car insurance Archives - Page 4 of 6 - Consumer Insurance Guide

Friday is the riskiest day of the week for commuters

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
October 4, 2012October 16, 2012

When commuters and weekend travelers converge on the nation’s roadways it adds up to the number one day of the week for accident claims. Nationwide Insurance analyzed claims data from 2012 and found that Friday may be the most risky day to drive to work. Its members having the highest average number of claims per day on Friday at 4,664. Wednesday came in second with an average of 4,197 claims, followed closely by Thursday, Monday and Tuesday….

Texting drivers not even aware they’ve got the habit

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
October 1, 2012October 16, 2012

Although texting while driving is considered risky behavior, cell phone use has become so commonplace that many people aren’t even aware they’re doing it. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that texting while driving is predicted by a person’s level of “habit” more than how much someone texts. When people check their cell phones without thinking about it, the habit represents a type of automatic behavior, or automaticity, the researchers say. Automaticity, which was…

Study lists vehicles with most expensive accident claims

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
September 28, 2012September 28, 2012

Minicars and cars with powerful engines have the most frequent insurance claims for injuries to their occupants, while high-end sports cars and luxury vehicles rack up the most expensive claims for damage. These are just a couple of the insights that can be gleaned from the latest claims information published by the Highway Loss Data Institute. Collision claims data can provide a sense of how expensive it is to repair a vehicle, while injury data…

Teens don’t like texting while driving but many still do it

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
September 26, 2012October 8, 2012

A majority of teenagers say they’re against texting behind the wheel but don’t always practice what they preach According to a national survey by State Farm and Harris Interactive, for many teens, the attitude around texting while driving may still be “do as I say – not as I do.” While a passenger in a car, nearly four in five teens (78 percent ) said they spoke up and pointed out a driver’s distracted behavior….

Drivers in smaller cities less likely to have an accident

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
August 28, 2012September 11, 2012

Sioux Falls, S.D. was named America’s Safest Driving City” in Allstate’s annual Best Drivers Report. The company ranks 200 largest cities in terms of car collision frequency to identify which cities have the safest drivers. According to the report, the average driver in Sioux Falls will experience an auto collision every 13.8 years, which is 27.6 percent less likely than the national average of 10 years. “Allstate’s Best Driver’s Report was created to boost the…

Self-driving Cars Will Raise Legal and Insurance Issues

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
August 17, 2012June 25, 2019

Although automated cars are still in development, they’re already raising questions of liability and insurance that haven’t seen before. These vehicles could dramatically reshape the competitive landscape, human interaction with vehicles and the future design of cities and roads. A new report by KPMG LLP and the Center for Automotive Research examines these issues. “Self-Driving Car: The Next Revolution,” is based on interviews with leading technologists, automotive industry leaders, academicians, and regulators – as well…

Mobile app takes aim at ID theft after car accidents

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
August 16, 2012September 11, 2012

Most Americans are unsure of what kind of information they should provide someone after a car accident. Unfortunately for them, they could wind up getting scammed if they give away too many details about themselves that could be used by identity thieves. A recent survey by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners discovered that consumers were unsure about auto accident best practices, such as when to call the police, what personal information to exchange with…

Many luxury cars fail to meet new crash test standard

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
August 14, 2012August 14, 2012

Only three out of 11 midsize luxury and near-luxury cars evaluated earneded good or acceptable ratings in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s new small overlap frontal crash test, the latest addition to a suite of tests designed to help consumers pick the safest vehicles. The Acura TL and Volvo S60 earned good ratings, while the Infiniti G earneds acceptable. The Acura TSX, BMW 3 series, Lincoln MKZ and Volkswagen CC earned marginal ratings. The…

Not all car crash avoidance systems are effective

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
July 3, 2012July 3, 2012

An early crop of advanced crash avoidance technologies includes some clear success stories when it comes to preventing crashes, according to a study of insurance claims by the Highway Loss Data Institute, although not all systems are beneficial. Forward collision avoidance systems, particularly those that can brake autonomously, along with adaptive headlights, which shift direction as the driver steers, show the biggest crash reductions. Lane departure warning appears to hurt, rather than help, although it’s…

Car insurance customer satisfaction hits all-time high

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
June 28, 2012June 28, 2012

Led primarily by increases in satisfaction with policy offerings, billing and payment options, overall customer satisfaction with auto insurance companies has reached an all-time high, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Auto Insurance Study. It measures customer satisfaction with auto insurance companies across five factors: interaction, price, policy offerings, claims and billing and payment. Overall satisfaction with auto insurance companies is 804 (on a 1,000-point scale), up 14 points from 2011. Satisfaction…