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  • Types of classic car insurance and coverage provided

    A classic car insurance usually covers your collectible vehicle for a guaranteed price that is mutually agreed by you and the auto insurance company. The value of the automobile is based on the collectible car valuation guidelines. Collectible car insurance generally has an increased value of insurance if the vehicles are very well preserved.

    Most automobile insurance companies categorize classic car insurance on the basis of the type of the collectible car. The definition of a classic car is subjective for different auto insurance companies. This subjectiveness is mainly because some insurance companies consider a car to be termed as classic if they were manufactured before a certain year that is specified by the insurance company itself. The terms “classic” and “collector” are used interchangeably with car insurance. Some of the most common types of classic (or collector) car insurance are mentioned below:

    Classic car insurance
    This type of insurance is given by most insurance companies for cars that are 20 to 25 years old. These cars should be restored and must be in good condition with all their parts intact. However, there are some classic cars that strictly consider cars manufactured between 1925 and 1950 to be “classic.”

    Antique car insurance
    Some auto insurance requires cars to be strictly older than 25 years and in good working condition. Different states have different rules that require a car to be considered “antique.” The Antique Automobile Club of America regards a car to be antique only if its 45 years old.

    Modified car insurance
    Modifying a car’s engine, body, chassis or interiors from its original setting might change the value of the car positively or negatively. For instance, most of the auto insurance will not provide collectible coverage for those vehicles whose transmission line and powertrain have been modified.

    Collectible car insurance
    Collectible car insurance is very much like conventional auto insurance. It has a policy term of 12 months and provides coverage for liability, comprehensive, collision, uninsured and underinsured motorists, and medical payments.

    Following are some coverages offered in classic car insurance.

    Roadside Assistance
    This type of coverage only includes towing only with a flatbed tow truck. This is to prevent wear and tear while transporting a damaged car to a servicing garage or back home.

    Auto show medical reimbursement
    It is used to cover expenses in case someone sustains an injury while exhibiting or featuring your car in an event. This coverage is unlike the medical payments offered in a homeowner’s insurance policy, wherein medical expenses are covered regardless of the fault.

    Coverage of spare parts
    This type of coverage provided in a classic car insurance covers for backup parts of your classic car. They would provide coverage for these parts for an agreed value in case these spare parts are stolen or destroyed.

    It is important for you to know the types of classic car insurance and the coverage provided before you select the type of insurance for your classic or antique car from a renowned auto insurance agency.

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  • Classic car insurance – eligibility criteria and finding the best insurance plan

    Classic car insurance provides coverage for your antique or vintage cars in case of an accident, damage, or theft. Many auto insurance companies require that a collectible car should not be used primarily for the daily commute. They also consider maximum annual mileage restrictions, the ceiling of which depends on the state of the car. The total mileage should not usually exceed 7500 miles per year.

    The eligibility criteria for owning a classic car insurance is as follows:

    • The applicant must be 25 years old
    • They should have a good driving record and should have 10 years of driving experience
    • The applicants should not have more than one negligent driving ticket and moving violation within the previous three years
    • They should have fully enclosed garage, carport, or some type of storage facility to safeguard their classic vehicle from elements that might damage their vehicle
    • Most classic car insurance providers offer insurance only to applicants who reside in the same state
    • The collectible or classic car should be in a good condition and should not be used for racing events or even daily driving

    A good place to begin your search for the right classic car insurance is to contact your current auto insurance provider. They might be able to direct you to the best classic insurance providers in your state or find a way around to offer you an insurance discounted price for your collectible car. Some popular classic car insurance providers include Hagerty, J.C Taylor, Condon Skelly, American National, and Grundy.

