Car insurance facts and hints for Alabama drivers

Some people look only at price when buying a policy for car insurance. But you should know that policies differ from one another and even from one state to another. Before getting car insurance quotes in Alabama, you need to understand what is required to ensure you are adequately protected.

Alabama enacted the Mandatory Liability Insurance Law in 2013 that requires all drivers to carry liability insurance if they are residents in the state and have registered vehicles. It impacts liability insurance only and provides the minimum requirements.

• $25,000 per person for injury
• $50,000 per accident for personal injury
• $25,000 for damage to property

These amounts cover you if you are at fault in an accident. If you want to increasing the coverage over the minimum amount to protect you and your assets this is always a good idea. The personal injury amount includes all medical expenses if someone is injured: hospitalization, any surgeries or treatments in addition to any long-term care while the person recovers.

Uninsured motorists covearge is another point, when checking around for car insurance quotes in Alabama. This protects you if you are involved in a collision with a driver who doesn't have insurance or enough coverage.

Collision and comprehensive coverage that pays for damage to your car, and this is really worth including in your policy.

Lack of Coverage or >Violations

You can be penalized if you don't carry liability coverage insurance in Alabama. If stopped by a police officer and having no insurance, you will receive a fine of $500 for your first violation. Your second and any other violations will result in a $1000 fine.

If your driver's license is suspended for six months and your car registration suspended for four months. If you have your vehicle suspended, you will have to pay fees to have the registration reinstated. Fees are $200 for the first time and $400 for all other offenses.

Since all motorsists in Alabama are required to carry car insurance, they can obtain coverage through the Alabama Auto Insurance Plan if they can't find a provider who will cover them. If you have been labeled a high-risk driver due to previous claims or moving violations, this may be your only option to have the coverage required by law.

If you live or move to Alabama you are required you to carry auto insurance to protect you and everyone else on the road. Car insurance estimates are easy to find and compare on carinsurancequotesalabama.info. Don't drive without it and find the best rates possible when shopping for car insurance quotes.

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The Myths and Realities of Car Insurance Quotes

There are many myths regarding car insurance floating around online, although this applies to almost any topic. Before you go shopping for car insurance quotes, you should understand the purpose of car insurance and other details. If you believe certain myths, you might be more likely to skip insurance, buy low quality insurance, or get the wrong types of coverage. Here are the top six myths regarding car insurance that you can find online.

1) Many people believe that a speeding ticket will drastically increase the amount of their insurance premium

Although it is always a good idea to be a safe driver on the road, the truth is that one ticket likely will not effect you much, if at all. If you have not received any other ticket or claim in the past three to five years (depending on the company), most insurers will give you a pass on one ticket.

2) How I spend my money doesn't matter to car insurance companies

In many states, one of the factors in determining your car insurance rate is your credit score and history. This means that if you have a lot of credit card debts built up, or have missed payments, you might end up paying more for car insurance. In some cases, a car insurance company might deny you a policy all together if your credit is low enough.

3) If my car gets damaged on my property, then my home insurance will cover the repairs

Some people skip out on certain coverages because they assume their other insurance policies will cover the damage. This is usually not the case - your home insurance policy has nothing to do with your car, and you will need to purchase comprehensive coverage in order to get it repaired for this type of damage.

4) If I damage a friend's car, my insurance will take care of it

This is not so clear cut. Your insurance typically will pay for damages to another person's vehicle, but only after their insurance pays. The friend's insurance will need to be exhausted before yours kicks in, which depending on the friend and the policy, might mean you are paying them their deductible, which could be much higher than yours.

5) If I am hurt while riding my bicycle or walking down the street, my car insurance will not help

In some cases, your car insurance will cover you if you are hurt or killed while riding a bicycle or walking down the street. If the person who hits you does not have insurance, or does not have enough insurance to cover you, than you might be covered under your own policy if you have purchased Uninsured or Underinsured coverage.

6) My car was broken into and all of my valuables were stolen! Surely my car insurance will pay for them

Your car insurance will not provide coverage for the items left inside your vehicle. You will need to file a claim with your home or renter's insurance to get these items covered. Typically car insurance quotes only covers items that are attached to your car, which can include car seats and radios.

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Poor Driving Record Doesn't Always Mean Too Expensive Car Insurance

Finding cheap car insurance having a poor driving record can be difficult. Whether you have a DUI, DWI, multiple speeding tickets, or have been involved in multiple accidents, your car insurance premium will likely skyrocket. However - although you might not get as low of a price as someone with a clean driving history - there are still many ways for you to save money and find a cheap car insurance policy.

First, don't forget the golden rule - shop around! Shopping on the Internet is the best option for many reasons: there is more competition online which means insurance companies have an incentive to lower their prices, it is quicker and easier online (you don't have to drive all over town or spend a lot of time on the phone), and you will have more options. The more quotes you find, the better your chances of finding the best policy, so aim to find at least 5 quotes.

