Now that we have talked about consulting your friends and family for a mechanic, you now need to decide whether or not you want to go with an independent shop or if you want to go with the dealer itself.  There are pros and cons to both of them, however you can really find a good mechanic anywhere.

One thing that you should know is that dealerships usually charge a heck of a lot more – so that is something to keep in mind.  Really, any competent mechanic can perform routine maintenance and repairs on your cars, you don’t necessarily have to go to the dealer, however if you need a warranty or recall repair, you will have to consider going to the dealership.

This is because these mechanics actually receive factory training from the manufacturers of the cars, so they know how to handle these repairs.

While finding the right car insurance for you is very important, did you know that finding the right mechanic for you is also extremely important?  In this day and age with more and more people hanging onto their older cars and trying to breathe life into them, you truly have to make sure that you find an auto mechanic that is going to be very trust-worthy and honestly … that is hard to do.

One thing that you want to do is start talking to your friends and family members.  They will honestly recommend some of the best auto mechanics for you, because they know you and wouldn’t send you to somewhere that they didn’t trust.

However – that might not be enough, you want to find the best shops and that is what we are going to explore in the next blog!

So, people are driving less — we have established that fact. And that is, believe it or not, the very reason that the cost of gas is causing insurance rates to go down.

People are driving less largely because gas is so expensive. When people drive less, they are not as at risk for having an accident and having to file an insurance claim, or for getting a traffic violation and getting points on their driving record.

Insurance companies like it when your risks goes down. It means they are less likely to have to pay for injuries or car repairs.

That is a big one — being at less risk for an injury derived in a car accident. The less you drive, the less at risk you are. Your car insurance company loves that, and you can see a dip in your rates because of it.

There have been some very interested studies recently, launched by the government. In short, they show that people tend to drive less these days, and that they drive fewer miles when they do drive. This in turn leads to far less accidents and thus less injuries as well.

People are driving less because of the cost of gas, of course. Many of them are even turning to hybrid vehicles. Others are relying on methods of public transportation to get around. People are carpooling, they are starting to combine their trips — all of this leads to people spending a lot less time on the road.

You are probably still wondering how this creates a link between the high cost of gas and the low cost of premiums. Do not worry, we will be illuminating that link in the very next post.

The cost of gas still presents a veritable nightmare for a lot of drivers, and understandably so.  It seems like when gas prices stabilize, we are only able to enjoy it on a superficial level, because we know darn well that sooner or later — sooner rather than later, more often than not — they will go up yet again.  We know that during spring when all the schools go on break, the cost of gas will spike.  We know that during summer, prices will absolutely sky rocket.  We know that in November and December, during the holidays, they will go up all over again.

In other words, we know that there really, realistically seems to be no end in sight.

But I bet a lot of us do not know that these high gas prices can lead to low car insurance rates.  How?  Well, we will be discussing that in the coming posts for this series.

Now that we have discussed in detail what Commercial Car Insurance is all about – let’s talk about how you can get this particular car insurance.  Firstly, you need to have that conversation with you car insurance agent. 

You need to make sure that you discuss with them your individual needs as well as your business needs for car insurance.  You may be fortunate enough to learn that you do not really have to switch car insurance policies.

However, you might have to switch car insurance policies.  This is something that you need to be prepared for.  The first thing that you want to do is get a quote – that way you know just how much you are going to need to pay.  Remember, that you can absolutely shop around a bit, so if you do not like the quote – you don’t have to settle.

Now that we have talked just a little bit about Commercial Car Insurance – let’s dive right in.  What you need to know about Commercial Car Insurance is that it is mainly for those of us in a home-based business.  While most people think that if they start up a business, it is okay to just drive around in their car for business still under their personal policy.  That is not a good thing to do.

The reason for that is because if you do get into an accident, or something does happen, you are going to be in trouble.  This is especially true if you have told your car insurance company that you have not been using your car for business purposes.  That is misrepresenting your car and your claims will most likely be denied, so you will have to pay-out-of-pocket for a lot of the fixing. 

In the next blog, we are going to talk about how you can get Commercial Car Insurance at a fairly low cost!

Finding the differences between car insurance policies is almost like pulling teeth.  You have to make a lot of phone calls and you have to do a heck of a lot of research online. 

Well – that is exactly what we are here for!  To help you decipher between all of the different car insurance policies out there.  For example, there is a difference between Commercial Car Insurance and personal car insurance policies but what are they?

Well, that is what I am going to go over in the next few blogs.  Firstly, you need to understand that Commercial Car Insurance is actually for vehicles that are used for commercial use.  For example, if you have a home-based business that you use your car in, you should invest in Commercial Car Insurance.  The reason … well, that is in the next blog!

Accidents do happen. Cars get totaled. That comes as no surprise. What is a surprise, however, is the actual value of your car when it is totaled. Car insurance companies do not rely on the Blue Book, or even the National Association of Automobile Dealers to find these values. Most of them have their own proprietary lists. Some factors include the vehicle’s condition before the accident and its mileage.

Sometimes insurance companies will even ask local car dealers what they might charge for a replacement. There are lots of things companies do to determine the value of your totaled car — and you may not agree with the amount they decide to use.

If that happens, there are things you can do, such as show them maintenance records, get your own quotes on replacements, or even keep yourself safe by purchasing gap insurance.

Sometimes, people borrow your car. If it is a spouse or other, very close family member, he or she may be included on your insurance and have permission to drive your vehicle, and that is all right.

Sometimes, however, we let our friends drive our vehicles, and that is where potential problems arise. If your friend is a bad driver, you may well have to pay for that.

Let’s just say that your friend borrows your vehicle and then has an accident. You will, of course, have to file a claim if that happens — and it will be up to you to pay any applicable deductions. Not only that, but the odds are good that your insurance rates will increase as a result.

Of course, if your friend did not get your permission, you may not be liable for any damages. However, if your friend does not have insurance, then anyone else involved in the accident may be able to come after you for damages.