Reader’s Question:

I’m here in Atlanta, GA. The name is George. If my car gets stolen and then the yellow-bellied thief figures in an accident and runs away, is there a chance that the people affected by the accident chase after me and my auto insurance?

George

Atlanta, GA

Now, wouldn’t that be a colorful story. Of course, we know that it happens. Thief takes your car, figures in an accident or uses it for who knows what and leaves the car somewhere dented and without gas. If the bad guy figures in a car accident, hit another car, a fence, or worst, a pedestrian, you will not be held responsible for the damages. That’s the nice part. The bad part is you will have to pay for the repairs of your car from your own pocket. I don’t think it’s a good idea to hope that the bastardly evil doer’s insurance will cover it. I don’t even think the bad guy has insurance. But even if the thief is apprehended and has auto insurance, I don’t think his or her (to be gender sensitive here) auto insurance company will include cleaning up after the thief in his or her (again, sensitivity) insurance policy. Of course, you’ll have to prove that the car really was stolen in the first place. Make sure to inform the proper authorities when your car gets stolen and get a police report. That’s added footwork but you won’t regret it as it will cover your back.

Tags: auto insurance

Reader’s Question:

My teenage daughter is 18 years old and still resides with me in Atlanta, my question is :can she drive your car without being listed on your auto insurance? A friend for example borrows your vehicle and gets into an accident, was it legal for them to drive your vehicle because you gave them permission? Therefore will your insurance provider cover costs incurred minus your deductible?

Michelle

Atlanta, GA

Most insurance companies in Atlanta require you to list all of your household residents. With those who are licensed (or of driving age), your insurance company will give you the choice of listing them as ‘eligible’ to drive or ‘excluded’ from driving. If they are listed as ‘eligible,’ they will be rated against your policy’s premiums. If they are ‘excluded,’ they will not be rated against your policy’s premiums; however, you are accepting full responsibility if you let them drive - even once and no matter the circumstance. Now, the example you provided is an entirely different issue. Also household residents, your insurance provider wants to know who will be driving your car with any frequency or regularity. If someone is going to be driving your car with any regularity or frequency, that individual will need to be listed as an ‘eligible’ driver on your car insurance policy. The insurance carrier will cover someone who does not reside with you and you let that individual drive it for a ‘one-time’ thing.

Tags: automobile, car insurance rate, teen insurance, Young driver car insurance

Q: What is Atlanta GA DUI insurance?

A: A special kind of insurance is required for those who have, in the eyes of the law, proven themselves to be untrustworthy on the road. Sometimes this will be because they have driven uninsured and gotten into a wreck, so it needs to be ensured that they have insurance, and other times it’s because they’ve driven drunk, so they need Atlanta GA DUI insurance. After your license has been suspended, the only way you can get it back is by getting this special type of insurance.

Atlanta GA DUI insurance is mostly called SR-22 insurance. SR-22 is the form which your car insurance company files with the DMV to verify that you are, indeed, insured. If you don’t have an SR-22 form filed every month on the dot, then your license will be suspended for being uninsured.

One of the annoyances with Atlanta GA DUI insurance is that it’s more expensive than other kinds of insurance, because you’re riskier with it. You’ll continue to get high prices for up to five years after your DUI, even though you’re only required to file the SR-22 form for three years.

Q: What is an Atlanta GA non owner SR22?

A: An SR22 is a form which your auto insurance company will file with the department of motor vehicles and serves as proof that you are insured. It must be filed for a period of three years after your license suspension so long as you want your license back. If you don’t want your license, you don’t have to worry about it, but otherwise it’s the law. If you need your license, but don’t own a car, then instead you will have to file an Atlanta GA non owner SR22 policy.

Your Atlanta GA non owner SR22 policy only applies to cars you do not own, so if you decide to go ahead and buy your own car, it won’t work for you and you’ll have to get another kind of policy. However, beyond that, your non owner insurance will cover you for any car you drive, regardless of whether or not that car is itself insured.

However, your Atlanta GA non owner SR22 policy only works for liability coverage and nothing more.

Q: I don’t go driving much because I live in downtown Atlanta and don’t really need to, but I still need my Atlanta GA SR22 coverage for the occasional trip out, or for when I don’t want to mess with the bus. Is there somehow I can translate this into savings?

