The laws are different

Different states have different penalties regarding drunk driving, but in all states you will be denied of the right to drive for a period of time (starting with 30 days to 12 months). And in order to get your license back and drive again most states require you to present SR-22 form proving availability of necessary auto coverage. Such form can be presented by the insurance company unless your policy is lapsed, canceled or terminated.

Premiums will rocket sky-high

When time comes for taking the SR-22 form from your insurance company, the company will automatically put you in the “high-risk driver” category, which eventually means that your rates will go up. And by “go up” we mean double or even triple according to state you’re registered in. Of course, you can shop around as there are insurance companies with “high-risk” specialty.

SR-22 policies are not that accessible

Certain companies do not provide SR-22 insurance coverage, and if you’ll require one from them after being convicted in drunk driving, they are likely to cancel your policy. It will require you to address a company that provides SR-22, however your premiums will still be higher because you will already have a history of policy cancellation. However in some states, insurance companies have no right to cancel your policy before its term expires. So check your local laws to know better.

How long will it last?

This also depends on the state you live in, but the usual picture is that you will have to pay higher premiums for at least three years after being convicted. And if you’re caught driving under the influence again there will be more serious penalties.

It also depends on the condition you’ve been in while driving. In most states there are stronger penalties for increased alcohol blood levels, passengers (especially kids) in the car, damage to property or injury to people done and other factors involved.

How to avoid increased rates?

The most drastic measure to keep your auto insurance rates low is not driving at all after being convicted in drunk driving. Even if you were driving a car you don’t own you will still have to present a SR-22 form in order to restore your driver’s license.

Of course, there’s still the most effective way of keeping your cheap auto insurance as it was. Simply don’t drive while being drunk, intoxicated, under the influence or any other altered state of mind. It will not only save you auto insurance but will save your and someone else’s life. If you’re messed up, call a taxi or ask your sober friend to drive. It’s not that hard, isn’t it?

Insurance fraud is as old as the concept of insurance itself. Back in Ancient Greece ships were sunken on purpose to receive insurance benefits from the government. Later on, insurance scam was widely spread in England and then in the United States. With the development of automobiles and car insurance respectively, fraud users have gained a very big market rich with possibilities. Many organized crime groups as well as individuals are using flaws in the sophisticated insurance system of today to use it in their own interest, making you vulnerable to their activities. However, there are certain measures you can take in order to minimize the chance of becoming an insurance fraud victim.

First of all you have to learn what insurance fraud is all about and what schemes are usually employed. And the range of schemes is very wide. It can be a set-up accident with a car intentionally stopping in front of you to cause a collision, or an entire play with many people involved to testify your fault.

Learning what are the most common types of insurance fraud is actually the best way to be protected against such things. Here are some of the most widely used schemes of fraud to be on the lookout for:

Intentional accidents: The scam car will take its place in front of the victim car in traffic and suddenly hit the brakes when there’s not way to avoid collision. This usually causes rear-end accidents, with the scam driver receiving car damage coverage money and sometimes medical cost coverage as well.

Additional damage: The scam driver leaves the accident site, whether intentional or not, and causes additional damage to the car in order to claim that it was caused during the accident and raise auto insurance coverage in his or her favor.

Fake helpers: In such a scenario fraud hunters will let you into the traffic at first and then head in to make a collision with you, claiming that they didn’t let you in the first place afterwards. Another form of “help” could be directing to doctors, repair shops or lawyers that will charge you much more than in typical situation.

Because things like these can happen to anyone and in any place, it’s very important to pay attention. Be on the lookout for traffic participants who may be following you o analyzing your driving style for some time. Keep the safe distance in front of you to have room for emergency stop. In case the accident takes place, make sure to not everything, tape or shoot all the damages and record all the information regarding the other car and people in it. This information will be very helpful when dealing with your auto insurance company and can be proof of fraud if it takes place.

