Budget car insurance

Questions and Answers

Has anyone any bad experiences with Budget Car Insurance?

A) yes, i had a nightmare trying to get a courtesy car out of them and i never got to spoke to the same person

What's your best car insurance quote? I'm with Budget at the mo, (ending in Sept) .....?

Q) paid £314 fully comp with business use (got 7 years no claims bonus and 3 points on my liscense for speeding which shouldn't be counted now cos was back in 2003) Went on moneysupermarket.com and Budget gave me a quote for £177, still all the same details so why the £137 price difference? you can bet my renewel quote will be rubbish, it only dropped by £40 last year but couldn't be bothered with the hassle of paying new company deposit etc. What site would you recommend for cheap insurance? other than Confused.com Sorry this ended up being really long winded. insurance is for a '95 Rover 414.

A) First of all - you will have to declare your speeding for another year (it takes 5 years to be spent) Secondly - Budget are notorious in the industry for adding fees onto renewal letters - you probably have to pay a £20 renewal fee and £25.00 for legal expenses and if you pay by instalments an additional £30 for that! I suspect that: a) The quote online is for pleasure use with a high excess or assumes other factors. Alternatively the quote may be through a different company with which Budget have an agency and Budget haven't bothered to check the market on your behalf. b) They won't charge an admin fee for new business c) They probably throw in the legal expenses free (it only costs them a pound! I would look in the telephone directlry and find a local insurance broker - they will have the same agencies as Budget and you are far more likely to get a better service from them - all of which counts as well as the price.

fiat stilo - Is it a good second hand car?

Q) We are buying a second hand car. Our budget is £4500-5000. Since we want to buy only from authorised dealers, honda/VW/Ford are out of question. This is out 1st car, so insurance is high. Dont want to spend a lot. We will use it for city driving and will not be going long drives very often. We are getting a 2003 fiat stilo for £4700. It has done 33000 miles and is quite good. It is 1.8, 16V 5door, manual - petrol The service history etc is all in place. Has anyone got any inputs or any other options we can look at? Shilpi

A) if i were you i'd look at the skoda range.they have come leaps and bounds since V W took them over.

what car to get with £2000?

Q) i have £2000 loan to spend on a car i have to budget for insurance in that so whats a good car to get? something reliable would help any ideas most appreciated im 21 by the way.

A) I'd recommend a Fiat Bravo. I bought one two years ago for £1800 and have had no trouble at all with it. More recent examples will be around that price now. They're nippy, look stylish and a 1.6 isn't too bad on insurance. Though you can even get a 1.2 if insurance is a problem. I wouldn't recommend them if you're doing a lot of motorway driving - the ride is a bit harsh. Check the timing belt has been done on any cars with mileage over 50-60,000 - or get a discount. It's a £175 job. Otherwise I was looking at VW Golfs. They're likely to be reliable, but I thought they were over-priced for the typical mileage. And just plain dull. If it helps, there's plenty of car-buying advice at the link below, including how to inspect a used car for faults.

What car do you consider to be reliable..........?

Q) Could you help me? I need a reliable, cheap to run small car, nothing too expensive to buy I have a budget of £2000 and that doesn't include car insurance. I have kids, so a car that has reliability and fuel economy would be better. Nissan micra/ ford fiesta/ renault clio.........What do you think?

A) Reliability and cost you mention, but what of the other factors, size, comfort, insurance cost / availability - - I suggest you invest in a reference booklet such as 'What Car' - it will offer summaries of good and bad points, reliability, mpg, and cost per year / model. In general, Japanese and German cars tend to be most reliable - - motoring surveys have found a consistent trend of owner satisfaction with Skoda's (but make sure they are post-1998) - as they will then be owned / made by Volkswagan, but are much less expensive - i have one, it's my poor man's passat lol. It is however very reliable, and servicing is a lot less expensive than for V W or any other German make.

I just got my first car...?

Q) It's the car of my dreams thanks to a brilliant friend of mine. I insured it online on Saturday, But It has no tax, Is there anyway around waiting for evidence of my insurance so that I can buy my tax. How long do insurance companies take to send a letter. I'm in the UK and I'm with budget insurance.

A) usually you can print your proof of insurance when you purchase your insurance online. If that is not an option just call the insurance company and they are usually more than happy to fax to you a temporary proof of insurance. I usually have them fax it right to the place where I am having my car registered.

