Auto Insurance- Shopping For Auto Insurance Guide

With auto insurance premiums rising across the country, comparing premiums for similar auto insurance coverage has become the ultimate test of your shopping savvy. Have you checked with every insurer to be sure you’ll be paying the lowest premium for the most coverage? Did you check on all the discounts for which you might be eligible, such as good-grades discounts for your high school student, driver’s education and defensive driving course discounts, anti-theft device price breaks, and multi-car rates? Putting it all together to know you’re getting the best price is challenging, but the money you’ll save on your premiums makes the extra effort well worth it in the long run. Follow these three steps to be sure you’re making the right choice.
 This is the website for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Find the link to NAIC States and Jurisdictions. From there, you can find out if your state or area has a website listing the current rates of local auto insurance companies. If so, you’re already a step ahead of the game. Just keep in mind that the rates quoted on these sites cannot take your personal situation into account. If you have bad credit or a poor driving record, your premiums will probably be higher than those listed on your local insurance commissioner’s website, but at least you can study trends of different companies in your area from an unbiased source, making useful comparisons that can save you time when you’re calling around. Even if your state doesn’t have a site, the NAIC website contains consumer guides with valuable information to which you may want to refer during your search.
Next, you need to shop around for coverage. Be honest with the companies you call or visit online about your personal situation, your insurance needs, and your driving history. When you receive a quote, confirm that you know exactly how much coverage is being offered for the premium amount mentioned. Remember that your auto insurance is actually a group of several different types of coverage. Ask how much coverage the quoted premium provides to you and how much each coverage is worth. Make sure you’re comparing similar plans, and know what’s required by law in your state.
Finally, it’s time to talk discounts. Once you’ve narrowed your choices, compare the discounts offered from one insurer to another. Get a quote on the final premium amount after all discounts are taken. One insurer may offer you two discounts good for 5% each while another may offer you only one discount. However, if that one discount offers you a savings of 15% total, it will make more sense to purchase your policy from the second insurer. Take a look at the bottom line (the final premium amount) for a true comparison.
Look at the information the NAIC has to offer you, shop around for the lowest premium and best coverage, and make sure you receive every discount to which you’re entitled. If you follow these steps, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing you got the best auto insurance deal available to you
Auto Insurance

Do You Pass The Mortgage Lender Analysis? Understanding The Home Loan Application And Mortgage Approval

Then a mortgage lender reviews a real estate loan application, the primary concern for both home loan applicant and the mortgage lender is to approve loan requests that show high probability of being repaid in full and on time, and to disapprove requests that are likely to result in default and eventual foreclose. How is the mortgage lenders decision made?

The mortgage lender begins the loan analysis procedure by looking at the property and the proposed financing. Using the property address and legal description, an appraiser is assigned to prepare an appraisal of the property and a title search is ordered. These steps are taken to determine the fair market value of the property and the condition of title. In the event of default, this is the collateral the lender must fall back upon to recover the loan. If the loan request is in connection with a purchase, rather than the refinancing of an existing property, the mortgage lender will know the purchase price. As a rule, home loans are made on the basis of the appraised value or purchase price, whichever is lower. If the appraised value is lower than the purchase price, the usual procedure is to require the buyer to make a larger cash down payment. The mortgage lender does not want to over-loan simply because the buyer overpaid for the property.

The year the home was built is useful in setting the loan's maturity date. The idea is that the length of the home loan should not outlast the remaining economic life of the structure serving as collateral. Note however, chronological age is only part of this decision because age must be considered in light of the upkeep and repair of the structure and its construction quality.

Loan-to-Value Ratios

The mortgage lender next looks at the amount of down payment the borrower proposes to make, the size of the loan being requested and the amount of other financing the borrower plans to use. This information is then converted into loan-to-value ratios. As a rule, the more money the borrower places into the deal, the safer the loan is for the mortgage lender. On an uninsured home loan, the ideal loan-to-value ratio for a lender on owner-occupied residential property is 70% or less. This means the value of the property would have to fall more than 30% before the debt owed would exceed the property's value, thus encouraging the borrower to stop making mortgage loan payments. Because of the nearly constant inflation in housing prices since the 40s, very few residential properties have fallen 30% or more in value.

