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Recent Car Insurance News and Advice
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PENNDOT Implements New License Security Feature
December 12th, 2011
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) is adopting a new security features on driver’s licenses it issues. The measure is a high-resolution hologram designed to suppress color so that it appears to be black or white, depending on how it is held. “A driver’s license or identification card has always been a trusted source for [...]
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Traffic Crashes Cost More Than Congestion
December 12th, 2011
The expenses incurred from vehicle collisions on the nation’s roads, almost $300 billion annually, are more than three times the $97.7 billion that congestion costs, according to a report released by AAA. “The burdens associated with congestion are top of mind for many Americans as they travel to and from work each day,” said AAA [...]
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Auto Insurance Deductibles Explained
December 7th, 2011
When looking at car insurance policies, the deductible is one of the most important features to consider. Essentially, a deductible is the amount the policyholder will pay when an insured loss occurs. If an insured car sustains damage covered by the policy that is worth a certain amount, the owner will pay the deductible and [...]
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How parents cope with teen drivers and high car insurance rates
December 5th, 2011
Parents may be particularly concerned about their teens that are going to begin driving in the winter, MetLife noted recently. The combination of inexperience behind the wheel and poor driving conditions resulting from rain, snow and ice can instill fear when teens begin pushing to learn how to drive or ask to borrow a car. [...]
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Auto Insurance Rates May Be Affected by Drowsy Drivers
December 1st, 2011
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s 2011 safety culture survey reveals that, in the past month, about one-third of respondents got behind the wheel when sufficiently tired that they had trouble keeping their eyes open, despite 96 percent saying drowsy driving is an unacceptable behavior. A 2005 poll by the National Sleep Foundation determined that [...]
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New Oklahoma Car Insurance Law Encourages Compliance
November 29th, 2011
Drivers in Oklahoma are now beginning to see the effects of a new law implemented starting November 1st, which limits the amount uninsured drivers can recover in most accidents. The state already mandates that drivers have auto insurance coverage, and those in compliance will not be directly affected unless in an accident involving an uninsured [...]
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More Americans Driving Further Over Holidays
November 28th, 2011
According to the Allstate Good Hands Roadside Assistance Survey, 45 percent of American drivers plan on going on a drive at least two hours long this holiday season. Separate research by AAA suggests this Thanksgiving will see 42.5 million Americans travel at least 50 miles from home, 4 percent more than last year. According to [...]
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Car Care Council Recommends Battery Checks Before Winter
November 22nd, 2011
The Nonprofit Car Care Council (CCC) recently recommended drivers have their car’s battery checked before winter weather sets in to avoid being stranded in cold, poor conditions. The CCC noted all batteries eventually need replacement, even if it is an infrequent requirement. Like most maintenance needs, the exact time it will become pressing cannot be [...]
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Assessing Vehicles Through a Test Drive
November 21st, 2011
The first impression people receive of new vehicles is based on their external appearance, but that does not help motorists to determine whether a car will drive well or be a good buy. Whether looking at new or used cars, one of the most important ways to get a sense of the vehicle is usually [...]
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Government & Manufacturers Working on Connected Vehicle Technologies
November 17th, 2011
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and other agency officials recently examined a number of connected vehicle safety technologies, which may decrease the incidence of collisions significantly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates they may affect as many as 80 percent of vehicle crashes not involving impaired drivers. In particular, accidents which [...]
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Factors that Determine the Cost of a Car Insurance Policy
November 16th, 2011
While the precise method of calculation may differ between coverage providers, auto insurers generally use the same types of information when determining their car insurance rates. A given customer’s rates are generally determined based on statistics and analysis of the likelihood that the driver will get into an accident and file a claim. As a [...]
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New Technology May Have Financial and Safety Benefits
November 15th, 2011
Electronic Stability Control (ESC), an automotive safety technology now required to be part of all new cars built in the United States, may have a significant impact on both safety and auto insurance rates. Electronic Stability Control ESC is a crash-avoidance feature that uses computer-controlled braking to reduce the risk of rollovers and other types [...]