    The following pointers will help you select the best insurance plan for your classic car:

    • Look for an agent or an insurance provider who specializes in providing classic car insurance.
    • Look for a company that has an in-house claims department. This ensures an easier and a satisfying experience when you are filing a claim.
    • Check whether your insurance has a clause that mentions the limited use. The limited use provision allows the classic car owner to use their car only for car exhibition and auto club meets.
    • Look for insurance providers that provide you the flexibility to bring your classic or collectible car to a specialized or restoration shop of your choice.
    • Make sure that you don’t lapse the coverage of classic car insurance. This is because although your car might be nestled away safely in a garage, it doesn’t mean that it couldn’t be damaged due to natural calamities. Review your coverage annually
    • Read the fine print of the insurance and understand exactly which features are covered and what are the restrictions.
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  • Top 5 commercial truck insurance providers

    Vehicle insurance takes care of the cost of repairs and any damages, not to mention legal expenses if you were involved in an accident with damage to property and self. It is a smart investment now to save money and cover vital liabilities and expenses if the need ever arises. Knowing where to buy the best insurance policies is the next step when it comes to securing your financials. The following insurance providers rank among the top companies in the country.

    Progressive Commercial Truck Insurance
    The company is among one of the largest insurance corporations when it comes to commercial insurance plans. Basic coverage includes damages for liability, injuries to your body, property damage, uninsured or underinsured motorist protection, any medical payments for recovery, and collision coverage. The insurance also provides protection for cars, SUVs, utility vans, bus, motorhomes or RV and different types of commercial trucks like bucket, catering and refrigeration units.

    Esurance Commercial Truck Insurance
    The basic coverage is very similar to that of Progressive insurance, but Esurance also provides comprehensive coverage for pet injuries, fire, theft, loading, unloading, towing, and labor costs for additional coverage options. Additional coverage is possible with affiliate partners through Commercialinsurance.NET with options available for many types of automobiles. A financial rating is one of the most important points to consider before buying insurance plans and Esurance has a favorable A+ rating.

    State Farm Commercial Truck Insurance
    Commercial business protection that includes coverage for employees, deliveries and many types of commercial vehicles are among primary features of insurance plans by State Farm. Personal injury, medical expenses, liability, and damage to property are services offered for the plan. State Farm also offers discounts for personal auto insurance. Note that discounts for commercial vehicles will differ and must be verified before you purchase.

    Allstate Commercial Truck Insurance
    Allstate may have the best customer services backed by a good financial rating and reputation, but there are limited options when it comes to truck-specific coverage. However, the insurance company underwrites its own policies and has a decent A+ financial strength rating. Additional coverage includes rental reimbursement for hired and non-owned automobiles also.

    Nationwide Commercial Truck Insurance
    The company offers flexible insurance policies custom made for every client. Apart from insurance coverage, the Nationwide commercial also offers plans for investments, banking, annuities, and even your retirement. While most insurance companies don’t offer an online quote, Nationwide provides a number of online quotes with the package or multipolicy discounts.

    Other popular commercial truck insurance providers include Titan Insurance, Farmers Insurance, Travelers, The Hartford, and Liberty Mutual insurance.

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  • Factors to consider before buying commercial truck insurance

    Commercial truck insurance is just one of the many expenses you will incur as an owner of a successful transportation or logistics business. It is not advisable to skimp on insurance as accidents can happen at any given point in time and without warning.

    Consider the following factors before you buy an insurance policy.

    Certification
    Standard certification is one of the factors to consider before buying any type of commercial truck insurance. Common industry standard certifications similar to ISO are important to separate the best policies and plans from hundreds of providers in the market. Apart from certification, rating agencies issue ratings that deem the insurance companies prudent to issue policies that are backed by good financials.

    Claims and settlement
    Filing claims and recovering the amount due are two separate things. You may be able to file a claim with the relevant authorities, however, the process of recovery will take both time and a lot of efforts. Check to see if the commercial truck insurance provider offers cashless claims in the garages that form part of the insurance network. A cashless claim process is easy to follow and convenient to manage when the time comes for settlement.

    Coverage
    Read the policy and compare carefully to identify general and specific coverage with possible exclusions from the terms and conditions. Read the fine print carefully as the devil is in the detail, hidden from plain view. Factors like driving record, different types of cargo, and even route options can also affect coverage.

    Type of policy
    There are many different types of commercial truck insurance that vary accordingly depending on the service provider. You can get online quotes and compare before narrowing down policies from the top insurance providers. For more details, you can contact insurance agents and get quotes.

