Auto Insurance Rankings - Best Companies, Best Rates

by Brian Stevens

Looking for auto insurance rankings? Want to find the best companies with the best rates? Here's how ...
Best Auto Insurance Companies
Here are three websites that rank auto insurance companies:
Your State's Department of Insurance Website
All states have a department of insurance website, and most publish consumer complaints that have been filed against insurance companies. Most companies have complaints filed against them, but if a company has a lot of complaints compared to other companies, you should avoid them.
A.M. Best (ambest.com)
A.M. Best publishes insurance companies financial and credit ratings. These ratings give you an idea about an insurance company's ability to pay its claims. You should go with a company that has a B+ rating or higher.
Epinions (epinions.com)
At Epinion's, customers rate companies by customer service, website experience, response to claims, and price confidence. Customers also write reviews about each company. These reviews range from "The best insurance we've ever had!" to "The WORST customer service you could imagine."
Best Auto Insurance Quotes
Here's how to get the best auto insurance quotes:
Comparison shop - Because insurance quotes can vary by $1,000 or more from one company to another, the first thing you need to do is go to an insurance comparison website. You'll fill out a simple form so you can get quotes from a number of A-rated companies, then all you do is pick the company with the cheapest quote. The best insurance comparison sites have an online chat feature and an "800" number so you can talk with insurance experts to get answers to your insurance questions.
Consolidate your insurance - Insurance companies will give you a 10% to 15% discount if you purchase your auto insurance and your homeowners or renters insurance through them.
Raise your deductible - Raising your insurance deductible from $250 to $500 can save you as much as 30% on your premium.
Drop collision and comprehensive coverage - If your premium plus your deductible is more than your car is worth, consider dropping your collision and comprehensive coverage.
Get safety and security discounts - Insurance companies give good-sized discounts if you have air bags, anti-lock brakes, car alarms, and anti-theft devices installed on your car. Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com or click on the following link to get auto insurance quotes from top-ranked companies and see how much you can save. You can get more insurance tips in their Articles section.
About the Author
The author, Brian Stevens, is a former insurance agent and financial consultant who has written a number of articles on auto insurance rankings.

Should you take rental car insurance--tips/know how

by Barry Allen

When renting a car for business or personal purposes one of the questions that may come up is do you need rental car insurance. Auto insurance protects you from unforeseen circumstances. When renting a car most car rental agencies will try and sell you auto insurance coverage.
Auto insurance sold by car rental firms will include:
* Collision Damage Waiver or Loss Damage Waiver which will protect you against damage or theft of rental car. The coverage is however void if you drive under intoxication, have an accident due to speeding, or drive on unpaved roads.
* Liability Insurance as required by the law of your state. This gives excess liability coverage but will not suffice in case of a serious accident.
* Personal Accident Insurance covering you and the passengers for medical and ambulance bills.
* Personal Effects Coverage that protects personal items from theft.
But before you buy any coverage you must consider:
a. If you rent cars very often then it will be cheaper for you to purchase a non-owner insurance coverage that will protect you and your spouse and will most probably include uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, personal injury protection or PIP, and medical coverage. However, you may need to buy a collision damage waiver from the rental company to protect the rental vehicle.
b. You need to check with your own auto insurance policy whether it covers rental cars. More often than not the liability coverage limits that exist on the auto insurance policy owned by you will be effective for rental cars too. Just check with your policy whether it covers rental cars.
c. Many credit cards offer coverage. So check whether your card offers this facility and what the specific terms and conditions are. Find out if you need to be enrolled to get coverage.
d. The latest in car rentals is being responsible for damaged caused by "acts of nature." Ensure that you understand what each phrase in the car rental contract means and always dig in your heels and demand a clear explanation for any clauses you don't understand. Check if your personal auto insurance policy covers "acts of nature" for rental cars.
e. Auto insurance coverage for rental vehicles differs from company to company so find out clearly who and what is covered by the auto insurance in case of a rental car. Many policies may cover only you or you and your spouse.
f. If you are renting a car outside the US your auto insurance policy may not cover loss and damage to the rented vehicle or liability injury. When traveling abroad you may need additional coverage.
g. Find out before you rent a vehicle if the auto rental company includes basic automobile liability and standard comprehensive insurance protection as well as theft insurance as part of the service at no additional charge.
Before you decide on rental car insurance surf the World Wide Web and read up on rental car advice as well as auto insurance needs written by experts in the travel and insurance business. This will update you on the latest requirements and introduce you to auto insurance necessities. This knowledge will enable you to take the right decisions.
About the Author
Barry Allen is a freelance writer for http://www.1888carinsurance.com , the premier website to find Car Insurance Quotes including auto insurance quote, online auto insurance quote, free car insurance quote, cheap car insurance quote, on line car insurance quote and more. His article profile can be found at the premier Car Rentals site http://www.1866carrental.com

