Share This Story! Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about Facebook Email Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest Your car insurance will probably go up this year. Here's why. A lot of sticker shock as drivers get their car insurance bills. What's behind the rise in cost? Sent! A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Join the Conversation To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs Subscribe Today Log In Subscribed, but don't have a login? Activate your digital access. Jennie Key, [email protected] Published 10:04 p.m. ET April 10, 2018 CLOSE Most drivers don't expect to be hit with an auto insurance rate hike after a car accident that wasn't their fault. But the DC-based Consumer Federation of America says it happens and that they found rate hikes on annual premiums as high as $400. (Feb. … [Read more...] about Your car insurance will probably go up this year. Here’s why.
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Detroit car insurance: Why Cleveland has it way cheaper
Share This Story! Let friends in your social network know what you are reading about Facebook Email Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Pinterest Detroit car insurance: Why Cleveland has it way cheaper A Free Press investigation found that residents of Ohio's largest black-majority city pay far less for car insurance than Detroiters. Sent! A link has been sent to your friend's email address. Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. 22 Join the Conversation To find out more about Facebook commenting please read the Conversation Guidelines and FAQs JC Reindl, Detroit Free Press Published 7:00 a.m. ET March 23, 2018 | Updated 4:15 p.m. ET March 23, 2018 CLOSE Detroit drivers face the highest average insurance rates for cars and other vehicles in the country, Wochit CONNECT TWEET LINKEDIN 22 COMMENT EMAIL MORE CLEVELAND — When Detroiters think of Cleveland, they might snicker about its disparaging old … [Read more...] about Detroit car insurance: Why Cleveland has it way cheaper
Car Insurance: Save Money by Switching?
Last Updated May 5, 2010 8:28 AM EDT As Neil Sedaka's Breaking Up Is Hard to Do plays in the background, actor Dennis Haysbert speaks directly to the camera in his most presidential baritone: "drivers who switched [to Allstate] saved an average of $396 a year ... $473 if they dumped GEICO." Wow, sounds enticing. And yet, auto insurer 21st Century boasts an even better deal: Its customers saved an average of $474 a year by dumping their carrier, the company says. But wait, there’s more! Drivers who switched to Progressive saved an average of $550, according to Progressive. Are these savings figures for real? And can you really save $400 or more a year by switching your car insurance? After trying to squeeze the truth out of insurance companies and speaking to consumer advocates, we found that the answers are: Yes, you can probably save a lot of money by making changes, but there’s no single company that offers the best deals. How Insurers Get Their Savings Figures It … [Read more...] about Car Insurance: Save Money by Switching?
Are you missing out on car insurance discounts?
If you haven't asked your car insurance provider for a discount, you're not alone. Only 16 percent of Americans have asked about common discounts, such as lower rates for people who drive fewer than 5,000 miles per year, according to a new survey from insuranceQuotes.com. The survey looked at a number of discounts that must be self-reported, which ends up being a hitch for many consumers, especially if they aren't aware of them. "I can only assume people aren't taking advantage of them because they don't know about it," Laura Adams, senior analyst at insuranceQuotes.com, told CBS MoneyWatch. "There is an education gap there. They don't know these discounts exist, and you have to be proactive to ask for them." Consumers should call their insurers every year to check if they qualify for certain discounts, given that life events, such as getting married or moving closer to a workplace, can change one's rate. The insurance discounts include those for low-mileage drivers, married drivers, … [Read more...] about Are you missing out on car insurance discounts?