Remember. being honest on your insurance quote application is very important. Many people think if they stretch the truth a little, they will get a lower premium. This might be true, but if you ever need to submit a claim, your insurance company will likely verify the information on your policy. If they find even the tiniest fib, they could very well refuse to pay your claim - which means you wasted months of premium payments and still do not have a way to fix your car or pay your medical bills. Being honest is important for savings in the long run.

When comparison-shopping the main thing to keep in mind is coverage. You can find two policies at different prices and be tempted to go with the cheaper policy. However, this policy might be offering you much less coverage than the other. You need to find policies that offer you the coverage you need first, and then compare prices. Inadequate coverage could leave you paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in an accident. Finding the most coverage for your dollar is usually the best way to go.

You can as well take advantage of discounts. Many discounts exist when it comes to car insurance. You might not be eligible for all of them today, but you can still research the types offered and then try to change things around in your life so that you can qualify when it comes time to renew. Common discounts include low mileage, having the latest safety and security features, student discounts, and driver education course discounts among others.

Finally, look at your policy. Look for extras you can cut such as incentive programs or roadside assistance. Raise your deductible if possible (assuming you can still pay it if necessary) - your premium decreases as your deductible increases, because this is less money the insurance company will have to pay if you submit a claim.

As you can see, even with a poor driving record there are still some things you can do to try to find a cheap insurance policy. However, keeping your driving record clean from here on out should be your number one priority. After a few years of no insurance claims or tickets, you should be back on the road to cheap car insurance premiums!

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The Necessity of Car Insurance Put in Seven Reasons

Many times people overestimate how good of a driver they are, or underestimate their risk of getting into an accident. That may be a reason why a person might choose to not buy car insurance. This is easy to talk yourself into, as many people go years - or even their entire lives - without getting into an accident. However, all it takes is once car ride, and you never know when an accident is about to occur.

Besides driving without insurance illegal, it can also cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars if you are involved in an accident. If you aren't convinced, here are ten reasons why you should always carry car insurance:

• If you are involved in an accident that is determined to be your fault, you will be responsible for paying for the property and personal damages done to the victim. If you do not have the money to do this, you will be leaving this person without the care they need to get their life back on track.
• If you are hit by a driver who is also uninsured, you will not be protected and will have to pay for your medical bills yourself. Even if you do not have high medical bills, you will need a new car and will likely be out of work until this happens.
• It is against the law to drive without car insurance. In some cases, if you are caught you can lose your license.
• Many times when people are not driving with insurance they become anxious on the road because they are always looking around for police officers. This is a huge distraction and can put you at risk for an accident.
• Some jobs are dependent on a positive driving record, even if the job is not solely focused on driving. Not having insurance can look bad on your record.
• Car insurance companies do not like it when people do not carry car insurance. Even if you do not get a ticket for lack of insurance, there will still be a gap in your driving record where you were uninsured, and this will likely increase your premium once you decide to search for car insurance quotes again.
• Some people will be tempted to lie on their car insurance quotes applications and say they have been carrying insurance when they haven't. If you submit a claim and the insurance company investigates and finds out you were not truthful, they could refuse to pay your claim and you will likely face higher premiums in the future.

Going without car insurance might seem like a good idea as far as your wallet goes, but it can effect many people other than yourself, in many devastating ways. Always carry car insurance, even if its only the minimum.

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A Few Easy to Follow Tips to Find Cheap Car Insurance

When you mange to find cheap car insurance it feels like a chore for you. There are many companies to choose from, and many options to decide between. Depending on the type of car you drive, your driving history, the insurance you choose, and other factors, your car insurance premium could be potentially be higher than you wish each month. However, there are fortunately many things you can do to lower this cost.

First, you should always comparison shop. The easiest way to do this is online, as you have access to many insurance companies and can fill out one form after another in a very short amount of time - some websites even allow you to get multiple quotes using one form. For the best results, you should look for as many quotes as possible, with the minimum being 5. This gives you the best chances of finding the lowest quote available, and allows you to get a good idea of what a good price is. You should always make sure you are comparing quotes based on similar coverage, and look into reviews of the company to make sure you are dealing with a reputable agency.

The next thing you can do, which is fairly simple, is to combine policies where possible. Many companies will give you a discount if you have multiple cars insured on the same policy, or if you have multiple types of insurance (renter's, home, car, medical, life, etc.) through the same company. Not only does this usually earn you a discount, but it also makes your life simpler with one bill and one company to deal with.

Clearly, one of the best things you can do - for insurance and for others on the road - is be a safe driver. Having a good driving record is the best way to keep your insurance policy low. You can also look into other car insurance factors such as what type of car you drive, the features it has, where you live, and your credit score. Anywhere you can make improvements can lower your premium, although some things might take more work than others.

Whenever your policy expires, it might seem easiest to just automatically renew by sending in the payment - after all, you already did the research and picked this company for a reason. However, you should always go back over your policy to make sure the types and amount of coverage you chose still makes sense, and is still necessary. Additionally, it is always a good idea to comparison shop at least once a year to make sure you are still getting the best deal on your policy.

By following these tips you are sure to find the lowest car insurance quotes available. Whenever you've chosen a company, make sure to give them a call to make sure you are getting all possible discounts - sometimes they aren't all advertised or offered online!

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