auto insurance coverage allstate

Marcus Pickett

Fort Collins, Colo., drivers are some of the best on the road, while those in Washington, D.C., are among the worst, according to Allstate’s seventh annual America’s Best Driver’s Report. The report, which ranks the 200 largest U.S. cities, uses Allstate claims data to determine which places are car crash hotspots.

The rankings

Allstate represents about 10 percent of all U.S. auto policies, according to the report.  Because Allstate doesn’t serve some markets (Boston, for example), there are some gaps in the data. But the study’s findings still provide “a realistic snapshot of what’s happening on America’s roadways,” according to Allstate.

To determine its rankings, Allstate took into account its auto crash claims and calculated how often the average driver in each city could expect to get in an accident. An auto crash was defined as any collision resulting in a property damage claim. In the winning city, Fort Collins, drivers can expect to get in a collision every 14 years, while those in Washington, D.C., can expect a collision every five years. The national average is about 10 years between accidents.

According to Allstate, the top three safest cities to drive are:

Fort Collins, Colo.Boise, Idaho.Lincoln, Neb.

As for the most dangerous, the top three are:

Washington, D.C.Baltimore.Glendale, Calif.

Looking at the data, a pattern emerges: Larger cities tend to have more collisions. Here are the rankings for the safest U.S. cities with populations of 1 million or more — the “safest” big cities. Not only do none of these cities crack the top 50, but every single one has an auto collision rate that’s higher than the national average.

 Phoenix (55 overall).San Diego (117).San Antonio (142).Houston (155).Chicago (157).Dallas (167).New York City (171).Los Angeles (182).Philadelphia (188).

Profile of the winner

Fort Collins has led the Allstate rankings for the past two years, according to the report. In an Allstate release, Fort Collins Mayor Karen Weitkunat credited “the responsible behavior and safe driving habits of our residents.” Extra-wide city streets, an intuitive grid layout, the flat topography common east of the Rocky Mountains and red-light cameras all help create a safe cityscape for drivers.

Congestion means crashes

The Texas Transportation Institute publishes its own annual report, the Urban Mobility Report, which ranks traffic congestion in U.S. cities, as measured by the amount of time motorists spend waiting in traffic. The 2010 report shares traits with the Allstate’s America’s Best Drivers Report. In fact, the most congested metro areas in the Texas Transportation Institute’s report (Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles, Houston and San Francisco) rank poorly in the Allstate report.

Although far from a perfect correlation, the common thread between traffic congestion and safety ratings is population density. As people and vehicles become more closely packed together, the potential for auto accidents goes up. Auto insurance companies take into account the likelihood that you’ll get into an accident when calculating your rate. And if you live in an area where accidents are common, you’ll probably see a higher premium. So, if you’re thinking of making the move to larger city, make sure the larger premiums fit into your budget.

If you are living in any of these cities your auto insurance rate will be very high and hence you need to compare auto insurance to get low auto insurance rates.

Drew Bress : I live in Texas. I have two auto insurance policies. Would I be allowed to use both my policy limits in case of an accident with uninsured motorist?

Response : First let me expalin the use of both limits in terms of insurance to you. If you have two polices of each $1million for uninsured motorist coverage, than if you meet with an accident obviously with one vehicle than when you want to utilize both the limits it is called stacking of polices. Insurance companies normally have an anti-stacking provision in their polices which would not allow the using of both limits of the policies.

In Texas in a particular case when a person was injured due to an uninsured motorist, he was allowed to use both the limits of his policy for the same. Thus as per the gist of the judgment given below :
“The Texas statute does not speak specifically to the stacking issue, but, as evidenced in the caselaw, the courts have expressed a clear understanding that the purpose of the statute is that insureds recover for their actual damages and that a policy provision preventing full recovery conflicts with that public policy and is thus invalid. Therefore, it appears that in Texas, the “two or more auto policies” provision, when coupled with the intent and purpose of the uninsured motorist statute, will not operate to prevent stacking where the insured has two policies with an insurer and their actual damages are greater than the maximum recovery under one policy’s uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

The stacking and anti-stacking of the policies would depend from state to state and the provisions and whether there has been a case decided in the same lines in the state.