6 Tips For Saving Gas

by: Jackson Porter

In the past months we have seen the price of gasoline soar higher than ever before, and this can be hard on people who have a budget that is tight. Even though gas prices have come down a slight bit, you still will want to do everything you possibly can to save on the money you have to pay out for gas. There are a variety of ways that you can save gas, and save money.
Tip#1 - Start Carpooling Carpooling is a great idea for fellow students and fellow employees both. If you can find people that are going to the same place you are you can save gas by riding together. It may be a good idea to trade off on who is driving from week to week so no one person gets stuck having to drive all the time. If you have to take your children to school or other functions you can also work on trading off with your friends and neighbors to take them there.
Tip#2 - Public Transportation If it is possible you can take public transportation to work instead of driving your car. Not only will this save you money on gas, but you will also be able to relax and not worry about having to drive through all that rush hour traffic. You may even be able to fit in a quick nap on your way to work or on your way home.
Tip#3 - Price Shop Often it may be so convenient to buy your gas at the small gas station just up the road, but to save some money on gas you may want to check the prices at other gas stations that are nearby as well. Even if the difference is only a few cents, after putting hundreds of gallons of gas in you vehicle each year, those few cents are going to add up to quite a sum of money.
Tip#4 - Get Moving You can save some money on gas if you start walking to where you are going, or you can ride a bike as well. You will not have to worry about paying to park your car, and the exercise will be great for you body. If you are walking or biking you will not have to worry about those huge traffic jams either.
Tip#5 - Take Care of Your Car It is always important to take care of your car so it gets the best gas mileage possible. Also be sure to plan where you are going before you go so you will not have to backtrack and waste gas. If you can, you should use your air conditioning as little as possible because using it takes more gas. Roll down your windows and you will use less gas.
Tip#6 - Check your Tires It is important that you check the air pressure in your tires as often as possible. If your tires are too low, or the pressure in them is unequal it can make your car burn more gas. You should also be careful how you drive. If you take off from every red light very fast you are going to burn more fuel, so it is best to take off a little slower.
These are a few tips that can help the money conscious person to save money on gas. Even as gas prices drop, these tips can still help you to save more money. Conservation is important, so take advantage of these tips, save money, and save gas.

About The Author
Jackson Porter is a staff writer at http://www.automobileenthusiast.com and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including http://www.environmental-central.com.

