FreeInsuranceQuotes.org

How Much Does a Poor Credit Score Increase Your Insurance Rates?

2010-07-29T07:00:00Z

Lots of consumers aren’t too surprised to learn that their credit score can impact the rates they pay for auto insurance. But by how much? We took the time to compile and analyze some sample data on the actual price increases for a sample of consumers, and the results area astounding. For example, in Nevada a single 40 year old male and a single 21 year old female would see their rates almost DOUBLE if their credit score went from excellent to poor. Better think twice about making that late payment on your credit card! It might cost you more than you realize.

DWI Cases Processed in a "One-Size-Fits-All" Manner Forfeit Integrity for Expedience?

2010-07-28T07:00:00Z

Guest Article by Ms. Cynthia Hujar Orr, President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)

The judge sighs as the nervous defendant enters the courtroom. “Another DWI case? Hopefully he pleads guilty and we can get on with our days,” the judge thinks to herself. The defendant takes his lawyer’s advice by pleading guilty to the misdemeanor and walks away thinking that everything will go back to normal after his probation. He is wrong. Having a DUI/DWI conviction on his record will permanently affect him. Future employers will fear for hiring someone with a drinking problem. Institutes of higher learning reject applicants with DUIs or DWIs on their records. Auto insurance premiums skyrocket in addition to fees incurred by hiring a lawyer, going to court, classes, and fines. People found guilty of committing DWIs can lose their reputations, jobs, and families.

Some defense lawyers’ first court experiences are with DWI cases because they are viewed as mundane. Prosecutors feel that these cases are all-too-similar and routine. City officials view them as extra administrative overhead and wastes of resources. Arguably, only the defendant understands the importance of DWI cases. Cases involving drunk driving can be life-altering, and substandard evidence may lead to convictions of innocents. The same mindsets cause an opposite problem: people who could benefit from counseling do not receive it because lawyers and administrators focus on pushing defendants through their trials as opposed to individualizing justice.

Acceptance of second-rate evidence is a problem that plagues all trials, particularly DWI cases. Hard scientific evidence is blindly accepted in courtrooms without testing the legitimacy of methodology. Defense lawyers are left weaponless against the newest breath test devices so scientists can protect industry trade secrets. For example, a technician in Houston, Texas faked over one thousand breathalyzer validation tests.
She simply was not performing the necessary tests on the machines. Nobody was auditing her work. Courts also regularly admit evidence of “failed” horizontal gaze nystagmus tests which are incorrect 7 times out of 10. Even more ridiculous are improperly administered roadside sobriety tests that over 50 percent of sober people in high heels cannot pass. Officers typically fail to give proper instructions, do not correctly demonstrate the tests, and do not properly asses individuals’ performance. Adding to the problem are novice or apathetic lawyers who do not seek to exclude invalid blood and breath tests. Breath alcohol measurements can be inflated as much as 290 percent. A blood alcohol test can be slanted against defendants by improper sample collection, lack of usable test tubes, improper gas chromatography machine use, or “quality control” procedures. The precedent of Daubert vs. Kuhmo Tire should be heeded in DWI cases. Improper convictions occur when substandard evidence is accepted unchallenged by the defense.

Not only are DWI trials marred by improper evidence, organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) exert an undeniable influence on courtroom proceedings. MADD began with a noble goal: the prevention of drunk driving and all of the related harms: injuries, property destruction, and deaths. After it was overridden by corporate interests, MADD devolved into an organization bent on demonizing DWI defendants. MADD’s presence in the courtroom is an improper influence on the officials conducting trial. Jurors understand this, too. MADD needs to remember its foundation and advocate for problem-solving courts as advocated by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ (NACDL) report: “America’s Problem-Solving Courts: The Criminal Costs of Treatment and the Case for Reform.” Instead of tampering with the scales of justice, MADD should leave trials to the experts and support court reformation. Reformation would better serve its stated goals of preventing drunk driving and recidivism.

The public would not tolerate MADD’s behavior if they were the prosecutors. MADD comforts, advises, and tends to the defendant’s family and friends in front of a jury during a trial. Obviously, such attentions pull at jurors’ heartstrings and these displays of favoritism contaminate trials with unshakable prejudice. No matter how well-intentioned, similar attentions to the family and friends of a person injured or killed as a result of a DWI would influence a jury. Additionally, it is unethical. Trials take place in courts, not in the media.

DWI cases processed in a “one-size-fits-all” manner forfeit integrity for expedience. Each case involves an individual human being with no less right to a fair trial than anyone else. Each case affects his or her life in an irrevocable manner. We need to remind the judicial system that DWI cases are not mundanities.

Washington Having Trouble Enforcing No-Texting Law

2010-07-26T07:00:00Z

Washington recently state enacted its new law focused on cell phone use while driving. The law stipulates that drivers must use a hands-free device when making a phone call from their mobile phone, and disallows any texting and/or emailing from a cell phone while driving. The ticketing data is in from the first full month the law has been in effect, and the results are a bit surprising. Although much was made of the serious safety issue of texting while driving, police aren’t ticketing drivers who are texting in any significant way. Instead, the data indicate that the vast majority of tickets issued are for talking, not texting. At FreeInsuranceQuotes.org we wonder if this is an issue around the difficulty of monitoring and enforcing the no-texting law, as opposed to drivers heeding the warning and not texting while driving.

