Helping you find ways to save money on your car insurance in 2014.

A New Year means time to check your car insurance.

Toasts, countdowns, and resolutions are all a traditional part of our celebrations as the New Year arrives. Many people resolve to lose weight, be nicer, spend less time on the internet, or whatever their current issues are that they would like to see a better outcome for in 2014.

One big resolution that many people make is an improvement in finances. And while we can’t help you become a millionaire by the end of 2014, we can help you find little ways to save money on your car insurance premiums.

Money Savings #1: Be a Good Driver

The fastest way to see your car insurance premium increase is to get a ticket or get into an accident. Insurance companies don’t like seeing either of these items on your record, especially if they have to pay for an accident, and they will raise your rates to make sure they are getting their money’s worth from you.

So just by obeying traffic laws and driving safely, you could save yourself hundreds of dollars in car insurance premium each term.

Money Savings #2: Shop Around for Car Insurance

Never get comfortable with your car insurance company to the point that you just let them raise your rates year after year. There are so many other car insurance companies out there that want you as their customer that you should have no problem finding one that will offer you better rates.

A word of advice though, when you do start to shop around have a copy of your current declaration page for your car insurance policy in front of you. This will allow you to compare similar coverages and their costs so that you can be sure that you are really getting a better price with another company.

Money Savings #3: Review Your Coverages

At least once a year go over what insurance coverages you currently have and review if you really need them anymore. For example, if you own multiple cars there is probably no reason to be paying for rental car coverage because you already have other vehicles to drive if you wreck one.

The same goes for towing coverage. If you have AAA or you have a roadside assistance program with your new vehicle you don’t need it on your car insurance policy also.

Money Savings #4: Find Payment Discounts

Most discounts on your car insurance policy you can’t control or change. However, you can control whether or not you get a payment discount. These discounts usually are given when you pay a car insurance policy in full or you opt for your car insurance payment to be automatically withdrawn from your bank account each month. Ask your agent about what payment discounts are available for your insurance company.

Do you know of any other ways to save money on your car insurance? Feel free to share your ideas below.

Safe driving sometimes means not driving at all.

All of us at Car Insurance Guidebook want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a safe driving holiday.

Amidst all of the fun, the presents, the food, and the merriment, most of us have some major driving to do today or in the days following to get to the friends and family members that we will be celebrating with. Before you go, we wanted to remind you of some ways to stay safe on the road today so that your holidays continue to be merry, and your insurance rates stay low as we head into 2014.

1) Safe Driving by Staying Home

Most of the nation has seen a very interesting winter so far in regards to weather. We have seen tornadoes, ice storms, snow in places that haven’t seen snow in years, and flooding. So, it is a good year to remind people that if there is dangerous or odd weather happening when you are supposed to be on the road, that you need to think twice about driving.

I know you have plans and places to be, but you won’t be enjoying these activities if they are preceded by a car accident on your way there. Sometimes it is just better to stay at home.

2) Safe Driving Around Children

The kids are out for Christmas Break and they are going to be outside playing, especially on Christmas Day. And since new Christmas toys are so much more interesting to pay attention to than cars driving in the neighborhood, you need to be the one to watch out for the kids.

Drive slowly through neighborhoods, stay alert, and be prepared to slam on those brakes.

3) Safe Driving Doesn’t Include Alcohol

If you are driving during the holidays stick to the delicious non-alcoholic versions of your favorite drinks. They taste almost the same as the fully loaded version so you will get to enjoy the drink, you will just be sober enough to drive afterwards.

If you go out with the same people all of the time or have other family members of driving age, take turns being the designated driver. That way one person doesn’t always get stuck with having to skip the alcohol and everyone has to take a turn making sure that everybody gets home safely.

And remember, staying safe behind the wheel is not only responsible, but is also rewarded with lower insurance rates.

Merry Christmas!

Unlike the Lincoln car insurance laws, not all Lincoln, Nebraska laws were thought out evenly.

There are just some laws on the books, other than Lincoln car insurance laws, that make you laugh.

Okay, we all know that we have to carry Lincoln car insurance to be able to drive legally, right? If you didn’t know that, you do now. And here is a refresher of the minimum amount of insurance coverage that you are required to have:

• $25,000 per person per accident
• $50,000 per accident bodily injury
• $25,000 per accident property damage

Boring, right? Well, here are some other laws on the books that are right alongside the laws requiring Lincoln car insurance that will make you laugh, and some will make you scratch your head as to why they had to make it a law.

Old Lincoln Traffic Laws

As of May 1968, you are not allowed to ride your horse or drive any horse-drawn vehicle on the sidewalk. Oh yeah, don’t drive your vehicle on the sidewalk either. Interesting to note is that the no vehicle on the sidewalk law was made in 1954, then 14 years later the horses were banned from the sidewalk.

This law from 1960 is too good to transcribe, so here it is directly from the Lincoln city ordinances:

“The person in charge of any garage or repair shop in the city to which is brought any vehicle which shows evidence of having been struck by a bullet shall report to the police department of the city as soon as such vehicle is received, giving the engine number, manufacturer’s serial number, registration number, and the name and address of the owner or operator of such vehicle.” (So don’t shoot your car on accident)

“Failure of Common Sense” Lincoln Traffic Laws

The following laws make you wonder if the city fathers were just covering all the angles, or if someone’s lack of common sense required that they make these laws.

