What kind of insurance is available if I decide to rent a vehicle for my vacation here in Illinois?

Patrick

Elgin, IL

There are a few kinds of insurance coverage one can choose from while driving a rental vehicle: Rental Vehicle Insurance Coverage that may be found under an existing car insurance policy, rental auto insurance that is provided by the car rental company separately, and third party insurance coverage such as those offered by Credit Card companies in special instances. It is best that you understand how each is different from the other so that you don’t end up paying for redundant insurance protection while renting a car there in Illinois.

Rental Vehicle Insurance Coverage
Most auto insurance policies come with auto insurance coverage for driers who will be using another vehicle such as commercial rental vehicles. Some policies even extend the same level of insurance coverage to the rented vehicle as they do on your own vehicle. Do find out exactly what type of terms and provisions for rental vehicle insurance that is listed under your policy since some only extend coverage if the rented vehicle is for recreational purposes and not for business use.

Car Rental Insurance
This is good only if you really don’t have any auto insurance on your own. This simplifies facilitating claims for loss or damage on a rented vehicle but may come out expensive since it is charged on a daily rate.

Third Party Auto Insurance
See if your credit card company has any type of accident insurance if they are used to pay for car rental services. This can come in very handy in saving you unnecessary insurance expenses.

Tags: advice, auto insurance, auto insurance claims, auto insurance online, auto insurance policy

I have health insurance as well as car insurance for my vehicle here in Illinois. In case I get into an accident, how would I know which policy will give the best protection?

Lachlan

Cicero, IL

A lot of people purchase health insurance as well as auto insurance if you own an automobile. In case you get into an accident in Illinois, you have to know which of those policies will give you the kind of coverage you need. First of all, you have to be aware if you have “Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury” in your auto insurance policy and make sure you are familiar with what it does. This coverage would set a limit on the utmost cost of payment for every person, every injury and every accident. In case that the limit is not enough, your health insurance would surely give coverage for the outstanding costs.

In case you have “Personal Injury Protection” (PIP), this will cover for medical, hospital and funeral costs in any automobile collisions. In general, anyone who is involved in the accident will be covered, including other parties. This type of coverage is particularly intended for those drivers who don’t have health insurance. So if you have this coverage, you won’t need you health insurance in case of any accident. But since you also bought health insurance, you could get rid of the PIP coverage. Another reason to drop that coverage is that PIP is not required in the state of Illinois.

Tags: auto insurance policy, car insurance

Hi, I recently purchased a high-performance vehicle here in Illinois. Is it true that my car insurance rates will be off the roof?

Tyler

Chicago, IL

Having a high-performance, top of the line vehicle will certainly mean substantially higher auto insurance rates for you. Unlike regular types of vehicles there are a few reasons why a performance vehicle (sports cars, racing cars etc.) are seen by car insurance providers as costlier to insure, namely:

Car Theft
Expensive, top of the line vehicles like sports, performance and luxury vehicles costs higher to insure due to its popularity among car thieves. Since you’re getting car insurance to protect the monetary value of your asset there in Illinois, it will cost the car insurance provider more to replace or reimburse you should the vehicle get stolen or lost. Naturally, they will pass along this increased risk to you in the form of bigger insurance premiums to compensate for the risk.

Expensive Repairs
Since its a top of the line vehicle, repair and replacement of parts will be expensive as well. Unlike regular vehicles, car parts would need to be specifically ordered and extensive repairs would need to be done by specialist in order to maintain the quality and worth of the vehicle.

It may prove beneficial for you to get car insurance from a provider specializing in niche market insurance. Most of the time the coverage and rates you get are tailor fit to your particular type of vehicles need as compared to what a general insurance provider can offer.

Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance claims, car insurance company, car insurance quotes

My husband wishes to add another car to the coverage of our current auto insurance. How will that affect our premium payment here in Wheaton, Illinois?