1. Learn the offers at the market.

Shop around and see what local insurance companies have to offer. There are providers that specialize in high risk drivers (and teens also make part of this group), however there is also a small number of companies that work exclusively with teenage car owners and offer preferential rates. If you are able to find such a company in your area that would be the best option for you. Otherwise, compare the rates with different companies and choose the one that is more liberal towards young car owners.

2. Be a good student.

Good students can usually opt for special discounts with the majority of car insurance providers. This is because the statistics have proven that good students are safer and less risky drivers and thus can have lower rates. However, you should ask the insurance company what are the requirements and will be ready to provide proof with your current

3. Encourage the teen to pay a part of the premium.

Nothing encourages better saving and hard work when financial interest, so when you make the teen pay a part of the insurance premium you will instantly see how he or she tries to minimize these costs. This can be a good push for better grades and research on other insurance options. But be realistic about it, if your teen can’t manage to pay the premium in whole don’t put the burden and make him pay only the part he can.

4. Raise the deductibles.

Deductibles are the amount of money you have to pay upfront from your wallet before receiving the insurance benefits. And they are reverse-related to the insurance premiums, meaning that the higher is your deductible the lower premiums you will pay each year. So if your policy carries the smallest deductible, it’s better to raise it to the amount you can really pay out of pocket if something happens. This will cut your premiums for about 10-20%

5. Buy a vehicle that will give you low car insurance quotes.

It shouldn’t be a revelation to most of you that the car you drive strongly influences the rates you pay for insurance. And finding an insurance-friendly auto for your teen will really help cut the costs. Try searching car insurance quotes online to see what autos offer you the best saving opportunities and cost less to insure.

6. See if you can include the teen into your policy.

Some auto insurance companies allow parents to include teens into their insurance policies and sometimes it will help you in saving on insurance rates compared to having a separate policy for the young driver. Ask your insurance agent about your possibilities and if has any financial sense and provides some money saving options then write your teen in.

What’s included in your homeowners insurance?

In case you finance your house purchase through a mortgage, your lender is most likely to require you buying basic homeowners insurance. The basic homeowners insurance includes coverage against the following risks:

• Theft
• Fire and lightning
• Smoke
• Frozen pipes
• Ice and snow

Basic insurance policies also usually include liability coverage for cases when someone is injured in your house. In case there are legal actions taken against you it will also pay for court fees. Basic insurance will also cover your costs in case it’s impossible to live in the house due to fire or any other accident.

What’s left out of coverage?

To learn what is not included into the coverage you should read through your policy, especially the Exclusions part. Things not covered by standard policies vary from one insurer to another, but most likely they will include damage due to earthquake, flood, nuclear accident (very useful isn’t it?), war, act of terrorism and similar. Of course, you can buy additional coverage for such events to be included into your home insurance policy. Wear and tear damage is never included into the policy because it’s considered to be maintenance, which is the owner’s sole responsibility.

How much coverage do I need?

When buying a house through mortgage loan your lender will require you to purchase minimum home insurance coverage. However, it’s usually not the amount of coverage to meet your insurance needs. Instead, try calculating how much money it would require to rebuild your house entirely and use this amount as the base for getting the right coverage amount. Speak to your agent when completing the insurance policy to calculate the exact amount, or even run a full inspection for qualified appraisal.

Typically, liability limits are around $100,000, however it’s too little to protect your assets in case of legal action. You may opt to raise your limits up to $500,000 for an additional price. Sometimes it may be useful to get umbrella coverage, which pushes your limits beyond $1 million, however such coverage is typically offered only when you have both your auto and home insurance from the same carrier.

Money saving tips

Sometimes homeowners insurance can be quite expensive. Especially when you have many items under additional coverage. In order to keep the coverage you need while still having reasonable rates you might want to consider raising your deductibles first. Deductibles are the amount of money you will have to pay out of your own pocket for the damage before the insurance policy kicks in. and the higher is that amount the lower will be your premium. The usual deductible within standard policies is $250. Try raising it to $500 or even $1000, and your rates will go down by up to 15%.

Another good way to make your home insurance cheaper is installing security features such as alarm or video, special locks and so on. This way you protect your assets and the insurance company is likely to give you a good discount for that.