“It shall be unlawful for any person to throw or deposit any glass, nails, tacks, wire, cans, or other substance likely to injure any person, animal, or vehicle upon any street or public way.” (April 1954)

In 1954, you were required to have a horn on your vehicle that could be heard at least 200 feet away. However, it wasn’t until 1990, that it was illegal for you to drive a vehicle without brakes. Yeah, I’m scratching my head on that one also.

At least with the Lincoln car insurance laws that the State of Nebraska created, you can track the thought process on that one.

You never know where you will need your Henderson car insurance coverage to protect you.

Always purchase more Henderson car insurance than what Nevada requires.

The State of Nevada determines the minimum amount of car insurance that drivers are required to purchase if they want to maintain their driving privileges. These amounts change every so often, but at the current moment they are as follows:

• $15,000 of bodily injury liability coverage for anyone not in your vehicle injured by you while you are driving
• $30,000 also for bodily injury liability coverage, but this is the total that the insurance company will pay out for injuries from a single accident if there are two or more people injured.
• $10,000 of property damage liability coverage to pay for any damage you cause to another person’s vehicle.

These minimum coverages are only required to make sure that if you get hit by another person that your injuries and damages will be paid. On the flip side, it also makes sure that the injuries and damages that you cause to another person are paid, as well.

However, these minimum coverages do not cover any of your own injuries or damages. And in Clark County, where Henderson is located, not having coverage on your Henderson car insurance that protects you in the event that you are injured in an accident is dangerous.

Here’s why.

Motorcycle Accidents with Injuries

In 2010, per the Nevada Department of Transportation, there were 933 motorcycle accidents in the state that resulted in injury. Of these 933 accidents, 721 of them happened in Clark County; meaning that 77% of these types of accidents for the entire state happened in Clark County.

In that same year, 30 of the 44 statewide motorcycle accidents that involved a fatality happened in Clark County.

Alcohol Involved Crashes

In 2010, there were 2894 car accidents in Nevada caused by drunk drivers. Of these 2894, 82% of them happened in Clark County.

If you are hit by a drunk driver and they leave the scene or have no car insurance, you are stuck with paying your own damages and medical bills until you can take them to court. If you have coverage on your Henderson car insurance policy to pay for your own injuries and medical bills, these expenses won’t have to come out of your own pocket.

In fact, your insurance company will even take the other person to court for you.

Talk to Your Henderson Car Insurance Agent

The statistics for the two scenarios above just scratch the surface of why you need more Henderson car insurance than what Nevada requires, whether you drive a car or a motorcycle. There are many other accident scenarios not listed that you can find yourself in that can cause damage to your vehicle or leave you with piles of medical bills that you can’t pay.

So, talk to your Henderson car insurance agent today about what coverage you should have on your policy that will give you the best coverage for your budget.

Staying off the road and taking mass transit is the best option in bad weather to save from having to use your Plano car insurance.

You just never know what Mother Nature is going to throw at you in Plano, Texas; which is one reason you have Plano car insurance.

Hurricanes, ice, snow, hail, tornadoes, and lots of rain can happen at any time, especially when you least expect it. You never turn the calendar page and say to yourself, “Oh, I should get prepared because there is going to be a hurricane later this month” or “Hey, it’s December, I should stay home on the 7th because we are going to get a freak snowstorm”.

What makes unexpected weather so dangerous is that not only are we not prepared for it, but it also makes driving so much more dangerous. And these conditions increase your chance of getting in a car accident.

The unexpected is exactly why we carry Plano car insurance, so that we are protected in the event something does happen. A dose of extra safe driving helps also.

Staying Safe during Unusual Weather

The first rule of driving during unexpected, dangerous weather is – don’t. If you can help it, never drive during these times if you don’t have to. But if you have no choice, here are some safe driving tips:

1. Don’t attempt to cross unfamiliar puddles of water, especially if you have a low sitting car. You don’t know what is under the puddle, and you may end up getting stuck and flood the engine of your car.
2. If you have no tread on your tires, do not drive when it is rainy, hailing, snowing, or icy. (And buy new tires the first chance you get)
3. As soon as you hear that there is bad weather coming, fill your gas tank.
4. Give as much distance as reasonable between yourself and the car in front of you. This will give you enough time to react if they start to lose control, and will give you a safe distance if you start to lose control.
5. Drive slow! You have more control over your vehicle at slow speeds than you do at higher speeds.
6. Give yourself extra time to get to where you are going so you don’t have to feel rushed.

Protection after a Car Accident

Even if you are the safest driver on the road during bad weather, accidents can still happen. This is why it is so important to have current Plano car insurance, this car insurance is your backup protection to your safe driving.

Besides being a good backup protection, the State of Texas requires that you carry a minimum amount of car insurance to be to drive anyway:

• $30,000 in bodily injury coverage for a single person for medical expenses
• $60,000 in bodily injury coverage for two or more people for medical expenses
• $25,000 in property damage coverage

As you can see though, the Plano car insurance required by Texas is only for the protection of the people that you hit with your vehicle in accident. None of the required coverages protect you or your vehicle.

So before another storm hits your area, contact your local Plano car insurance agent to make sure that you have enough backup protection for yourself and your own vehicle.