A: Absolutely, there is. If you don’t drive often, then by most car insurance companies standards, you would be eligible for a low mileage discount on your Atlanta GA SR22 insurance. A low mileage discount is usually measured (althoughevery company does this differently) by if you have driven less than 5000 miles in a year, or if you have driven less than forty miles in a day. Most of the time, they take of 5 to 10 percent for this kind of thing.

You can also consider just forgetting about your Atlanta GA SR22 entirely and take the bus (or train, if you’re going far) all the time. Even if you don’t, some car insurance companies will give you a discount for using public transportation.

Q: My daughter is on my insurance policy and it’s so expensive now. How can I get a better deal on my Atlanta GA teen car insurance?

A: I think that parents can use the Atlanta GA teen car insurance prices being so high as a sort of teaching mechanism. A couple of ways for you to save money exist, but they hinge on the actions of your daughter. If she doesn’t do what is necessary to save money on car insurance, then you don’t let her drive. You both win.

First of all, make sure she’s doing well in school. Obviously this is something you’ll already be paying attention to, but a car is a powerful motivator. If she has a B average or a 3.5 GPA, then you’ll be able to get a good student discount on your Atlanta GA teen car insurance.

Secondly, enroll her in a driver’s education class if she hasn’t already taken one. You can ask your car insurance company which will be acceptable for getting a discount on your Atlanta GA teen car insurance. With the student discount averaging around 15-20% and the driver’s ed something like 5-10%, you’ll save plenty.

Q: I’m a recently retired Georgian who still has one year left for having to have a cheap Atlanta GA SR22 insurance, but it isn’t so cheap at all. How do I save money on this?

A: Well, since you are retired, you’re going to see your cheap Atlanta GA SR22 insurance prices go down pretty soon, so long as you’re around the right age. You’re in the age group with the least risk, so this is the cheapest it will be in your life.

If you aren’t getting cheap Atlanta GA SR22 insurance rates from your current company, you should shop around for more quotes, with a particular emphasis on AARP Hartford, a company which is specifically for retired people. If you check them out, they have several methods of saving money for retired people. Many other car insurance companies also have a senior discount.

You can also lower your risk level by taking a defensive driving class. AARP Hartford offers these at a low price as well. If you choose not to go with them, you can call up your car insurance company and ask where you can take an approved defensive driving class.

Q: Can I buy Atlanta GA car insurance online?

A: You can buy anything online, and online Atlanta GA car insurance is certainly included in that. As a matter of fact, it’s better for you to buy, or at least research, Atlanta GA car insurance online rather than offline, because you save more money that way.

The reason you save more money is because, first of all, you have a lot more information available to you on the subject of Atlanta GA car insurance online, so you’ll be able to rapidly compare quotes and find the financial and consumer ratings of companies, read about other people’s experiences, read your new car insurance policy, and so on. It’s more simple, it’s quicker, and it’s cheaper than an agent.

Another reason you’ll save money is because car insurance companies know they save money if you buy your Atlanta GA car insurance online. If you buy online, there’s no need for them to pay customer service reps to call you up, or buildings for them to call you up from, or agents to help you out. Buying direct saves them money, and they pass you the savings through things such as online discounts or lowering their rates entirely.

Q: I have an SR22 policy and need to add my daughter to it. Since I’m already paying a lot, how do I offset the costs of Atlanta GA teen car insurance?

A: Atlanta GA teen car insurance is usually around twice as much as adult car insurance, but since you already have an SR22 policy, yours will be a little closer than usual to your daughters. However, this could amount to thousands of dollars over a year’s time, so you should call up your company and find out what discounts they offer for teen drivers.

One discount is the good student discount. If you have report cards showing your daughter is enrolled in school full time and averages Bs or higher, then you can often pull in as much as a 15% discount on your Atlanta GA teen car insurance.

Additional discounts can be gotten by making sure she is properly educated on driving. Get her enrolled in a driver’s ed class, and call up your car insurance company to find out where she can qualify for a discount by enrolling in a defensive driving class. These discounts can add an additional 15% off with most companies.