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.

© 2005 Auto Insurance Directory

About the Author

Andi Ignatio has developed the website Auto Insurance Directory, which answers the most common questions drivers have about auto insurance. Please visit us at http://www.autoinsurancedirectory.ws/ today.

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What will this mean for consumers?

It will mean that somebody who is a fraction above the stated healthy weight range will end up paying over half more than somebody within the healthy weight ranges. Some overweight consumers have been denied life insurance cover all together, whilst those that are offered cover, can pay up to 5 times more. This leaves many consumers completely wide open, left with no insurance to protect their families. The insurance companies currently use a measuring system based upon the Body Mass Index.

For example,

Underweight = less than 18.50

Normal = 18.50 to 24.99

Overweight = 25.00 to 29.99

Obese = 30.00 or above

Until recently, the acceptable BMI sat at around 33 to 35. Recent moves has seen this figure land at around 28 to 29. This now means that a male or female weighing over 13.5 stone, with a height of 5ft 7″, would have a BMI of 29.41, therefore risking much higher life insurance premiums, sometimes by up to 50%. This could mean around an extra £120 per year for the average policy. Over the course of a 25 year policy this would mean amount to an extra £3000.

In past years, the higher rate of life assurance premiums would only affect those with a BMI of over 43, whereas now, the threshold is set at around 38.

Insurance industry experts are claiming that the recent spurt in UK obesity has led to insurers re-considering their current acceptable weight levels. Due to the fact that an overweight person is much more likely to die younger than a person within a healthy weight range, insurers are forced to impose much higher premiums onto those overweight, to compensate for the higher risk category.

It is known that over half of the British public are considered to have a BMI of over 25 (overweight or obese), and unfortunately, this percentage seems to be rising in an upwards trend, indicating that an increase in the average price of a life insurance premium could also rise

This article is written by Rebecca Brereton.

Rebecca writes online marketing material on behalf of AE Marketing Limited for a range of UK finance websites. For further life insurance information visit the Life Assurance Zone.

How is the average insurance buyer ever going to determine which car insurance company is the best? That sounds like a nightmare instead of a shopping comparison. Insurance agencies are located in every major city and suburb in America. These agencies are either independent agents that represent several insurance companies or exclusive agents that represent one company. These are insurance companies that use the agent distribution as their method of marketing their products.

Some insurance companies have chosen to eliminate the agent and use the mail, the telephone, or the internet to sell their products. The property and casualty companies are always in a battle for market penetration. The insurance companies have to walk a fine line between new acquisitions and expense to do business. This is important information for the consumer because they are the ones making the final decision on who is winning. The best insurance company for you may be completely different than one preferred by your next door neighbor. Time and experience have a way of guiding you to your choice of companies.

Things to Consider….