Posts Tagged ‘m’
Monday, August 17th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
Insurance companies offering Insurance quotes usually ask for little information about the vehicle that has to be insured such as the type of vehicle, model name, year of manufacture, make, the total mileage and the condition of the vehicle. The other way is to analyse using the VIN number. Every vehicle has a unique VIN number of its own and If the vehicle’s VIN number is supplied ,the actual quote given will be more tailor made, based on its previous Insurance history, the car’s condition and the number, type of accidents so far the vehicle has encountered.
Using the VIN number the agent would get all the information required about the vehicle, and may even like to arrange an inspection of that particular vehicle so that your actual rates is reduced to a much lower price. Car accessories such a custom made rims, wheels or expensive stereos which you would like to claim along with the vehicle, needs to be inspected before the insurance company provides you with the coverage. This is because there is a possibility of people having an ordinary cassette player, giving false information about it and claiming it to be an expensive one in order to get it covered, which might actually reduce the asset of the Insurance company.
Many times an insurance company will require an inspection to verify the condition of a vehicle. Many older or classic cars can have a wide range of replacement values depending upon their condition. Rust, issues with paint quality, and upholstery issues can all effect the value of a car and, thus, effect the amount an company is willing to insure. Unfortunately, insurance companies have a lot of experience with car owners who claim their older or classic car is in ?mint? condition when it really is more than a little banged-up.
Insurance companies usually protect their assets from undue claiming and fraudulent claims. This may include an inspection seldom, to analyze the exact condition of your vehicle. The process, indirectly favours both the parties, as paying an enormous amount of premiums for a vehicle that is in fair condition seems absurd when you can actually pay less by stating the true condition of the vehicle. Also, the Insurance Company has the right to withdraw or modify their coverage accordingly, if they find the actual condition of the quoted vehicle is poorer than what is claimed.
Sometimes there is damage to a vehicle that is not noticed by the current owner and has never been reported. Sometimes previous owners do not report minor accidents. They make quick patches and sell the car to unsuspecting buyers. Unfortunately, there are other types of fraud which insurance companies must look for. Filing false claims based on questionable values costs insurance companies millions of dollars each year.
It is best to be honest when buying insurance policies. Deception might be classified as fraud and end up costing you more than any short-term profit. You never know if an insurance agent or adjuster will ask to see and take pictures of your car or truck.
Tags: a, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance
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Friday, August 14th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
Car insurance is very important. When a vehicle is stolen or broken into, insurance plays a large role in reimbursement for lost property. Insurance also allows the victim to make a claim to their insurer and the insurer handles the costs of repairs and/or replacement of the damage to the vehicle; of course, there is generally a modest deductible depending upon the insurance plan one has.
The process for making a claim starts with informing your insurance company about the event that occurred. The insurance agent you contact will begin the initial examination checklist. Their job is to verify that the claim is legitimate and determine the amount of compensation one will receive. They also are responsible for determining the amount of your claim that the insurance company will cover. These checklists generally includes questions about the incident and your policy and coverage details.
Your policy needs to be active. The insurance agent will verify that the police is before anything else transpires. The agent will also ensure that your payments have been paid and that you are not behind. If it is determined you lapsed in payment, you will not be eligible for coverage.
Your policy has certain coverage amounts and there are items that are not covered, the insurance agent will go over your policy contract and determine if the claim you are filing is in fact covered by the policy. If you have only liability insurance or third party cover then you will not be able to collect on damages such as car theft.
The checklist examination is the guideline for what will be covered. The checklist will allow the agent to determine if “acts of God” are covered under you policy. If they are not and you suffered from fire or flood, then your claim is not valid and will receive no reimbursement. Also, if a vehicle is stolen or vandalized and contains expensive items inside, those items are only subject to an insurance claim if it is stated so on the insurance policy you have.
While the insurance company is liable for valid claims, it is dependent upon the policy holder to uphold the policy requirements. If the holder failed to take the proper actions on their end, the insurance company will deny the claim. This will leave the victim of the crime responsible for the damages that occurred.
The checklist allows for an easy overview to determine the validity of the claim as a whole. If an insurance agent suspects the claim may be fraudulent, they are required to report their suspicion to the assessor. Claims that may set trigger a closer inspection include a vehicle worth very little being vandalized with items that are of extremely high worth. The insurance company makes notes of all the information received and is given to the assessor. The checklist gives the assessor a great background for he or she to review any possible misleading or false claims.