Carmine

Wheaton, IL

Whenever you change the data of your current auto insurance policy, it will have an effect to your auto insurance rate. But you have to acquaint yourself and your husband about the guidelines of your insurance provider there in Wheaton, Illinois. Taking your case, adding up a car to your auto insurance policy affects your insurance premium payment depending on the, like what I said, guidelines of your insurer. Some insurers tend to decrease insurance premium payment for multiple cars in the auto insurance policy; while others tend to do otherwise.

Moreover, the model and the features of your new car to be added to your auto insurance are factors for the changes in the amount of your policy premium payment. Insured Sports Utility Vehicles or SUV have higher rates compared to other car models because SUV can be used for car race, thus, are more prone to damages and roadway accidents. The ability of the features of your car, on the other hand, may also give you a higher or lower rate. Car features such as air bag, anti-lock brakes and anti-theft devices, which decrease chances for serious damages, bodily injuries and theft, will give you lower insurance rates.

Tags: auto insurance, cheaper auto insurance

Would it be better to get my teenager his on car insurance here in Chicago, Illinois?

Mathilda

Chicago, IL

It will be a very good idea to add your teenager as soon as he or she gets their learner’s permit or driver’s license there in Chicago. In fact, get them added as soon as they start driving the said vehicle, supervised or otherwise. Admittedly this will cause your auto insurance premiums to become higher, due to teenagers being seen by car insurance providers as having a bigger potential to become involved in car accidents, compared to parents or someone who has more experience on the road.

If you’re thinking of getting your teenagers their own insurance policy it might not be a wise decision since it will cost you or your teenagers much more to get insurance under their own than to have them added as an occasional or named driver under your existing policy. Don’t even consider having no coverage for them at all! (you might be surprised at how many people do) since your taking an awfully big risk losing your assets to pay for damages if they cause an accident. Not to mention that its illegal in the state of Illinois to drive without proper car insurance or any equal form of financial capability.

If it proves to expensive to add them, ask about good student discounts if your teenager is getting good grades and enrolling them in defensive driving lessons can also lead to extra discounts on your insurance bills.

Tags: auto insurance, auto insurance premium, car insurance, car insurance rate

I have just gotten into a serious accident and currently in the process of replacing my car. I’m not quite sure if I have rental car coverage on my auto insurance here in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Would it be advisable to just rent a car or just take public transportation in the mean time?

Billy

Oak Lawn, IL

You need to move forward and get going after you had a serious accident. Make sure that you perfectly understand the coverage that you have on your car insurance in Oak Lawn, Illinois. To find out for sure if you have a rental car coverage on your policy, grasp the nettle and get in touch with your car insurance provider or talk to your insurance agent. They would be able to tell you specifically what your car insurance policy covers. You may also go over the copy of the insurance policy and review the details to determine if you have rental car coverage.

Renting a car than taking public transportation if you have rental car coverage would be so much sensible until you have your car replaced. You have to rent the finest vehicle that your insurance coverage lets you. Depending on your car insurance policy, the rental car you get could not be as nice as the one that you own. Nevertheless, you will not be marooned at home or cause trouble to your friends for rides in the course of getting a replacement car. Before you rent a car, make sure that you talk to your insurance agent first because you could still be responsible for collision damage to the rental vehicle.

Tags: auto insurance, car insurance policy, rental car insurance

I plan to buy a used car for my son who is bound for college soon. What are the steps that we would have to take to get cheaper premiums for his car insurance here in Waukegan, Illinois?

Noel

Waukegan, IL

There are certain things that your son would have to do to lessen his car insurance rates in Waukegan, Illinois. The first step to take is to buy an older car model because insurance premiums are less expensive for older vehicles. He would also have to avoid modifying his vehicle because doing such may cause him to pay higher premiums. Also, since the car that you’ll purchase is a used one, it may be a less valuable car so he may opt not to get collision coverage. In addition, if he gets higher deductibles, that could help lessen his car insurance rate by as much as 30%.

