Edmonton definitely lives up to its nickname, "Gateway to the North." Being the fifth largest city in Canada and the home of almost 1 million people, Edmonton is flourishing. Together with its infrastructure growth and population, there is a surge of vehicles on Edmonton's roads. All these drivers need to get around, and there's no shortage of routes to get anywhere; with a network of connecting roads, you can get from Summerside to St. Albert with ease.
Whether you're taking a road trip across the prairies or commuting daily via Calgary Trail, all Edmonton drivers need car insurance. Rates are changing in Alberta, which is why every driver in Edmonton should take advantage of price comparison shopping to get the best rate.
Let's see what's going on with auto insurance in Edmonton.
The Average car Insurance rates in Edmonton and Alberta
Alberta auto insurance premiums on average were $122/month in 2017, while Ontario auto insurance premiums averaged around $161/month in 2017. Drivers in Albertan pay around 25 per cent less for car insurance than Ontario drivers.
It's interesting to note that on average, women pay less for Alberta auto insurance premiums than men - $116/month compared to $126/month paid by men in 2017, but this is pretty much standard across Canada.
Young drivers in Edmonton (aged 25 and under) paid around $187/month in 2017 for Alberta car insurance. Alberta auto insurance premiums go down as drivers grow older. For example, in 2017, people aged 31-35 paid around $152/month, people aged 46-50 paid around $122/month, and people aged 56-60 paid around $100/month.
Alberta drivers with a taste for luxury vehicles can expect their car insurance rates to increase. Drivers with cars valued between $40,000 - $80,000 paid around $170/month for their premiums in 2017.
For Albertans choosing to buy a modest vehicle valued between $10,000 and $20,000, they can expect their Alberta auto insurance premium to be about $123/month. This means rates would be similar for luxury brand older models of compact car brands such as Kia, Mazda, Ford etc.
Facts to Know about Auto Insurance
LowestRates.ca (an online rate comparison website for auto insurance, credit card rates, loans and mortgages) launched its 2018 Auto Insurance Price Index report. This is Canada's only price index to use proprietary data to track the average quarterly cost for car insurance paid by Canadians. The data comes from the hundreds of thousands of quotes processed every year by LowestRates.ca. The index report shows that since the fourth quarter of 2016, the price for Alberta auto insurance has been increasing by 5.1 per cent in 2017, which means that the average Alberta driver paid more for car insurance in 2017 than in 2016.
Police have jurisdiction when it comes to deciding who is criminally responsible for a motor vehicle accident but when it comes to the auto insurance claims, the insurance company makes the decision. It's the insurance company that will investigate the crash and make a ruling about who was at fault - which ultimately decides whether or not the insured will have to pay the deductible.
Statistics from the Insurance Bureau of Canada's (IBC) 2014 top 10 most stolen cars revealed that cars made between 1999 and 2007 were in the top 10. Industry experts believe that part of the reason thieves target older model cars is because fewer of them have anti-theft devices. Additionally, the IBC states that sometimes car owners make it too easy for car thieves to get away with their vehicles. Around 20 per cent of all stolen vehicles had the keys left in them.
Although parking tickets are a pain and an avoidable expense for drivers, insurance companies aren't concerned with how many a driver has; thus, they don't affect car insurance rates. However, if tickets aren't paid, you won't be able to renew your driver's license or registration; and if get your driver's license suspended it will affect your insurance rates.
Can you imagine how it would feel to park your car somewhere, only to find it missing later on? Many people experience this tragedy on a daily basis. In fact, according to CNBC.com, "Roughly 800,000 to one million cars are stolen in America every single year." These numbers are extraordinary, making car theft a common occurrence all across the country. This also means that the insurance claim process can be quite complex and tedious.
If you are prepared to report your car as stolen, there are a few important things you should know about car insurance coverage for stolen vehicles, as well as the investigation process for car theft claims. Continue reading to learn what you need to know about filing an insurance claim for a stolen car.
