Car insurance

[HAL9000]

OK, we've discussed motor oil, favorite vehicles, drivers licenses, etc, now I am kinda curious what kind of prices other people pay for their car insurance and how driving habits (accidents, tickets, etc) affect it.

Around here, you have a basic insurance (200k liability and colision insurance with a $700 deductable) when you buy your license plates, so plates are expensive ($1209 per year on my '99 Sunfire GT ). Additional insurance can be purchased. For example, I bought a package for $228 per year that includes;

$50 deductable on glass (although all the glass shops in town waive this deductable)
$200 deductable on colision and comprehensive
$2,000,000 liability.

Now, if I get into an accident, my additional insurance premiums go up (usually about 10%). My drivers license will go up (about $100 for the first accident, even more if there are more than one at fault in a year). Finally, a "safe driver" program has been put into effect where it will now even increase your license plates by up to $750, but if you have a clean record for the previous 7 years, you can get up to a 7% discount (I currently get 4%...oops)

Boy... never realized how much there is to remember.... anyway, what kind of systems do you guys have?

[doctorgonzo]

We carry a bit above the state minimum, something like $50K/$100K/$50K (for property liability, personal injury liability, uninsured motorist liability). On two cars that is around $1100 a year total, I believe. We don't have collision, theft, auto glass, or anything like that because the cars are too old to merit it. I do have one total BS accident on my record, but it doesn't increase the rates all that much and in a year and a half it will disappear from my record. No moving violations either.

Man, it sounds expensive to drive in Canada!

[Kubie]

Like doctorgonzo, we have more then the state requires plus full coverage with $250.00 deductable. The total cost is 1250.00 per year. That is one car and one p/u.
No tickets or accidents helps.
Carl

[LWHiway]

Like the good Doctor stated last, I carry a bit above the minimum, but I refuse to carry uninsured motorists. Just payed my yearly of $354. No accidents, no moving violations etc. etc.

[morriswindgate]

$2849.00 a year, and that is no tickets in the past 20 years. 2000 Dodge Dakota and 1999 Neon (19 year old Daughter's car). Boy am I gonig to be glad to get her off of my insurance next month.

[HAL9000]

Originally posted by doctorgonzo Man, it sounds expensive to drive in Canada!

I dunno, it sounds like to me that the basic insurance which is built into getting license plates (that way everybody is insured) sounds like it has more coverage than you have and to get the additional insurance doesn't cost that much. Keep in mind, my $1209 for plates + $228 for additional insurance + $25 for my drivers license is all in CDN funds and works out to about $970USD total.

[doctorgonzo]

I guess it isn't all that bad. The fact that you buy your insurance with the license plates is what surprised me. Didn't know it worked that way in Canada.

[Moth]

Vehicle registration is separate from insurance here in Alberta (likewise in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Ontario, where I've also lived).

Wow, Hal, that seems pretty extreme to me! Morriswindgate, your numbers were frightening too, but I guess it's no real shock when you factor in your daughter + the state of California, eh?

My gaber is flastered by the system in Saskatchewan. Hal, do you think the price of plates could have anything to do with the fact that so many commercial operations in other provinces like to register their vehicles in Sask? Just a guess.

I buy from the Cooperators. I get a small discount for having home insurance with them (about 10% off on the auto, I believe). Public liability/ property damage + accident benefits runs me $362 annually (about $225 US). It's for an 83 Volvo, so I don't carry theft or collision (car refuses to break for seven years now, so it thwarts me finding an excuse for replacing it). They've told me it will be about 120 bucks more if I also insure a bike this summer (that's much lower than I paid for coverage on bikes when I was younger, I must say). My vehicle registration/plate is about 60 or 65 bucks each year. I'm 37, I have no accidents/ tickets, and I'm unmarried, with no kids that I'm aware of.

[homer15]

i pay 235 a month. i'm 19, unmarried, no tickets, moving violations, etc... i get a good student discount rate, and i watched this video that took 15% off my rate. they tell me that if i had gotten a v6 instead of a v8 in my truck, i would only pay 130. i carry a bit above the state minimum.

[Redo40]

I pay $1,848 yearly for full coverage on a car, truck and motorcycle with a $500 deductible. Of course I have been with the same insurance for 18 years and have only had one wreck in that time. If it wasn't for my 2 teenage boys it would be cheaper.

[HAL9000]

Where they nailed me Moth is the fact that my car is the "GT" version. Knock off about $250 for the regular model. New cars get hit pretty hard. The last few vehicles I've had were;

1987 Pontiac Safar station wagon: $565
1989 Ford Festiva: $555
1988 Ford Mustang (4 banger) $535

As homer pointed out, the engine makes a difference too. Back in January of 1987, I bought a 1984 Chrysler Daytona 2.2 litre turbo. The plates for it were $525. Six months later, I traded it for a brand new 1987 Daytona with a 2.5 litre engine (no turbo) and the plates were only $368.

[PardeGT]

Insurance on my 87 Nissan Pickup is $369 annually. This is liabity only as I don't feel the truck is worth having comprehensive with the trucks age and 220k miles. Our state minimum is 25K/50K/25K for Bodily Injury/Property Damage/Uninsured Motorist - I carry 50K/100K/50K though and $500 deductible. Statue of limitations on increased rates for accidents/tickets is 3 years so I am in the clear there.

Plates run me $87 annually and every five years it costs $18 for a license permit (breaks down to $3.60/yr).

So in total I pay $459.60 a year.

[Moth]

I'd like to see insurance companies give more weight to driving records --- and less to things like age, gender, and the level of performance available from particular vehicles.

I put 200,000 km (125,000 mi) /year on a 50 ton, 22-wheeled truck - without incident, and my insurance company said it doesn't mean squat to them when determining my premium.

[doctorgonzo]

Originally posted by Moth I'd like to see insurance companies give more weight to driving records --- and less to things like age, gender, and the level of performance available from particular vehicles.

I'd like to see that, as well as more resources spent on combatting fraud. Bogus claims raise rates for everybody, and if my personal experience is any indication of the state of bogus claims, there is a serious problem.

[HAL9000]

Yup, that's kinda what the "safe driver" program is all about here. You can save up to 7% on your license plates which may not be much, but at least it's something.

[troysvihl]

I pay about $1.4k a year. I carry quite a bit of extra insurance and my driving record is spotty at best. (I'm an "agressive" driver)

I buy my insurance directly from Amica. I found them about a year ago. They're much cheaper than my last company, and they dispurse profits back to their customers at the end of every year. A couple of months back, I got a few hundred back. (25% of my premium) So if you think you're paying too much, give them a call or check out their website www.amica.com.