Thursday, August 5, 2010

Public Policy on Insurance - Different Strokes For Different Countries

In most parts of the World, it is compulsory to have vehicle insurance before using or keeping a motor vehicle on public roads. Most jurisdictions relate insurance to both the car and the driver, however the degree of each varies greatly.

In South Australia, Third Party Personal insurance from the Motor Accident Commission is included in the licence registration fee for people over 16. A similar system applies in some other parts of the world.

In places like Victoria, Australia, third Party Personal insurance from the transport accident Commission is similarly included, through a levy, in the vehicle registration fee.

In New South Wales, Compulsory Third Party Insurance (commonly known as CTP Insurance) is a mandatory requirement and each individual car must be insured or the vehicle will not be considered legal. Therefore, a motorist cannot drive the vehicle until it is insured. A 'Green Slip, must be obtained through one of the seven main insurers in New South Wales.

In a place like Queensland, CTP is a mandatory part of registration for vehicles, and there is a choice of insurer although the government controlles the price.

These state based third party insurance schemes usually cover only personal injury liability. Comprehensive vehicle insurance is sold separately to cover property damages and cover can be for events such as fire, theft, collision and other property damages.

IN Canada,some provinces like (British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec) provide a public auto insurance system while in the rest of the country insurance is provided privately. Basic auto insurance is mandatory throughout Canada with each province's government determining which benefits are included as minimum required auto insurance coverage and which benefits are options available for those seeking additional coverage. Accident benefits coverage is mandatory everywhere except for Newfoundland and Labrador. All provinces in Canada have some form of no-fault insurance available to accident victims. The difference from province to province is the extent to which tort or no-fault is emphasized. Typically, coverage against loss of or damage to the driver's own vehicle is optional - one notable exception to this is in Saskatchewan, where SGI provides collision coverage (less than a $700 deductible, such as a collision damage waiver) as part of its basic insurance policy. In Saskatchewan, residents have the option to have their auto insurance through a tort system but less than 0.5% of the population have taken this option.


Since 1939 it is compulsory to have third party personal insurance before keeping a motor vehicle in all federal states of Germany. Besides, every vehicle owner is free to take out a comprehensive insurance policy. All types of car insurances are provided by several private insurers. The amount of insurance contribution is determined by several criteria, like the region, the type of car or the personal way of driving.

Third-party vehicle insurance is mandatory for all vehicles in Hungary. No exemption is possible by money deposit. The premium covers all damage up to HUF 500M (about €1.8M) per accident without deductible. The coverage is extended to HUF 500M (about €4.5M) in case of personal injuries. Vehicle insurance policies from all EU-countries and some non-EU countries are valid in Hungary based on bilateral or multilateral agreements. Visitors with vehicle insurance not covered by such agreements are required to buy a monthly, renewable policy at the border


The Road Traffic Act, 1933 requires all drivers of mechanically propelled vehicles in public places to have at least third-party insurance, or to have obtained exemption - generally by depositing a (large) sum of money with the High Court as a guarantee against claims. In 1933 this figure was set at £15,000. The Road Traffic Act, 1961 (which is currently in force) repealed the 1933 act but replaced these sections with functionally identical sections.

From 1968, those making deposits require the consent of the Minister for Transport to do so, with the sum specified by the Minister.

Those not exempted from obtaining insurance must obtain a certificate of insurance from their insurance provider, and display a portion of this on their vehicles windscreen. The certificate in full must be presented to a police station within ten days if requested by an officer. Proof of having insurance or an exemption must also be provided to pay for the motor tax.

Those injured or suffering property damage/loss due to uninsured drivers can claim against the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland's uninsured drivers fund, as can those injured (but not those suffering damage or loss) from hit and run offences.

In 1930, the UK government introduced a law that required every person who used a vehicle on the road to have at least third party personal injury insurance. Today UK law is defined by the Road Traffic Act 1988, which was last modified in 1991. The Act requires that motorists either be insured, have a security, or have made a specified deposit (£500,000 as of 1991) with the Accountant General of the Supreme Court, against their liability for injuries to others (including passengers) and for damage to other persons' property resulting from use of a vehicle on a public road or in other public places.

The minimum level of insurance cover commonly available and which satisfies the requirement of the Act is called third party only insurance. The level of cover provided by Third party only insurance is basic but does exceed the requirements of the act.