You may also advise him to attend defensive-driving classes because auto insurance providers usually offer motorists a discount for completing a defensive-driving course. Another way of getting a discount is to drive less than the given average number of miles every year. So if he would be close to his school, he may be entitled for this kind of discount. Best of all, he would have to look around and do some research to get the best car insurance for his needs as premiums really differ from every insurance provider.

Tags: car, car insurance, cheaper auto insurance, student car insurance, used car

I no longer have a vehicle but my insurance agent friend here in Palatine, Illinois says I might still need to carry an SR22 since I will still be driving a different vehicle. What is it and what should I do?

Gary

Palatine, IL

Hello Gary, under the financial responsibility laws of Illinois, anyone who have been caught driving under the influence (DUI), proven at-fault in a car accident or has accumulated any number of moving violations severe enough to have his or her license suspended and lose car insurance coverage, would be required to file an SR-22 form. An SR-22 is proof of financial capability of a driver to compensate for any damages or injury he or she may cause to another person or property (the required coverage should not fall below the state required minimum limits).

Even if you would not be driving your own vehicle for a while, you will still be required to maintain an SR-22 for at least a couple of years to make sure you’re still carrying adequate liability insurance under a Non-owners SR-22. Please take note that this doesn’t necessarily mean that the vehicle your driving is covered for any damages or loss it may incur. This type of insurance only covers liability from injury or damages.

You may want to purchase a Non-owners insurance policy if you would like to protect the vehicle you will be driving there in Palatine, IL. This is different since an SR-22 covers other people from damages or injuries you caused while a Non-owners Insurance policy works the other way around.

Tags: car insurance

Where do insurance companies base their rate quotes? I reside here in Peoria, Illinois and has been doing some research on car insurance to help my wife get good car insurance prices.

Mathew

Peoria, IL

Your car insurance rates are based on a number of factors and not all car insurance providers use the same system or process to determine your auto insurance premiums. Some of these factors are controllable and some you will just have to live with if you want to get car insurance coverage. Generally, car insurance rates are based on the following factors: Age, Gender, Driving record, where you live and the kind of car you own.

The younger the driver (teenagers to early 20s) the more inexperienced he/she is considered by the insurance company thereby presenting a higher risk as a driver than a more established drivers. Those above 55 years, however, may also be seen as a high risk driver due to the physical limitations (slower reflexes, poorer eyesight etc.,) imposed by advancing age.

Males are, statistically, more prone to get into car accidents than women. Your location, where you live, work and drive each day, as well as the popularity of your type of vehicle among thieves, also affects your rates since insurance providers will be taking into account the crime and theft rates of vehicles in that area. The factor that you have most control of would be your driving history there in Peoria, Illinois. Prior involvement in car accidents, accumulating traffic violations and getting caught driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) has a very big impact on how much you pay for insurance.

Tags: auto insurance

My driver’s license was suspended because of my drunk driving charge here in Des Plaines, Illinois. Is it true that this can be a reason for my car insurance rates to go up?

Barry

Des Plaines, IL

The states don’t allow insurance providers not to give coverage to people because of their color, faith, residence, profession or age but they can drop your policy for some other reasons. This includes having a suspended driver’s license, too many tickets or having a felony, criminal negligence or DUI conviction. Car insurance providers typically treat those who have drunk driving charge differently than those who have a clean driving record. They usually charge higher car insurance premium rates or they can even drop the policy.

Since you have a drunk driving charge in Des Plaines, Illinois, you will be tagged as a high risk driver. If your car insurance provider finds out about it and decides to keep you, they would likely increase your premiums. In that case, you will be expected to file a proof of insurance, or what is called SR22, so that your driver’s license will be reinstated. Also, because of the SR22, your car insurance provider would notify the Department of Motor Vehicles if your car insurance policy is cancelled for whatever reason.

Tags: car insurance, car insurance rate, driver’s license, drunk driving insurance, DUI conviction