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Flood-Damaged Vehicles and Fraud
November 14th, 2011
According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), the effects of Hurricane Irene significantly increased the risk of unknowingly buying a flood-damaged car. While it is illegal to hide a vehicle’s history of flood damage, some unscrupulous resellers will do so, obscuring the facts and cleaning up any noticeable defects. Complications of Flood-Damaged Vehicle Sales The [...]
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Many Northwest Drivers Exceed Posted Speed Limits
November 10th, 2011
Most drivers in the Northwest depend on the “buffer zone” above the posted speed limit in order to speed without getting caught or pulled over, according to a recent poll by PEMCO Car Insurance. According to the results, about two-thirds of drivers in the region believe they can get away with speeding even if a [...]
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Teen Drivers at Higher Risk During First Few Months of Driving
November 9th, 2011
A recent study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found teen drivers are 50 percent more likely to crash during their first month of driving than they are after amassing a year of solo driving experience. They are almost twice as likely to crash during their first month as they are once they have [...]
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Pet Owners Who Drive with Unrestrained Animals Risk Accidents
November 7th, 2011
Dog owners who drive with their animals in the car are subject to unique distractions, according to a survey by car insurance provider AAA and Kurgo. More than 46 million households across the nation own one or more dogs, according to the American Pet Products Association, and they may bring them along on long trips [...]
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New California Law Eases Access to State’s Low-Cost Car Insurance Quotes Scheme
November 3rd, 2011
California Governor Jerry Brown recently signed into law a bill authorizing low-income residents with good driving records to get their car insurance quotes through the state’s Low-Cost Auto Insurance Program online. The program generally costs $250 to $360 per year for a policy, and provides basic coverage. In the past, many drivers were unaware of [...]
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Booster Seats Getting Safer
November 1st, 2011
While many drivers focus on getting a low car insurance quote, many forget how important it is to have a good child seat in place in terms of safety precautions. The latest ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show booster seats continue to improve, with this year’s research designating 31 models as Best [...]
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Texting May Force Car Insurance Quotes Up
November 1st, 2011
According to research from the Texas Transportation Institute, reading or sending a text message doubles a driver’s reaction time on the road. The results indicate texting is a worse form of distracted driving than many previously believed. The study was the first published nationwide to evaluate the effects of texting in an actual driving environment [...]
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Who are Safer Drivers – Men or Women?
October 26th, 2011
Women are perceived as safer drivers than men, according to a study from MetLife. Slightly more than 50 percent of women believed they were safer drivers than men, and less than a quarter were unsure. By comparison, fewer than 40 percent of men believed they were better drivers than women, and 35 percent indicated they [...]
State related Car Insurance News
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PENNDOT Implements New License Security Feature
December 12th, 2011
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) is adopting a new security features on driver’s licenses it issues. The measure is a high-resolution hologram designed to suppress color so that it appears to be black or white, depending on how it is held. “A driver’s license or identification card has always been a trusted source for [...]
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New Oklahoma Car Insurance Law Encourages Compliance
November 29th, 2011
Drivers in Oklahoma are now beginning to see the effects of a new law implemented starting November 1st, which limits the amount uninsured drivers can recover in most accidents. The state already mandates that drivers have auto insurance coverage, and those in compliance will not be directly affected unless in an accident involving an uninsured [...]
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New California Law Eases Access to State’s Low-Cost Car Insurance Quotes Scheme
November 3rd, 2011
California Governor Jerry Brown recently signed into law a bill authorizing low-income residents with good driving records to get their car insurance quotes through the state’s Low-Cost Auto Insurance Program online. The program generally costs $250 to $360 per year for a policy, and provides basic coverage. In the past, many drivers were unaware of [...]
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Massachusetts auto insurance rate mandates up for debate
August 26th, 2011
Contrary to the practices in many states across the country, automotive insurance companies are not allowed to use an individual’s credit score when deciding what their auto insurance rates will be in Massachusetts. While the current system bans the use of socioeconomic factors such as credit scores, education and occupation to determine a person’s auto [...]
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Car insurance quotes may be affected by Texas not banning texting while driving
August 4th, 2011
Contrary to the movement sweeping across much of the country, Texas Governor Rick Perry recently vetoed legislation that would have banned texting while driving. The Governor claimed that the legislation would have overreached the bounds of what the government’s role in individuals lives should be. He said the bill was aimed at micromanaging the behavior [...]
