if you want to save money on car insurance with Geico, switch to Allstate or AAA

back in 2008 I got the same car insurance coverage levels on the same car, by about 8 different car insurance companies, and Allstate and AAA came in very close to the same costs, and I got fed up with listening to the Geico ads, the ones that keep repeating how you "COULD" save UP TO 430 dollars by switching from your car insurance company... you've probablly heard it to, on radio, TV, internet pop ups, magazine full page ads, etc etc. All that advertising costs them so much, they charge more to their customers so the profit isn't hit.

I just got a quote from
AAA for $970 every 6 months,
Geico for $1030 every 6 months

And Allstate charges me $812

Now, I mentioned that AAA and Allstate charge about the same, but the above numbers are about 180 dollars apart... well, everyone seems to do one thing or another to sweeten their deal, and AAA has a dividend check, and Allstate has the customer loyalty discount, plus decreasing deductible discount, and all that stuff.

So with those factors removed, AAA and Allstate charge about the same.

the 2008 comparison is here: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/11/car-insurance-comparison.html  and I don't have the time tonight to get quotes from the rest of those companies to see how they've compared after 4 years, but you'll notice the difference between Allstate and Geico has doubled. 

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car collector John Chapman lost more than 175 cars in the Texas wildfires... including a Shelby Cobra

found on http://www.oldcarsweekly.com/news/hobby-news/collectors-175-cars-including-shelby-cobra-lost-in-texas-wildfires that links to the info from http://www.chron.com/news/article/Bastrop-wildfires-destroy-1-000-plus-homes-2157848.php#photo-1578531
photo by Eric Gay

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a 1917 car insurance pamphlet excerpts

 the above has some offensive, bizarre, and obsolete info to offer as advice. Put on bumpers? Leave the lights on when parked at night?

http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/?facet=Subject=Autos%20and%20Roads

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Why isn't your car insurance company lowering your rates on the theft portion or your premiums?

Now that the cops in the US and Canada have license plate recognition software that instantly identifies stolen cars http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/03/automatic-license-plate-recognition.html

And now that LoJack has a 90% return success rate http://www.lojack.com/why/pages/theft-facts.aspx plus the chop shops and car theft organizations shut down because LoJack claims to have led cops to the stolen cars... well, good.

So with all this focus and recovery on stolen cars, car insurance payouts would logically be less, and if they pay out less, they would logically be charging us less. But they aren't

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Sports and muscle cars are a better investment than the stock market

Hagerty's is a really cool car insurance company, this was part of their newsletter. Click on it to make it full size and easier to see what the various colored lines represent, and what cars comprise the group that the blue line that is out outperforming the stock market

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"Why car thieves love a '94 Honda Accord" from Insure.com, a good look at the stolen car issue

The most stolen vehicles:

1. 1994 Honda Accord
2. 1995 Honda Civic
3. 1991 Toyota Camry
4. 1997 Ford F-150 Pickup
5. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
6. 2000 Dodge Caravan
7. 1994 Chevrolet pickup (full size)
8. 1994 Acura Integra
9. 2002 Ford Explorer
10. 2009 Toyota Corolla
Source: NICB, based on car thefts in 2009

Older cars tend to be popular targets. In addition to supplying in-demand parts, these older cars are:

•Easier to steal. Car manufacturers in recent years have added many theft deterrents that older models don't have.
•Not as likely to have after-market security devices, such as warning, tracking and disabling devices.

Metropolitan areas with the highest vehicle theft rates

1. Laredo, Texas
2. Modesto, Calif.
3. Bakersfield, Calif.
4. Stockton, Calif.
5. Fresno, Calif.
6. Yakima, Wash.
7. San Francisco/Oakland/Fremont, Calif.
8. Visalia/Porterville, Calif.
9. Las Vegas/Paradise, Nev.
10. Albuquerque, NM

Source: NICB, based on car thefts in 2009

Read the whole article to be better informed about car theft:
http://www.insure.com/car-insurance/most-stolen-cars-2010.html

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Car insurance from a different viewpoint

"Car insurance companies will offer somewhat lower rates to their customers simply by driving a car that will cost less to fix if it gets in an accident." http://www.cheapcarinsurance.net/car-insurance-rates-and-damage-susceptibility/

Makes sense! I never thought of it that way, since so much of my insurance is based on age, and location... I wonder how much of my 65 a month is based on what the car stats are for repairs?

