This Privacy Policy is incorporated into, and part of, the Terms & Conditions , which govern your use of the Site in general.

Age Requirement for Use of Site: This Site is not intended for use by persons under the age of 18 years old. You must be 18 years old or older to provide any personal information to the Site, or to us through the Site.

Domicile Requirement for Use of the Site: You represent and warrant that you are domiciled in the United States.

1. Collecting Information:

Personally Identifiable Information

The Site may request and collect certain personally identifiable information including, but not limited to, Application Data and other personal information contained in User Submissions, through various means such as online forms, online applications, e-mail and comments submitted to the Site. Such information collected through the Site may include financial information, health-related information, and other sensitive information.

Other than as set forth in this Privacy Policy, and unless given permission by you to do so, we will not sell or disclose your personally identifiable information to third parties.

Non-Personally Identifiable Information

We may also collect certain non-personally identifiable information via the Site, such as Site usage activity and preferences, also known as demographic or profile data.

Why must you give so much personal information?

Insurance companies establish their rates using a variety of criteria. Since we deal with hundreds of companies, we must ask you questions required by all of them to determine the most competitive match for you.

In some cases, where permitted by law, insurance companies may need to obtain additional background information about you, such as credit reports, driving records, or claims history verification, and may need your social security number or drivers license number to obtain these reports. Should you decline to provide information requested on the application form, you may eliminate some of the most competitive quotations.

Site Technology

As with many Web sites, we may use “cookies” and/or other technology (e.g., web bugs, e-mail bugs, clear GIFs, web beacons and tracker GIFs) in the Site or in our communications with you to enhance the functionality of the Site and to make your transactions and other activities more convenient and efficient (collectively, “Tracking Technologies”). These technologies may vary, but in some cases may involve a small file stored locally on the computer used to access the Site, and may be used by us to store and collect information relating to your viewing and use of the Site and our correspondences with you. You may set your web browser software not to accept cookies, but, if so, certain functionality of the Site may be affected. We may collect your IP (Internet Protocol) address to help diagnose problems with our server, administer our Site and identify our users. We may also use such technologies to remember user preferences or minimize the need for you to re-enter information.

Third parties (including, but not limited to, software vendors, advertisers and fulfillment companies) may also use Tracking Technologies by or through the Site. We have no control over what information such third parties track or collect, and we have no responsibility or liability for any tracking, data collection or other activities of such third parties.

2. Usage and Sharing:

We use information collected on and through this Site for a variety of purposes in the course of business and as otherwise set forth herein. For example, such information may be used to process your applications to receive quotations or to send you information about our and our affiliates’ products and services and other information and materials that may be of interest to you. This information may also be used to evaluate what portions of the Site are more popular than others, determine where visitors came from, where they go, and how long they stay on a particular page, or the Site in general. We may match information collected from you through different means or at different times, and use such information along with information obtained from other sources, including third parties.

Application Data may be forwarded to insurance agents, discount program representatives, brokers and/or companies who may contact you with a quote by email, telephone, postal mail or other forms of communication. We are not responsible, and shall not be liable, if an agent, broker, discount program representative or company to whom we forward your Application Data violates our Privacy Policy or their own privacy policy, if any.

We may disclose your personal information to companies that perform technology or marketing services for us for their use in performing such services. We may transfer, sell or assign aggregate, non-personally identifiable information about Site usage to third parties. We may transfer, sell or assign personal information to third parties as a result of a sale of all or substantially all of our assets relating to this portion of our business or in connection with a merger, consolidation, change in control, reorganization or liquidation. We also reserve the right to disclose any information concerning you if required by law or to protect or defend our rights or the rights or well-being of our users or if you are involved (or are reasonably suspected to be involved) in any illegal activity, even without a subpoena, warrant or court order.

3. Opt-Out:

If you would like to opt not to receive promotional or marketing material from us in the future, please send an e-mail to opt-out@insuranceshoppingnetwork.com. However, your option not to receive promotional and marketing material: (a) shall not preclude us from corresponding with you, by e-mail or otherwise, regarding your existing or past relationship with us (e.g., your pending or past applications or our responses to questions or inquiries you pose to us), and (b) shall not preclude us, including our employees, contractors, agents and other representatives, from accessing and viewing your personal information in the course of maintaining and improving the Site.