Road Traffic Act Only Insurance is not the same as Third Party Only Insurance and is not often sold. It provides the very minimum cover to satisfy the requirements of the Act. For example Road Traffic Act Only Insurance has a limit of £1,000,000 for damage to third party property - third party only insurance typically has a greater limit for third party property damage.

It is an offense to drive a car, or allow others to drive it, without at least third party insurance whilst on the public highway (or public place Section 143(1)(a) RTA 1988 as amended 1991); however, no such legislation applies on private land.

Vehicles which are exempted by the act, from the requirement to be covered, include those owned by certain councils and local authorities, national park authorities, education authorities, police authorities, fire authorities, health service bodies and security services.

The insurance certificate or cover note issued by the insurance company constitutes legal evidence that the vehicle specified on the document is insured. The law says that an authorised person, such as the police, may require a driver to produce an insurance certificate for inspection. If the driver cannot show the document immediately on request, and proof of insurance cannot be found by other means such as the Police National Computer, drivers are no longer issued a HORT/1. This was an order with seven days, as of midnight of the date of issue, to take a valid insurance certificate (and usually other driving documents as well) to a police station of the driver's choice. Failure to produce an insurance certificate is an offence.


Most motorists in the UK are required to prominently display a vehicle licence (tax disc) on their vehicle when it is kept or driven on public roads. This helps to ensure that most people have adequate insurance on their vehicles because an insurance certificate must be produced when a disc is purchased.

The Motor Insurers' Bureau compensates the victims of road accidents caused by uninsured and untraced motorists. It also operates the Motor Insurance Database, which contains details of every insured vehicle in the country.


In the United States, auto insurance covering liability for injuries and property damage done to others is compulsory in most states, though different states enforce the requirement differently. The state of New Hampshire, for example, does not require motorists to carry liability insurance (the ballpark model), while in Virginia residents must pay the state a $500 annual fee per vehicle if they choose not to buy liability insurance. Penalties for not purchasing auto insurance vary from State to State, but often involve a substantial fine, license and/or registration suspension or revocation, as well as possible jail term. Usually, the minimum required by law is third party insurance to protect third parties against the financial consequences of loss, damage or injury caused by a vehicle.

Several states, like California and New Jersey, have enacted "Personal Responsibility Acts" which put further pressure on all drivers to carry liability insurance by preventing uninsured drivers from recovering non-economic damages (e.g. compensation for "pain and suffering") if they are injured in any way while operating a motor vehicle.

Some states, such as North Carolina, require that a driver hold liability insurance before a license can be issued.

Some states require that insurance be carried in the car at all times, while others do not enforce this law. For example, North Carolina does not specify that you must carry proof of insurance in the vehicle; however, the law provides that you must have that information to trade with another driver in the event of an accident. Whether a State specifies you must have proof of insurance in the car or not, it's always advisable to have the information on hand in case an officer should request it.

Arizona Department of Transportation Research Project Manager John Semmens has recommended that car insurers issue license plates, and that they be held responsible for the full cost of injuries and property damages caused by their licensees under the Disneyland model. Plates would expire at the end of the insurance coverage period, and licensees would need to return their plates to their insurance office to receive a refund on their premiums. Vehicles driven without insurance would thus be easy to spot because they would not have license plates.
http:www.theautoinsuranceworld.co.cc

How to Lower Your Car Insurance Rates Now

The truth is that car insurance can be generally costly. The national average car insurance premium as of July 2009 is $1,796 or a 12% increase over the same period in 2008. But one thing that is clear is that not having a car insurance could earn you a huge car repair bill if you have an accident. There are certain determinants of the premiums that are beyond your control; such as your gender, age and record of previous claims. However, there are things you can do to lower your car insurance premiums.

The first thing you can do is to compare the rates from different shops. It is obvious that rates differ from one company to the other and you can get a better deal if you shop around. There are some independent websites that allows you to compare insurance quotes online, which include consumer buying guides that compare premiums from different insurers.

You can also save on premiums if you are willing to boost your deductibles. For example, if you increase your deductible from $250 to $1,000 then you can lower your premiums by 25% to forty percent. This money can be set aside to meet repair costs if you have an accident.

Many carriers also now consider credit scores when setting insurance rates, so make sure your score remains high. A low score can make you pay up to 50% or more in premiums.

