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April 04, 2019


How to Save Money on Gas for Your Car 

Driving Habits

1. Drive Less
Between the rising cost of gas and the slumping economy, there are a number of reasons why people are driving less today. It’s not so hard to do either. Combine your errands into one trip to avoid repeat drives into town. Consider walking instead of driving for nearby pick-ups, or drag out that bicycle that’s gathering dust in the garage or shed.
2. Warm Up Your Car for Shorter Lengths of Time
If you wake up to a cold morning, don’t warm up the car for longer than 30 seconds (up to one minute if you must). If you idle the engine for more than a minute, you waste fuel and pump nasty greenhouse gas emissions into the air. Engines of modern cars do not require the extensive length of time that older models needed to warm up.
3. Buy Gas Early or Late in the Day
Purchase gas early or late in the day, especially during warm months. Gas is cooler earlier in the day, and more dense. As temperatures rise, gas density falls and you get less of it when you pump.
Also, buy gas early in the week. Prices typically rise between Wednesday and Saturday, but stay lower during the early days of the week.
4. Slow Down and Drive Steady
Driving fast may be fun, but it also increases drag, which increases fuel consumption. Driving just below the speed limit and driving smoothly (not accelerating quickly) uses gas more efficiently, so you may have to fill up a lot less often.
5. Monitor When and How You Brake
Braking excessively wastes gas and causes your brake pads to wear out quickly. Maintain a safe distance between yourself and the car in front of you when you’re in heavy traffic – that way, you won’t need to brake as often as if you were tailgating.
Also, by keeping a bit more distance between you and the car ahead, you can begin braking earlier, especially when approaching a traffic light. By not having to slam on the brakes at the last minute, you’ll improve the efficiency of your car and save gas.
6. Turn Off the Engine
If you’re waiting outside for your spouse to finish getting ready for your night out, or you’re waiting at a railroad crossing for the train to cross, turn off the engine. Idling is a major waste of gasoline, and contributes massive amounts of pollutants to the atmosphere.
7. Eliminate Wind Resistance
An open window increases drag and costs you fuel in the long run – so keep your windows closed whenever possible. Also, remember to remove unneeded car racks and carriers. If you normally drive around with a ski rack, bicycle rack, or luggage rack on your roof, take it off when it’s not in use to make your vehicle more aerodynamic.
8. Avoid Gas Stations Near the Highway
The first gas station that you encounter after a long stretch of highway will usually be pricey. If possible, plan ahead or drive a little farther toward the nearest town to find a cheaper station.
9. Don’t Wait Until Your Tank Is Almost Empty to Fill Up
If you wait until your tank is almost empty, you may be stuck paying for whatever gas you find conveniently nearby, as you won’t be able to search for the best deal.

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April 04, 2019


Car Maintenance

1. Monitor Your Tires
Under-inflation causes tires to wear out faster and wastes gas. Properly inflated tires reduce friction and offer better gas mileage.
However, temperature changes can cause tire pressure to fluctuate by as much as two to three pounds per square inch (psi), so be sure to check the psi regularly – especially during seasons when the weather shifts drastically. You may also want to contact your car dealer to see if they offer free tire pressure check-ups.
Also, if you utilize snow tires during the winter months, be sure to replace them in the spring. Snow tires cause excess friction on dry surfaces, wasting gas.
2. Tune the Engine
Car engines need to be regularly tuned. A properly tuned engine uses less gas, so if you can’t remember when you last had a tune-up, it may be time to schedule one.
3. Change Filters
Check your filters regularly – especially if you live in a dusty area. Clean filters help to keep cars running more fuel efficiently.
4. Use the Correct Motor Oil
Be sure to use the proper motor oil. If you’re not sure which type your car requires, check the owner’s manual or do a search online. Using the wrong motor oil can cause the engine to work harder and waste gas.
5. Turn Off the A/C
As much as you may love air conditioning, it turns your car into a gas guzzler. Keep it turned off as much as possible. To keep your car cooler, park in the shade and roll the windows down a crack to circulate air.

Transmissions & Fuel Efficiency

6. Drive Manual
Manual transmission cars are more fuel-efficient than automatic transmission. If you drive one, shift up early and shift down late to save on fuel. Also, shift into neutral when the car is standing still to reduce the strain on your transmission.
7. Manage Your Speed
If you drive a car with automatic transmission, use cruise control to manage your speed and conserve fuel.