4. Security:

The application form on the Site supports encryption to help protect the security of your transfer of data to the Site. Although we will take all reasonable security precautions regarding information stored on the Site, due to the open nature of the Internet, we cannot guarantee that any information stored on our servers, or transmitted to or from a user, will be free from unauthorized access, and we disclaim any liability for any theft or loss of, unauthorized access or damage to, or interception of any data or communications. By using the Site, you acknowledge that you understand and agree to assume these risks.

5. Consent to Processing:

By providing any personal information to this Site, you fully understand and unambiguously consent to the transfer of such personal information to, and the collection and processing of such personal information in, the United States and other countries or territories.

By submitting this information you are authorizing Brokers, Agents, discount program representatives and/or Insurance Professionals in the AllStatesCarInsurance.com network to contact you directly with quotes via telephone, fax, and email, regardless of the presence of your phone number(s) on any local or national no-call list.

6. Links:

This Site may contain links or references to other Web sites outside of our control. Please be aware that we have no control over these sites and our privacy policy does not apply to these sites.

7. Your Acceptance of this Policy:

By using this Site, you signify your acceptance of our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to this policy, please do not use our Site. We reserve the right, at our discretion, to change, modify, add, or remove portions from this policy at any time so visitors are encouraged to review this policy from time to time. Your continued use of our Site following the posting of changes to these terms means you accept these changes.

Should you have any other questions about our Privacy Policy, please contact us.

You may only use the Site if you are domiciled in the United States and you are 18 years old or older.

1. Services Available on the Site. Via the Site, we provide a service by which consumers can apply to receive insurance or discount program quotations from our network of insurance agents, brokers, discount program representatives and other service providers. We seek to provide valuable information that individuals can use to make their own decisions about insurance and discount programs. Once you provide us with the information needed to complete an on-line application, we will attempt to match you with appropriate insurance agents, brokers, discount programs or other companies.

We do not issue insurance contracts or bind coverage. We do not endorse or recommend any companies or insurance policies, and we do not provide insurance, tax or financial advice. We do not guarantee that any of the insurance agents, brokers and/or companies to whom we forward your application will contact you or agree to provide you coverage. We are not responsible in any way for the conduct of the insurance agents, brokers, discount program representatives and companies that are matched with your on-line application. If you would like personal advice or specific policy recommendations, you should consult with an insurance agent, broker, or other qualified professional.

We reserve the right, for any reason, in our sole discretion, to terminate, change, suspend or discontinue any aspect of the Site, including, but not limited to, content, features or hours of availability. We may also impose limits on certain features of the Site or restrict your access to part or the entire Site without notice or penalty.

There is no charge to you for use of the Site.

2. Proprietary Rights. As between you and the Site Proprietor, the Site Proprietor owns, solely and exclusively, all rights, title and interest in and to the Site, all the content, code, data and materials thereon, the look and feel, design and organization of the Site, and the compilation of the content, code, data and materials on the Site, including but not limited to all intellectual property and proprietary rights therein. Your use of the Site does not grant to you ownership of any content, code, data or materials you may access on the Site. Any commercial use or exploitation of the Site is strictly prohibited. You may view the content on the Site on your personal computer or other internet-compatible device, and make single copies or prints of the content on the Site for your personal, non-commercial use only. You may not otherwise copy, reproduce, distribute or otherwise exploit any content, code, data or materials on the Site. If you make other use of the Site, except as otherwise provided above, you may violate copyright and other laws of the United States, other countries, as well as applicable state laws and may be subject to liability for such unauthorized use. We do not grant any license or other authorization to any user of our trade names, trademarks, service marks or other marks or logos without our separate express written agreement. Third party marks are the property of their respective owners.

