.com/skynews/xml/article/0,,91070-1179826180,00.html?f=mf