Planning Ahead

1. Choose the Best Route
Whenever possible, take the route with the fewest stop signs and traffic lights. The shortest route isn’t always the most fuel-efficient way to go.
2. Fill Your Gas Tank Near State Lines
When traveling, fill up near state lines if possible. Due to different tax rates, you may save a bundle just by crossing into another state. If you’re planning a road trip, do research ahead of time to see which states offer the best prices.
3. Consider Buying a Fuel-Efficient Car
Consider getting a more fuel-efficient car. Even several models of affordable non-hybrids can get 40 miles per gallon.
4. Download a Gas App
Using smartphone apps can really help you save at the gas pump – sometimes more than $0.20 per gallon. Several apps are not only available for the iPhone, but also for the Android, Blackberry, Windows phone,  and others as well.

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April 04, 2019

15 Ways to Save Fuel

Although fuel prices continue to hit record highs, you can take action to maximize fuel efficiency, save energy, and take steps to conserve fuel in commercial fleet vehicles. We spoke to fleet operators and gathered 15 suggestions for better fuel economy and best practices that you can implement in your fleet right away.

1. Avoid Long Idling

The worst mileage a vehicle can get is zero mpg, which occurs when it idles. Idling for long periods of time, whether at a railroad crossing or pulling off the road to make a cell phone call, consumes gas that could be saved by simply turning off the engine. Restarting an engine uses about the same amount of gas as idling for 30 seconds. When idling for longer periods of time, shut off the engine.
However, turning off the engine may disable vehicle functions, including safety features like airbags. Drivers should be certain to only utilize this strategy in situations where there is no possibility of collision.

2. Clean Out the Trunk and Eliminate Unnecessary Weight

Vehicles get much better mileage when they’re not loaded with unnecessary weight. Every 200 pounds of additional weight trims one mile off fuel efficiency. Most drivers accumulate material in their vehicle trunks, some of it unnecessary. Instruct drivers to remove all non-required items from the vehicle, such as unneeded tools or materials.

3. Keep Tires Inflated to the Correct Pressure

Buy tire gauges for your drivers so they can ensure tires are inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended level. One underinflated tire can cut fuel economy by 2% per pound of pressure below the proper inflation level. One out of four drivers, on average, drives vehicles with one or more underinflated tires. When a tire is underinflated by 4-5 psi below the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure, for example, vehicle fuel consumption increases by 10% and, over the long haul, causes a 15% reduction in tire tread life. Check the vehicle’s doorpost sticker for minimum tire inflation pressure.

4. Don’t Buy Premium Fuel

Resist the urge to buy higher-octane gas for “premium” performance, unless the vehicle requires it. Octane has nothing to do with gasoline performance; it merely indicates the volatility factor in the combustion chamber. Unless your vehicle owner’s manual specifically requires it, don’t use premium fuel. Fuel costs could be cut as much as 10 cents per gallon by using regular fuel instead of premium.

5. Encourage Drivers to Observe Posted Speed Limits

This tip may save a life as well as fuel. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates a 10% to 15% improvement in fuel economy by driving 55 mph instead of 65 mph.

6. Shop Around for Best Fuel Prices

Check the Web for the best fuel deals. GasBuddy.com is a network of more than 179 city-specific Web sites with gas price information posted by users. Browse this site on a BlackBerry or other PDA to find cheap gas on-the-go.
Use a wholesale club or grocery store. Does your company have a business membership to a warehouse chain such as Costco, Sam’s Club, or BJ’s Wholesale Club? These wholesale clubs typically offer some of the lowest gas prices in town.
The downsides are that you may find lines at the pumps and the cost of membership (typically $40 to $45) will offset some of your savings if all you do is buy gas. Yet, if you shop at one of these anyway, or you’re a heavy gas user, you may still find the savings worthwhile.
Discount retailers, for example, Wal-Mart and Kmart, and grocery stores that have pumps also often charge less than the competition to get people on their lots. In addition, there’s no membership fee required at the discount retailers.

7. Make Drivers Energy Conscious

Similar to turning off the lights in unoccupied rooms at home, drivers should practice energy conservation habits in their vehicles as well. If a vehicle has a trip computer, encourage drivers to use the “instant fuel economy” display to refine driving habits.

8. Use Air Conditioning Sparingly

Use the air conditioner only when needed. The air conditioner puts extra load on the engine, forcing more fuel to be used. An air conditioner is one of the biggest drains on engine power and fuel economy. It can reduce gas consumption 5 to 20 percent, depending on the type of vehicle and the way it is driven. Don’t use it as a fan to simply circulate air. If it’s just too hot to bear without A/C, keep it set around 72 degrees. Use the vent setting as much as possible.
In addition, parking in the shade increases fuel economy since not as much gas will evaporate when the car is out of the sun. Air conditioning won’t need to work as hard to cool down the interior.