Tags: a, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance
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Friday, August 7th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
Getting a quote for car or truck Insurance is easy but there is a little known hidden fact about the premiums when you get the quote for your Insurance agent. Premiums are pre determined on the basis of your previous Insurance history and if it is your first policy or if it is your brand new policy ,the percentage offered by the Insurance companies is usually greater than a having a strong history of previous Insurance coverage.
Many will argue that the lack of insurance history should not increase one’s premiums. Regardless, among the many considerations in determining premiums are an applicant’s demonstrated ability to maintain their payment schedule, their proclivity for making claims on their past policies, and their demonstrated clean driving record. A failing in any of these areas will have the effect of markedly increasing your premiums to a much higher rate than you would prefer.
Persons having previous lapsed policies, and are in need to find a new one with better quotes are generally not entertained. Even if it happens, the credit history is checked for timely payment of premiums for the previous policy, so that the new company has some points for consideration.
Though you can find brokers offering high risk insurance covers at best rates for persons with a new driving license, or for a person with lots of traffic violations or accident claims, the fact is ,the initial payment and the deducted amount will compensate the rate offered ,finally summing up for a poor insurance coverage.
So, for amateurs, it is best advised to go for a short term insurance policy, say around 6 months. Prompt timely payment and a good driving history for at least 6 months will give you a good chance of having a better quote next time. Instead of continuing or extending the same policy after 6 months, it is always better to compare what the other companies are ready to offer you. No doubt, there might be some surprising deals for just 6 months of clean history which might save you a handsome amount, may be a few hundred dollars.
Those drivers who maintain coverage for several years through the same company may not be taking advantage of potential savings that are available to them. Insurance companies are not in the habit of pro-actively offering existing customers lower rates, even if they may qualify for them. On the other hand, competing insurance companies are more likely to offer a potential customer with a strong history better rates in the hopes of getting them to switch providers.
Always do your homework when choosing an insurance policy. Keep your driving and payment histories spotless. _Never_ let a policy simply lapse. This will make you a highly desirable insurance risk. Now shop around for the best offers. You’ll get them.
About the Author:
Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator for
Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading
Car Insurance portal, which helps people save on their Car Insurance.
Tags: a, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance
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Monday, August 3rd, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
Often when you’re shopping for quotes from car insurance companies the phrase “incidence rate” will be brought up fairly frequently. Many consumers do not fully understand what this means, but in reality it’s just a easy procedure to determine the risk level of your vehicle by using the statistics that are given by auto industries that show how likely your car is to be involved in an accident, be stolen, or the severity of damage it suffers from a small accident.
Some vehicles are much more likely to be stolen, be involved in an accident or another type of driving or moving violation. Many consumers come to the conclusion that they are the only ones who get judged while they have their quote prepared, but in actuality their car is going under the same if not more harsh judgment of the insurance agents and insurance companies.
How are these incidence rates determined? Whenever a vehicle is involved in a theft, accident, or traffic violation, the law enforcement agencies specify the make and model of the vehicle. These statistics are compiled into a database which shows which vehicle types are more likely to be involved in these incidents. The insurance industry uses these statistics to determine the risk level of each vehicle type and adjusts premium rates accordingly.
Sports cars tend to be more likely to be involved in traffic or speeding violations, but any very light colored car is also a leader in accidents. Larger cars are more damaging to others in accidents, while smaller ones receive more damage. The center of gravity of a particular model may make it more likely to flip or lose control. You should be aware of any statistical information that could raise your insurance rates based on the type of car you have.
Every year thousands of cars are stolen and never recovered, which makes some cars a big risk for insurance companies. If your car is listed as being likely to be stolen and sold for parts it could hurt your rates. You can counteract this by installing security features to deter thieves or help you locate your car.
Vehicle color has a much lesser affect on determining premiums. While a white car may be more difficult for other motorists to see, and thereby more likely to be involved in an accidents, it will generally be the other driver who is at fault, and his insurance company, not yours, must reimburse you for any damages. It may be wise to purchase an Uninsured Motorist or an Underinsured Motorist policy in case the other driver either does not have insurance, or his insurance will not fully reimburse you. By having this additional coverage, you can greatly reduce, if not eliminate, the additional premiums that you would otherwise have to pay.