Loan-to-value ratios from 70% through 80% are considered acceptable but do expose the mortgage lender to more risk. Lenders sometimes compensate by charging slightly higher interest rates. Loan-to-value ratios above 80% present even more risk of default to the lender, and the lender will either increase the interest rate charged on these home loans or require that an outside insurer, such as FHA or a private mortgage insurer, be supplied by the borrower.

Mortgage Closing Settlement Funds

The lender then wants to know if the borrower has adequate funds for settlement (the closing). Are these funds presently in a checking or savings account, or are they coming from the sale of the borrower's present real estate property? In the latter case, the mortgage lender knows the present loan is contingent on another closing. If the down payment and settlement funds are to be borrowed, then the lender will want to be extra cautious as experience has shown that the less of his own money a borrower puts into a purchase, the higher the probability of default and foreclosure.

Purpose Of Mortgage Loan

The lender is also interested in the proposed use of the property. Mortgage lenders feel most comfortable when a home loan is for the purchase or improvement of a property the loan applicant will actually occupy. This is because owner-occupants usually have pride-of-ownership in maintaining their property and even during bad economic conditions will continue to make the monthly payments. An owner-occupant also realizes that if he/she stops paying, they will have to vacate and pay for shelter elsewhere.

If the home loan applicant intends to purchase a dwelling to rent out as an investment, the lender will be more cautious. This is because during periods of high vacancy, the property may not generate enough income to meet the loan payments. At that point, a strapped-for-cash borrower is likely to default. Note too, that lenders generally avoid loans secured by purely speculative real estate. If the value of the property drops below the amount owed, the borrower may see no further logic in making the loan payments.

Lastly the mortgage lender assesses the borrower's attitude toward the proposed loan. A casual attitude, such as "I'm buying because real estate always goes up," or an applicant who does not appear to understand the obligation he is undertaking would bring low rating here. Much more welcome is the home loan applicant who shows a mature attitude and understanding of the mortgage loan obligation and who exhibits a strong and logical desire for ownership.

The Borrower Analysis

The next step is the mortgage lender to begin an analysis of the borrower, and if there is one, the co-borrower. At one time, age, sex and marital status played an important role in the lender's decision to lend or not to lend. Often the young and the old had trouble getting home loans, as did women and persons who were single, divorced, or widowed. Today, the Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits discrimination based on age, sex, race and marital status. Mortgage lenders are no longer permitted to discount income earned by women even if it is from part-time jobs or because the woman is of child-bearing age. Of the home applicant chooses to disclose it, alimony, separate maintenance, and child support must be counted in full. Young adults and single persons cannot be turned down because the lender feels they have not "put down roots." Seniors cannot be turned down as long as life expectancy exceeds the early risk period of the loan and collateral is adequate. In other words, the emphasis in borrower analysis is now focused on job stability, income adequacy, net worth and credit rating.

Mortgage lenders will ask questions directed at how long the applicants have held their present jobs and the stability of those jobs themselves. The lender recognizes that loan repayment will be a regular monthly requirement and wishes to make certain the applicants have a regular monthly inflow of cash in a large enough quantity to meet the mortgage loan payment as well as their other living expenses. Thus, an applicant who possesses marketable job skills and has been regularly employed with a stable employer is considered the ideal risk. Persons whose income can rise and fall erratically, such as commissioned salespersons, present greater risk. Persons whose skills (or lack of skills) or lack of job seniority result in frequent unemployment are more likely to have difficulty repaying a home loan. The mortgage lender also inquires as to the number of dependents the applicant must support out of his or her income. This information provides some insight as to how much will be left for monthly house payments.

