Posted by Tom Carolan on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 @ 03:11 PM
There are many drivers on the road that are considered to be high risk. They are the habitual speeding ticket recipients, DUI offenders and others who make bad choices. Driving a motor vehicle has its own inherent risk factors. By choosing to compound those factors with negligent behavior often leads to accidents, arrests, citations and more. High risk drivers who are arrested for such behavior are often incarcerated; fined; have their license suspended or revoked; have insurance premiums increased; or can possibly even lose their job.
The Impact of Speeding Tickets
Speeding tickets remain on your driving record for three years. Those who repeatedly get speeding tickets before older ones have lapsed are more likely to be deemed high risk. However, operating certain vehicles puts you more at risk of getting speeding tickets. Recent DMV record surveys indicate that Hummer drivers receive more speeding tickets than those who drive other vehicles. A ticket for exceeding the speed limit by up to 10 miles per or hour can result in 2 to 4 demerit points going on your driving record.
How Your Driving Record Impacts The Insurance Rates You Get
Insurance companies typically pull driving records when individuals apply for insurance or when the time comes for a change or renewal of the policy. The information found there is the basis of the insurance rate you are assigned. If you have demerit points for poor driving behavior you may find that you have become a high risk driver and that insurance is harder to come by. However, you can improve your record by taking driver's education classes to remove points.
Each insurer treats information found on your driving record differently. The weight given demerit points and other aspects of your record can vary greatly from one company to another. However, if your company raises your rates, expect them to remain that way for three years. If your driving record is worse than the insurer accepts, you will be deemed high risk and denied coverage. Because guidelines differ for companies, you may or may not find that all companies consider you high risk. If you are truly a high risk driver, as in the case of those with DUI convictions, you will need to get insurance quotes from companies that specialize in offering high risk car insurance.
The Impact of a Suspended License
If you lose your driver's license, it can affect your life in a variety of ways including interfering with your family obligations and possibly even causing problems in your career. Many jobs are contingent upon having a driver's license. If this is the case, a suspended license causes even more difficulties.
When your insurer learns that you have lost your license, your policy will be cancelled. This makes it even more difficult to obtain coverage when you need it again. Because of the cancellation and the suspended license you will likely have to go through a high risk insurance company in order to get coverage, which you will need to have in order to get your license reinstated.
The Importance of SR-22 Certification
A SR-22 Certificate is legal proof that you carry at least the minimum amount of liability coverage as required by law. You must provide this to the state in order to get your license reinstated. In addition, you should carry the SR-22 with you, so that if you are stopped by the police, you can produce it and avoid further complications. High risk insurers are familiar with this form and regularly issue it for their policyholders, who often need to have it for up to 3 years. Extra requirements such as this, and the risk presented by high risk drivers, contribute to such individuals having to pay higher than usual premiums. However, for most people car insurance is a necessity and therefore they must pay the consequences.
Tips To Improve Your Rates
In order to keep your rates as reasonable as possible, make sure that you have paid any moving violations that you owe, so they can be cleared from your record quickly. Take driver training courses to remove some of the violations from your record. You can also invest in a vehicle that is more safety conscious, less costly to insure and less likely to attract the attention of the police.
By putting these tips in place and shopping around carefully for coverage, you can succeed in keeping your car insurance costs as low as possible, considering your driving record.
Posted by Tom Carolan on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 @ 02:57 PM
Most people feel that car insurance is costly, and it definitely can be. If you happen to have a higher than usual risk of needing to make claims on your car insurance, you may see that your policy premiums are higher than other people's. However, it is possible to keep the cost of your coverage down if you shop around and compare prices, even if you are a high-risk driver.
The Definition of a High Risk Diver
High-risk drivers are those who, statistically speaking, present a larger risk to the insurance company of needing to pay out claims. Essentially an insurer takes on the risk of being financially responsible if the driver incurs a loss. Certain drivers, referred to as high risk drivers, are much more likely to be the cause of an insurance company making claims. For this reason, their rates are usually significantly higher to offset the higher risk.
Most high risk drivers come from two different groups. Young drivers under the age of 25 are one of those groups. Their lack of experience spells increased statistical likelihood of having accidents. For those young drivers who maintain a good driving record, the high risk status drops off at age 25.
The other type of high risk drivers are those who have earned the designation through their own actions. Those who have gotten charged with DUI, drivers with several speeding tickets within a certain period of time and those who have had repeated accidents are considered high risk and must pay a higher rate for insurance.
High Risk Drivers and High Premiums
High risk drivers have to pay higher premiums to cover the cost of increased payouts that are more likely to occur on their policy. Auto insurance covers things such as property damage, medical expenses and repairs. Claims for such things are likely to be more frequent and more costly for high risk drivers than for others. The higher premiums help to financially protect the insurer.
Tips To Save on the Cost of High Risk Auto Insurance
There are numerous ways that you can save money on the cost of high risk auto insurance. One of the most effective is to attempt to show that you are a good driver by taking driver's training courses when possible. Your choice of car will also help you save money on your premiums. Choose one that has good safety features and ratings, including factory-installed safety devices. Avoid sports cars and ones that are "tricked out" as they will simply make your premium rise.
The best method of getting a good rate on your auto insurance is to shop around and get prices from multiple companies. You can do so using a convenient and easy to use our car insurance comparison quote tool.
Posted by Tom Carolan on Tue, Feb 23, 2010 @ 10:59 AM
Auto insurance is a necessary evil for practically anyone with a car. In all states some form of proof of financial responsibility or car insurance is required. However, if you happen to be considered a high risk or non-standard driver, you may find that it is rather hard to find insurance for which you are eligible. There are
providers that specialize in high-risk auto insurance policies. Before you even start to look for a policy, it is important to know if you meet the criteria to be deemed high risk.
One of the situations that deem you to be high risk is if you need a SR-22 policy. The State Registry of Motor Vehicles often requires this if you have had your license revoked or suspended. The department should inform you if you need such a policy. www.InsuranceBestPrices.com will help you find the right policy to meet your needs and get you the documentation you need for the reinstatement you are seeking.
Age is a huge factor in auto insurance ratings. Drivers over the age of 70 years old may or may not be considered high risk. Many companies also often consider drivers who are 20 years old or younger high risk.
Another factor that makes a driver high-risk is if he or she has a habit of getting into car accidents and/or getting moving violations. Despite the fact that many insurers simply want you off the road, there are insurers who keep you behind the wheel with a policy that allows you to carry the necessary insurance you must have. In fact you are even rewarded for being a safe driver and having no new incidents on your record.
High-risk drivers receive "Non-Standard" insurance policies. These policies are not like the regular policies offered to most individuals. However, they do offer what is needed. More and more companies are getting into the market place and offering non-standard plans, so that non-standard is actually becoming more commonplace.
Get started today with a quote for non-standard policies that give you all the flexible rate plans as the others we discussed.