It is important for drivers to know the Incidence Rates for their vehicles. By knowing how much more likely it is for your vehicle to be stolen, involved in accidents, or be severely damaged, are better equipped to make smart buying decisions, both when purchasing a vehicle and when determining what types and what levels of insurance to buy. The savings may have you considering buying that economical minivan rather than that sporty white corvette.
Tags: a, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance
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Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
Many people that are getting insurance for the first time don’t understand all of the technical aspects of the process. Insuring a vehicle is an important part of owning any vehicle whether it’s new or used. If you’re looking to insure a passenger vehicle then you will want to understand what type of coverage you should get based on your vehicle.
There are two different types of insurance for a passenger vehicle. The type of insurance that you choose to get should be based on the type of car you have, the year, and most importantly its overall value. If you car has a high overall value or is new then you will be looking to get full coverage. Full coverage will cover your car if it gets damaged in an accident.
This may be your first time getting car insurance so you will want to factor in the value of your car versus how much you will be paying for in insurance. An easy way to do this is to add up the cost of your insurance over 3 years and compare it to the value of your car. If the insurance costs are greater than the value of your car then you will want to get liability only. If the costs are less than the value of your car then you should get full coverage.
It’s important that you choose the right type of insurance based on the value of your vehicle. The easiest way to do this is to figure out how much insurance will cost you over 3 years. If your cars value is higher than this number then you will want to stick with full coverage.
Finally you may choose to add comprehensive coverage to your insurance plan. Comprehensive coverage is rarely used on an insurance plan except for full coverage plans. This is because comprehensive insurance will protect your vehicle from situations not pertained to accidents. A good example of this is vandalism or damaged caused by severe weather.
Comprehensive coverage is never added to liability only. Most people that have full coverage will opt to have some type of comprehensive coverage as well. It’s important to understand the types of insurance that are available to you so that you can get the lowest rate possible. Each add-on, such as comprehensive coverage, can increase or decrease the amount of your insurance. You can also save money on your car insurance by choosing to pay the 6 month premium up front for a discounted rate.
You can get a possible discount in you can pay 6 months of your premium in full. Yes its quite heavy financially but if you have the amount, you can save a lot if you think of it.
About the Author:
Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator for
Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica?s leading
car and vechile portal, which provides cover for all car and vechile types.
Tags: a, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance
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Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
by Daniel Caldwell
Get any form of work done to your vehicle is usually a little bit stressful. You will have to spend time and money to get your car in great shape, which are two things many of us don’t have a lot of.
With that said auto body repair shops are also joining the “go green” campaign. So, if you are looking for a great auto body shop for your vehicles repairs and you are concerned with the environment, place emphasis on finding a shop that not only provides great results but also is helping the environment while doing so.
First of all you should be familiar with what “green” means. Well to have a “green” products means that it causes little disruptions to the environment it how it is made. Using renewable or recycled materials makes it a little more greener. It also has to do with how many chemicals are released into the environment during the whole process involved in achieving the end result.
Simply put the saying “go green” means to become actively interested in environmental issues and support environmental causes. Since we live in our environment and it affects our lives many people, as they should, have become aware of the problems we inflict on our environment and are striving to make a difference in how we do things. We want our earth to be around and in a good state for our children and grandchildren.
Also you should check that they are using a high quality paint for your vehicle. It is important that you vehicle has a top quality paint since your paint is what acts as a protection for your cars metal body against rust and other environmental hazards. Also you want to make sure again that it is a seamless job and that it will not be too noticeable that you had paint work done.
Even old windshields can be recycled if there is no way to repair them. Also how they handle any chemicals that they may use and if they contain them so that they are not released into the environment. Also it can go as far down the line as to how they receive and manufacture tools and materials for their business needs.
Most shops will offer the warranty for a specific time period and others will guarantee their work for the entire time you own the vehicle. This is a great option to look for when deciding which auto body shop to choose to complete your car’s paint needs.
So, make sure you really check around and get the most qualified specialist and a great price as well. Oh yes, you should not be paying for all those quotes either!!!
