| Online car insurance |
| Written by Antione Black | |
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You’ve just driven your brand new car out of the motor dealer’s showroom, and you’re ready to show off this shiny new beauty to your family and friends. All those months of saving hard-earned bucks has come to an end, and here you are - finally behind the wheel of your very own car! As you cruise into the neighbourhood, a child suddenly runs across the road, directly in your path. What do you do? Of course, you do what every driver does in such a situation. You swerve to avoid the child. Unfortunately, however, you and your prized new possession, collide into a street post. Luckily the only injury to you is a badly bruised ego, but your car hasn’t been so fortunate… her hood is scrunched up against the windshield. This unhappy scene, or something more serious like theft or fire to the car, can happen in the blink of an eye. For the person who is not covered by a car insurance policy, the situation is even worse as they will have to foot the bill for all damage. There are several online car insurance policy options. These include Third Party Fire and Theft, Third Party, Windscreen Cover and, the most popular - Comprehensive Cover. Comprehensive Cover is recommended if the car is new or still has a good resale value. A comprehensive policy not only covers damages to your car, but it will also cover damages suffered by other parties, or property, involved in the accident. Third Party cover protects you against claims made against you or someone else driving your vehicle. Third Party Fire and Theft gives extra protection; if your vehicle is stolen or catches fire, you can submit a claim. Certain Third Party Fire and Theft policies include Windscreen Cover that covers all the glass on your car, not only the windscreen. Comprehensive Cover policies include Windscreen Cover. The monthly premium will be determined by several criteria, such as the age of the driver, the type of vehicle, and the driver’s driving record. A driver who has a clean slate regarding traffic violations (speeding, illegal parking etc) will pay a lower premium than a driver who has been guilty of regular offences. Age plays a large part in a person’s driving record. For obvious reasons, a 45-year-old driver is likely to have a much better driving record than a 17-year-old. You can get a copy of your driving record via an insurance agent, or through a number of websites. To ensure you pay the lowest premium, be a ‘safe’ driver. A safe driver is a person who obeys the law, is courteous to other road-users, never exceeds speed limits, pays attention while driving, and always has one objective in mind, i.e. the safety of everyone in the vicinity – other drivers, passengers and pedestrians. If you fit this category you will have insurance companies clamouring for your business, and you will definitely qualify for the lowest premium. Most car insurance policies offer a ‘no claim bonus’. This helps keeps premiums to a minimum if the insured person has not made a claim. These days, you can purchase a car insurance policy from online insurance agents. There are numerous online insurance companies and brokers offering this service. Visit several websites to get insurance quotes. This is a simple procedure, and it’s free – all you need do is complete the company’s online quote form. You’ll be amazed at how quickly the online insurance agents will respond. Competition in the car insurance industry is fierce, and most online insurance agents work on a commission basis so they are hungry for business. Many offer substantial discounts on insurance quotes. Study each quote carefully and then select the right car insurance policy for you. If you’re still unsure, get more quotes. Once you’ve accepted a quote, your online insurance agent will take you through the procedure of finalising your policy. Car insurance claims can also be submitted online. In the event of an accident, claims must be lodged as soon as possible by logging on to your insurance company’s website. You will be contacted by a car insurance claims specialist who will record all the details of the accident. Here are some important points to remember if you are involved in an accident that causes damage or injury to any person, animal or another vehicle. First and foremost, STOP! Give your name and contact details to other parties involved. Likewise, get their details. The accident should be reported to the police within 24 hours. All vehicle owners should have an adequate car insurance policy. We might not like paying the premiums month after month, year after year, but we should never forget that one day our car insurance policy might just save us massive financial expenses in the event of an accident. |