I am driving to Turkey. My insurance lapses as I leave Europe (Italy by car ferry). How do I insure 3rd party?

Q) My insurer, Budget, will not provide an excess and suggested I go without any cover.

A) That was a fatuous response from Budget! Ring around some other insurers. I know for a fact that some are happy to cover you outside Europe, tho' I can't say who 'cos some git will report me for advertising! Good luck.

Can anyone recommend a good laptop?

Q) My laptop recently died. It was a refurbished one, and though it was great it's only lasted six months, so I'm looking for a brand new one. I need a laptop for college as it was really useful, but as I'll be going to university in a couple of years, I'm looking for as good a laptop as I can afford. I'd like to be able to play computer games on it, though I'm aware that laptops aren't as good as PCs. My current budget (thanks to car insurance) is now around £400, but I might be able to stretch another £50-100. Can anyone recommend a good geal, or give me some help choosing?

A) IBM ThinkPad is an excellent one. Good price and high level performances.

I am looking to rent a car in the USA for 2 weeks, please help?

Q) What is my best option to go about doing this, book online or visit a branch eg enterprise, hertz, budget when i get to america? What extra insurance should i look to take out being a UK driver? Can you rent a car if you are 23 years old?

A) i usually do it online. i like budget, cheap cars, and they have good service, we payed for a car when i went down to florida, and we had 4 other girls not including me, they told us that they would give us an even better car, for the same price as we payed for the smaller one. yes, you can rent a car at 23 years old. I'm not too sure about the insurance though, ask them when you call(if you book on the phone)

first car?

Q) Hi everyone, just looking for a bit of advice regarding my first car, here is some info, I am 17, my budget is about £1500-£2500. I work hard for my money and save all year so would like something to show for it. Not looking for the usuall recommendations e.g corsa, fiesta, clio, 106, I would like something a bit different, something that stands out that not too many people drive. Also I am not asking which cars are the cheapest to insure as I already know this, I'm not too bothered about insurance to be honest either, would also like something with a bit of power behind it. Thanks

A) get an 06 gto. i like mine.

what is budget car rental insurance company name?

A) they are self insured and have 3rd party claims administrators handle their claims. you need to contact budget and get the info from them.

Car Accident - Any tips on Insurance would help?

Q) My husband was waiting in a line of traffic while another car turned off the road and was rear ended by a pick-up going about 50mph, he was hit from the rear and then my husband hit the car in front and so on. Here's the problem... We are in our 60s and have a very tight budget. That car - a 2003 Honda SUV was suppose to last us another 10 years. It only had 40,000 miles on it and was in perfect condition. Not a scratch (I always park away from the crowd). So, the insurance co. has said they would give us $15,000 for the tottaled car, but the new SUVs cost over $20,000. Never having an accident before, we thought that our insurance would pay the value of the car and the car at faults insurance company would pay the difference for a new car. Found out that is not the way it works. So, we have been paying the insurance company for car insurance for about 40 years without any claims and now when we need them we find that they will not replace the car. Is this right?

A) Yes. Insurance only has to pay for the cost to repair the car, or the actual cash value (whichever is lower). If the car was a 2003 and was totalled (meaning the ACV is lower than the repairs), then that is all they have to pay. You should see how much it would cost to fix, it may be only slightly higher than the amount they paid you (unless the car is really totalled beyond fixing). Otherwise, unfortunately, this is the way that it is. They are paying you for what is a close estimate to what it would cost to replace a 2003 Honda SUV. You could try to pursue his insurance company for the extra money (some people will tell you to hire a lawyer and do this), but it won't work. The laws are straightforward on the totalling of a vehicle and the right of the insurance company to do this. Sorry, I can't give you a secret way around it, but what they are doing is the way that the laws are.

How much do you think car insurance would be, ballpark range?

Q) I'm getting my first car in a few weeks, and we're going to ass it to my parents' insurance. They have a car and a van, and I wonder what the difference would be to add my volkswagon new beetle-to-be to their plan. My goal is to budget $400 to the car each month for payments and insurance. Do i have the right idea? (payment $150-200 hopefully) That'll leave me $400 give or take spending and saving. Thanks much. Also, how much is registration in florida? Sorry, I figured that there had to be some sort of cardboard cuttout answer availible. I have looked at quotes, but geico asks for the social security number and I'm thinking "umm... no?" Besides, as I said, I'm adding onto my parents' and I don't even know what company they use. I s'pose I will deal, I'm sure it can't be more than $200 in the difference... I hope. I'm getting the car with an $8000budget, set by self using calculators to figure monthly payments. My dad has his car that he financed and it was like 2.5 percent so the 7.39% I used in all the calculators will mean an even lower payment. Anyways, thanks.

