Vehicle insurance in South Africa - Top Tips on How Not to Shop for Cheap Cover

Getting low vehicle insurance premiums in South Africa is hard enough on its own and there is no need for you to make it harder. Why do l say this? Because, having made thousands of quotes for car insurance buyers, l have observed a trend of mistakes being continously made by shoppers. The results are premiums that create a huge permanent hole in the bank account on a monthly basis. ln this article, l will discuss three major mistakes that l see being repeated consistently by people looking for affordable car insurance.

One key thing you must never do when shopping for a low vehicle insurance quote on the South African market is to complete the vehicle purchase process without knowing how much your insurance will cost. Auto insurance is such a huge expense especially when buying a financed vehicle that, to buy a car without knowing your insurance costs is total madness. So, as you frantically search the market for a car to buy, make sure that you simultaneously search for insurance quotations. This ensures that when you make your final purchase decision, you will have a clear picture of all the costs that go wih the purchase of the car.

The second thing that you must never do when shopping for an affordable vehile insurance premium in South Africa is to take the first quote that comes your way unless it is extraordinarily good. The more quotes you get, the luckier you become. If you are one of those people who is easily cornered by smooth talking car insurance salesman into taking the first quote you come across, you may only get a cheap quote by accident. l always advise that, if you have not yet secured at least ten quotes, you are not yet ready to purchase insurance cover. Premium differences amongst insurers can be so huge.

The third thing you must never do in your search for a low vehicle insurance quote is to believe that the salesman is acting purely in your interests. The salesman or even a broker is a commission earner and his commission is top on his mind as he deals with you no matter what he says. His primary concern therefore is to ensure that you accept whatever quote he gives you and make some money. The higher the premium, the more commission for him. Brokers have also been previously accused of placing business with those companies that give them the best incentives. So, maintain a cool head as you deal with these groups of people and accept the fact that getting an affordable premium is a responsibility that rests purely with you.

While there is no doubt that getting a low premium will always be a strugle for most of us, if you eliminate the above basic errors as you shop around, you will definitely get an affordable vehicle insurance quote from a credible South African insurer.

by Khumbulani Phiri

Why should my auto insurance cover glass coverage?

So what could possibly be more sleep-inducing than reading (or writing) a 650-word article about auto insurance? After considerable brain-racking, I've come up with one possibility: watching towels dry. However, if you drive a car in the United States, the law requires that you have your fair share of auto insurance. This article, in particular addresses one facet of auto insurance coverage: glass coverage.

So what's your point?

The purpose of this information page is not to navigate the morass of options, riders, or auto insurance companies. If you don't know whether you want "good hands" or a talking lizard, you should dig deeper on the websites these companies spend lots of money on to entice your patronage. Or you could investigate getting yourself a reputable insurance agent to act on your behalf. Insurance agents are people who think insurance is fun, and therefore can be trusted to accurately answer insurance questions. One resource for locating a reputable agent is the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America website: http://www.iiaa.org.

Again, what's your point?

The point of this article is to address just one aspect of auto insurance coverage, namely the aforementioned glass coverage. Should you have it? Should you skip it? In most cases, a glass coverage rider can be added to your policy relatively inexpensively - depending upon your situation, it could be less than $10 per month. Considering the cost of glass replacement (a windshield alone could cost over $200 to replace), it could be a wise investment. For a quick quote using the particulars of your vehicle, go to http://www.safelite.com and click the "get an instant quote" link.

But before making insurance decisions, you must assess your situation first. How much driving do you do? Under what conditions? On what type of roads?

Let's address these questions individually. 1. How much driving do you do? If you normally drive 3.5 miles on Sunday to attend church, and park your vehicle in an environmentally controlled garage the rest of the week, you may not need glass coverage. However, if you drive every day, and if your driving is for extended periods, your chances of a damaged windshield due to road debris, flying junk throw up from passing motorists, or the occasional misguided pigeon, are statistically higher. Calculate your weekly, monthly, and yearly mileage to help you get an idea of how much time you actually spend on the road. You might be surprised at the results you find. 2. Under what conditions do you drive? Do you drive in adverse weather conditions? Windy or stormy conditions increase the odds of rubble being blown into your auto, and sub-freezing weather makes your windows more susceptible to damage by making them more brittle. 3. What type of roads do you drive on? If you drive on unpaved roads, your chances of catching a stone thrown up by another vehicle rise. Also, if you travel on highways or expressways, you increase your chances of damage from long-haul trucks or construction vehicles that frequently drop bits and pieces of stuff as they pass. In addition, your higher rate of speed means anything hitting your windshield is colliding with it at a higher rate of speed.

So I guess you're saying my auto insurance coverage should include glass coverage.

I am not an auto insurance agent. I don't work for any auto insurance company. I don't even play an insurance agent on TV. The information presented here is to help you come to your own decision - to provide you with the auto insurance opinions of this author, and some food for thought. I will say, however, that I do carry glass coverage, and it has enabled me to replace several windshields in the past three years. And that, my friend, beats the heck out of driving around wearing goggles and a scarf like a WWI flying ace.

by paramjit singh