Finding Better Insurance PlansFinding Better Insurance Plans


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Finding Better Insurance Plans

After I switched jobs, I knew I would probably be faced with choosing a new insurance policy. I was nervous about the transition, but I knew it had to be better than the plan I had been using at my old job. I started going through the options with the human resources person, and it took me a long time to understand the different options. After a thorough evaluation, I opted for a health savings account, which let me keep a large percentage of what I would normally be paying in premiums every single month. Check out this blog for more information about health insurance plans.

What Factors Affect Your Car Insurance Rate?

Most people will take the time to shop around between different providers before buying car insurance. While this is a good start for finding affordable insurance, the company that you buy from isn't the only thing that affects your car insurance rate. Here are four factors that will influence how much you pay for car insurance.

Vehicle Safety Features

There are two categories of safety features that may be included on modern vehicles: those that decrease the likelihood that an accident will occur, and those that reduce the likelihood of passenger injury in the event of an accident. Fortunately, many insurance companies will offer reduced rates if your vehicle has one or both of these types of safety features.

Interior safety features that could reduce your car insurance rates include automatic seat belts, airbags, and other equipment that could be classified as a passive restraint system. Passive restraint safety equipment will activate automatically in an accident without input from the driver. Examples of external safety features that reduce the chance of an accident are anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights, back-up cameras, and collision sensors that automatically stop your vehicle.

How You Use Your Vehicle

One metric that insurance companies base their rates on is how likely a customer will be involved in an accident. While there are several ways that insurance providers can gauge this likelihood, the most obvious is how much you are on the road. The more often you use your vehicle and the greater number of miles you drive, the higher you can expect your rates to be.

This factor is especially important to consider for people who have long commutes to work or school. People with jobs that require daily use of a personal vehicle, such as delivery drivers, will also pay higher rates for being on the road more often than the average insurance customer.

The Model of Your Vehicle

Just as most insurers will allow lower rates for customers who are less likely to be in an accident on the road, most will let you pay less if your vehicle is not likely to be stolen. Certain vehicles, such as the Honda Accord, Ford Full-Size Pickup, and others are seen as more attractive targets for thieves. Insurance companies charge higher rates to cover the risk of theft for customers that own these vehicles.

Your Location and Vehicle Storage

Drivers who live in populated areas are more likely to get in an accident. Because of this, your insurance provider will take the area that you live into consideration when determining how much you pay for your insurance. The closer your home is to a populated area, the more you can expect to pay, as almost 70 percent of car accidents happen within 10 miles of home.

In addition to increasing the chance of a collision, living in a populated area makes vehicle theft more likely. However, your insurance provider may not charge as much for this security risk depending on how you store your vehicle. If you keep your vehicle in a locked garage, it will likely be less expensive to insure than if you simply park it in your driveway. You should also consider theft-deterrent features such as a car alarm or a remote starter.

As these examples show, your car insurance rate is decided based on a number of different factors that will be unique to every customer. If you are aware of the process that is used to determine your rate, it will be easier to make an estimate of how much you will pay for your vehicle model, safety features, driving habits, and location. For more information, visit websites like http://www.unitedsecurityagency.com.