3. User Submissions. In the course of your use of the Site, you may be asked to provide, or you may provide on your own inclination, information or materials to us (such information and/or materials referred to hereinafter as “User Submissions”). User Submissions include, for example, information you submit to us via your application to receive quotations (”Application Data”). User Submissions also include information and materials you submit to us via other on-line forms on the Site, by e-mail, or in any other manner via the Site. Our information collection and use policies with respect to the privacy of personal information (with the exception of testimonials, which may be used as set forth in Section 5, below) are set forth in the Site’s Privacy Policy which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Please read our Privacy Policy before submitting any User Submissions. You acknowledge and agree that you are solely responsible for the accuracy and content of the User Submissions. We cannot be responsible for maintaining any User Submissions that you provide to us, and we may delete or destroy any such User Submissions at any time. We reserve the right to refuse to post or to remove any User Submissions, in whole or in part, that, in our sole discretion, are unlawful, unacceptable, undesirable, inappropriate or in violation of these Terms and Conditions.

4. Testimonials. If you submit a testimonial to us about how the Site has worked for you, such testimonial will be deemed not to be confidential or secret, and may be used by us in any manner. By submitting or sending a testimonial to us, you: (i) represent and warrant that the testimonial is original to you, that no other party has any rights thereto, and that any “moral rights” in such testimonial have been waived, and (ii) you grant us a royalty-free, unrestricted, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive and fully transferable, assignable and sub-licensable right and license to use, reproduce, publish, distribute, display, translate, summarize, modify and adapt such testimonial (in whole or part) and/or to incorporate it in other works in any form, media, or technology now known or later developed, in our sole discretion, with or without your name.

5. User Conduct. You warrant and agree that, while using the Site, you shall not upload, post or transmit to or distribute or otherwise publish through the Site any materials that: (a) are protected by copyright, or other proprietary or intellectual property right, without first obtaining permission from the proprietary or intellectual property rights holder; (b) are unlawful, threatening, harassing, profane, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, deceptive, fraudulent, contain explicit or graphic descriptions or accounts of sexual acts (including but not limited to sexual language of a violent or threatening nature directed at another individual or group of individuals), invasive of another’s privacy or hateful, (c) restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Site, (d) constitute or encourage conduct that would constitute a criminal offense or give rise to civil liability, or (e) contain a virus or other harmful component, advertising of any kind, or false or misleading indications of origin or statements of fact.

You also warrant and agree that you shall not: (a) impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation with any other person or entity; (b) upload, post, publish, transmit, reproduce, distribute or in any way exploit any information or other material obtained through the Site for commercial purposes; (c) engage in spamming, flooding, harvesting of e-mail addresses or other personal information, spidering, “screen scraping,” “database scraping,” or any other activity with the purpose of obtaining lists of users or other information, or send chain letters or pyramid schemes via the Site; or (d) attempt to gain unauthorized access to other computer systems through the Site. You agree that you will not use the Site in any manner that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the Site or interfere with any other party’s use and enjoyment of the Site. You may not obtain or attempt to obtain any materials or information through any means not intentionally made available or provided for through the Site.

You agree to defend, indemnify and hold the Site Proprietor and its directors, officers, employees, agents and affiliates harmless from any and all claims, liabilities, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising in any way from your misuse of the Site, your placement or transmission of any message, content, information, software or other materials through the Site, or your breach or violation of the law or of these Terms and Conditions.

6. Your Account and Password. We may enable you to establish an account on the Site with a user name and password. If so, you are responsible for maintaining the strict confidentiality of your account password, and you are responsible for any activity under your account and password. You agree to (a) immediately notify us of any unauthorized use of your password or account or any other breach of security, and (b) ensure that you exit from your account at the end of each session. It is your sole responsibility to control the dissemination and use of your password, control access to and use of your account, and notify the Site Proprietor when you desire to cancel your account on the Site. We will not be responsible or liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to comply with this provision.

7. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES. THE SITE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL SERVICES, CONTENT, FUNCTIONS AND MATERIALS, IS PROVIDED “AS IS,” “AS AVAILABLE”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY FOR INFORMATION, DATA, DATA PROCESSING SERVICES, OR UNINTERRUPTED ACCESS, ANY WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY, ACCURACY, USEFULNESS, OR CONTENT OF INFORMATION, AND ANY WARRANTIES OF TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND WE HEREBY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL SUCH WARRANTIES, EXPRESS AND IMPLIED. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE SITE OR THE SERVICES, CONTENT, FUNCTIONS OR MATERIALS CONTAINED THEREIN WILL BE TIMELY, SECURE, UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE, OR THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED. WE MAKE NO WARRANTY THAT THE SITE WILL MEET USERS’ REQUIREMENTS. NO ADVICE, RESULTS OR INFORMATION, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN, OBTAINED BY YOU FROM US OR THROUGH THE SITE SHALL CREATE ANY WARRANTY NOT EXPRESSLY MADE HEREIN. IF YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THE SITE, YOUR SOLE REMEDY IS TO DISCONTINUE USING THE SITE. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON THE SITE TO MAINTAIN ANY USER SUBMISSION; YOU SHOULD RETAIN ALL SUCH DATA AND INFORMATION IN YOUR OWN RECORDS FOR USE IN THE EVENT THAT THE SITE FAILS OR IS UNAVAILABLE, OR THE DATA OR INFORMATION IS LOST.

8. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE SITE PROPRIETOR OR ANY OF ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AFFILIATES, OR CONTENT OR SERVICE PROVIDERS (COLLECTIVELY, THE “PROTECTED ENTITIES”) BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING FROM, OR DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY RELATED TO, THE USE OF, OR THE INABILITY TO USE, THE SITE OR THE CONTENT, MATERIALS AND FUNCTIONS RELATED THERETO, OR ANY APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOSS OF REVENUE, OR ANTICIPATED PROFITS OR LOST BUSINESS OR LOST SALES, EVEN IF SUCH PROTECTED ENTITY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR CERTAIN DAMAGES SO SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO CERTAIN USERS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE PROTECTED ENTITIES BE LIABLE FOR OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY CONTENT POSTED, TRANSMITTED, EXCHANGED OR RECEIVED BY OR ON BEHALF OF ANY USER OR OTHER PERSON ON OR THROUGH THE SITE.

9. Links from and to the Site. You acknowledge and agree that we have no responsibility for the accuracy or availability of information provided by Web sites to which you may link from the Site (”Linked Sites”). Links to Linked Sites do not constitute an endorsement by or association with us of such sites or the content, products, advertising or other materials presented on such sites. We do not author, edit, or monitor these Linked Sites. You acknowledge and agree that we are not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with use of or reliance on any such content, goods or services available on such Linked Sites.

10. Applicable Laws. We control and operate this Site from our offices in the United States of America. We do not represent that materials on the Site are appropriate or available for use in other locations. Persons who choose to access this Site from other locations do so on their own initiative, and are responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable.

11. Miscellaneous. The Terms and Conditions and the relationship between you and us shall be governed by the laws of the State of Colorado without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You agree that any use of action that may arise under the Terms and Conditions shall be commenced and be heard in the appropriate court in the State of Colorado. You agree to submit to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located within the State of Colorado. Our failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of the Terms and Conditions shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. If any provision of the Terms and Conditions is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the parties nevertheless agree that the court should endeavor to give effect to the parties’ intentions as reflected in the provision, and the other provisions of the Terms and Conditions remain in full force and effect. You agree that regardless of any statute or law to the contrary, any claim or cause of action by you arising out of or related to use of the Site or the Terms and Conditions must be filed by you within one (1) year after such claim or cause of action arose or be forever barred.

Frank and Joan had two teenaged children who pestered them to drive the family car on special occasions. When that use grew to be expected, one car wasn’t enough so the first cheap, fixer-upper that never got fixed joined the family car on the driveway. They talked over the problem with their agent. “He was kinda laid back about it all,” Joan said with a smile. “He warned us that kids always have a run of accidents. Ours were no exception.”

Frank leaned over to interrupt. “It was a bad two or three years. Everytime they went out, we never knew whether they would come back in one piece.”

Joan was nodding in agreement. “We found ourselves turning to Christ more often. We had the Pastor bless the cars when the kids weren’t around and held prayer sessions on a regular basis. There were five small fender benders. Nothing too serious, and never a scratch on the kids.”

“Praise the Lord!”

Joan’s smile of relief said it all. “And every time the auto insurance came round for renewal we were expecting a hike. But the company held the line.”

“It was all down to the agent who showed us how to get the discounts to keep everything smooth until they could get policies of their own at good premium rates.”

