Car Insurance. Involved In An Accident With An Uninsured Driver?

Car Insurance. Involved In An Accident With An Uninsured Driver?
Uninsured drivers are ten times more likely to drink and drive and three times more likely to be convicted of driving without due care and attention. They also cause one accident every six months. In fact one in twenty motorists regularly drive without insurance. It’s therefore not perhaps surprising that, one in ten of all motorists have been involved in accidents with uninsured drivers. The question is what to do if you’re involved in an accident with one?

At the time of the accident you’re unlikely to realise that the other driver is uninsured so you’ll have to react in the normal way. Take a note of the other car’s make, model and registration number. Also note the other driver’s name and address ? but whether he’ll give you his correct details is perhaps unlikely! Nevertheless, always record what the other driver says. Unless you have this information you’ll have no leg to stand on when it comes to getting some of your money back.

Also take notes about the damage to the other car and the accident scene. Remember to note road markings, road signs, light and weather conditions and whether the other car had its lights on ? in fact as much detail as possible. Then if you’re lucky enough to have an independent witness get their full contact details. And if you happen to have a camera in the car, take lots of pictures - and try and get one with the other driver clearly in the picture. The police might like that one!

If your policy is comprehensive, your insurer pay for your car to be repaired but you could lose your no claims discount unless you’ve paid to protect it. But then there’s the issue of your excess payment ? that’s the first part of the repair cost you have to pay for. You’ll have to pay that unless you’re lucky enough to have a policy that waives the excess payment if you’re hit by an uninsured driver.

For those of you with third party car insurance, you’re in for a hard time. Your insurer won’t pay for your repairs and, as the other driver is uninsured, you’re not going to get any money off him unless you can trace him and succeed in a court action. Even then there’s no guarantee that he’ll pay up! Your only guaranteed solution is to make a compensation claim to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau - but you’ll still have to pay the first ?300 of the claim.

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau insists that have the other drivers’ car registration number and you must first report the accident to the police. Always ask the police for a copy of their accident report as the Bureau’s likely to ask to see it. The Bureau’s telephone number is 01908 671681 or you can e-mail them on enquiries@mib.org.uk.

At the moment The UK’ Law is being amended to crackdown on uninsured drivers. Not before time. Anyone keeping, not just driving, an uninsured vehicle now faces a fixed ?100 fine and can also have their car seized and crushed. Currently the average fine for driving without insurance is just ?170 and that’s hardly a punishment when car insurance costs many times more. Losing the car plus a fine of ?100 is much more realistic. Let’s hope that the courts fully implement the crushing sanction!

A police spokesman said recently, ? Uninsured drivers are often guilty of many other driving related offences, such as having no driving licence or MOT certificate. We’re doing everything in our power to get these dangerous and illegal drivers off our roads?.

We say, go to it blues and two’s!