"In setting insurance premiums, insurance companies mainly rely on factors that are not directly related to the vehicle itself (except for its value). They mainly consider driver characteristics (such as age, gender, marital status, and driving record), the geographic area in which the vehicle is driven, how many miles are traveled, and how the vehicle is used."
http://www.cheapcarinsurance.net/car-insurance-rates-and-damage-susceptibility-alt/

Ok, those two excerpts seem to conflict a little...

"However, some companies adjust their premiums for personal injury protection and medical payment coverage if the insured vehicle has features that are likely to improve its crashworthiness, or ability to protect occupants from injury or death, such as air bags. " http://www.cheapcarinsurance.net/car-insurance-rates-and-damage-susceptibility-alt/

Ah HA! I was right

For the stats on vehicles, so you can base a car purchase on what your insurance company is likely to charge relative to other purchases...
The luxury "large", and "very large" have the highest "Relative Average Loss Payment Per Insured Vehicle Year" usually twice to three times the ordinary cars

Lotus Elize : 435
Maserati Quattroporte 4dr : 429
BMW M5 4dr : 317
Nissan 350Z : 217

Dodge Caravan : 68
Saturn Outlook 4dr : 33
Jeep Wrangler 4dr : 33
GMC Acadia 4dr 4WD : 30

So boring cars are less paid out than exciting cars... logically.
Thanks to Scott at http://www.cheapcarinsurance.net/

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I've read every issue, I get them from paying Hagerty's for insurance, but both are worth praise

https://shop.hagerty.com/s-9-hagertys-magazine.aspx

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A travel insurance company started by a woman who couldn't get insurance... she had breast cancer. Now, she insures cancer fighters

Travel insurance

Our travel policy has been developed by a woman with first-hand experience of living with the condition. She understands, better than most, the frustration of trying to find affordable cover so families can enjoy a well earned break with peace of mind.

Our competitive travel insurance has been created for all, in consultation with established breast cancer charities that understand the issues faced by those affected by breast cancer, especially when seeking affordable travel insurance.
We believe insurepink addresses the main issues:
Fairness when providing cover for everyone with the condition, as well as everyone who simply wants to support the cause
The same process for obtaining cover, with or without the condition
Reflecting the true risks of holiday travel, not the perceived risk of travelling with a severe condition
Standard competitive insurance for you and your family
Changing insurance for the better and giving something back so everyone benefits

Travel insurance
Travel FAQ
Travel Hints and Tips
Car insurance
Car FAQ
Car Hints and Tips
Home insurance
Home FAQ
Home Hints and Tips
About Pink Ribbon Foundation
Fiona's story

http://www.insurepink.co.uk/travel-insurance/travelInformation.html
Thanks to Neilson Hall for bringing this up!

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Car insurance comparison

For insuring my daily driver I am calling the top 10 biggest insurance companies around, and with the identical policy info given to them, here's the dirt on how bad they will rip you off compared to the other company.

 Rip off? Yeah, if you are forced to pay for it but never use it, need it, or file a claim, it's a rip off.

If you use it, when you need it, that's a different situation of trauma, drama, and need for assistance.. that would be a damn good time to have customer service.

I haven't had any customer service from car insurance companies, just from the insurance agent that I was fortunate enough to find when comparing companies years ago. My agent has been at the same company, as an agent for over 30 years, and I really dig his whole role and occsional check in with me to keep in touch.

Anyway here's the rip offs: (6 month policy quotes) in US Dollars

 Allstate: $438

AAA: $448

 Farmers: $477

 Geico : $525

State Farm: $608

Progressive: $619

Mercury: $634

20th Century / AIG : $696

Sad huh?! I'm going to get more quotes, and update this post with them, during the regular work week I suppose, since Saturday wasn't good for gettting ahold of local agents when their company didn't have a 1 800 #

 Also, if you are a member of the following 6 occupational organizations, associations, or university degree holding professions, you are going to get a discount too from some insurance companies:

 California Medical Assoc.

California Association of CPAs

LA county Bar Association

Degrees in Education, Engineers, and Scientists

So, if you were lucky to get college degrees for those wealth making professions, you are going to keep more of your dough 'cause the insurance companies have found that those types of people aren't as likely to have their expensive cars stolen, damaged in parking lots, or hit in traffic jams. Must be really special to have the car gods shine on you like that.

 Also, the insurance companies will jack you for a more money if you don't have car insurance... they aren't picky either, they don't care if you stopped due to a reason, or who you used to have, they are equal opportunity opportunists, and just that you don't currently have insurance on a car is all the reason they need to charge more without doing anything more for you.. further giving me cause to label them all rip offs.

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