GEICO Most Searched for Insurance Carrier

2010-07-22T07:00:00Z

Everyone knows that the auto insurance marketplace is extremely competitive. Just turn on any television or radio station and you’re sure to come across advertising for one of the big auto insurance companies. But which company is the most popular online? Well, according to Internet search volume, GEICO leads the pack by far. Interestingly enough, GEICO even gets more searches then general keywords like “car insurance” or “auto insurance.” Take a look at the below graphic. Something must be working with that caveman.

Alabama Insurance Premiums by Carrier

2010-07-20T07:00:00Z

Consumers shouldn’t have to hand over their personal contact information in order to compare the prices of auto insurance across multiple insurance companies. To illustrate the wide variance amongst insurance premiums, we’ve charted out the price of auto insurance for every major city in the state of Alabama for a thirty year-old married male. The insurance premiums in the chart below are for a six month policy, and the rates assume that the driver has no at fault accidents or traffic tickets, and drives a 2006 Toyota Camry to work each day thirty miles roundtrip.

California Leads Nation in Tweets About Speeding Tickets

2010-07-13T07:00:00Z

Many consumers who visit our site for free insurance quotes have struggled with past speeding tickets on their records. We decided to conduct an analysis of everyone using Twitter to mention that they’ve gotten a speeding ticket. The results are below. Is there any surprise that Los Angeles residents are the most active Tweeters about speeding tickets?

Source: RowFeeder

Which Insurance Company has the Best Website?

2010-07-12T07:00:00Z

Ever wondered how many search results come up from Google when someone searches for free insurance quotes? The results are unimaginable… 44,500,000 in 0.22 seconds. Well, perhaps most of them are not really interested in saving you money but instead are focused on earning money for themselves

A recent study examined the websites from insurance companies that provide free auto insurance quotes, looking at how customized and easy it is for the customer to understand what he or she is really paying.
The Hartford Insurance took the top ranking in the study. Of course, The Hartford’s website has free insurance quotes based on the city you live in, but it even provides information on discounts such as their 15% discount for seniors.

If you have come to this website we probably don’t need to tell you how important it is to be insured.
Our online free insurance quotes help us determine the best option for you, especially when you really want to save money. All you have to do it search for the best free insurance quote, take a look at your current policy, and see what’s cheaper.

Summer Break the Most Dangerous Period for Teen Drivers

2010-07-08T07:00:00Z

Every parents dream is for their sons and daughters to grow and progress up the ladder of life. It is with tears of joy that a mother will see her child sit, crawl, walk and start talking. It is with greater joy that a child will go to school, graduate in junior school and join his teen friends away from home.

Every parent wants to make sure their teenager enjoys life and a car is one thing that most parents will ensure their teenagers have. When they come back from school during summer recess, many will want to show off their machines to friends and brag about their superiority complex, speed and so forth.

However, amidst all the joys of parents making the teens feel loved, an ugly side of things reveals itself. This comes a bit too late, when the damage has already been done: summer accidents. The thrilling speed, drunk driving and overindulging leaves many teenage lives lost during this period.

A survey conducted indicated that many teenagers die due to car crashes in the United States. Contributing factors are phone calls, racing, changing mp3 songs and even driving with 3 passengers and above.

However, parents who bear the brunt of disaster when it strikes are the same ones who need to enforce strict agreements with their teen on safe driving. If necessary, written agreements need be signed among parents and the teens to ensure their safety when driving.

Top Ten Cities for Speeding Tickets by Search Volume

2010-07-06T07:00:00Z

You might hear that there are two certainties in life: death and taxes. We’d like to propose a third: speeding tickets. The following are the top ten US cities, on a per capita basis, where local residents searched for information in June on how to get out of their speeding tickets.

San Diego, CA
Irvine, CA
Seattle, WA
Atlanta, GA
Los Angeles, CA
Houston, TX
Washington, DC
St Louis, MO
San Francisco, CA
Dallas, TX

Source: Google Trends June 2010

Some Easy Tips to Drop your Auto Insurance by 50%

2010-07-06T07:00:00Z

In this day and age it has become quite easy to save money with your finances. Having the internet available to anyone can allow you to really take advantage of some money-saving opportunities. Getting free quotes on insurance is one of those opportunities.

The insurance market today is very competitive. Company A says you can save more than company B. Fine minutes later you realize that company C says they are cheaper than company A and so on. This can be very confusing to the average person unless solid research has been done ahead of time.

Online you can find resources for free auto quotes, or free car insurance quotes. This is a step in the right direction to find the best deal for your buck.

Once you have your free quote, it’s all about optimizing that plan. For instance, by simply increasing your deductible to a higher amount, you can significantly decrease your monthly payment.

Other ways you can lower your payment from a free car insurance quote is to take advantage of every discount possible. Do you drive a lot? Do you have a security system? Let them know.

Just think about it; if you can save money by first getting a free auto insurance quote, and then optimize your plan to get a cheaper rate, you are really on top of the game. This may sound like a little, but over time you could save thousands of dollars; and as you know this time of economic hardship is not easy, so take advantage of what the internet has to offer.