In November, 1988, the electorate in California approved Proposition 103 to prevent the massive increases in premiums that were affecting all consumers looking for insurance. After major litigation to decide whether the Proposition was constitutional, it was finally implemented in May 1989 and rapidly revolutionized the rates of insurance across the state which fell by an average of 45% between 1989 and 2001. It is estimated that up to 2006, Californian drivers alone saved $62 billion on their auto insurance rates. Then the Consumer Watchdog combined with other socially active groups to force the insurance companies to abandon the practice of basing rates on the zip code and not your record as a driver. Now comes Assembly Bill 2800 which emerged from the Senate Appropriations Committee in August 2008.
This is being treated as a slightly more controversial measure. The auto insurance industry is campaigning to allow a switch to mileage and use as criteria for fixing the premiums. It estimates that this could produce further average savings in premiums of about $275 per vehicle. It would work by placing a small monitoring device in every vehicle to assess how far you drive in a year and how well you drive. But this device is viewed as an invasion into the privacy of drivers. As a compromise, the Insurance Commissioner suggests that drivers could allow the insurers to make regular checks on the odometer rather than allowing electronic collection and transmission of data. If the electronic version of the plan does go ahead, it will allow companies to identify consistently low-risk drivers from the time of day they use the roads, the speed at which they drive and the distance they travel. Such drivers will receive the maximum discounts available. Those deemed more likely to have accidents from the way they drive will potentially pay more.
The current system allows drivers to report their own mileage. The industry standard is to offer discounts to drivers who do less than 10,000 miles per year. Obviously, there's a temptation in difficult economic times for drivers to underestimate their mileage to gain the discounts. This proposed device will reward the genuine drivers and charge a fair premium to the others. It will also help to save the planet because drivers who maintain a lower average speed use less gas and so produce less emissions. For once, the auto insurance industry would be helping to fight global warming which is very public-spirited it.
It's a sad fact that auto insurance is a boring subject. The only reason we tolerate it is that all but three states in the union have passed laws requiring us to have it. Were it not for that, we would all just let it die. So the eternal question we ask each other when we have nothing better to do is, "How much is enough?" Every state with a compulsory system starts off with a statutory minimum. This is the amount of liability insurance we must carry if we are to be lawful on the public roads. Failure to have this insurance in place results in a fine for the first offense. Repeat offenders face the risk of jail time with some states prepared to confiscate the vehicle and send it to the crusher. So, if the state sets the floor, is that enough, or should we all top up?
Take Florida as a case in point. It requires local drivers to carry two policies, both in the sum of $10,000, for personal injuries and damage to property. Have you seen how fast the cost of medical treatment has been rising? Even everyday drugs are expensive. But the moment you set foot inside a hospital, the bill starts escalating faster than a Hummer burns up gas. And what about the cost of repairs in a body shop? How much will $10,000 buy if two other vehicles are involved in the same traffic accident? Now let's go to Maine. Here the minimum is to carry $50,000 for one person injured. If two or more are injured, they share $100,000 to (hopefully) cover their medical expenses. The minimum for property damage is $25,000. These are slightly more realistic figures but, when you add in all the possible claims for consequential and incidental losses, both sets of numbers are inadequate.
If you were to ask an agent for one of the auto insurance companies, he or she would tell you that you can't have too much insurance. Since agents earn a commission on the sale of policies, this is not a surprising opinion. So it comes down to a simple rule. If you have a choice, you don't need to top up your minimum liability policy if you don't have assets to protect. Let's say you live in a rental apartment with few items of furniture and no savings in the bank. If you get involved in a traffic accident, there's no point in chasing you for money. But should you own an expensive house, have a portfolio of investments and enjoy a good lifestyle, you're worth suing. It's therefore in your interests to buy additional collision, comprehensive and uninsured/underinsured cover. As a final thought, you may not have a choice because lenders of auto loans always insist on full insurance.
Is there anything like the excitement feeling when you leave on a vacation overseas? You count down the days to your trip, looking at red X's in your calendar. You've packed your bags, prepared your tickets, and also prepared your passport for a stamp. You'll be on your way before you know it! But what if something undesired happens on your way to vacation? What if the weather will stress your health? You'll get sick? Lose your luggage? In that case, we have a couple suggestions of how you might act in making your trip maximum smooth. Even in cases of unthinkable things taking place.
Overseas insurance pack - what is it?
Most insurance companies are offering full-overseas insurance packs. They start with minimum seven-day coverage, costing lass than $50 per person. Your destination staying period, age and number of people in your party determine the price. They generally embrace:
Things to check, before leaving
Health Insurance: Health insurance isn't extended outside the U.S. in most cases. Therefore, checking with your insurance and seeing your exact entail coverage is a smart idea.
Lost Luggage Insurance: That's an insurance you really have to check up on before leaving to your overseas holiday. Even though homeowner's insurance policies cover destruction or theft of your property, they don't cover things not listed in the actual policy. So, having a lost luggage insurance adds confidence that your bags contents, lost during vacation, will be covered.
Car Insurance: If you're planning to rent a car to ride, whence you're overseas, applying for an international driver license would be a good idea. Don't forget to read the driving rules in the country you're going to. They surely may differ from those in U.S. Before you leave, be sure to have adequate car insurance. Your personal auto insurance policy won't cover, if you're out of U.S., unless you have a real umbrella policy that'll cover you worldwide. You can contact your personal insurance company to do this.
Trip Interruption Insurance: Canceling your trip due to conditions that are not in your control is the worst thing to happen. Now there is an insurance called "trip interruption insurance". It can help you cover part, or even all of the money you paid on canceled trip. Cancel can be caused by weather inclemency. Or a cruise line you booked on might go out of business, before your date of departure. Another thing about this type of insurance is that you might be covered for the hotel and flight costs, if you've had to cancel the trip because of death in the family or sickness.