9. Make Your Vehicle More Aerodynamic

Wind drag is a key source of reduced fuel mileage, causing an engine to work harder, thereby reducing fuel economy.
Minimize wind drag by keeping the windows rolled up. This allows air to flow over the body, rather then drawing it inside the cabin and slowing down the vehicle. A wide-open window, especially at highway speeds, increases aerodynamic drag, which could result in a 10-percent decrease in fuel economy. If you want fresh air, run the climate system on “outside air” and “vent,” and crack the window for additional ventilation.
Lowering the tailgate of a pickup creates turbulence, causing wind drag and a less fuel-efficient truck at highway speeds.
By leaving the tailgate up, a smooth bubble of air is created in the bed.

10. Encourage Carpooling

Encourage carpooling through incentive programs. Possible incentives include reduced-cost or free parking, preferred parking, or reward programs such as prize drawings.
Employers can help employees form carpools through rideshare organizations, which help potential carpoolers locate others nearby with similar schedules. Visit Rideshare-directory.com for regional programs.
If you have several employees going to the same work location or job site, have them take one vehicle instead of driving separately.

11. Anticipate Traffic Flow

Anticipate traffic conditions and accelerate and decelerate smoothly — it’s safer, uses less gas, and reduces brake wear.
In stop-and-go commuter traffic, look two or more vehicles ahead as you keep an eye on the driver in front of you. This enables you to accelerate and decelerate more gradually.
By anticipating a traffic light change, an upcoming stop sign, or the need to slow down for a curve, you can avoid or reduce brake use and save gasoline in the process. Like the “jackrabbit start,” the “jackrabbit stop” is also a major contributor to inefficient driving.

12. Avoid Uphill Speed Increases

When climbing a hill, the engine is already working hard to overcome gravity. Pushing it harder by stepping on the gas is simply a waste of fuel.

13. Use Cruise Control During Highway Driving

Unnecessary changes in speed are wasteful. The use of cruise control helps improve fuel economy.

14. Avoid Aggressive Driving

Time studies show that fast starts, weaving in and out of traffic, and accelerating to and from a stop light don’t save much time and wear out components such as brakes and tires faster.
Simply limiting quick acceleration and fast braking can increase fuel economy. When accelerating, pretend you have a fresh egg underneath your right foot. A light, steady pressure helps to minimize the amount of fuel consumed and maintain a more moderate and steady speed.
By not driving aggressively, drivers can save up to 20% in fuel economy, advises the EPA.

15. Monitor Preventive Maintenance Schedules

Proper maintenance increases a vehicle’s fuel economy. For example, unaligned wheels that fight each other waste fuel. Keep the air filter clean. A dirty filter clogs an engine’s air supply, causing a higher fuel-to-air ratio and thereby increasing gasoline consumption. Use good quality, energy-conserving (EC) oils with a viscosity grade consistent with the manual. Look for bottles marked with the symbol ECII, which is the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) logo for fuel-efficient oils.
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April 02, 2019


Full Coverage Auto Insurance. Keys to the Best Coverage.

