Drive
This business is an awesome Australian company that offers great products.
They describe themselves on their insurance page as:
The Drive Team
Insurances policies are like fingerprints, no two are the same. So do the research and choose wisely to ensure your second most valuable possession is fully covered.
Thirty minutes spent making a few phone calls can save you a packet on insurance. Insurance policies are rarely alike. Some have modest excesses and pricey premiums. Others lure you with cheaper premiums but have scary excesses.
Most insurers demand higher excesses for drivers under 25. First you need to decide what level of cover you require, suggests Ron Arnold, AAMI's general manger of corporate affairs.
THE OPTIONS
Comprehensive insurance typically covers you for any accidental loss or damage to your car and other people's property, no matter who was at fault. This is the more desirable cover but costs most.
Third party property damage insurance covers you for damage you cause to other people's property and may protect you against accidental loss or damage to your car caused by an uninsured motorist. But if a crash is your fault, you'll have to pay for repairs to your vehicle.
Compulsory Third Party (CTP) is obligatory and a requirement of vehicle registration. This cover protects other people who are injured in a crash that is your fault.
Insurers consider a range of factors when determining an insurance premium. These include how long you have held a driver's licence, your age, driving history, insurance history, who else will be driving your car, the age and model of your car, whether the car has any modifications and where the car is normally kept overnight.
Before committing to buying a car, check the cost of insuring it. Sporty, high-powered models and those often the target of thieves attract high premiums.
If your driving history isn't flash, don't tell fibs of omission when applying for insurance cover. In this era of databases, you'll be found out and you may not be covered in the event of a claim.
When considering your insurance options, be aware there are often limitations on who can drive your car. If another person who is not named on your policy has an accident when driving your car, your policy may not cover the damage.
Look for other benefits. For example, AAMI has a free one-day driving safety course for under-25 drivers of AAMI-insured vehicles. This qualifies them for a discount on comprehensive insurance until they turn 25.
SHOPPING AROUND
Car insurance customers are increasingly seeking better deals by placing their business with "direct" insurers. Michael Western, chief executive of Budget Direct Insurance, says car owners have become "more savvy shoppers", getting multiple quotes to ensure they get good cover at the right price.
Inquiring online can be a more time-efficient way of shopping around than comparing rates over the phone. Websites dedicated to helping customers compare policies from well-known insurers include goodshopping.com.au, insurancewatch.com.au and choice.com.au
The Choice site, for example, contains an interactive "compare-a-policy" tool, which for $9.95 scores 20 insurance companies. It also scrutinises the fine print with a profile of policy conditions.
CALCULATING PREMIUMS
Car insurance premiums are based on the risk the insurance underwriter associates with you and your car. Every insurer uses a variety of factors for classifying risk, such as the age, gender and motoring history of the drivers; the age, make and model of the vehicle; the frequency of theft and accident claims for that model; and the cost of repairs and replacement.
Mr Western at Budget Direct says customers need to seek out an insurer that classifies them as a lower risk. For example, he says not all companies treat each suburb the same. "In addition, how you park the car at night will affect your premium."
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The benefits you are entitled to under your policy differ from company to company. Before you decide on a policy, you should consider factors including whether you will be entitled to rating protection, whether the policy will pay market value or an agreed value in the case of the car being written off, and claims service delivery levels.
Here are some of the benefits you might want to check that an insurer offers before taking out a policy:
Lifetime guarantee on repairs.
Your choice of repairer.
"Rating one for life" option.
14-day money back guarantee if you find a cheaper policy elsewhere.
The use of genuine parts in repairs.
Not at fault, no rating loss.
Pay by the month option, at no extra cost.
Emergency expenses in event of an accident.
Cover for personal effects, stolen or damaged.
Free legal and medical advice after an accident.
Free 14- to 21-day hire car if your vehicle is stolen.
Towing outside the metropolitan area.
To see more about this awesome business, visit http://www.drive.com.au/