A)

How do people in Florida cope with high car insurance rates?

Q) Let's say for a young single person who has been driving for 5 years with a 2 year old car. How can someone afford insurance with a tight budget?

A) my daughter lives there ans she pays 85 dollars a month thats high though

car insurance question?

Q) hello i am doing a report on future expenses for school we basically need to get quotes and things and make a budget plan and have a mininimum income figgured out. i got my mortgage quote and health insurance price but i can not seem to find out auto insurance im not ansking for someone to do it for me but i was wondering if you guys know AROUND how much auto insurance would run for an 18 year old girl the car is a saturn 4 door sedan thank you so much!

A) Depends on the driving record. I would say a minimum of $100 a month. Try insure.com

What would my car insurance be?

Q) I am 16, female, first time getting insurance. I am thinking about getting a convertible, would my insurance be more? If so about how much more? But black or blue, not red or yellow. One of my friends is my age/sex and hers is about $100/mo. Would mine be about the same, give or take a little? I am trying to come up w/ a budget and see what I can afford so any help will be greatly appreciated! Every "free insurance quote" site you must fill in your EXACT car type or be 18+, I have already tried that. I am in the US, in a small town (about 5000). I will add myself to my parents' insurance but i'm not sure what that is or if their car/house is the same. Thx for the help everyone!

A) Well, sorry to say, but to get some idea of a price for insurance, you really need to know what kind of car. Find a couple you like and might be able to afford and call around. The best place to start is your parent's auto ins. company, especially at your age. Pretty much anything is going to be high at your age. Here's what you need for an auto quote - name, date of birth, soc. sec. #, address, type of car, & coverages you want. You do NOT WANT TO POST SUCH PERSONAL INFORMATION IN AN OPEN FORUM LIKE THIS. I am an agent in Tennessee and unless you live in TN, my rates would be meaningless. As far as the convertible goes, it probably would be higher, most convertibles are. COLOR DOES NOT MATTER.

i need affordable insurance on my car any suggestions?

Q) well i've been driving around for 9 months now w/out insurance. my car's a 2001 dodge neon standard model and i paid cash for it (no car note). im afraid that if im pulled over by the chp my car will get towed. im on a budget and i really need an affordable monthly premium. im 28 yrs old i got my driving license at 26 yrs old then got 2 tickets like 2 months later. one ticket was a failure to yield on a right turn w/ a red light and as a result i caused an accident but there was no bodily harm or property damage to the other driver only to my car it was totaled and i wasn't harmed. i recently was pulled over and given a speeding ticket too. what is the difference in full vs. liability insurance? i do know that liability is cheaper. which should i consider? also does anyone know of any insurance co. that don't require a huge down payment to start?and would insure my car w/out a huge monthly premium?

A) I was with Geico and switched to Progressive and my monthly payments were WAY cheaper. Plus, you can do eveything on-line and there is instant approval and you can just print off your temp insurance cards

I need car insurance to take my driver's test in NC, but I have no car. What type of insurance should I get?

Q) Also I'm on a tight budget.

A) You need to borrow a car to take the test if you don't have one of your own. The insurance that is required is insurance on the vehicle you are using for the test - because it is illegal to drive a vehicle without insurance (on the vehicle since the insurance follows vehicles, not drivers). So, you just have to be sure the vehicle is insured and have the insurance ID card in the car with you. They will probably ask you for your permit, the registration & the insurance ID card when they get in the car with you to take the test.

$500 a week, $284.90 car insurance, $ 302.00 car note. Can i afford $750 a month in rent?

Q) i need some budget advice. and will an apartment complex turn me down knowing the bills i already pay?

A) Your car insurance amount won't show up on your credit report. Is that $284 a month? You can't afford that kind of rent. You did not indicate if your $500 a week was net or gross, but even if it's gross, that is only $2000 a month. You are paying over $600 just for your car (including gas and regular maintenence) and then you have food, clothes, utilities, etc. Maybe you should get a $900 apartment and a roommate so your rent is half of $900 = $450. That is a more reasonable amount for someone in your situation to pay. Do not get yourself into an unreasonable financial situation. That car is KILLING you, I hope it's worth it.

