Tips for First Time Driver Insurance in Ohio
Reader’s Question:
Hello there! It’s my first time to buy car insurance, and I’m really lost. Any tips for a first time driver here in Ohio?
Kate
Columbus, OH
Hi, Kate. Here are some tips to make your first-time auto insurance purchase hassle-free.
First of all, make sure you brush up on your auto insurance lingo to make sure you understand all the terms the agents throw at you. Try to learn about the different types of auto insurance such as liability insurance, collision insurance, comprehensive insurance, etc. You will also want to know the minimum insurance requirements required in Ohio to ensure you get the right amount of coverage.
Next, decide what kind and how much coverage you think you need. This will depend on your lifestyle and your financial standing. When you’re definite about what you need, you will need to look for the auto insurance company that best fits your requirements. You may want to visit websites that offer free auto insurance quotes from different insurers which will allow you to compare their prices.
Aside from the price, you may want to do research on each company with regard to their financial standing, their ability to provide great customer service, the discounts they offer and their processes. You will also need to know what your auto insurance company’s process is for filing claims: the paperwork, the time it takes, the people you will need to talk to just in case something happens.
Ask for discounts, you never know what you might be able to get and how much you can save by asking. Some popular discounts can be given for:
1. Military personnel
2. Good grade students
3. Union membership and bank member affiliations
4. Safe drivers with no claims in last 7 years
5. Defensive driving school attendance
6. Clean credit history – used by many carriers to determine payment risk
Hope all my tips help you find the right auto insurance – happy hunting!
Who are Covered in my Auto Insurance in Ohio?
Reader’s Question:
I’m single parent from Ohio. There are three people who normally drive my car; these are my two kids and my best friend who help me out a lot with errands and stuff. Would they be automatically covered by my auto insurance policy? Or is there such a thing as insurance for non-owners?
Martha
Columbus, OH
Yes, as long as you inform the auto insurance provider that they will be driving your car. Insurers will ask for the list of people living in your home. How old are your children? The bad news is their inexperience in driving will reflect on your premiums. Statistically, younger drivers have shown greater tendency to get into accidents.
If you are worried about the cost, try to compare the rates offered by several car insurance providers there in Ohio to see who gives you the best value for your money. You may also get a higher deductible to lower the cost further. Having a cheaper yet safer car is another way. But please don’t think about keeping any information from your car insurance company. Doing so would mean greater problems for you in the future.
Does your friend live in the same house? If she doesn’t, and you want to make sure that she is covered, you might want to look into these options. First, you may ask her to get a non-owner auto insurance policy although this might be quite costly. So better yet, list her as an occasional driver within your car insurance coverage. An occasional driver is someone whom you allow to use your car often enough. At the end of the day though, this person must return the car to you or park it at your own garage.
Will Multiple Accidents Affect Car Insurance Rates in Ohio
Reader’s Question:
I am a resident of Cleveland, Ohio. I have been involved in three car accidents this year although none of them was my fault. Will this affect my insurance rates when I renew them?
Maureen
Cleveland, OH
Maureen, nice of you to bring this topic as a lot of people I know are asking this question. Let me just give you a brief interlude about insurance.
As you may know, insurance in general is about sharing risks. If more claims are made by members, it will translate to less profit for the insuring company. The opposite of this also holds true, the less claims members make, the more profit for the insurance company.
With this in mind, insurance companies now, including those in Cleveland, Ohio, are giving benefits to those drivers with good records. What does good record mean in the eye of the insurers? Good records come in the form of minimal to zero accident claims. Traffic tickets also are looked at, so expect higher premiums if you have a lot of tickets. The trend now really is, companies are now giving lower premiums to those members who ideally have zero claims. This pertains particularly to road accidents, and zero traffic tickets.
Maureen, I understand that you may gotten involved in three vehicular accidents but none of them was your fault. Although none of them was your fault, what will matter with your insurer is if you made claims on those accidents. So, if it was not your fault, make sure you make the party at fault make the claim so that your insurance premiums will not be affected, and much more importantly, you can keep your good driving record.
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