Car Insurance - Summer Driving Safety

By Chris Rowlands




With summer almost upon us, many of us will be looking forward to enjoying trips to the beach, the countryside and many other popular British past times and destinations. The question I ask is; �just how safe are you this summer?� The majority of us prepare for winter with vigour, buying in copious quantities of de-icer spray and antifreeze. But just how much do we prepare for summer, the seasonal opposite of extremes?
Indeed many of us don�t even begin to think about how we should prepare for summer and the dangers therein. �Just what are these dangers?� you ask. Well that is the purpose of my article, to enlighten you in this very area.
In research carried out by several leading car insurance companies, it was shown that 40% of car claims are generated in summer. This is not just pure coincidence, it shows us that there must be an extra risk factor associated with summer.
The primary problem in summer driving conditions is heat, plain and simply. Taking your car on a long journey in sweltering heat invariably carries the risk of the car breaking down. True this is more a problem with the slightly more �mature� car, but that could range from just a few years old. Even a new car can fall victim to mechanical failure if it not maintained correctly. Before leaving for a long journey it is imperative that you check the following on your car; tyre pressure and tread (badly inflated tyres increase road wear and affect fuel consumption), engine oil level, engine coolant level (low levels could lead to your car overheating and breaking down), check all indicator/brake lights are working and finally check your windscreen washer level (trying to wipe a windscreen full of flies with dry wipers can be �such fun� not to mention dangerous).
Another good tip is to take out a breakdown and recovery policy with a reputable company. Indeed this is something many car insurance companies now offer and you can check this at the time of getting a car insurance quote. This may prove invaluable at a later date and for the small amount it will cost on a yearly premium it is well worth it.
Another factor rarely considered, even by myself before carrying out research for this article, is rural driving. During summer, many of us venture out of the towns and head for the countryside. In doing so we use the many country/rural roads that are more ill suited to fast driving. It may be fun putting your foot down and whizzing around a country lane but it is very risky indeed. In fact a recent government campaign stated that you are three times more likely to die in a crash on a rural road.
Well, on that note all that is left to say is; �have a brilliant and safe summer!�
In research carried out by leading car insurance companies it was shown that 40% of claims are submitted in summer. This goes to show that summer driving conditions can be riskier than most people realise.
Consider adding on a breakdown cover when searching for a car insurance quote.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Rowlands

Automobiles on Theaters

Author: Zeke Gervis

Aside from the actors and actresses, automobiles are alsocharacters in the movies. They could portray the role of thelead actor's buddy or the one the villains' mode oftransportation or any other (they do not complain anyway).
These legendary cars on the theaters are worth recognizingbecause had it not been for them, the story line may not becomplete. You may not able to feel the rush of action onsuspense films or you may not feel the sadness of the characteractor as he gets into the car while leaving his girl.Fascinating, aren't they? Indeed, these pulse less objects alsomake one's emotions rise.
Do you remember the dog vehicle from 'Dumb & Dumber'? Do yourecall the yellow Robin with three wheels in 'Only Fools andHorses'? Yes, they may be funny and very odd looking cars, butthat was because those were the type of cars that the storyneeds.
Inspector Columbo road in a blasting, tumbledown Mercedes whichdoors could not even be closed properly and really suited him.
James Bond movie series is one of the Hollywood films thatshowcase automobiles as an integral part of the movie. It'sfirst, 'Dr. No', came with a recognizable automobile brand - theAston Martin. The car received a perfect cameo appearance in thelatest movie, Casino Royale.
When the 1996 model came, the Batmobile (Batman's car) debutedin the television series. Some of the distinguishing features ofthe original Batmobile were the bright siren, two seats, andspoilers in the shape of bat wings as well as a phone to be usedfor emergencies. It also had mandatory sounds when he wasfighting with the villains, so it was easy for Batman to go fromone place to another.
Disney's legend on four wheels also came as 'Herbie' the Serieswas introduced in 1969. The story about the living Beetle becamea real television as well as movie screen sensation. The recentremake of the movie was released with pop star Lindsay Lohan.
The movie 'Gone in 60 Seconds' held the most famous scene thatlasted 40 minutes! It was when 93 automobiles "lost theirlives". But only one was the main attraction - Ford Mustang Mach1 with code name Eleanor.
The Miami Vice series was first introduced in 1984. It featuredDon Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas, better known as James"Sonny" Crocket, Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs and the black FerrariTestarossa, which was later painted white.
Who would forget the DeLorean from "Back to the Future"? The carwith especially created Delorean oxygen sensor for the moviecame with the cranky Marty McFly and the wacky doctor EmmettBrown.
In 1989, the Batmobile was first introduced in the theaters. Itcame with a "beyond reality" ambience, which the film suggests,more neon colors, and mandatory rotating lights.
The Tumbler from the Batman movie had military colors. It wasengineered to link cables between two banks when bridges arebuilt. It appeared like an armored bomb-dropping monster withGPS navigation and can launch guided missiles and drive on rooftops.
Perhaps the most evident proof of the popularity of automobilesin the movie industry is the film 'Cars' wherein the carsthemselves were the main characters. And yes! They had feelings,problems, and dreams of their own. All the characters here werecars.
A 'Death Proof' car is one of the contenders for the main prizefor this year's Cannes. With Mach 5, the movie 'Speed Racer' isan adaptation of a famous anime from the 80s. In visual effects,follows the revolution that was initiated by the first Matrix.
For The Dark Knight, the sequel to Batman, the production teamannounced that the movie will come with a customized Tumbler andan engine to fit, made in the same armored style.
What could be the next famous car to rise in the silver screens?It's for the public to watch out for!
Aside from significance of cars in one's routine: sending thechildren to school, going to the office and going out for a trip- the movie industry also counts these objects as essentialthings. This is because of the fact that they touch lives andadd emotions to the movies, just like their roles to humans inreal life.
About the author:Zeke Gervis has a degree in Human Resource Management. He is anF1 fanatic and is a collector of racing memorabilias. Atpresent, he enjoys working at a consulting firm in Iowa.