FIRST: Was Your Car Really Stolen?
Once you have noticed that your car is missing, it is wise to reconsider all the possibilities before making an insurance claim and police report. You can check for parking signs to see if it had been towed, ask friends and family if they borrowed your vehicle, or call your car loan company to see if it was repossessed. When there is no other possible reason for your car to be missing, then it is safe to move forward with filing an insurance claim and police report.
Insurance Coverage for Stolen Cars
In order to have insurance coverage in the case that your car is stolen, you must have comprehensive coverage on your insurance policy. This is something that is required in all states. If your vehicle is stolen off of your personal property, you cannot file it under your home owners' insurance policy; you must have an auto policy with comprehensive coverage to cover the loss.
Car Theft Claims Process
When you are sure your car has been stolen, you must report it to the police immediately for documentation. At the same time, you must notify your auto insurance carrier. Most carriers operate using a 30-day claim waiting period to see if the car is ever recovered, which generally begins on the date of theft. Furthermore, comprehensive coverage does not cover personal belongings that are stolen out of a vehicle. Items like phones, computers, clothing, jewelry, equipment, and more, could be covered in a renter's or home insurance policy, but not in an auto policy.
Car Theft Investigations
Car theft claims are taken very seriously at insurance companies. They are investigated closely by adjusters to ensure that fraud is not at play. Filing a fraudulent car theft insurance claim is a felony punishable by prison time, fines, and more. They will record all conversations with clients, and ask very detailed and intrusive questions. As long as you are not committing a crime, you shouldn't take the investigation process personally. The insurance adjuster is just doing their job.
Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer for Fraud Charges
Fraud crimes are charged as either misdemeanors or felonies, depending on the particulars of a person's case. If you were recently arrested on facing fraud charges in Indiana, you are facing hefty fines, imprisonment, and other severe penalties. The best step you can take toward securing your rights and protecting your freedoms is calling a licensed fraud lawyer for tough and aggressive criminal defense; otherwise, you risk be sentenced to the maximum levels of punishment in Indiana.
Nowadays, when you buy a car, you must also carry adequate insurance. You may be wondering why do you have to cover the extra cost of the insurance. Actually, the premium is affordable and you can get discount when you buy it online. It is common for people to get into accident every once in a while. Therefore, it is best to always equip yourself with adequate insurance coverage just to be on the safe side.
Driving a car without car insurance is illegal. If you get caught, you may get a hefty fine. The premium of your car insurance policy must meet the minimum requirement of your state. Every state has different insurance requirements. Most of the states require you to have liability insurance. Some states like New York and Florida require drivers to have a personal injury protection.
Having an adequate car insurance can protect your finance in case you encounter an accident. If your car collide with someone else's car and you are at fault, you will have to pay an expensive damage fees. The damage fees will cover the other party's car's damages along with the hospitalization or medical fees of the driver or passengers.
The damage fees often reach up to a few thousands dollars. You will be broke if you use the money from your savings to pay the damage fees. If you don't pay for the damages, the other party may sue you in the court. If you have an insurance policy, you just have to file a claim and they will reimburse the damage fees.
You may want to consider getting a comprehensive/collision car insurance as it not only protect the damages of the other party's car but also the damage you suffer as a result of the accident. Many people who drive on the highway don't carry enough car insurance. For this reason, if someone collide with your car and run away, you will at least can claim the damage fees from your insurance company.
Comprehensive/collision coverage provides coverage when you accidentally hit an animal that is crossing the road. It covers damages on the broken windshield, hail damage, fire damage or collision that happen as a result of a storm. Your comprehensive insurance will also reimburse the compensation on a stolen vehicle that has gone missing for over 1 month.
It gives you coverage over any type of vandalism performed on your car, for example, someone uses a key to scrap the paint off your car. It offers coverage when your car is damaged due to high flooding water caused by a hurricane. It is your comprehensive coverage that will pay for the damages when your car is being smashed by a fallen tree.