Tags: a, accidents, advertising, auto, auto insurance, b, body, business, c, cars, collision, e, f, family, h, hobbies, i, insurance, m, maintenance, o, p, parts, r, repair, shopping, t, tools, travel, trucks, u, vehicle
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Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
by Graham McKenzie
Rather than going out and test driving several vehicles you can save a lot of time and effort by hiring an intermediary. An intermediary will go through the process of finding the car you want and getting the best deal that he can. Besides saving time and effort you may also save a lot of money. This is because an intermediary usually charges between $200 and $1,000 for his work and the discount he can get you will usually be more than the fees.
Dealerships usually give special deals to intermediaries to help them sell cars. This in turn helps you get the best price as well. Intermediaries also will usually know how much the car costs and how much dealerships get in commission. When an intermediary knows this he can negotiate the best deal possible for you while allowing the dealership to make some money.
You should be careful when you’re looking for an intermediary to hire. Sometimes you will find intermediaries are actually employed by a specific dealership which will lead to you going to that dealership rather than the one that will give you the best deal. You can ask them for a statement which shows who they are employed by and how they get paid. You should also know the price range for the specific vehicle you?re looking at. This will help ensure that you are getting a deal on your vehicle.
Sometimes getting an intermediary isn’t as helpful as you think it would be. Dealerships don?t like intermediaries because they know so much about the business and often get a vehical for a much lower price than they would prefer. Sometimes they won?t even work with them, which limit your choices. In fact, the number of car purchases arranged by intermediaries is only 5% of the total amount of cars bought, but this has a big effect on their industry.
Each state has different laws which govern intermediaries. It?s important to do a background check on the potential person that you?re going to hire. You should also look for an intermediary that has positive recommendations from customers. In most cases it?s best to go through a professional company to get an intermediary than to get a private one.
It?s important that you know that the cost will vary between intermediaries. However, it?s usually less expensive for them to find you a new car then it is for them to find you a used car. This is because they will have to spend more time and effort searching for the best price on the used car you want. Also there are always more resources for an intermediary to work with when shopping for a new car then a used one.
Ask your intermediary all the right questions before you hire them. Don?t be afraid to hire someone who is from out of state, since most intermediaries work right from their homes. In the long run these agents can really save you some money, so it may be worthwhile to hire one. An intermediary could end up saving you thousands of dollars on your car purchase, which is much more then what you spent to employ them.
Tags: a, auto insurance, automobile;truck, automotive, c, car insurance, cars, e, f, finance, i, insurance, m, money, o, u, v, vechile insurance
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Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
by Chris Coats
When you have had the unfortunate event of being in a automotive collision, the last thing you need is to have a bad experience with an auto body shop not doing their job. A good auto body shop will fix your car back to pre-loss condition, both in appearance and in structural and mechanical integrity. A great auto body shop will almost make you feel like the accident never happened. They should start with customer service better then you get at a good restaurant.
They should ask if everyone was OK after the accident, generally, they should be more interested in your needs and concerns then their own profit margins. The sad thing is there are many body shops that are just in it for a quick buck and do not have the customer skills or even the repair skills to do the job you, or your insurance company, is paying for. So how do you weed those shops out?
Following are certain steps that you should follow if you are unsatisfied with the repair job done by the auto body shop:
Step 1: Talk to the manager or the shop-owner of the auto body shop you are dealing with, and explain your problem to them coolly and frankly. As most auto body shops rely on word of mouth, it is highly likely that your problem will be sorted out at this step itself.
All you need to do is explain clearly what you think is not repaired properly and what needs to be repaired. In case, the manager or the shop-owner fails to help you, move on to Step 2.
Step 2: Find out if there is anyone at a post higher than the manager. If yes, get an appointment fixed with the higher authorities of that auto body shop. Speak to them directly if possible; otherwise just send them an e-mail explaining your problems. If this solution also does not work, try the next step.
Ask if the body shop is on any insurance programs or direct repair programs, if they are ask why? the only reason I know why a auto body shop would agree to be on a program would be to get work that they could not get on their own. Again this does not mean just because they have a direct repair program they are not a great shop, but if they have 20 then I would be a little concerned? Ask them to explain.
And by far the best resource for finding a good body shop is word of mouth, a friend that’s had work done and is happy to let you know about the auto body shop he had good luck with is a good sign they were treated well. If you have no friends or coworkers that have had resent repairs, you can try the local automotive paint supply stores in the area, they visit shops large and small every day and may be able to help you out.
