The annual cost of your auto insurance policy is influenced by many factors. A policy with a very low premium may not carry all the coverage you need. A policy with a very high premium may be stuffed with extras you don't need. Understanding a few basic auto insurance terms may help you decided which types of auto insurance are best for your particular needs.

Low-cost auto insurance expands

Californias low-cost automobile liability insurance program will be expanded to nine more counties, including Kings, Madera and Yolo in the Central Valley, the state Department of Insurance says. The other counties entering the program are Solano, Marin, Santa Cruz, Napa, Mendocino, and Lake. The program is expected to go into effect in early September, once rates are set in each of the newly added counties. "Driving without insurance is illegal, and nearly 100,000 motorists in these nine counties are uninsured," says Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. "Many drivers simply cannot afford insurance, but uninsured drivers put all travelers at risk. The expansion of this program in nine additional counties will better enable Californians to comply with the law and protect all motorists from potential losses." Motorists driving without insurance can have their vehicle registrations suspended as part of SB 1500, a new law designed to reduce the risk of economic losses sustained as the result of collisions involving uninsured motorists.

Unitrin Direct Introduces Affordable Auto Insurance to Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS, July 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Unitrin Direct, an auto insurer that is becoming increasingly popular with consumers nationwide for its affordable rates and high-quality customer service, is now selling policies in Minnesota, which will help drivers across the state save money on reliable coverage.

One way Unitrin Direct has been able to offer low cost auto insurance and save customers money is by using the latest technology to streamline the insurance process.

Calif. Low Cost Auto Insurance Program Expanded to Nine Counties

California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner announced his determination to expand the state's Low Cost Auto Insurance Program to Solano, Marin, Santa Cruz, Madera, Napa, Yolo, Mendocino, Kings and Lake counties. The program is expected to go into effect in early September, once rates are set in each of the newly added counties.

Chevrolet Kalos - 'An ideal family car'

Parker's reviewer likes the driving position and layout of the controls, but notes that the interior finish is not as good as in some of its rivals.The Kalos also scores well for practicality, with a 220-litre boot and the ability to expand the load space to 980 litres by folding the rear seats down.However, its engines are less impressive, as the 1.2-litre struggles on the motorway and the 1.4 "could do with a bit more zip".Auto Express' assessor is also unhappy with the "lacklustre" engines, but notes that the range of equipment that comes as standard, including ABS, power steering and central locking, and the low cost of servicing make the Kalos a tempting buy at £7,295 to £10,465.Despite the price, Auto Express' reviewer does not agree that the Kalos is the ideal family car and recommends that buyers consider the Fiat Panda and Kia Picanto before making a final decision.The entry level Kalos 1.2 S is in motor insurance group three, while the top of the range 1.4 Sport is in group six.Motorists could save an average of £68.92 on their car insurance with Kwik-Fit Insurance, according to a study conducted last year.© Adfero Ltd
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Fee on drivers' coverage will fall

An annual fee that is added to the auto liability insurance bill of every North Carolina driver is being cut substantially, partly because of fewer reported accidents.The surcharge will be lowered from 9.8 percent to 2.76 percent -- or from $39 a year to $11 for the average liability policy, according to Ray Evans, general manager of the N.C. Reinsurance Facility.The state Reinsurance Facility administers insurance coverage for high-risk drivers, such as inexperienced drivers and those who have insurance points against their licenses.It also administers coverage for "clean-risk" drivers who insurance companies shift to the N.C. Reinsurance Facility for any reason, including if calculations suggest the rates that state regulators allow them to charge won't cover their risk.The surcharge reduction is pegged in part to a lower anticipated shortfall in the cost of insuring clean-risk drivers, who make up about 70 percent of drivers in state Reinsurance Facility.

Ease Of Implementation Smoothes The Transition For West Coast

Boston,MA - West Coast-based insurers Capital Insurance Group (CIG), Civil Service Employees Insurance Group (CSE), and Merced Mutual Insurance have implemented ISOs property valuation solutionISO HomeValueto better estimate the cost to re-build a property in the event of a total loss. As a web-based residential replacement cost estimator, ISO HomeValue was easily incorporated into each insurers underwriting workflow.

We were impressed by the speed with which we were up and running with ISO HomeValue, said Frank Querques, senior vice president of insurance operations at CSE. Within a matter of three weeks our agents were accessing ISO HomeValue directly from our agency portal. ISO HomeValue even lets us manage the addition of new agents. Even better, building cost data is updated automatically, over the web.

Event Brief of Q2 2007 PPG Industries Earnings Pre-Recorded ...

PPG reported that 2Q07 sales grew by 12% over 2Q06. 2Q07 EPS was $1.50 that included a reduction of $6m after-tax, or $0.03 a share related to the proposed asbestos settlement. FINANCIAL DATA A. Key Data From Call 1. 2Q07 sales = grew by 12%. 2. 2Q07 EPS (included a reduction of $6m after-tax, or $0.03 a share related to the proposed asbestos settlement) = $1.50. 3. YTD CapEx (excluding acquisitions) = about $180m. 4. YTD share repurchase = 2.4m at about $175m. 5. 2Q07 share repurchase = about $120m. PRESENTATION SUMMARY S1. 2Q07 Financial Results (W.H.) 1. Highlights: 1. For the first time ever, PPG's quarterly sales eclipsed the $3b mark, growing by 12% over 2Q06. 1. This establishes a new all-time quarterly sales figure for PPG for any qtr., topping by about 9%, a prior mark set in 1Q07.