    Credit record
    Your credit record will influence the terms and conditions of any commercial truck insurance policy you plan to purchase. Insurance companies review credit ratings and do a thorough background check of applicants to screen potential candidates. A clean and accurate credit report or rating will ensure a smooth screening process.

    The condition of the vehicle
    The premium that will be applicable for insurance policies will also be determined by the condition of the vehicle. For high end and luxurious semi rigs or trucks, the premium will be higher in comparison.

    Customer support
    At the end of the day, customer support is crucial. An efficient system to tackle consumer grievances and manage queries for current claims or process is necessary. The insurance company must be able to facilitate all your requests every step of the way right from the day you purchase the policy.

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  • Find the cheapest auto insurance quotes

    Auto insurance quotes for California state can be compared across insurance companies keeping in mind factors like driving quality, the age of drivers, one fault crash drivers, retired drivers, low mileage drivers, drivers with a military connection among others. It might come to you as a surprise that the way your drive will affect the auto insurance quote you can get for your vehicle. You should also check the minimum permitted auto insurance quote for the state of California before you can compare across these unique insurance plans and policies offered mostly by Geico, esurance, 21st century among others.

    Here are some of the cheap auto insurance quotes California state compared:

    Auto insurance for good drivers: Drivers who have an excellent driving record with no at-fault accidents, drinking under the influence (DUI) or moving violations can benefit from auto insurance quotes by Geico priced at $1193/year, esurance by Allstate priced at 1337/year and 21st Century insurance priced at 1371/year. Working out to less than $100 a month, good drivers can avail these quotes for auto insurance coverage.

    Auto insurance for young drivers: Drivers who are in their early twenty’s can benefit from low coverage options with auto insurance quotes California state starting at $463/year offered by Geico, followed by $702 by 21st Century insurance and $714 quote by esurance.

    Cheapest quotes for one fault drivers: One at-fault crash will add a significant amount to your premium which is why insurance quotes by AAA priced at $1679/ year will be the cheapest compared to esurance which is slightly higher priced at $1854/year and finally a quote of $2191/year by Geico.

    Auto insurance quotes for retired drivers: Retired drivers who don’t use their automobile anymore or not as frequently as they used to do not have to suffer by paying high insurance premiums for a vehicle which they don’t even drive anymore. 21st Century Insurance, Geico, and Allstate offer auto insurance quotes California state starting at $937/year, 948/year and $1054/year respectively.

    Auto insurance quote for low mileage drivers: This category is especially helpful for people who don’t drive more than 5000 miles in a year which is why they can pay a low monthly premium for auto insurance quotes California state offered by metromile at $757/year.

    Auto insurance quotes for drivers with a military connection: If you are serving or have served in the military previously, or someone in your immediate family is a veteran, USSA provides with cheap auto insurance quotes which is reserved specifically for military personnel only.

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  • Things to look for while buying and comparing auto insurance quotes

    Getting the right auto insurance quote can be quite be challenging with a number of insurance companies offering plans to compare, which is why the following points will help you narrow down from the available options.

    Coverage: How much insurance do you need and how much coverage is permitted should be checked for auto insurance quotes California state. There are different types of coverage, which is influenced by one major factor, your driving habits. The way you drive your car can determine the type of coverage, whether you are involved in regular fender benders or just need insurance for a few nicks and dents will affect the premium value.

    Reviewing the coverage options: Buying an insurance policy means you are making a financial commitment long term to pay a premium for policy taken. Read the terms and conditions carefully for different offers from auto insurance quotes California state to compare monthly payments to be made.

    Driving record: Your driving record will influence the type of auto insurance policy you can take since your history of driving, number of speeding tickets, any minor or major driving offenses committed will all influence auto insurance quotes for California state.

    Online quotes: It is easy to compare policies online and find out which auto quotes are best suited for your driving needs by filling in quote forms. Quote forms will take into account all your requirements, after which insurance companies will give you a callback.

