New Car Registrations and Car Insurance
 by: Andrew Bowen

In September 2001 the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) introduced a new number plate registration system that was designed to last for 49 years. The new change was welcomed not only by the car dealers but also by the car insurance industry as the DVLA also decided to issue new car registrations twice a year instead of once a year.

In the past, new registrations were issued on 1st August every year. Inevitably this caused a major headache for insurance companies as so many people required insurance at this time. This once a year rush for insurance was compounded by the summer timing when most people, including insurance company employees, go on holiday. Today, the new registrations are issued in March and September. This eases the workload for insurance companies and allows them to more easily staff up for the increase in calls.

Of course, the old system ran for about 38 years and so there is still a large population of people who require insurance renewal on 1st August. So around July, August and September, Insurance companies are still especially busy and you can generally expect long call centre waits with a lot of direct companies.

Using the internet instead is a much easier and quicker way of getting your new car insurance quote. Accept Direct (http://www.acceptdirect.co.uk) have a very fast online quote system which eliminates call centre waiting times. The Accept Direct website is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and will deliver you a competitive quote in minutes.

So next time you need car insurance, whether you’re looking for a cheap insurance quote for your brand new car or would like to get a low cost renewal, just go to the Accept Direct website at and save yourself some time and money.

Copyright (c) 2004 Accept Direct Limited http://www.acceptdirect.co.uk

About The Author

Andrew Bowen is the CEO of Accept Direct Limited. Accept Direct offer car insurance to UK customers through their website http://www.acceptdirect.co.uk

Eunice

Austin Texas

Austin car insurance quote information submitted online to legitimate companies can be considered safe so long as their are no malicious software or programs lurking in their databases or servers. Generally, companies put in place security protocols to avoid information theft. They do this because people will not trust them anymore if the information sent to them are being used for other purposes.

Usually, when you ask for car insurance quote online, you’ll get to fill out sets of questions. Each of these forms are encrypted so that only the company gets to have them. When a page is not secure, there is usually a prompt saying that a third party can access or read your information. If you read this, you can choose to cancel the process. But if you don’t read this prompt, the page is secure. Anyway, the most personal information you will be giving is your phone number and home address. You will not be asked for your credit card information.

If you don’t feel comfortable trusting your personal information online, try using those agencies that do not ask for personal data but still provide instant car insurance quote. These companies will only ask for your age, gender, car type and model and any driving violations. These are general enough that you won’t feel threatened by information theft. Any information theft will give the offenders nothing valuable or significant.

Of course, there is always the traditional method of getting quotes. You can visit your trusted insurance company in Austin and sit down with an agent to discuss your insurance needs. You can be sure that your information will be kept safe this way. The downside is, you’ll get to do more legwork. But if you don’t mind the little exercise and spending a little time with an agent, then, go ahead and use this process.

Dean

Austin Texas

I know how it feels like to buy your first car insurance policy. DO not worry though, I will give you some tips that will remove all your worries.

1. What you need to do first is to research all the terms and definitions with all the types of car insurance coverage. This will greatly help you decide on what coverage to choose that suits your budget and needs.

2. The next thing to do is to shop around for types of coverage and compare the quotes that you will get from the top rated car insurance companies. This is one of the most important thing to do if you want to get cheap car insurance for new drivers in Austin. Do not get the first car insurance quote that will be offered to you. There will definitely be cheaper insurance than the first offer.

3. An auto insurance agent is there to help you decide on what to get if you get confused on what to purchase. They can explain to you whatever you need to know.

4. Determine what type of car insurance coverage you really need and if you can afford it. It is best to know your finances and make sure that you do not only focus finding cheap car insurance for new drivers in Austin, make sure you get an insurance company that is reliable and stable. Ask around or search online to know the reliability of a certain company.

That is basically it. Do not worry much. Do not be afraid to ask your auto insurance agent or any representative from the insurance company if there is something that you do not understand in the policy that is given to you. Good luck!

Good day! I just purchased a sedan and I want to know if there’s better way to get insurance quote in Texas.

Carol

Austin TX

A few years ago, asking for a car insurance quote in Texas means having to go to your local insurance company. And in most cases, everyone ends up purchasing car insurance to the first company they walked in. These days, you have a newer option and its called free online insurance quote. Yes it is free! But you need to know the different coverage since you are on your own selecting on a list of coverage. Here is an example of list of coverage which will look exactly the same as in a free online insurance quote.

- bodily injured liability
- property damage liability
- uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
- uninsured motorist property damage coverage
- medical payments coverage

Most of the terms above are required by law on certain states. If you want to lessen the price of your free online insurance quote in Texas, find out which one is not required and basically purchase the mandatory ones. Of course you can purchase all of them if money is not a factor since the purpose of car insurance is for the protection of drivers and their vehicles.