You depend on your car for many things: getting to work, the grocery store, soccer practice, vacation. In order for most aspects of your life to function easily and efficiently, you need your car to operate just as efficiently. A car insurance policy that covers it against virtually any kind of mishap ensures you'll be able to get where you need to be. And you don't have to pay a lot for that kind of coverage--if you do your homework.
Defining Full Coverage Auto Insurance
A company advertising full coverage auto insurance is being slightly disingenuous; there's actually no policy that can be defined as "full," since the upper limits on, say, liability coverage, can differ from company to company. Full coverage auto insurance usually means your car is protected from physical damage and from liability. For physical damage, you need two types of coverage: collision insurance will protect you from damages caused by direct impact, like an accident; comprehensive insurance includes damage such as broken glass, or caused by theft and vandalism. The liability aspect protects you from damages you cause to other cars and/or drivers. This can include bodily injury liability, property damage liability, and other coverage.
The liability part of your policy under full coverage auto insurance is determined largely by the state. In order to be "fully" covered, you have to purchase a minimum amount of liability insurance as defined by state law. This differs state to state. In Alabama, every driver must buy bodily injury liability of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 total per accident, as well as $25,000 in property damage liability. Other states also require coverage for uninsured/underinsured drivers; Oregon, for example, requires a minimum bodily injury policy of $25,000/$50,000 for uninsured/underinsured drivers. Some state laws call for proof of "financial responsibility," but a car insurance policy is usually the easiest and most affordable way to show such proof.
Aside from state laws, the amount of coverage you need is a personal choice. For a brand-new car, you'll probably want a policy with extensive collision and comprehensive coverage. You expect to drive this car for a while, so you want it fully protected. And if you are going to re-sell someday, it's important the little details --paint job, bumpers --are in good shape for the buyer. A comprehensive policy will cover, for example, a crack in your windshield caused when a flatbed truck driving on the interstate in front of you kicks up a rock. For a used car, you may have gotten a great deal on a car, and want to cover physical damage to maintain its condition. For a car with a few scratches and dings, you'll probably want less collision coverage, and may want to skip comprehensive altogether. Or, you may want to purchase these coverages for a couple years, at which point you decide your car's value has fallen too low to warrant the premium you're paying, so you might decide to lower or eliminate collision/comprehensive coverage and begin shopping for a new policy.
If you want full coverage auto insurance, think about ways to save on your policy before you start searching. High school and college students may be eligible for good student discounts. Placing multiple drivers on a single policy often saves hundreds of dollars per driver. Or you might choose a higher deductible, which will lower your annual premium. Someone with an older car, for example, may raise his deductible by $250, knowing that he won't file a claim for something like a scratch in the hood (and thus, will encounter fewer times he has to pay that deductible). To save money, all you have to do is try. This means, in part, asking about potential discounts. It also means that, once you decide how much coverage you want, you compare as many quotes as you can find. Through an easy service like NetQuote.com, you can see what premiums companies are willing to offer for full coverage auto insurance and then take your pick. You'll get more, for less.

The State Says Buy
How Much Coverage to Buy
More Coverage for Less
See how much you could save today on your car insurance. Get your free auto insurance quotes today!

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April 02, 2019

13 Reasons Faculties Diminish as Drivers Age

An aging population of baby boomers means more and more older drivers will be on the road in coming years, and that brings special safety concerns.
People over age 50 made up a record 44 percent of all drivers in 2013, according to the Federal Highway Administration. The number of drivers over age 65 is projected to rise by 77 percent by 2045.
The number of fatal and non-fatal crashes per mile driven starts rising around age 70, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports, although it notes that this statistic may be somewhat inflated because older drivers do a higher share of their driving in cities, where more crashes occur.
Older people often have deterioration in many faculties that relate to safe driving, according to a newly published study in the Journal Public Health Nursing.
“Driving is arguably one of the most complex procedures humans engage in on a routine basis,” the study says.
Seniors also tend to be more frail than other drivers, making any accident more likely to result in injury or death.
As drivers age, it’s important for them to understand potential impairments and what they can do about them. Major driving-related functions that can deteriorate with age, according to the new paper, fall into the categories of executive functioning, visual mechanisms, memory and insight.
Here are details on each:
Executive function
  • Selective attention, the ability to distinguish and focus on areas of importance, and block out distractions;
  • Divided attention, the ability to focus on two or more stimuli, such as driving forward, and checking beside and behind you while changing lanes; and
  • Sustained attention, staying alert for a long period.
Visual mechanisms
Memory
Insight
Driving safely as we age
  • Vision: Have your vision checked every year or two, avoid driving at night if you have trouble seeing in the dark, keep your windshield, mirrors and lights clean, and turn up the brightness of your instrument panel.
  • Hearing: Have your hearing checked every three years, keep in the inside of the car as quiet as possible and watch for flashing lights of emergency vehicles, since you might not hear them.
  • Attention and reaction time: Leave ample space between you and the car in front of you (a good measure is to ensure you can count slowly to four between when that car passes an object along the road and you pass the same object), start braking early when you need to stop, avoid high-traffic areas and times, stay to the right on highways and avoid left turns.
  • Physical changes: Ask your doctor about pain or stiffness gets in the way of driving, and exercise -- it can improve flexibility, coordination and speed, and reduce driving errors.
  • Medications: Read medication labels for warnings related to driving and talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any potential problems, and don’t drive if you feel lightheaded or drowsy, or mixed drinking with medications.

