The inconsistency found in auto insurance will finally be modified. The gathering of signatures will begin this week. It will all be about the initiative which is planned to be carried out for the 2010 ballot. This will give consumers more benefits like expanded discounts and much cheaper premiums for auto insurance. This will affect millions of Californian policyholders who have a regular auto insurance coverage in effect.

Currently, the law provides insurance providers the prerogative to give their policyholders a discount for having a continued auto insurance coverage from their company. This is otherwise known as the loyalty discount. However, as the name implies, this discount will not be applicable once the customer decides to switch from one provider to another.

The modification gives rise to the Continuous Coverage Auto Insurance Discount Act, which will guarantee drivers a fixed discount on their automobile insurance, even if they do not decide to maintain under a certain company and transfer their coverage to another insurance provider. The question here are the beneficiaries. Definitely, it will be the consumers. Statistics show that about eighty-two percent of drivers from California have auto insurance that is required by the law. The people here come from a variety of groups like single parents, elderly, working families, and young drivers.

If allowed to offer the same kind of discounts to all policyholders, the insurance companies can make the nature of the auto insurance market more competitive. To keep the flow of new policyholders going, the different insurance providers would have to lower the prices of their premiums. In addition, this will also have to include a better plan and coverage with added improvements in customer service.

In fact, California is lagging behind in terms of this law. Several other states actually allow different insurance companies to offer this kind of discount to those prospective policyholders or those already with the company beforehand. Included in the areas that support this kind of law are New York, Texas, Oregon, Florida, Washington, and several other more.

Insurance companies will also be required to maintain the main basis by which insurance rates are determined. These are the safety record of the driver, annual mileage, and experience. In addition, the older discounts such as the student discounts and good driver discounts will continue to be in effect.

Several organizations are rallying this change. Such organizations like Consumers Coalition of California, California Alliance for Consumer Protection, and California Black Chamber of Commerce to name a few are supporting it. Ultimately, it will result to lower prices for everyone.

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A recent survey reveals that in general, people are driving less which normally means fewer car accidents and injuries. With skyrocketing prices of gasoline, people are continually finding ways to save on gas like the invention of hybrid cars. People are now using public transportation systems or combining trips and car pooling instead of driving. All of these mean lesser cars, lesser mileage, lesser accidents and lesser insurance premiums. When people drive less, they will be in a lesser number of accidents which means lesser injuries and lesser injury payments. This is one of the reasons why more insurance providers give lower premiums for less mileage. So drive less, for more insurance premium discounts!

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According to a 2008 government report, Wisconsin has the worst drunk driving rates in the nation, with 15% of all drivers having been reported for the crime in 2007. While this number is indeed staggering, it is even more shocking that a federal government estimate states that 25% of all drivers had driven drunk at least once during 2007 without being caught. Now, after years of leniency, the state of Wisconsin has decided that enough is enough, taking legislative baby steps towards a complete crackdown on drunk driving.

Yesterday, Wisconsin lawmakers passed a bill which will make drunk driving a felony on the fourth offence, one offense less than the previous law stated. While this differs greatly from other states in which drunken driving breeds criminal penalties, it is just the first step in what will be a long climb. First offenses are still only considered crimes if a person who is under the age of 16 is in the car, and the bill also allows second- and third-time offenders to reduce their sentence by undergoing rehabilitation.

Having once been home to the breweries of some of the most popular beers, such as Miller and Pabst, Wisconsin has always seemed to have a very relaxed attitude about drinking. The citys Tavern League represents over 10 000 bars and restaurants, and is a very powerful influence when lobbying.

Even with these new regulations and laws, Wisconsin still remains one of the most complaisant states when it comes to the issue of drunk driving. In almost half of the states, drunk driving is a felony on the third offense. In five other states, it can be considered a felony on the first offense depending on various factors.

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In Dallas, drivers have experienced a huge car insurance rate hike over the past year. These figures have been revealed by the rate filings from the top insurance providers in Texas, which state that liability coverage has jumped more than 10% in Dallas County since 2008.

The hikes have affected six different ZIP codes within Dallas County: North Dallas, South Dallas, Garland, Duncanville, Richardson and Irving. In these areas, the average rates for liability coverage are close to $560 for male drivers, aged 25 to 65, who only use their car to drive to and from work. However, rate comparisons have shown that auto insurance providers are charging upwards of $1200 for yearly premiums.

Insurance industry officials have stated that this car insurance rate hike is a direct result of medical costs, which have increased over the past year. Although the economy has suffered from a global recession and low inflation, healthcare costs have continued to increase, which has, in turn, affected other industries that depend on these figures. On the other hand, consumer groups call the car insurance rate hikes excessive and unnecessary. Many believe that they are the result of poor returns from insurers stock market investments.

Alex Winslow, spokesperson for consumer group Texas Watch calling for affordable car insurance, has voiced his disgust “I cant fathom any justification for such an increase”, he says. “A double-digit increase in one year is a lot, particularly in tough economic times”.

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Looking for car insurance savings tips? Find out how to save money on your car insurance policy.

(NC)—If you’re looking for ways to save money on your car insurance, the following useful tips will help.

Drive carefully

Drivers with no accidents, tickets or insurance claims almost always pay less for their auto insurance coverage. With a less than perfect driving record, you can find yourself paying much higher insurance premiums over the years.

Make sure all your cars are on the same policy

Most insurance companies offer a “multi-vehicle discount” for customers who insure more than one car on the same policy.

Insure both your car and home with the same company

Again, this may qualify you for a discount called the “multi-line discount.” Most companies offer this discount as an incentive to get your home insurance business, too.

Ask about other discounts you might be able to get

Additional common discounts include anti-theft, winter tire, age, low mileage, occupational and auto club discounts, all of which could save you money, if they are available and if you qualify.

Increase your deductibles

The higher your deductibles, the lower your insurance premium, so raise them as much as you can. Keep it affordable though, because this amount is how much you’ll have to cover if you need to submit a claim.

Get quotes if you have moved, or are moving

Don’t assume your current auto insurer will continue to offer you the best rate at your new address. After moving, the best advice is to compare car insurance quotes. It’s the only way to know you’re still getting the best insurance rate possible.

Don’t believe the myths about auto insurance premiums

Auto insurance premiums vary across insurers. In fact, each insurer’s car insurance rates are so unique to them that it’s likely safe to say that no two are alike.

Shop around

With car insurance comparison services like www.kanetix.ca, you can get online quotes from competing insurers to see if you can save money on your premiums.

Compare apples-to-apples while shopping

When comparing car insurance quotes, make sure you’re consistent and include the same deductibles, coverages, and limitations so to achieve like rates. At comparison sites, like Kanetix.ca, where you can compare rates side-by-side, they’ll do this task for you.

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