In some cases, if a person buys a car through a car loan, car dealers require them to purchase the comprehensive and collision coverage. This type of coverage is somewhat pricey compared to the coverage required by law. But once you’re done paying your car loan, you can now get back to purchasing the coverage that are only required by law.

Nancy

Austin TX

There are numerous factors that can affect your auto insurance. People thought that state policies have an impact on it but if you compare different quotes offered by different insurance company they differ by a wide margin. In the end, it’s the insurance agents who decide what your insurance cost will be.

Your insurance quote will depend on many factors. Your age, driving record, the type and model of your vehicle and the coverage you want. Facts about your vehicle’s condition, mileage and even place of its registration can influence your insurance quote. The big factors that can influence your insurance quote will be your driving experience. Having been in a car accident or if you live in an area with high crime rate can cause your insurance cost to rise.

There are also factors that can reduce it. Applying for discounts which you are eligible for can decrease your insurance rate. Discounts such as safety and security features installed on your car, low mileage discount and more, ask your insurance agent. Increasing your deductible can also lower your car insurance premium.

Another common mistake people do is purchasing coverage they don’t really need. Be exact on what coverage you need, provide exact information so your insurance company can provide the right coverage thus it will save you money. To sum it up, study and compare quotes carefully and be truthful about the information you are giving to your insurance company.

Is there any way that I can lower the cost of my auto insurance?

Susan

Austin, TX.

Susan,

You could lower the cost of your insurance many ways.

For people who own older cars, it may not be necessary or cost-effective to protect them with collision and comprehensive coverage. By comparing the book value of your vehicle and the premium that the insurer has offered, you may find that it cost as much for the insurance as it does for the vehicle. If the car is worth less than $2,000, you will probably spend more insuring it than it is worth. The whole idea of driving an older car is to save money, so why not get what is coming to you.

In addition, keep in mind that the type of vehicle you buy could greatly affect your premium. A flashy red sports car is usually going to cost more to insure than a mid sized sedan. This is also true of vehicles that are on the list of most stolen. There are many ways that policyholders can save on their insurance. Knowing more about auto policies and premiums can help consumers take advantage of less obvious discounts while ensuring that they have the appropriate protection for their vehicles. The last way to save is to assume more risk. If you chose higher deductible on your Personal Injury Protection or Comprehensive and collision coverage will lower your premium as well. The deductible is the amount of money you have to pay before your insurance company begins paying the rest.

Can Insurers miss DUI convictions?

Steve

Elgin, TX.

Steve,

It’s possible that your insurance company will never find out about your DUI conviction if you don’t have to get an SR-22. A June 2002 study by the Insurance Research Council revealed that as many as one-quarter of driving convictions never end up on motor vehicle records due to lack of shared information between courts and motor vehicle departments, or because a conviction has been erased through alternative means, such as driving school. If you get your charge reduced in a plea bargain, or have a limited license suspension, such as 30 days, it’s also very unlikely your insurer will find out about your conviction.

 If your insurance company misses the conviction at the time it happens, it may still have a few years to raise car insurance rates if the DUI is discovered later.

Great Question.

George

Roundrock, Tx.

George,

Laws regarding DUI/DWI and car insurance coverage vary by state. Most states require DUI offenders to get a form called an SR-22 from their auto insurers, so you can’t hide. This form proves to the DMV that you carry liability insurance and removes your license suspension. An SR-22 also requires your insurance company to notify the DMV if it cancels your auto insurance for any reason. You’ll likely have to file proof of insurance for three – sometimes five – years with your state’s DMV.

Excellent Question.

Bill

Austin, TX.

Bill,

SR22 is a form of auto insurance. Required by law for someone that has been convicted of a DUI/DWI.

SR22 insurance guarantees the Department of Public Safety ( DPS) that you have the required amount of coverage required to drive under this situation. If th policy lapses, ends, or has any gap in it, the insurance company is required to let the DPS office that you no longer have insurance coverage. Upon this notification the DPS office will suspend your drivers license immediately.

As you can see it is very important to get and keep the SR22 insurance if convicted of a DUI/DWI.

Interesting Question. Thank you hope this information helps.

Alex

Austin, TX.

Alex, 

The amount your premiums will increase is unknown, it is likely they could double. Further, if you have enjoyed a “preferred driver” status with low premiums, a DUI conviction could nearly triple your premiums in some states.

 There are no laws in effect that regulate the premiums that you are charged. What this means is that each company is free to charge whatever prices they want in order to issue you one of these high risk SR22 insurance policies. Knowing this, the best thing you can do is to comparison shop and get quoted on as many policies as you possibly can before deciding on a particular insurance company.

Thank You for the great question.