1. Attention refers to three things here:
Studies cited in the Public Health Nursing report found older drivers often have trouble focusing on important stimuli and ignoring irrelevant information.
2. Cognitive flexibility is the ability to quickly respond to new input, such as changing strategies while driving.
3. Hazard perception is the ability to anticipate potentially dangerous situations.
4. Visual acuity can decline with age due to eye disease, cloudiness and yellowing, alterations in macular pigment and neural integrity, and decreased pupil size.
5. Useful field of view refers to visual function and attention, determining whether a driver can detect peripheral threats while simultaneously seeing what is directly in front of them. Older drivers with poor useful field of view have been shown to be much more likely to make blind-spot errors.
6. Visual processing speed can slow due to age-related changes to the eyes, meaning older drivers may not be able to react quickly enough to avoid a crash.
7. Visual perception refers to accurate interpretation of visual information, allowing drivers to read traffic signs, orient themselves to traffic and maintain their course.
8. Visuospatial skills involve perception of depth and lane alignment, and passing ability.
9. Visuomotor skills rely on hand-eye coordination.
Studies visuospatial and visuomotor skills correlate most strongly with poor driving by older adults.
10. Procedural memory is the ability to use a learned skill -- like starting the car, changing gears and pressing the correct pedal -- without thinking about it;
11. Episodic memory includes remembering your destination and how to get there, what the speed limit is and whether you entered a school zone; and
12. Semantic memory allows us to interpret the meaning of things like recently passed road signs and what colors mean on traffic lights.
13. Many people overrate their driving skills, but this can be a particular problem for older people whose abilities are declining. Studies have shown that seniors remain confident in their abilities to handle potentially hazardous driving situations regardless of their cognitive decline. Those with bigger differences between their perceived and actual abilities are less less likely to self-regulate their driving, according to the new paper.
The good news is that the number of people 70 and over who died in car crashes fell by 29 percent from a peak in 1997 to 2014, despite a 27 percent increase in the older population during this period, according to the IIHS.
Fatal and non-fatal crash rates have been declining faster among older drivers than those aged 35 to 54.
Some of this is thanks to safer cars, with features like automatic braking to avoid collisions, and road improvements that can be particularly helpful to older drivers, such making highway signs and lane markings brighter, adding left-turn arrows at intersections, so drivers don’t have to judge when it’s safe to turn, and replacing intersections with roundabouts.
As for older drivers themselves, many do self-regulate, says Russ Rader, senior vice president for communication at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “We see that older drivers who have declining vision, for example, may drive less at night.”
Here are some other ways older drivers can help stay safe while driving, according to the National Institutes of Health.
The NIH also recommends taking a defensive driving class. This may provide a financial benefit, as many insurance companies provide a discount to seniors to take such a class.
One policy that can help seniors stop driving is requiring them to come into a state office to renew their licenses, Rader adds.
“We think it’s because older drivers who recognize their own impairments and are worried about failing the test simply give up their licenses.”
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April 02, 2019
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Common Insurance Types & Terms

What is Insurance?