Presently in the states due to recession, many people are driving auto’s uninsured and so it is very important that you have this coverage. Compare auto insurance coverages at all times and reviewyour auto insurance policy to ensure that you are fully provided for and insured under most circumstances. It is wiser to pay some price now for the future when you are in a tight situation.

Angela : What Is “Legal Responsibility To Maintain and Use” Your Covered Auto? What happens if a family member dies to the car and car insurance coverage?
Response : “Legal responsibility to maintain and use” refers to coverage to drive the car to repair shops, oil changes, tire dealers, etc. A legal representative using the car for personal use is not permitted. Nor does the policy allow the legal representative to let others drive the car.
The personal auto policy contains overly restrictive coverage limitations that aren’t consistent with what happens in the real world. In practice, when someone dies, it’s common for surviving family members to use the deceased’s car for personal use until the car is sold as part of the estate resolution. Not only does the deceased’s insurer not cover such use, but even the personal auto policies of family members won’t either! Non-owned auto coverage specifically excludes vehicles “furnished or available for your regular use.” Those policies also exclude your legal liability for damage you cause to the deceased’s car under the “care, custody, and control” exclusion.
Who Needs Coverage?
Following a death with no surviving spouse, the following need coverage for the ownership of the deceased’s vehicle until it is sold: the deceased’s estate, the legal representative of the estate, and any possible drivers. If the vehicle is new enough to need collision and comprehensive coverage, the ownership interest of the estate needs to be protected for vehicle damage or theft as well.
This is something which is not know by all persons. Compare your auto insurance coverage and rates constantly and be aware that you can save on auto insurance.

Stephanie : What is no fault under auto insurance?
Response: No-fault auto insurance refers to medical coverage which you are required by state law to carry on your automobile insurance. Not all states have “no-fault” statutes, though almost all insurance companies sell some type of medical coverage for their auto policies. Basically, if you have an accident for which you aren’t at-fault, and you live in a “no-fault” state, your own insurance must pay for your medical bills. The “no-fault” part comes from the fact that even though someone, say, plowed into the rear of your car while you were stopped at a red light, your own carrier must pick up the ambulance, hospital, rehabilitation and other expense. Typically it’s based on the amount of the medical bills or the weight of the at-fault party’s vehicle. Many people who live in “no-fault” states often believe they can prohibit their carrier from paying their bills (with the assumption that they don’t want any payments made under their policy in case their rates go up). This isn’t the case. Much like worker’s compensation, “no-fault” medical coverage is primary, and the first-party insurance carrier must pay it. Finally, many people who know they live in a “no-fault” state often believe this has something to do with physical damage to a vehicle and liability. That’s not true. “No-fault” relates only to the medical coverage. If someone hits your vehicle, and he’s at-fault, he is still legally liable to pay for the damages to your vehicle.

Penny : How can I get a discount auto insurance quote? Is it a myth?

Response : Penny, let me reassure you that discount auto insurance quote is not a myth but a reality.
Finding the cheapest auto policy used to take some time. But these days, on-line internet marketing has made insurance shopping is faster than ever before.

Gone are the days of looking through the phone book for the right agent. Though some insurance professionals advertise offline, many now choose to offer discount auto insurance through services like Compare auto insurance quote.

I will reveal an inside secret of how to get unique discounts by comparing polices and obtaining these discounts. One of them is the diver discount-no claims for 5 years, no licence suspension for 3 years. The second one is double deductible discount applicable on comprehensive and collision coverage, or increasing the discounts. The third is payment plan Discount which is offered by paying your premium up-front in full. Fourth is the transfer Discount for those who’ve previously held discount liability insurance through a different auto insurance company during the past six months. Fifth is affinity car insurance discount given to members of certain qualifying organizations, an extra discount up to three percent may be available on auto policies. Sixth is the passive occupant restraint auto insurance discount given for safety features like an automobile with full front-seat airbags or restraint devices that work automatically when your door closes may qualify for an additional discount. Seventh is carpool and public transportation discount given to reduce a car’s annual mileage.

Remember these discounts differs from insurance company to compnay and hence you need to compare auto insurance quotes.