However,there are discounts on your premiums that you may be entitled to, which you should discuss with your agent. For example, you may be offered discounts if you install certain safety devices in your car, or if you rack up a lower annual mileage than the average. Many carriers also offer students discounts if you maintain your grades at a certain level. Also, try to drive safely, since you may also get a discount if you maintain a good safety record for a certain period of time.

If you are a member of a certain organization or profession, such as a teacher or a veteran, you may also be eligible for a group discount. You may also be able to get a discount if you take out other types of coverage such as life insurance from the same carrier. However, don't put all your hope on discounts; also consider how much the company's rates are - you may still end up paying more despite the discount.

Most companies charge additional fees for installmental payments,so it is advisable to pay your premium up front if you can afford it. Never let your coverage lapse, even for a short time, because insurers will use this as a pretext to increase your premiums.

Lastly, if you are still selecting your new car, you should make sure it is a model that does not command high premiums. Insurance companies have lists of these cars, and you should contact your carrier to ask about the rates the car models you are considering will carry.

If you follow these money-saving tips, then you can save a lot on your car insurance and this may reduce your budget substantially...Read more at-http://www.theautoinsuranceworld.co.cc

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Affordable Car Insurance Quote;The Best Option For You

These days there are plenty of options for getting a car insurance quote; it can be done online, through a broker or directly from the insurance company. In order to make sure that you are getting the best deal possible it is a good idea to get a variety of quotes for comparison. However any car insurance quote is going to be largely based on how much of a risk you are to the insurance company. The best way to get low auto insurance premiums is to be a good driver.
http://www.theautoinsuranceworld.co.cc
Whenever you get a car insurance quote what you are actually getting is an assessment of how likely you are to cause an accident. This is determined through the use of actuary tables and is extremely complex, but suffice it to say, the better driver you are the less you will pay. The most important factor in determining how good a driver you are is by looking at your past history, if you have caused accidents before, the insurance company is going to assume that you will cause more accidents in the future. This is a reasonable assumption on their part since past actions are usually the best guide to future behavior.

If you don't have a good driving record, there are things that you can do to lower the amount that you pay in insurance premiums. A defensive driving course can go a long way to helping you get a lower car insurance quote. Learning to drive properly will certainly help to avoid accidents; it will also show the insurance company that you are serious about changing your ways. This will make you less of a risk and will result in a lower premium.

Another way to get a cheaper car insurance quote is to trade-in the sports car for a nice, safe family sedan. It should come as no surprise that sports cars are involved in more accidents than family cars, usually because people in sports cars drive more recklessly. You may own a sports car and be the safest driver in the world but you will have to pay more because of the behavior of other sports car drivers. This may not seem fair, but that is how it is looked at by insurance companies. It is based on generalization of large groups of people. Family cars also tend to be safer in an accident than sports cars and this is another consideration for the insurance companies. The less damage after an accident means the less they have to pay out.

Simply driving less will usually result in a lower car insurance quote. Common sense says that the less time you spend on the road the less likely you are to be in an accident. Again this lowers the risk to the insurance company and results in lower vehicle insurance quotes.

Getting a cheap car insurance quote is not all that difficult, but you must be a good driver. If you have a poor driving history you are going to pay for it no matter how much comparison shopping you do. It is never too late to change your driving habits and doing so will make it much easier to get lower auto insurance premiums in the future... Read more at http://www.theautoinsuranceworld.co.cc

At Last, The Secret Of Preventing Foreclosures Revealed:Are You In This Situation?

There are many debt relief companies that will be willing to assist you to get out of your debt and
prevent foreclosure on your home.

However,there are actions you need to take to avail yourself of these programs that will help you to modify your existing bad loan situations. The best step you can take is to first learn everything you can about the available debt relief programs.

*Make Some research on the Internet to find viable options such as:
1 Debt Management.
2 Debt Settlement.

*Compile all the documents that relate to your finances and get them ready, as they may be requested for by any of the debt relief Companies.

When choosing the Company to approach, take the following into consideration:

1 The Company's reputation
2 Number of years in the Industry
3 Reliability
4 Adherence to Industry Standards

These actions are neccessary and will help you to prevent any foreclosure on your home, regardless of how bad your debt situation is...Read more at http://www.theautoinsuranceworld.co.cc