Insurance is a means of providing protection against financial loss in a number of situations. It is a contract in which one party agrees to pay for another party's financial loss resulting from a specified event. Insurance works on the principal of sharing losses. If you wish to be insured against any type of loss, you purchase a policy from an insurance company and make regular payments, called premiums. In return, the company promises to pay a specific dollar amount for the type of loss determined in the policy.
Insurance has deep roots, tracing all the way back to The Code of Hammurabi, a collection of Babylonian laws of 1700 BC, which were believed to have provided the first kind of credit insurance. Under the code, a borrower did not have to repay a loan if personal misfortune made it impossible to do so. Modern insurance can be traced to the Great Fire of London in 1666, which consumed 13,200 houses and brought property owners in the city to near financial ruin. In the aftermath of this disaster, Nicholas Barbon opened an office to insure buildings, and the modern insurance industry was born.
Types of Insurance
  • Term Life Insurance - A term life insurance policy typically has constant payments over a fixed period of time (the "term"). If at any time during the term the insured person dies, except in some exceptional circumstances such as suicide, a fixed sum of money is paid out. If the insured person survives through the whole term there is no benefit and the policy has no cash value.
  • Permanent Life Insurance - Unlike a term life policy, a permanent life policy (forms of policy that fall under this category include universal life, whole life, and endowment policies) do have a cash value and remain in force so long as the insured person is alive and the premium continues to be paid. Some policies (such as whole life) provide for a constant premium and a constant payout, while others (such as universal life) may allow for variable premiums and variable payouts.
  • Home Insurance: This provides protection against losses from damages to an owner's home and its contents.
  • Auto Insurance: This is one of the most widely purchased and most important kinds of insurance. Drivers are legally responsible for any costs arising from accidents they cause and must typically either carry a minimum amount of auto insurance (defined by the state) or post a minimum bond to cover their liability in the event of an accident. Auto insurance may simply cover the damage to other's property (collision coverage) or may cover damage to one's own car and the risk of theft and fire (comprehensive coverage)
Financial Viability of Insurance Companies
Other Terms You May Hear
All insurance policies require the owner of the policy to make regular payments ("premiums") and pay the owner a sum of money ("the benefit") when an insured event occurs. There are three major types of insurance policies sold:
1. Life Insurance: A life insurance policy provides that the insurance company will pay a certain amount when the insured person dies. The benefit may be paid in a lump sum or in installments to the beneficiary. There are various forms of life insurance, most of which can be categorized into one of two main types:
2. Health Insurance: Health insurance pays all or part of the cost of hospitalization, surgery, laboratory tests, medicines, and other medical care. The rising cost of medical care has increased the need for adequate health insurance. You could suffer a major financial hardship without such coverage, especially in case of a serious illness or accident. Health insurance comes in a wide variety of forms, both private and public (i.e. Medicare). Policies may be taken out by an individual, by their employer, or by a combination of both.
3. Property Insurance: Individuals buy property and liability insurance to protect their assets against financial loss. Property insurance provides direct compensation if a policyholder's possessions are damaged, destroyed, or lost as a result of peril or unforeseen events. Liability insurance protects individuals and businesses against possible financial losses if their actions result in bodily injury to others or in harm to property owned by others. The main types of individual property insurance are:
The financial stability and strength of the insurance company should be a major consideration when purchasing an insurance contract. An insurance premium paid currently provides coverage for losses that might arise many years in the future. For that reason, the viability of the insurance carrier is very important. In recent years, a number of insurance companies have become insolvent (AIG is the most prominent example), which in many cases may leave their policyholders with no coverage (or coverage only from a government-backed insurance pool with less attractive payouts for losses).
Annuities: These are savings plans sold by insurance companies to provide a fixed and regular retirement income. If the annuitant (owner of the annuity) dies before receiving the guaranteed number of payments, the insurance company must continue the payments to the beneficiary.
Dividends: Some insurance policies refund part of the premiums in the form of dividends. Such policies are called participating policies. An insurance company pays dividends if the money it collected in premiums exceeds the amount needed to pay benefits and administrative costs. Dividends may also include a share of the profits the company earned on investments made with premium funds. Dividends are most commonly paid on life insurance.
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April 01, 2019


Switching Car Insurance After Moving


When you move to a new state, there are time limits on how long you can wait before you switch your registration to the new state. Each state has different laws. For example, in Virginia, you have 60 days to change over a personal driver’s license. In Massachusetts, the opposite is true. There is no grace period and you are expected to change your registration and license as soon as you move.Even though some states like Virginia allow you sixty days, it’s unlikely your insurance company will keep covering you after you move. When you change your vehicle’s garage location, (the place where it is parked at night) you must report it to your insurance company. This will trigger a cancellation of the policy with varying amounts of time for you to get a new registration. If you have an insurance company that writes nationally, you might get a discount for staying with the same company. Be sure to ask.It’s really best not to wait until after your move to get your insurance switch started. Some states do not accept another state’s insurance card as proof of insurance. Massachusetts drivers often run into problems while driving in other states because they are not required to carry insurance cards at all. Just the fact the car is registered proves the car is insured because the Registry of Motor Vehicles and insurance companies keep each other informed. You cannot register a car until you have insurance. If you cancel your registration, your insurance automatically is cancelled too. But good luck getting the police officer in New York to believe that.The State of New York (and Arizona too) will not accept out-of-state insurance documents as proof of insurance. Insurance coverage from another state is never valid for a New York or Arizona resident.So when have you actually moved? At what point are you considered a resident in your new state? Most states consider you a resident if you become employed, buy a home, open a bank account or pay a utility bill in your new state.Rather than risk problems with your old insurance in a new state, it’s best to get started on the switch before you move. Inform your insurance company in advance of the move date. Get quotes and a binder on a new policy before you move. That way, you only need to run to the Department of Motor Vehicles to change your registration and call your agent to activate the new policy. Be sure to send in a written cancellation request to your old insurance company. Many insurance companies are prohibited by law from cancelling a policy mid-term without your written consent.You can get quotes on car insurance in your new state right now just by entering your new zip code in the box at the top of this page. You’ll be directed to insurance companies that are licensed in your state where you can get several quotes and choose the best one ahead of time. 

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