It seems some things follow like night and day. So, within minutes of President Obama signing the healthcare reform bill into law, a small gang of state attorneys general filed suit to have the law declared unconstitutional. Their complaint? In short, they argue Congress has no power to make people buy some “thing” from a private company. As a strictly libertarian approach, they say it infringes the liberty of the individual. Of course, all the liberal law professors immediately burst out laughing in their blogs. This was the worst kind of political grandstanding in an election year. These attorneys general were using taxpayers money to make a political and not a legally sustainable point. Now, we could all wait for the judges to rule, but where is the fun in that. So here is this website’s own opinion.
The standard comparison is between health and auto insurance. In all but three states, there is a mandate for vehicle owners to carry a minimum amount of coverage. The argument in general terms goes that if it is not unconstitutional to force people to buy auto insurance, it cannot be unconstitutional to force people to buy health insurance. Except the comparison does not really stand up to analysis. Human biology being what it is, you cannot avoid breathing and the heart beating. But you do have a choice about whether to buy or drive someone else’s vehicle on the road. So auto insurance is mandated on the basis of your own economic activity. Health insurance would be a mandate based on your inactivity. Secondly, the insurance you buy if you do decide to drive is liability coverage, i.e. it is for the benefit of other drivers, their passengers, pedestrians and property owners. So the constitution is not offended if you make a free decision to drive and are mandated to protect third parties by buying insurance. But the constitution may be offended if you are required to insure your own health. There is a further distinction because the auto insurance mandates are all state-based. There is no federal mandate for auto insurance.
A better comparison might be the early Militia Acts requiring ordinary citizens to buy their own guns and ammunition so they could band together into an effective fighting force. This was an unconditional mandate. It was based on the national government’s need to maintain an armed force in a state of readiness, even though individual citizens might live hundreds of miles from any possible threat and might never actually have a need to fight. Yet this mandate as to gun ownership fits into the Libertarian view of the world, while aiming for a more universal form of health care is communism and therefore unpatriotic. There are, of course, more technical arguments based on the individual provisions in the Constitution but they only get boring. So we will leave you with the thought that, sadly, you have no right to challenge your state’s car insurance mandate on the ground it is unconstitutional. The only way of finding cheap auto insurance is to use sites like this to get quotes from the maximum number of insurance companies. Hopefully, the wider you cast the net, the greater the chance of finding a policy giving you the terms you need at a premium rate you can afford.
Auto insurance companies calculate your premium based on the risk that you might be involved in an accident or suffer a loss. If you can show your insurance company that you will likely be a good risk, the more chance you have of getting the lowest rates on your auto insurance.
Do your research and compare auto insurance companies, because some will offer better rates than others. When you are shopping around, be sure to let your agent know about every safety feature your car comes equipped with. It matters that your vehicle has airbags in the front, but also if your vehicle comes equipped with airbags on the side as well. Let your agent know if you have anti-lock brakes or any other safety features that might be taken into account to lower your premium.
Cover all of your vehicles with the same insurance company and you will get a multi-vehicle discount. Add your homeowners insurance and renters insurance for an additional discount. Show that you and your teenager have taken defensive driving courses. All of these are great ways to get discounts on your auto insurance.
Look carefully at your deductibles. This is the amount of out of pocket expense you will have in the event of a loss due to collision or comprehensive damage. Your premium will be higher the lower your deductible is. If you are a careful and prudent driver, you might consider a deductible of $1000 for collision and $500 for comprehensive. While the likelihood of having a collision is something that is more within your control, comprehensive damage is not always the case. So you might consider keeping the lower deductible in place for comprehensive coverage.
Maintain a good driving record and remain free of accidents, which will keep your auto insurance lower as well. Insurance companies care about whether you are a prudent driver and can avoid accidents even if they are not your fault. Keep your focus on drivers in front of you and behind you to be on the lookout for accidents before they happen. Adjust for the weather and use caution while driving in increment weather. Turn on headlights during the hours of dawn and dusk, and be aware of large trucks and how to drive around them safely. Most accidents involving large trucks result in severe damage and in some cases, death for the driver and passengers of smaller vehicles.
Let your agent know when circumstances change. If you were driving to and from work for a total of twenty-five miles each day and that will change to a total of ten miles per day, let them know. If you change jobs and drive fewer miles each day, your premium can be adjusted to a lower amount. If you plan to move to another location, your agent can advise you ahead of time how this will affect your premium.
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Q: Should I carry insurance with my car? A: Almost all states make it mandatory for the car owner to carry insurance with his vehicle as a proof of financial liability in case there’s damage or injury delivered to third parties while being on the road. Not having sufficient insurance coverage (lower than the state minimum) is illegal and may result in a substantial fine, license suspension and even time in custody. This only applies to the liability portion of your insurance policy, as other types of coverage are strictly optional. Q: Should I purchase insurance prior buying a new car? A: In case you’re purchasing your first car, you should definitely buy insurance first, otherwise you won’t be able to drive it from the dealer’s shop. Moreover, if you’re using a car loan to finance the purchase, your loan provider will make it a strict condition to purchase specific insurance in order to get the money you need. In case you already have a car and want to replace it with a new one, you should inform your insurance provider about that and get new rates for the car make and model you want to purchase. You usually have between 2 to 4 weeks to contact your provider regarding the purchase, depending on the company. In case you’re purchasing an additional vehicle and want to include it in your current policy, the regulations vary from company to company. Usually, companies require notification within a period of 30 days, after which they will inform you about approval (or non approval). Q: How to get cheap auto insurance rates? A: First of all, shop around to see what different providers on the market have to offer. You will notice that different companies set different rates for the same car and amount of insurance. This is because of competition, different claims history, and classification of vehicles and drivers. So make sure to get as much quotes as you can in the first place and choose the most competitive policy from what you are offered with. You can also buy an insurance-friendly car, if you’re looking for a new vehicle at the moment. Ask the dealer or the insurance agent, which cars tend to get lower rates. Sports cars, performance vehicles, SUVs, convertibles and luxury cars are usually more expensive to insure. Stay with the middle class cars that have high safety and security rating. You can also increase your deductible, however it’s a risky technique. By increasing your deductible you increase the amount of money you’ll have to pay before the policy coverage kicks in. For example, if you have a deductible of $1,000 then you’ll have to pay for any damage below this amount out of own pocket. So make sure to choose a deductible you can afford. Q: How can I get cheap auto insurance for my teen? A: First of all, don’t haste to get insurance for your teen while he or she is still going through the learning process of driving a car. Wait until your teen driver gets a permanent license and then you can look for auto insurance coverage. Second, see if your teen qualifies for the good grades discount, which applies to students with an average of B and higher. Most insurance providers offer such a discount. Third, think of purchasing a less costly, old car for your teen that will assure lower insurance rates at the initial stage. And don’t forget that your teen has to maintain a clean driver’s record in order to keep those rates low.
About Author Find Norris Rios’s other contributions at http://www.firmtrust.net/articles/auto-insurance-purchasing-faq.html where he gladly shares his opinion on many different subjects and helps people around the globe find a better understanding of the things they’re interested in.