Thursday, November 12, 2009

Car Insurance Coverage Recommendations - A Few Facts to Help You Decide

car insurance

If you are a vehicle owner, you no doubt realize the risk of driving without car insurance. In the USA it is compulsory for car owners to at least have some basic form of car insurance. Many other countries do not have the same requirements, but that does not mean that driving without insurance is ever a good thing. There are a number of options available, and below we will make a few car insurance coverage recommendations, which should help you decide on which type of policy is the right one for you.

Fully comprehensive car insurance

This kind of insurance will cost more than any of the others, but it also gives the best protection. It is the only type of policy you will be allowed to sign up for if you buy a vehicle which is financed by a finance company. To protect themselves they will require you to sign up for a fully comprehensive policy.

You'll be covered against accidents caused both by yourself and by other drivers. You'll also be covered should your car be stolen, or burns out (not if you set it alight though!).

If you therefore have a reasonably new vehicle, or even an older vehicle but you have no money to replace it if it should be destroyed in an accident, this is the best kind of car insurance for you.

Third party, fire and theft insurance

Policies in this category will pay out if your car should be stolen, if it is damaged or destroyed by fire, or if you cause an accident by driving into somebody else's car.

It is important to note that it will only pay out if you are the guilty party. If somebody else collides with your vehicle, you are not covered. Also: there has to be another car involved. The insurance carrier won't pay out if you drive into a concrete wall.

This type of policy will suit you if you have an older car, but still drive a lot. The risk of hitting somebody else's car is therefore quite high. Although your car might be old, the other car might be new and expensive and you could end up having to pay a large amount in damages.

Third party insurance

This policy is the most affordable type of auto insurance. It will cover you in all the situations set out under third party, fire and theft insurance above, except it doesn't cover fire and theft.

You should consider this kind of insurance if you drive an older vehicle, but you live in an area where the risk of theft and fire is very low. An example is a small country town. Your policy will still pay out if you go for a Sunday drive, and you accidentally hit the very expensive car of a city slicker out for a drive with his luxury BMW.

The potential benefits of such a policy far outweigh the cost of the monthly premiums.

Our car insurance coverage recommendations above only serve as an introduction. You should do an in-depth study of the subject and you own needs before proceeding.