Later, there were all the worries about dropping out of college, surprise pregnancies and marriages. But that’s another story. This one says find a good auto insurance agent who can help you through the teenage years. Other than that, trust in the Lord to see you through.

Most days, when you’re driving on the freeway, you get to see the wreckage from traffic accidents. You pass by because it’s not your problem. Auto insurance companies pick up the pieces. At least, that’s what all the ads say. Out of interest, I tracked down one of the drivers to see how it really goes down.

Sarah from Wisconsin was making her usual commute when she was rear-ended. She was lucky. It flipped her over but she was unhurt. She did everything by the book. Waited with her car until the police appeared. Gave her statement and was later cleared of all blame in the report. Everyone who saw her car thought it was a total loss. Even the guys who came on the tow truck shook their heads and congratulated her on her escape without injury.

“They dropped me off at an approved car rental agency. One telephone call to my auto insurance company and I was driving again.” She shook her head with a wry smile. “I never thought there were going to be problems. Roadside assistance had worked perfectly. I was in a rental car. The wreck had been cleared from the road. I was expecting a check for a replacement vehicle within days.” Except when the word came from the “certified” repair shop, it was ‘repair’. “Everyone thought they were nuts. Repair a car that badly damaged and you’ve got one problem after another and no-one wants to buy it secondhand. But they kept on like a broken record. Repair, repair. Guess they needed the business. I asked the agent to give me the name of another “certified” repair shop. They took one look at the wreck, laughed and called the claims assessors. After haggling, it was agreed a total loss.”

When you’ve got health problems, you look for a second opinion from a different physician if you don’t get the answer you want. The same holds true for auto insurance. Repair shops make money when they repair. You have a right to challenge the first shop’s assessment. Sarah got her check. It was a hassle but she struck to her guns and won out in the end.

“We climbed out of the car and tried calling for roadside assistance, but there was no signal. We were stranded in a wilderness, miles from anywhere. Guess that was the most frightening thing — being alone. We put up a warning round the tree so no one would plow into the wreck, then set off walking. It was about an hour before another vehicle showed up. They were local and knew a farm with a landline. Folks were really kind that day. Perhaps it was the kids who were all shook up. They got everyone on our side.”

The police came fairly quickly. A wreck on those unpaved roads is a real hazard. The tow truck had further to come. By then, Jack had contacted the auto insurance company so everything was on track for the rescue. He had a rental car policy but no local garage had cars to rent. So the family piled into a truck owned by a neighbor who took them down to Westport where they got a new set of wheels.

“It took a few days for the wreck to be shipped down to the body shop in Frisco. Not a surprise given where we’d abandoned it. The insurance agent was great help and got the claims department going. I guess we got to hear all the deer jokes but it was all sorted out in the end. Next time though, we’ll stay on the 101.”

So what’s going on? Well, it’s all about how to define risk. All the factors go into the melting pot. How old you are, where you work, where you live, whether you own or rent your home, whether you own the car outright or have a car loan, what make and model of car, and so on. This personal information is included in your credit history. It gives the companies a snapshot of who you are. Is it fair to look at this information? Unfortunately, yes. Just as a loan company wants to know more about you before making the offer of a loan, car insurance companies want a better idea of whether you take care of your financial affairs before agreeing to pay out if you get in a traffic accident.

The first step in setting the auto insurance rate is whether you qualify for any discounts. For example, most companies offer discounts if you can pay an annual premium rather than by monthly or half-yearly installments. Then comes the math work. There are statistical methods to determine the risk of you getting in an accident. If you’re a late payer who gets into trouble with liens and mortgages on your property, if you rent rather than own, you may not take as much care of your property as others. Add in lack of consistency in employment and multiple lines of credit getting close their the maximums, and you’re considered a higher risk driver. It may not feel fair. It probably isn’t completely fair. But that’s the way insurance credit scoring works.

So, before you go online for your next car insurance quotes , check out your credit score and, if necessary, repair the score. The Fair Credit Reporting Act gives you the right to get free copies of your credit reports. Use that right and get your credit score into shape before getting quotes.

Well, it’s a good story but it does beg the question, “What do auto insurance agents think about people who buy these go-faster cars?”