Are Used Tires A Safety Risk?

Author: Mike Bartley

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, a world leader intire manufacturing, earlier instructed retail stores to stopselling them - safety advocate urges the industry to tightentheir standards. Amid growing safety concerns, the company hasdecided to stop selling used tires at company-owned stores.
Bridgestone told its 2,200 retail stores to stop selling usedtires. Meanwhile, the Rubber Manufacturers Association for thefirst time sent a service bulletin warning that "used passengerand light truck tires that have an uncertain or unknown historypose a potential risk."
Sean Kane, the president of Safety Research and Strategies, aconsumer group, has urged tiremakers to adopt strict standardsbefore selling used tires. "Tire manufacturers have a lot atstake if something goes wrong with a used tire at the end of theday," Kane said. "If their name is on the side of the tire, theyhave to clean up the mess. I think there is a sea change andselling used tires is yesterday's thing."
In December, Kane submitted details about 108 accidents linkedto tread separation of tires more than six years old to theNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Thoseaccidents resulted in 85 deaths. Nationwide statistics are notavailable.
Bridgestone said last Friday that its chief operating officer,Bill Perdew, had told its outlets to stop selling used tiresimmediately. Perdew told the stores to stop selling used tiresin a previously unreported March 29 letter."
It was really a small percentage of our business," said DanMacDonald, a Bridgestone spokesman. "Our strength is to sell newtires, and from a profit standpoint it is a much better market."But MacDonald noted that many independent dealers sell usedBridgestone tires and said that the company was not urgingothers not to sell used tires. "It may make sense for some tireshops," MacDonald said.
MacDonald stressed that when Bridgestone sells used tires, theydo a very thorough inspection. "We wouldn't sell anything thatwasn't safe," he said. "But taking the time to inspect usedtires: Is that a good use of our time?" He added that theprohibition on used tires does not apply to switching summer andwinter tires or for tires with less than 500 miles "that areessentially out of the box."
On May 29, the Rubber Manufacturers Association issued abulletin on used tires. It offered a number of criteria thatindicate used tires are unsafe for resale, including theevidence of tread separation, use in "run-flat" mode or adefaced tire identification number. "
Any previously recalled tire should not be used, nor tiresfilled with temporary sealants. Used tires may have been exposedto improper service, maintenance or storage conditions and mayhave been damaged, which could eventually lead to tire failure,"the bulletin said.
Other situations that make used tires unsafe include punctures,penetrations, inner liner or bead damage, wear, cuts, cracks,scrapes, bulges, ozone cracking or weather checking, impactdamage, punctures, splits, snags, and a history of continuousinflation pressure loss.
Wal-Mart, one of the nation's biggest tire sellers, does notsell used tires at its stores, while some other major outletsdo. Jim Davis, a Goodyear Tire & Rubber spokesman, said that thecompany sells a small number of used tires at its 750company-owned stores. "The bulk of our business is new tires,"Davis said, saying used tires are inspected before being sold.
Used tires have been the subject of intensifying concern byautomakers and safety advocates. In addition, automakers havebacked guidelines that tires should only be in service for sixyears. To promote safety and convenience, it is best to useproven auto parts like the Exedy

About the author:Mike Bartley, 49, is a professional automotive journalistdomiciled in Irvine, CA. He travels from one state to another tocover the hottest auto shows, racing events and automotiverevelations. His penned compositions cover press releases,reviews, and suggestions. Where the auto action is, that'sexactly where you can find Mike.