The comprehensive coverage will protect your vehicle when it is parked in place. Your home insurance will not provide coverage when the garage collapse or other physical damages happen when it is parked.
When purchasing car insurance, you have to choose a deductible. The deductible is the amount that you have to pay upfront when you want to claim a compensation. Higher deductible reduce your annual premium cost but lower deductible can increase your annual premium cost.
As per a national auto club, just about eighty percent of American drivers admit to angry driving tendencies at one time or other. It is particularly shocking to discover this from the report: nearly eight million vehicle operators say they demonstrated certain forms of road rage. This included ramming into another car on purpose and getting out of a vehicle to confront another driver in a menacing manner.
How would you rate yourself in regard to the above?
Go through the list below characterizing aggressive driving and check off any point that defines your own driving habits.
Does any of the following describe your actions while driving a vehicle?
• Have you tailgated another car or truck on purpose?
• Have you driven significantly over the legal speed limit?
• Have you run through a red or amber light?
• Have your Snaked in and out of cars and traffic?
• Have you raised your voice and screamed at another driver?
• Have you slammed on the horn and honked to show your anger at another motorist?
• Have you demonstrated your frustration and rage through hand gestures?
• Have you tried to prevent another driver from changing traffic lanes?
• Have you deliberately cut off another driver?
We all get angry at one point or another. This is because we are all human and humans by design are not perfect. Nonetheless, anger that is unchecked can be a very dangerous emotion, leading to actions that are later regretted.
Of course, when anger is evident in driving, the danger is so much greater. It can lead to hostile actions that intimidate, bully or incite others on the road and result in physical losses and damages as well as injury and the tragic loss of life. For the aggressive driver that thinks auto insurance may bail him out of liability, in general this is far from the truth.
In fact, the insurance providers do not take any responsibility for motorists that deliberately use dangerous or illegal modes of driving.
As one insurance professional so aptly put it, "Don't expect your auto insurance cover to come to your defense if you drive aggressively. Driving in rage will not only put your at risk, it places anyone else on the road in danger. If you drive in an irresponsible manner, you will be up against all the criminal and fiscal penalties on your own."
The same auto club that conducted the afore-mentioned study concludes with some sage advice.
1. Don't ever provoke another motorist to retaliate by compelling him to change speeds or directions.
2. Be tolerant of other drivers' and don't allow yourself to get angered by another driver's actions.
3. If another driver displays anger on the road, do not respond by making eye contact or gestures. Try to stay at a safe distance and if you feel your safety may be compromised, contact police.
You know about the auto insurance companies that boast about their low premiums on national television, radio and social media. They really want you to internalize their messages.
The truth of the matter, though, is that there may be a misconception about what they mean.
"Replace your current coverage with ours," they proclaim, "and you'll find savings on your auto insurance!" Or "Allow us ten minutes and we will present you with a cheaper rate than others."
The real facts indicate that most vehicle drivers will not get any savings with a policy switch to a direct insurance company. This is because no dependent company has the wherewithal to offer any other coverage than their own. The shimmer of a cheap quote can actually be the mask covering an increased insurance deductible and less liability coverage.
In order to underscore this important lesson, we bring you this actual narrative involving someone who decided to go with an independent agency's ability to locate tailored car insurance for him.
A motorist who had previously been insured through one of these highly advertised dependent companies that promote 'cheaper rates' decided to go with an independent agency known for their impeccable customer service.
Following a review of this man's 'cheap' auto policy, the insurance specialist discovered some serious gaps in coverage. Understanding this could cause serious problems if the insured should ever be involved in a car accident, she went to work, looking through the many policies offered through her company's network of providers. She pinpointed an excellent plan that covered the gaps and had an attached competitive low rate.
The customer was satisfied with the find and left with a fresh peace of mind due to his newly acquired policy.
As fate would have it, it was not long afterwards that this insured was involved in a car crash that left his vehicle in a totaled condition. Because the other driver was at fault in this collision, it was assumed that the other driver's insurance company would pay for the damages.
