Still We Ride

If you’re living with a disability, the last thing you want is for life to be made even more difficult for you. Mobility and being able to do the things that able-bodied people take for granted is vital – which is why new research into alleged discrimination from car insurance companies is so disheartening.

According to a report in The Observer, several car insurance firms are using a loophole in the law to discriminate against disabled drivers.

How disabled drivers are exploited

Under the Disability Discrimination Act of 2005, insurers are prohibited from refusing cover or charging higher premiums on the grounds of disability. However, according to a survey by the British newspaper, insurers are working around these anti-discrimination laws by using legislation that allows them to reject cover for heavily modified vehicles.

A survey of 115 insurers found 31 refused to cover the disabled driver because of vehicle ‘modifications’ even though it was explained to the insurers in question that these modifications were for a wheelchair ramp and hand controls.

The reason insurers can refuse to offer cover for modified vehicles is because many boy racers alter their cars to boost their performance. With accident rates so high, an insurer could deem this group to be a much higher risk.

However, according to Fish Insurance, a specialist insurer for people with disabilities, those who aren’t able-bodied are generally a better risk than many other groups of motorists and there is no justification for them to be charged higher premiums.

How disabled drivers can get car insurance quotes

Thankfully the majority of insurers will offer cover to disabled drivers. Anyone looking for a quote should use a comparison website to compare deals from as many insurers as possible to get an overview of the market and ensure they’re not receiving a ridiculously high quote based on their disability.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Gregory

Drivers purchase auto insurance in order to protect themselves from financial problems due to collisions or other damage to their vehicles. Car insurance enables a car owner to pay for repairs or replace their car, the car of the other driver if a collision is involved, and pay for injuries. Drivers need an auto insurance company that settles claims quickly and professionally. This article examines 21st Century Auto Insurance for their quality in settling claims.

There seems to be just as many 21st Century Auto Insurance customers who feel that the company is professional and prompt in settling claims overall as there are who searched for another auto insurance company after being turned down for coverage after an accident.

Satisfied Customers

Many customers feel that 21st Century Auto Insurance is a good company for settling claims. There are customers who are satisfied with the amount of money they received to have their cars repaired but they have complaints that the company takes too long to settle a claim. Other satisfied customers feel that 21st Century Insurance was more than fair at paying for their totaled cars. They experienced a fair payment for their cars that were totaled in an accident.

Dissatisfied Customers

There have been some very dissatisfied customers at 21st Century Insurance. Many feel that the company abandons the customer as soon as there is a claim. Comments about the company’s slow response to a claim are numerous.

Many of the customers have had 21st Century as their carrier for 3 to 10 years on average. Several of them had not filed a claim in all the time they were customers. However, it seems that as soon as a claim is filed they are ignored or their policies canceled.

Messages left on voice mail are not returned by the claims adjuster. There have been instances when a claims adjuster never shows up to assess the damage. It takes repeated calls and letters to district managers with complaints in order to get any response.

There are several complaints that 21st Century does not thoroughly investigate claims before settling with the other party. Customer’s premiums are then doubled or tripled.

It seems that the claims division has customers who are pleased with the way they handle claims and others who have left the company because of unprofessional treatment and long waits for settlements. Proceed with caution.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Mamnya

Most parents imagine that letting their teen drive the family car is going to cost them big bucks for car insurance. However smart parents know how to get the cheapest auto insurance, including the newest drivers in the family.

Insurance companies as well as parents know that, on the average, teenage drivers present greater risks than the average mature driver. You can’t argue with statistics. Teens have been shown to take greater risks, have more accidents, and suffer more critical injuries and fatalities.

So how can parents get cheap car insurance, or at least the best rate possible, so that their young driver can do some of the schlepping back and forth to practices, the mall, friends’ houses, and so on, without shelling out funds better used for college? Two major strategies come into play here: First, reducing the perceived risk of your teen’s driving, and second, getting cheap auto insurance on line.

Let’s look at the first strategy, keeping in mind that insurance companies base their premiums on average data. How do you convince an insurance company that your particular progeny is not a big a risk as the average teen? However many are willing to take into account factors beyond just age in calculating risk. Here are four things that your teen can do to help get that cheaper rate:

(1) Drive a “sedate” sedan. If your son or daughter will be driving the family four-door sedan or minivan rather than a sporty car, this is a good sign that they will not be tempted to show off. If they will have their own car, it should still be a four-door family type vehicle. If it is an older car with low resale value, you can even consider dropping the collision insurance and just pay for the necessary liability insurance.

(3) Take a course in driver education. Even if this is not a requirement in your locale, successful completion of a good course in how to drive may lower rates. Furthermore, it is likely to lead to safer driving in both normal and special driving conditions.

(2) Obey the laws and avoid making claims. In other words, avoid doing anything that might draw unfavorable attention on the part of the insurer. Insurance companies will make note of all those little claims for nicks and fender benders-so drive carefully and if necessary, pay for small repairs out of pocket. Also, moving vehicle violations will also boost the car insurance costs. Maintain a perfect record and you may be rewarded with a reduced premium.

(4) Get good grades. Teenagers that make the honor roll or otherwise keep their grade point average high are often awarded a “good student discount.” Insurance companies have found that responsible behavior at school tends to go with responsibility behavior behind the wheel.

Finally, one of the best ways to lower your premiums is get cheap auto insurance on line. With or without a teenage driver, you can get cheap auto insurance quotes from multiple carriers and choose the policy that fits your needs and budget best. Just as priceline.com, expedia.com, and other sites have enabled travelers to get the best airfares from major carriers, online car insurance services now offer drivers the opportunity to get the best rates from top-level insurance carriers.

Article Source:

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Robertson