    Company information: Make a list of the monthly and annual rates across different auto insurance quotes California state, to keep in check the coverage limits for side by side comparison. Payment policies will vary from company to company with regards to due dates, payment plans, late payment, reduced payment among factors.

    Perks and benefits: You can avail perks like discounts for having a good driving and safety record. Benefits are offered to drivers who have certain occupations or are affiliated with unique professional services. Lower rates for auto insurance quotes California state are given to drivers who enroll in the pay as you drive plans. Even your educational background can be a determining factor when it comes to availing discounts for young drivers with high-grade point average.

    Check with online resources: Check the insurance company’s history concerning its track record for financial stability, fairness and customer satisfaction. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners Consumer Information is a good place to start for accessing all the relevant information about insurance companies. You can also check out financial strength ratings to compare insurance companies.

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  • How to save money on motorcycle insurance

    So, you’ve bought the bike of your dreams and can’t wait to take it out? There is one important thing you must consider before you can start riding your bike insurance. Insurance is very important as it will protect you and your bike in case of an emergency and will help meet expenses if the bike needs repairs. Your insurance depends on different factors like the bike type and engine size. Insurance companies classify motorcycles differently. It can have a huge difference on your insurance bill.

    Here’s how you can buy affordable insurance for your bike.

    • Enroll in a training course:
      Enrolling in a training course could help you get a discount on your insurance. It is especially a good option for a new rider or for someone who has had an accident.

    • Become a preferred operator’:
      Become a preferred motorcycle operator buy having a clean record. Avoid accidents, tickets or other violations. Find out what qualifies as a clean record and whether you qualify.
    • Tailor your coverage:
      Alter your coverage according to your usage. If you plan to use the bike over the weekends, your insurance could be cheaper than someone who decides to take it to work every day. Inform your insurer of this to get the right kind of coverage. For example, if you plan to not use your bike during winters, you might save a lot.
    • Tap into your network:
      If you are part of associations and clubs, take advantage of it while buying insurance. As it could gain you an extra 10% discount. Associations that qualify you for a discount are American Motorcycle Association, Honda Riders Club of America, Motorcycle Safety Foundation, Harley Owners Group, Gold Wing Riders Association, Motorcycle Touring Association and BMW Motorcycle Owners of America.

    • Adjust your deductible:
      Consider higher deductible if you can afford it which gives way for a lower premium. Deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket after an accident. But make sure your funds are in order so that your costs are covered in the event of an accident.

    • Shop around:
      It goes without saying that like for any service, you should shop around for bike insurance too. Browse the Internet and do some comparison shopping, look for similar products and compare prices.

    • Check your credit score:
      This is very important. A bad credit will have an impact on your insurance premiums. Consider taking a closer look at your credit report. If you find your credit score is low, work to raise it so that you are able to find a lower premium. It takes just a little time and research to lower your motorcycle insurance costs and yield big savings down the road.

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  • The Basics of Short Term Car Insurance

    What is short term car insurance, and why would one want it? Well, short term car insurance refers to temporary insurance for your car and may be useful for a number of reasons. Short term car insurance offers full, comprehensive coverage for a car and covers anyone who drives the vehicle. This is great when you’re lending your car to a friend or visitor who is not listed on your car insurance policy. Short term car insurance also works for you when you’re the one borrowing or driving someone else’s vehicle and want to cover all angles. It affords peace of mind in these situations since it will cover liability in the case of an accident while driving a borrowed vehicle. This is especially useful when traveling, be it out of state out of the country.

    Short term car insurance can be for as short a time as one day, and extend for a period of twenty-eight days. So, you could even use it for a single day or event, say when a young member of the family is taking their driver’s test, or you are moving and borrowing someone’s truck, or maybe heading for a vacation in a borrowed RV. Learner drivers, young drivers under 21 who find it exorbitant to get car insurance, and classic car owners or drivers who only take the vehicle out once in a way for a rally or special event, are all perfect candidates to avail of short-term car insurance.