Why do libs think health care is a right? What next, car insurance? How about free food for everyone?

Q) Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of 'Free' Health Care Every new 'right' the U.S. government has promised has turned into a massively expensive failure, yet the media continue to cheer supporters of tax-funded programs. Americans are obsessed with rights. We always have been. But the concept of rights our forefathers laid out in the Declaration of Independence has changed dramatically. Those rights – life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – were acknowledged to come from the Almighty, given equally to all people. Today’s rights come from Almighty Government. Health care is the newest “right.” From presidential candidates’ universal plans to the return of HillaryCare to Michael Moore’s movie “Sicko,” it’s all over the media. Calling it a “right” is an emotional argument advanced by those who want others to pay for their health care. They bring out the children and ask whether anyone can deny them the “basic human right” of health care – but don’t bother with the evidence showing how health care in this country would be harmed by government control. A look at other modern “rights” might give us a clue about how well a new system would work. These rights started out as privileges, among them education and a paid retirement. Now education is not only considered a right, it’s a mandate. How well has it worked? American students attend school at least until their teen years, but 15-year-olds ranked 24th out of 29 countries in aptitude for “real-life math problems,” according to The Washington Post. Literacy surveys suggest one in five American adults is functionally illiterate. And taxpayers keep shelling out money to fund the system. Americans also cherish the right to retire – but we expect to be supported in our old age. Younger workers and employers are forced to support retirees, funding another right. And how well has that worked? The poorly designed, outdated Social Security system is disintegrating rapidly as the number of retirees balloons. But once you’ve established a right, it’s difficult to take it away. The government, which promises such rights, must go to its sugar daddy – taxpayers – to keep the rights coming. We’re already well on our way toward the health care right/mandate. Want to be more like Canada? It’s not that far off. Cato’s Michael Cannon has pointed out that third parties in America pay 86 cents of every dollar of our health care – about the same as Canada’s socialized system. What we – or rather, those third parties – pay for health care is already determined by the government as well. Emory University medical professor Robert Swerlick has noted that “the pricing of medical care in this country is either directly or indirectly dictated by Medicare.” This market meddling even causes doctor shortages, he says, in needed areas of specialty. Prescription drugs are already considered a right, thanks to political moves like the Medicare drug benefit and massive media support. A Business & Media Institute study found broadcast journalists treating prescription drugs as though they grew on trees. Overall, the coverage supported the idea that medications should magically be available to everyone at far lower costs. Of course, the magic behind new “rights” is your money. Cannon and fellow Cato expert Michael Tanner explained problems with tax-funded care in their book “Healthy Competition: What’s Holding Back Health Care and How to Free It.” If health care is guaranteed to everyone, how much does everyone get? Who decides who receives what, and how would the care be administered? What happens if everyone wants the most expensive treatment available? “With the wide variety of medical tests and treatments that consumers may claim as their right, someone at some point must decide where the right to health care ends, lest the nation be bankrupted,” they wrote. We’re well on our way toward that as well. Our “rights” to Social Security and Medicare devour about 40 percent of the federal budget. State and local property tax revenue, which normally funds education, mushroomed about 35 percent between 2000 and 2005, according to the Tax Foundation. We can’t afford any more “rights” like that. But the left says tax-funded care is right for the children. Meanwhile, what becomes of them? They’re growing up in an America where the “rights” mentality is deeply ingrained, and the media continue to feed them with it. When the children come of age, perhaps they’ll want the right to a job. They won’t remember that France already tested that idea for us, and it led to high unemployment and rioting. Perhaps they’ll guarantee Disney vacations for all families and force childless Americans to pay for it. “The pursuit of” will conveniently fade away as they look to government to guarantee happiness. They will know less and less of a true right – liberty – and have no idea where it comes from.

A) Man how did you get such a long question on Y!A? What is funny in this entire discussion is the socialists who want government control of health care will tell you that other countries do it so should we. Which reminds me of my mother, she used to chide me when I used such a phony argument was that if every one else jumped off the bridge would I also. She was right, just because other countries have tripped down the path of socialism does not justify AMerica doing it. No one in this country is without health care, anything to the contrary is just a LIE. YOu can get care when you need it, just go to an ER and they will care for you, and the most amazing thing about this one simple great feature of our country, you will receive care regardless of your ability to pay. SO you see, this whole thing is smoke and mirrors, kind of like class envy. The socialists will tell you you do not get what those who have more money get, which is a LIE. Care is care.