But there was one major snag to this. The other insurance company offered to pay an amount that was far below the totaled car's worth.
It was then that the new policyholder whose car had been totaled decided to call his new company. The insurance company gave him no hassle, no problems. Instead, they mailed him a check made out to the amount that genuinely represented the worth of his car, three thousand dollars above what the at fault driver's insurance company offered!
Guaranteed: the happy ending to this true-to-life story would have been very different if that 'cheap premium' policy with gaps in coverage would have been in place.
Now, you be the judge, is that 'cheap' policy really 'cheap'?
Having an adequate car insurance cover for your vehicle has become extremely imperative while driving on today's accident-prone, high traffic roads and dealing with uncertain conditions almost every day. Car insurance cover relieves your mind of the financial tension at least, takes your mind off the continuous worry of the expense that may occur from any unintentional damage occurred. So, one must be consciously aware of the car insurance term at any given point of time lest it expires and you are caught off guard with an unwarranted situation, only to find out that your car insurance is due for renewal.
While the mandatory renewal of car insurance every year may seem like a monotonous and rather tedious procedure but it is critical to get it done on time in an appropriate manner. Moreover, it is important to consider certain aspects in mind while renewing your car insurance policy; there are some do's and don'ts that can go a long way in helping you to have your car insurance renewal done in an informed manner. Let's have a quick at some of these points and help to smoothen out the process for you and also help in going for relatively cheap car insurance, at best price with the best services.
Do's - Get it right
1. Comparison among policies- The first and foremost thing to consider while renewing the car insurance policy is the fact that there is a wide variety of insurance covers in the market to choose from with absolutely no compulsion to continue with the same policy taken. In case you experience certain inadequacies in the interim of one year of the policy or you may wish to upgrade your policy as per the changing demands, then, you always have the option of switching to a new one. Before that, it is critical to take note of the varied policies available in the market and make a thorough comparative analysis.
2. Accurate Details in the Form- While filling up the form for car insurance renewal, it is utmost important to fill inaccurate details about your car and to the best of your knowledge so as to get a suitable policy by the company. Thus, it is advised to fill up the form in a relaxed state and on your own as you know your requirements better than any company agent.
3. Policy Record- Once you have renewed the policy, make sure to fill a copy in a file and keep it with for the record or if it's a soft copy, then save it with you on a hard drive so as to not lose it. It's important to maintain a proper record as it gives all information required at any point and leaves no room for any confusion when it comes to availing the No-Claim Bonus (NCB) or any other future claim.
4. Add on Covers- Before taking up any policy, it is vital to take note of all the add-on covers and go through them at length so as to choose wisely the ones that suit your needs instead of blindly going for everything and end up paying a huge amount unnecessarily.
5. Registration Certificate (RC)- While renewing your policy, also ensure that your RC is updated with your present address, name and other details. Also, see to it that the vehicle specifications are accurate and the details mentioned on the RC are in sync with the policy details.
Don'ts - Not to Mess Up
1. No blank columns in the form- Do ensure that you end up leaving no columns in the form blank or unanswered that may impact your policy renewal in an adverse way. Instead, one must provide all possible information, just to be sure to be taking the right help from the insurance company.
2. Not to miss timeline for renewal- Keeping in mind the expiry of the car insurance plan is critical not just from the perspective of any damage occurring in the interim when you are uncovered but also for saving up on the late renewal charges if any by the company. Moreover, it gives one time to think and then act rather than being in a hurry to insure with the first plan that comes your way.
3. No Incorrect Declarations- One must never make any incorrect declaration or give any wrong estimate to the car insurance company, intentionally, as that can end up in getting you the wrong cover. Tell them precisely what your requirements are, what the car condition and car value estimation is and your future claims will remain uninterrupted.
4. Not to forget about the transfer of name- In case of acquiring a pre-owned vehicle, make sure to have the policy transferred in your name and do not have it renewed in the previous owner's name itself by any chance.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9847045