    And more often than not, short-term car insurance also covers breakdowns. So, what are some things you should know about getting short term car insurance? For one, it will not affect the no-claim policy on the main insurance associated with the car a big relief especially when it’s your car that is being driven by another! You can get the coverage instantly, as soon as you purchase, with no waiting period, which works especially well in situations where there is an immediate need or emergency. It would also be advantageous to someone who doesn’t have the money or ability to put up the funds, upfront, for an annual car insurance policy. While you can get insured the moment you buy it, with a short-term car insurance policy, it can also be purchased up to thirty days in advance, which helps when you’re on a planned business or leisure trip and want to make sure you’ve got all your bases covered.

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  • How to obtain cheap car insurance

    You need to have car insurance in order to drive your car every state mandates a certain basic insurance coverage. If you don’t have the money to spend on additional coverage, then, even though most experts and car insurance groups would not recommend it, you can go with what is the minimum mandated coverage for your state. But if you have a nicer or newer car, and you don’t want to take a risk by having only the bare minimum, or even want full coverage for a younger or newer driver in the family, well, don’t despair! You can still get yourself cheap car insurance that won’t break the bank.

    Today, there are numerous players in the car insurance space, including the well-known and established car insurance groups like State Farm, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, to name a few. There are also players who have established themselves later on, and built a reputation for offering highly competitive rates, oftentimes the cheapest and most affordable option, like Geico and Progressive. There are also numerous smaller players that specialize in providing cheap car insurance, and you can find most of them online.

    Researching online is really the best way to go when you want to compare and shop around between the various car insurance groups’ offerings. Not only can you head to individual car insurance group company sites and do an online check to see what kind of rates they offer for your bracket and driver demographic, you can also make use of the information on aggregator sites that have offer you side by side comparisons from many different players, so you can make sure you’re aware of what the cheap car insurance options available to you are. They even categorize them across different demographics like accident-free drivers, low income drivers, young drivers, seniors, and of course, neighborhood or zip code, and states. The last is needed given that some states have no-fault clauses (example, Florida) or a ton of regulations governing car insurance and insurers (Massachusetts), which makes it trickier and also costlier for the car insurance groups.

    Opting for a higher deductible, bundling your car insurance with other insurance (homeowners insurance, for example), skipping collision for an old car, and perhaps most important, maintaining good credit by paying bills on time and not defaulting on loans are all good ways to help keep your car insurance costs down and get cheap car insurance for yourself.

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  • Check car insurance – How and why

    You might wonder why you would ever need to find out if a car is insured. After all, if the car is yours, you probably are already well aware of every detail of the insurance, especially the costs and coverage. But how about in those instances when you are not the owner of a car, but perhaps the potential buyer, or a temporary driver. Or perchance you’ve inherited the car, or found it amongst the belongings of a recently deceased relative’s, and aren’t quite sure of its antecedents, and whether you should be driving it around. Wouldn’t you want to be secure in the knowledge that the car you’re driving is insured?

    And in the case of a potential purchase of a vehicle, wouldn’t you want to know the car’s history, including accident record, any damages, recalls or customer complaints, structural damages, services and repairs, title information, odometer readings, whether it has or even had a lien on it, and that it is not or has never been stolen that it actually is the property of the person who is selling it to you? Sure, the car’s papers should be able to prove these details to an extent, but there is no harm in being absolutely certain and the way to do that is by running the car vehicle identification number, aka VIN, and obtaining its vehicle history report (VHR). And in case you are not the first owner of a car you are planning on selling, and yourself do not have complete knowledge of the vehicle’s past, whether it has been in an accident, was ever reported stolen, etc., you can improve your chances of sale with an interested party by being transparent and furnishing the vehicle’s history.

    First off, where do you find your car’s VIN information? The driver’s side, inside dash is the most common place where the VIN will be etched, followed by the front of the engine, under the car’s hood. Other places to check if these two don’t yield results is the trunk under your spare tire, the rear wheel well, or the driver’s side door jam. You can find websites or services online that will give you a VHR for free, and though that may not be the complete history, it will give you a glimpse of the big picture. For a thorough report, you can go for a paid service.

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