The answer you’ll get from every traffic cop with a radar gun in his or her hand, and every underwriter ready to set your rates, is that color is irrelevant. And, you’ll be pleased to know, there’s no evidence to prove either of them wrong. Accident statistics and court records don’t show any great risk of fender bending or offenses from those driving red vehicles of any shape or size. There’s a more simple cause and effect at work. People who drive at or near the speed limit tend to be safer and less likely to get a ticket than those who have heavy weights glued to their boots. Yet the myths persist. Some colors like blue are “cool” and “safe”, others like red are extravert, dynamic and sexy. Supposedly, people are attracted to buy the colors closest to their psychological type.

Whether it’s true or not, the car insurance companies don’t factor color into their calculations. Check out the online questionnaire you have to fill in to get a quote. There’s no question about the color of your car and, unless the company asks you, there’s no way it would know. Make and model, yes. Color, no!

So what’s the basis of the car insurance company’s calculations? Well, all companies employ these math geeks called actuaries who find every last detail of accidents endlessly fascinating. These guys get all fired up by the year of manufacture, the body type and size of engine. They profile the drivers involved by age and gender. And they all exchange their data to produce national statistics that help them predict whether you’re a good risk or not in that car (regardless of color). So buy whatever type of car works for you (and drive it safely to avoid tickets and accidents, and keep your rate low).

Better still some of the hybrids qualify for a federal tax incentive. The government may talk big about drilling for oil but encouraging people to buy fuel-efficient cars is a good first step to reducing America’s dependence of foreign oil. Check out your own state. Many are also offering a range of incentives to reduce tolls, the cost of parking, and so on. When you add up the savings on gas and in taxes and charges, a hybrid can look a good deal. Auto insurance companies are encouraging the trend with discounts of up to 10%, although the actual discount depends on the type of hybrid you buy. As with all auto insurance, you need to shop around and get as many online quotes as possible before buying.

But before you start looking round the showrooms, take a deep breath. That Hummer (large SUV or RV) is losing its value fast. The secondhand market has collapsed because only a very few buyers want to take on those gas costs. You’ll get only a fraction of its value if you trade it in now. So that new hybrid suddenly got a lot more expensive. You’ll need a much bigger loan which may be difficult to get at a good rate of interest because of the credit crunch. Once you add in the loss of capital tied up in your Hummer and the increase in borrowing costs, your payback period just got so much longer.

Payback period? If you’re buying to make a saving, this is the time it takes for you to realize the saving. In this case, you are probably better holding on to the Hummer. The premiums will fall because the replacement costs are lower on a comprehensive policy. Traffic accidents are less dangerous in something built like a Sherman Tank. Some of the smaller hybrids crumple up in an accident. So don’t despair on the auto insurance front. It really may made better economic sense to keep the guzzler than change to a hybrid.

But you can also gamble. Suppose you think that, as a good driver, you’re never going to get in an accident or, if you do, it’s never going to be more than a fender bender with nominal damage on both sides. In a perfect world of free choice, you could decide not to carry insurance at all. You’ll always have enough cash in hand to pay out for the minor dinks and dents you cause. Unfortunately, this is not a perfect world. All but three states in the union require you to carry auto insurance. If you drive any vehicle on the road without a valid policy in place, you commit a crime. Why is that? Well, it usually takes two to have a traffic accident. You may be the most careful driver in the world, but the idiot who rear-ends you while you’re parked may lack the same skills. It’s also possible that you may overestimate your skills and underestimate the amount of money you may have to pay if there is an accident. Suppose, for example, you hit an imported luxury car and injure the rich lawyer driving, the costs of repairing the car and compensating the lawyer for pain and suffering may be just short of astronomical.

So deductibles are a happy compromise. Most insurance companies allow you to pay the first part of any claim you make. The amounts are usually stepped as $100, $250, $500 or $1,000. So if you cause damage valued at $3,400, the insurance company will pay the balance after you have paid your contribution. Yes, payment of the deductible is a precondition of the insurer paying out. So, when you’re getting your online quotes, always remember to opt for the amount of deductible you can afford. That way, your car insurance policy will come with a discount. The higher the deductible, the bigger the discount!