Thursday, February 26, 2009

The Many Advantages of Pay As You Drive Insurance

By Tom Martens

Insurance companies usually price auto insurance policies on factors such as the driver's gender, age, driving record, and place of residence. Pay As You Drive insurance, however, is very different, being based on the number of miles you drive. The fewer miles you drive, the less you pay.

The obvious advantage of Pay As You Drive coverage is its lower cost. Since the premiums you pay are calculated on the basis of how many miles you drive, reducing your monthly insurance payment is a snap. Just drive fewer miles. Not only will you pay less for your policy, you will pay less for fuel and maintenance. The fewer miles you drive, the less wear and tear, and the greater likelihood you will be able to keep your car long after you make the last payment. And with the cost of new and used vehicles going up all the time, having a car without a payment is a major incentive.

The less obvious advantage of Pay As You Drive coverage is that you can tailor your program to your specific driving needs. Premiums under these plans are either computed on the basis of miles driven, or on the basis of hours driven. You can choose a Pay As You Drive policy that focuses on total miles, or total hours in a specific time period, such as six months. Pay As You Drive coverage offers you the flexibility and freedom you need to choose exactly the coverage you need, and to get it at a lower cost as you economize.

Because Pay As You Drive incentivizes driving less, it makes it less likely you will get yourself into an accident. Low-mileage drivers are usually more focused and careful behind the wheel, too.

Pay As You Drive plans require mileage monitoring, but there are multiple options. It is possible to have odometer readings, just as one would at the annual safety inspection. It is also possible to have a GPS-based monitor installed in the vehicle, which allows for data uploading. And since only periodic mileage readings as needed to compute the cost of Pay As You Drive coverage, the cost of monitoring will most likely be offset by the money saved in insurance premiums.

A report from the Brookings Institution found that two-thirds of U.S. households would save an average of $270 a year with Pay As You Drive insurance. In the current tight economy, that is great news.

Not only does Pay As You Drive insurance save you money, it also helps protect the environment. Fewer vehicles on the roads mean a reduction in auto emissions. Reduced traffic also means less congestion and traffic jams, which means less time wasted in the car.

A close look finds many advantages to Pay As You Drive plans. Contact an authorized insurance broker for more details on a plan that best suits your individual needs.

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