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Car tax rises leading to confusion and anxiety
In the wake of the latest Budget announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, there is growing confusion about which cars will be clobbered for more tax according to one of the UK s leading car insurers. Swinton Car Insurance is concerned that the latest wave of car tax rises outlined by Gordon Brown is leaving drivers unsure about which category their car fits into and whether their vehicle is one of the heaviest polluters. The Manchester-based insurance company believes that the vast majority of drivers of family saloon type vehicles are unsure where their car fits on the pollution scale and how much it is costing them. But, more alarmingly, an increasing number of drivers are getting worried that they may unwittingly be falling into Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) banding brackets which are becoming demonised for being so-called gas guzzlers. Jon Kirk of Swinton Insurance said that it is all very well the Chancellor raising car tax for the heaviest polluting vehicles and lowering it for the most environmentally friendly cars, but the simple truth is very few people actually know which of the seven A-G bandings their cars fall into. It came as no surprise that the Chancellor put up car tax on the heaviest polluting vehicles in the latest Budget, said Jon. And most people know that 4×4s are the worst polluters on UK roads, but that s not the whole story. As he points out, figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders revealed that the worst polluting band only accounted for 7.5 per cent of all new cars sold in 2006. At the other end of the scale the number of cars which fall into the first two bands only accounts for 4.7 per cent of cars. This means that nearly 90% of cars on UK roads fall into just four of the seven bands, said Jon. So you can see where the concern is arising as there seems to be a huge mid-ground where owners of typical family cars can t be sure where on the scale they are in terms of carbon emissions. Swinton Insurance points to a list of examples of cars in the different bands to try to help clear up some of the confusion. Band A (cars which emit less than 100g/km) includes the Honda Insight petrol electric hybrid and the Smart diesel. Band B (cars which emit between 101-120g/km) includes the Toyota Prius 1.5 litre petrol-electric hybrid, Smart car 0.7 litre petrol, Citroen C2 1.4 litre diesel and the Ford Fiesta 1.4 diesel. Band C (cars which emit between 121-150g/km) includes Fiat Panda 1.2 petrol, Ford Ka 1.3 petrol, VW Golf 1.9 TDI diesel, Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi diesel hatchback and the Jaguar X-type 2.0 diesel saloon. Band D (cars which emit between 151-165g/km) includes the VW Passat estate 1.9 TDI diesel, MINI One hatchback 1.6 petrol, Ford Fiesta 1.6i petrol and the Peugeot 307 1.4 petrol. Band E (cars which emit between 166-185g/km) includes the Ford Mondeo saloon 1.8i petrol, Vauxhall Vectra 1.8 petrol saloon, Rover 75 1.8 petrol and the Toyota Avensis 1.8 petrol saloon/hatchback. Band F (cars which emit between 186-225g/km) includes the Land Rover Freelander 2.0 diesel, Toyota RAV4 2.0 litre petrol, Audi A4 1.6 petrol, BMW 5 series estate 3.0 diesel and the Mazda MX5 2.0 petrol. Band G (cars which emit more than 225g/km) includes the Jaguar X-type 2.0 petrol saloon auto, Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe 3.6 litre petrol, Renault Espace 2 litre petrol Range Rover 4.4 V8 petrol auto and the BMW X5 4.8 litre petrol. Simply by making these examples known, Swinton Insurance hopes to put drivers at ease because they have a better framework to work from when trying to establish how much more they are going to have to pay each year in car tax. The biggest problem is that most motorist have little idea how much the increases announced by Gordon Brown are actually going to cost them until they receive their car tax renewal notices, said Jon. And given the Chancellor s timescales, some people won t feel the full effect of his announcement for another 12 to 18 months. While there are losers who will have to pay more car tax because of the Chancellor s announcement, there are also winners. Drivers of cars in Band B will see their road tax bills cut by 15 to 35. But this will only be short-lived because the Chancellor also said VED will rise by 5 for each of the next three years. Drivers of petrol cars also face an extra hike because Gordon Brown said he will be aligning the differing rates between petrol and diesel cars to the higher diesel rate.

Swinton Group was acquired by its parent company MMA Insurance in May 2001. http://www.swinton.co.uk/

10 Ways to Save Big on Auto Insurance
Auto insurance can make a big hole in your pocket. Insurance premiums vary hugely between companies, agencies or agents, brokers, and of course the make of the car you own and your credit rating. To pay lower insurance you must: 1. Always maintain a good driving record. 2. Never accept the first estimate you receive. Be wise and check comparisons of different insurance providers at your state insurance department website or phone them. Their addresses and contact numbers can be accessed from http://www.consumeraction.gov/insurance.shtml the consumer action website. Be sure to get competitive quotes from different insurance providers. Contact providers that are strongly recommended by people you know well. Keep your peace of mind by checking the financial stability of the companies with rating companies like A.M. Best (http://www.ambest.com/) as well as in forums and blogs. 3. Complete a market survey well before you select a car make and make a comparative table of insurance and other hidden costs. Find out which features increase insurance premiums and which ones reduce premiums. For example if parts of a certain make are hard to find or expensive such cars will have huge insurance premiums, similarly installation of anti-theft devices or an extra brake system lowers insurance premiums. Many questions are answered by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety at http://www.iihs.org/. 4. Choose to have higher deductibles this will reduce the burden by at least 15-25%. But look at your finances first and determine whether you can set aside US$ 200-US$1000 periodically to create an emergency vehicle fund. 5. Consider availing the insurance from the same company that has you covered for home, accident, or life. Many companies offer concessions to clients who have more than one kind of policy. Known as a multi-policy discount this could benefit you. 6. Most policies are based on your personal credit record. Having an unshakeable credit history can lower costs. Pay bills on time, don t avail too many loans, and be sure that credit balances are as low as possible. 7. Avoid duplicating medical coverage. Find out whether eliminating medical cover in auto insurance will reduce your premiums or the personal injury protection costs. In some places the reduction is as much as 40%. So, if you have adequate health insurance you could weigh the pros and cons of eliminating this in auto insurance. 8. Find out if insurance premiums are dependant on where you stay. Sometimes staying in a rural community or suburbs as against the city center could save you a bundle. 9. Take advantages of discounts like low risk career, low mileage, taking public transport to work, car pooling, no violations or accidents, taking defensive driving courses, following safety rules and regulations, or having a child who studies far away. 10. Use the reductions offered for insuring more than one car belonging to the family. Many companies have special offers for corporate organizations, club members, professional groups, alumni groups, or clubs. Make time to make a big saving. Check through all the parameters and mark areas where a saving can be made. The market is competitive and you can be the beneficiary.

Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for http://www.1866Cars.com , the premier website to find help on Cars including topics on car rental, national car rental, thrifty car rental, online car rental, pickup trucks rental, cargo van rental and more. He also freelances for the premier Car Insurance Quotes site http://www.1888Carinsurance.com

Lowering Your Auto Insurance Costs
Lowering Your Auto Insurance Costs

It is very important to understand that prices vary from company to company, so it pays to shop around. Getting at least three price quotes will serve you well. You can either call companies directly or access information over the web. State insurance departments are also a good source of prices and options available.

The main reasons for buying insurance are to protect you and your family financially and provide peace of mind. Finding a company that is financially stable is very important. You can check the financial well being of insurance companies using rating companies such as A.M. Best and Standard & Poor s. You might also try some of the more popular consumer magazines.

You should also get quotes from different types of insurance companies. Some sell through their own in house agents and others through independent agents who offer policies from several insurance companies. There are also insurance companies that sell directly to consumers over the phone or via the Internet.

Be careful that you don’t shop price alone. Asking friends and relatives for their recommendations is a smart thing to do. Contact your state insurance department and find out whether they provide information on consumer complaints by company. Make sure and choose an agent or company representative that takes the time to answer your questions and address your concerns.

Car insurance premiums are based in part on the car s sticker price, the cost to repair it, its overall safety record, and the likelihood of theft so make sure to check into insurance costs before you buy a new or used car. Ask about discounts for features that reduce the risk of injuries or theft. Things such as daytime running lights and anti-theft devices for example. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety can provide you with information that will help you decide what car to buy.

You might be able to lower your costs substantially by requesting higher deductibles. Increasing your deductible from $200 to $500 could reduce your collision and comprehensive coverage cost by up to to 30 percent. Before choosing a higher deductible, be sure you have enough money set aside to pay it if you have a claim.

Dropping collision and/or comprehensive coverages on older cars that are worth less than 10 times the premium is definitely something to consider. You can research the value online at Kelley s Blue Book.

Many insurers will give you a discount if you buy two or more types of insurance from them or if you have more than one vehicle insured with the same company.

Establishing and maintaining a solid credit rating can help cut your insurance costs. Insurers are increasingly using credit information to price auto insurance policies. Check your credit record regularly and correct any errors promptly so that your record remains accurate.

Some companies offer low mileage discounts to motorists who drive a lower than average number of miles a year.

There are also companies that offer reduced rates to drivers who get insurance through a group plan from their employers. You may also qualify if you belong to a professional, business, alumni or other groups and associations.

If you have not had any accidents or moving violations for a number of years you may also qualify for a discount. Taking a defensive driving or drivers education course may also qualify you for a lower rate.

Michael Silva has been conducting business on the Internet for the past 9 years and has extensive knowledge in the areas of marketing, promotion, training and affiliate programs. You can find 1000's of top quality articles on a wide range of topics by visiting us at www.ahowtoguide.com

Tips For Buying Your First Car Posted By : Nicholas Hunt
Buying your first car will open up a whole new world as you become independent in coming and going as you please. With such a major purchase, what are the kind of things you should be looking at before buying?

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