About the Author:
The gurus hate it when their personal secrets about collision auto body get exposed! Now they’re fuming mad about this site
auto collision repair shop aventura FL and trying to shut it down.
Tags: a, accidents, advertising, auto, auto insurance, b, body, business, c, cars, collision, e, f, family, h, hobbies, i, insurance, m, maintenance, o, p, parts, r, repair, shopping, t, tools, travel, trucks, u, vehicle
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Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
by Daniel Caldwell
If you have ever had auto problems or problems with your car then you probably already know about simple car shops like advanced and the simple car shops like that. You will want to go to all your sources when you need auto body supplies you will want to go to all the stores that you can if you are looking for a certain part for your car.
As with other services, there are either awesome providers or really bad providers. Most providers fall in between those categories. Looking at, the important mess of a sports car to a motor lover, it seems rational to find the best care for your baby.
The other place that you might want to check out will be body shops in general. A body shop might have what you are looking for if it is body work that you need to do yourself.
Also, a key thing to do is find an auto body shop that is willing to shop you examples of their work. Really your level of quality is not the same as everyone else’s. So, you need to visually see that the work the produce is of good quality for you.
Next you want to see if they have any form of certifications for auto body repairs. You want to know that they have been properly trained on the best methods for repairing your vehicle. A certification can show that they are recognized as being qualified to perform auto body repairs.
The last rule is how firmly a body shop will stand behind what it has done. Bodywork can usually be finished in a way that will last forever, and a great shop should believe in what they can do for you.
Then you should find out if they back up their work somehow. Do they offer any kind of warranty or guarantee on their work. If they do offer some sort of guarantee then that shows they have confidence that their work is of good quality and if there is an issue they will personally fix the problem.
You can find most import parts and domestic parts online you just go to a major search engine and type in the name of your part and or the make and brand of your car and then you will have results popping up on the computer screen. If you still cannot find parts after all the advice that was given to you here then you may need to look into updating. Are you in Cuba?
Tags: a, accidents, advertising, auto, auto insurance, b, body, business, c, cars, collision, e, f, family, h, hobbies, i, insurance, m, maintenance, o, p, parts, r, repair, shopping, t, tools, travel, trucks, u, vehicle
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Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
by Simeon Blackstock
It may be one of many people’s nightmares to have to go and seek out the correct body shop, having to find a good body shop or fender bender as some may call them is not always easy. The possibility of having to go and see one at some point of your driving career is more than likely, maybe through no fault of yours it may be that someone has by accident scratched the paint on your car.
So, that’s when you start to think about what things you should know before taking your car to the Body Shop. Of course that you can go and just let them do their work, but it’s not the ideal: you have to be aware of the different processes that your car will be involved in.
Even today though, work done by technicians has changed by technology. If you look above, there will be vacuum lines connected to sanders and grinders; these are to pull any dirt and dust away from this area of the shop. It is amazing how clean these areas are kept.
There is also another crucial element and again, it’s something you can ask the collision shop manager. Ask him, “How long have your technicians worked here?” Why ask this? Because you want to know that the technicians are stable and don’t move around a lot. Stability is really the best indicator of employee happiness and job satisfaction. Techs that are happy and satisfied with their work environment and their wages are the ones you want working on your vehicle, for obvious reasons.
Most of today’s body shops are very clean, neat and very well lit. These are usually the ones at the top end of the scale. It is normal for a well run body shop to have different areas of work designated.
The most important thing at this later stage is that the vehicle gets finished in a paint booth that is clean and dust free. This outweighs a dirty booth of a fantastic design.
If there is major damage on the vehicle then it will be removed to the area set up for disassemble and onto a frame machine. There are fewer cars now that have a true frame, the machine now is really used in straightening the uni-body construction this is typical on most of the modern cars. The term uni-body basically means that sheet metal is stamped, formed, and welded together, forming the structural part of the car’s body.
It is critical to measure the vehicle’s body for correct uni-body alignment. If, for example, there is one millimeter error then that is all manufacturers will allow. Many body shops use a laser measuring system alongside a frame machine these are used to make certain everything is properly straightened.
Tags: a, accidents, advertising, auto, auto insurance, b, body, business, c, cars, collision, e, f, family, h, hobbies, i, insurance, m, maintenance, o, p, parts, r, repair, shopping, t, tools, travel, trucks, u, vehicle
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