Home Loan Applicants' Monthly Income

The lender looks at the amount and sources of the applicants' income. Sheer quantity alone is not enough for home loan approval; the income sources must be stable too. Thus a lender will look carefully at overtime, bonus and commission income in order to estimate the levels at which these may reasonably be expected to continue. Interest, dividend and rental income would be considered in light of the stability of their sources also. Under the "other income" category, income from alimony, child support, social security, retirement pensions, public assistance, etc. is entered and added to the totals for the applicants.

The lender then compares what the applicants have been paying for housing with what they will be paying if the loan is approved. Included in the proposed housing expense total are principal,

Budget Car Insurance – Car Insurance Buying Tips

Car insurance is an integral part of the insurance budget. There are a lot of variables that cause the rates to increase or decrease. Some of these variables cannot be controlled by the insured but there are some things the insurance buyer can do to keep their policy reasonable without losing a lot in protection.

What Are Your Assets? – Do you own a home? Do you have several vehicles? Do you own a business? Do you rent an apartment? Your strength in assets is a factor when selecting your liability limits. If you accidentally injure or kill someone in an automobile accident and you carry low liability limits on your car policy then your assets are next in line to be used to pay for the damages.

The Age of the Vehicles – Newer vehicles usually require physical damage coverage by the lender. Older vehicles with a lot of miles sometimes do not warrant physical damage. Physical damage rates can be adjusted up or down based on the deductible you choose.

The Age of The Drivers – Adult rates, senior adult rates, and rates for young drivers make a huge difference in the overall rate. Young drivers on vehicles with physical damage coverage can be very costly.

What are the Discounts? – There are a number of discounts on car policies. The multi-policy discount is given by insurance companies for purchasing both auto and home insurance. Retirement discounts are available to the senior adult. Young drivers receive discounts for drivers training education. Some companies give good student discounts for young student drivers that maintain a 3.0 grade point average.

Full Tort or Limited Tort – Many states have a discount for selecting a limited tort option. Tort is your right to sue for pain and suffering damages over and above the basic liability settlement. This varies from state to state.

This is the overall picture what insurance companies use to determine your individual rate. You have a choice when it comes to liability, physical damage, and tort options. Ask plenty of questions about these three areas when purchasing car insurance.

Auto Insurance – What You Need to Know

What You Need to Know

When comparing auto insurance quotes, you need to have a good understanding of how and why an agent came up with those rates. Educating yourself on the ins and outs of car insurance allows you to see where you can save money and helps you make the right choice for your insurance.
What Affects Auto Insurance Rates?

The cost of insurance for your auto is determined by several different factors starting with, of course, your car. An expensive luxury car costs more to repair or replace, making your insurance premium higher. Cars with a greater probability of being stolen also raise insurance premiums, while cars with better safety or reliability records can lower your insurance rate.

Location is another factor that affects insurance rates. A garage in a low crime neighborhood is more likely to keep your car safe than a parking spot on the street of a high crime area. You can expect a break in your insurance premium if you own that garage in a safe area.

You also play a part in your own car insurance rates. Many insurance companies offer a good driver discount if you have a clean driving record. And that good old credit score also comes into play. Keep your credit score up and your insurance rates will stay down.

The remaining factor in your insurance premium is simply your coverage: higher deductibles and lower liability limits will lower your insurance premium. However, when considering deductibles and limits, it is important to remember that savings on your monthly insurance premium can raise your out-of-pocket expenses if you have to file a claim.
How Will You Be Covered?

So what does car insurance actually cover? The most obvious coverage is collision insurance. If you collide with another vehicle and that collision causes damage to your auto (and it’s your fault), this insurance covers that damage after the deductible is paid.

Liability coverage is the insurance that covers damage done to someone else or to someone else’s car if the accident is your fault. Be aware that limits do come into play with liability coverage: lower limits may lower your insurance rate, but could significantly raise your out-of-pocket expense.

Comprehensive insurance coverage is for those times when damage is done to your auto by something other than an accident, such as vandalism. Also, most car insurance also includes coverage for uninsured drivers that hit you and don’t have insurance to cover the costs of the accident.

When comparing car insurance quotes, be sure you go over each kind of coverage thoroughly and have a good understanding of how you and your car are being protected.