Renter? A perfect driving record may not lower your car insurance rates
Many renters in the U.S. are getting a raw deal when it comes to paying for car insurance. That's the conclusion of the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), which claims in a new study that renters in some major American cities pay more -- in some cases far more -- than homeowners for the same basic liability auto insurance. For a 30-year-old motorist with a good driving record, premiums averaged seven percent higher -- about $112 per year -- for state mandated auto insurance coverage, the Washington, D.C.-based consumer advocacy group said, citing what it called the "unfairness and arbitrariness" of auto insurers. According to the CFA, Liberty Mutual penalized renters an average of $307 a year, the most of any major insurer in the study. But another insurer's rates for renters were $768 more in Louisville, Kentucky, and $924 more for yet another insurer in Tampa, Florida. Liberty Mutual did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Among the major insurers assessed in the … [Read more...] about Renter? A perfect driving record may not lower your car insurance rates
If you’re poor, you’ll pay more for car insurance, study finds
It doesn’t matter if you have a perfect driving record. If you’re poor, you’ll pay significantly more for basic car insurance, a consumer advocacy group said Monday. In its new report, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) analyzed price quotes for minimum liability coverage and found that lower-income drivers with perfect driving records were quoted premiums costing an average of 59 percent, or about $681, more than those for drivers with higher incomes. The Washington, D.C.-based consumer watchdog group said it’s unfair for insurance companies to consider motorists’ education, occupation, marital status and housing in deciding how much they should pay for car insurance. One of the greatest disparities popped up in Minneapolis, one of 15 cities where insurance quotes were analyzed. GEICO charged a lower-income female in Minneapolis 300 percent more than a similar female driver with a higher socioeconomic status, the group said. Robert Hunter, the … [Read more...] about If you’re poor, you’ll pay more for car insurance, study finds
Are you paying more for your car insurance in KC? Why yes, study says
March 6, 2018 9:52 AM Auto insurance rates are "at an all-time high" in the U.S., and premiums have increased by 32 percent since 2011 in the Kansas City, Mo. area, a study says. File photo i By Kaitlyn Schwers [email protected] LinkedIn Google+ Pinterest Reddit Print Order Reprint of this Story When you renew your auto insurance each year, do you feel like your bill is going nowhere but up? You're not imagining things, apparently. A study by The Zebra recently found auto insurance rates are "at an all-time high" in the United States, and insurance premiums have increased by 32 percent since 2011 in the Kansas City metro — more than the 20 percent increase nationwide. The Zebra describes itself as a search engine for people looking to compare car insurance quotes.According to its study, drivers on average currently pay $1,378 per year toward their auto insurance premium in Kansas City. That's less than St. Louis's average of $1,526, though … [Read more...] about Are you paying more for your car insurance in KC? Why yes, study says
How to throttle down on car costs and save thousands
In last week's installment of USA TODAY's Taming your budget-busting bills series we looked at ways to cut the cost of your commute by not using a car. This week we look at ways you can save on the costs of owning and operating a car. Anyone will tell you Americans love their cars, and any American will tell you that love doesn't come cheap."It's not an inexpensive undertaking to own and operate a vehicle," said Michael Calkins, manager of technical services at AAA. Cars are the most expensive thing owned by most Americans who don't own their homes and the second-most expensive thing for those who do. And the sales price is just the beginning. Once you get your new ride off the lot the bills kick into gear. Fuel, insurance and maintenance add up quickly. Get started: How to start taming your budget-busting bills Week 1: Five steps to cutting your expensive cable TV bill Week 2: Shocking electric bill? Free changes can help you cut … [Read more...] about How to throttle down on car costs and save thousands
How to save money on car insurance in 8 easy steps
When you're writing checks to pay your premium, car insurance can seem like an unnecessary expense, but there are many reasons why it's a worthwhile investment. Cars can be costly. According to information gathered by Kelley Blue Book, the average transaction price for light vehicles in the United States in 2015 was around $33,543. An auto insurance policy will reimburse you if your pricey new car is stolen or damaged. There's also the matter of accident protection. Data published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that there were just over 6 million police-reported crashes in 2014. Car insurance will assist you in covering expenses after an accident, even if you're at fault. But perhaps the most compelling argument in favor of purchasing a policy is this: Car insurance is required by law in most states. Car insurance is essential, but you shouldn't have to wipe out your finances to pay for it. Here are some steps to follow that will help you … [Read more...] about How to save money on car insurance in 8 easy steps
Car insurance rates in New York shooting up again
ALBANY - After two years of declines, car insurance rates in New York are climbing again. That's bad news for New York drivers, who already pay the second-highest premiums in the country and are dealing with sky-high gas prices. "It's ridiculous," said Rafael Valentin, 46, of Park Slope, Brooklyn. "I've been with Allstate for five years and it just keeps going up and up and up." So far this year, the state Insurance Department has approved six requests for rate increases - the largest being a 7.4% hike by Farmers New Century Insurance Co., records show. That could be just the start. There are 48 other companies with pending requests for rate hikes that average 7% - despite fewer accidents and a decrease in car travel because of high gas prices. By comparison, 31 companies actually dropped their rates last year, according to Insurance Department statistics. "This is a heavy hit for drivers," said Russell Haven of the New York Public Interest Research Group. "The … [Read more...] about Car insurance rates in New York shooting up again