Short Term Car Insurance
If you are researching short-term car insurance, you’ll be sure to find out that prices are high, and could continue to rise. South Africa is a high risk environment for insurers. Knowing why and what you can do lower these costs for your situation is important in helping you make the right decisions.
First, let’s examine what is driving the costs. Car insurance risk is the major culprit behind higher short-term insurance premiums. Industry experts cannot ignore that South African roads are increasingly dangerous. The country is often a leader in traffic injuries and fatalities. The privilege of driving is constantly being extended, even to those who are not qualified drivers.
As carmakers continue to upgrade their offerings, prices reflect those gadgets, leather seats, on-board computers and more. As car prices go up, so must the cost to insure them. Younger drivers have always been viewed as a higher risk. Drivers aged’-30 historically pay the highest rates.
Insurers must also consider car theft and hijackings as they calculate their premiums. The latest statistics show a decline in thefts, but the rate of hijackings continues to rise. In the homeowners and household insurance market, the main influencing factor is fraud. Some estimate are that six to 10 percent of short term insurance claims are fraudulent. That amounts to more than R2 billion each year.
It is possible to ensure that these issues do not impact your insurance situation. You may not have any control over other people making fraudulent claims, but there are steps you can take to ensure that they do not affect your insurance premiums. For example, you can offer to take a polygraph test whenever you submit a claim. As a reward for honesty, some insurers will give you significant savings on your premium.
For car insurance, start by increasing you excess as this can lower your premium. Take this into consideration as you gather quotes. Also, be sure you can afford to pay the excess amount you choose in the event of a claim.
You need to keep a clean driving record because the more claims you have the less risk you have. If you already have an unclean driving history you can research driving courses that are offered by automobile manufactures and the Automobile Association, that can help offset negative history. This can be done by good drivers also. Most insurance companies will consider a reduction in your premium if you are able to attend and pass one of the courses.
And, if you live in a high-crime area, consider moving. This can reduce both your car and homeowners insurance rates. Adding security devices can help as well. Anti-hijack devices and global tracking systems are good investments for this purpose.
You should look around for the best rates, but don’t just go for the cheapest. Make sure the policy you choose is adequate as well as affordable.
Tom Martens is the content syndication coordinator for Carinsurancesa.co.za. South Arica’s leading car insurance portal.
categories: Car Insurance,Vehicle Insurance,Motor Insurance,Motor Vehicle Insurance,Auto Insurance,Automobile Insurance,Insurance,Cars,Vechiles,Finance,Money,Insurance,Cars