Showing posts with label car. Show all posts
Showing posts with label car. Show all posts

Monday, August 5, 2019

Best car insurance for high-risk drivers

You may be someone who has a lot of traffic tickets under your name.

If people would name different traffic violations, you know that you have probably done most of them.

What if you have tried driving well all your life but you have done one infraction? This may be enough to make insurance companies view you as a high-risk driver. This is actually a big deal because your car insurance premiums will definitely increase.

The moment that you are considered as a high-risk driver, you are no longer qualified to get the best auto insurance rates that will be offered by different companies. Still, this does not mean that you cannot check out https://www.cheapautoinsurance.com/ to know more about the different car insurance policies that are available.

Insurance for High-Risk Drivers

There are some insurance companies that may know the plight of the high-risk drivers so they would like to offer more that will be considered more affordable as compared to what they expect to pay. You cannot expect that the rates will be as good as the rates that will be offered to careful drivers but would you rather drive your vehicle without any car insurance? Aside from the fact that this is not allowed, you do not want to be in a situation wherein you have to dig deep into your pockets to pay debts because of a car accident.

Who are Considered to be High-Risk Drivers?

There are some people who may not even realize that they are already considered high-risk drivers. These are some of the things that insurance companies will look at when deciding if a person is part of the high-risk category or not:

  • You may have already gotten one too many tickets. Some of these tickets may be the same which means that you have done certain violations several times.
  • There are different accidents that you are already involved in and most, if not all of them, are your fault.
  • You have gotten a DUI or DWI.
  • There are instances when you have driven without a license and you have gotten caught.
  • Street racing even when you know that it is illegal.
  • You have done a traffic violation that has caused a fatality.

You may think that being a high-risk driver is only related to how you drive but there are also other factors that can make your car insurance premiums higher such as the following:

  • Having a bad credit score. You may not realize this but this is still one of the things that insurance companies will look at when they are deciding on the premiums that you have to pay for.
  • You may be a young driver that has no driving record yet. The fact that you are young already makes you a high-risk driver.
  • Your previous auto insurance from another company has lapsed and you did nothing to stop this.
  • The car that you are driving is considered to be unique and exotic. This is not the type of car that people will just see everywhere. This makes it high-risk because your car has a higher chance of getting stolen. If you get into an accident, the parts that you may need to improve the appearance of your car are expensive and hard to find.

How to Get the Best Auto Insurance?

You are a high-risk driver and getting car insurance is more challenging for you as compared to others. Do not fret because there are still a few things that you can do to get the best car insurance:

  • Get an insurance agent. The agent will make it easier for you to compare and narrow down the different insurance policies available for drivers like you.
  • Take some driving courses that may improve the way that you drive.
  • Make your vehicle safer by installing the right security items that will protect your vehicle further.

Do not pick the very first car insurance policy that you see. You can actually take a look at CheapAutoInsurance to get to know the different policies that are being offered in your area. Having the right car insurance will allow you to stay protected every time you drive.


Friday, August 2, 2019

BMW pleads with Prime Minister to rule out no-deal Brexit

The chairman of BMW has warned Boris Johnson no-one would win from a no-deal Brexit and urged the new Prime Minister to listen to business.

Harald Krueger said leaving the EU without a deal would be “lose-lose” for the UK and industry.

Mr Krueger advised Mr Johnson: “Listen to the economy and listen to the people. He needs to be in a dialogue with business.

“I would visit Johnson to tell him this,” he added.

BMW warned earlier this year that if the UK leaves the EU without a deal it would threaten production of the Mini which is produced at its Cowley plant, near Oxford, where it employs 4,500 people.

BMW is one of a number of car companies that have expressed concern about leaving the EU without a trade deal.

This week, Vauxhall-owner PSA said it could move all production from its Ellesmere Port site, where it builds the Astra, if Brexit makes it unprofitable.

Such a move would put 1,000 jobs at risk.

BMW closed its Cowley plant for a month in April after planning for the original Brexit deadline of 29 March.

However, last month it committed to begin building its new electric Mini at the site in November.

In his previous role as foreign secretary, Mr Johnson last year allegedly used an expletive when discussing business concerns about a hard Brexit at an event for EU diplomats.

When pressed about using the word, Mr Johnson refused to deny the claim and said he may have “expressed scepticism about some of the views of those who profess to speak up for business”.

Mr Johnson has said the UK will leave the EU by 31 October, with or without a deal.

Recent figures reveal investment in the UK car industry has fallen sharply to £90m in the first six months of this year compared to £347m in the first half of 2018.

The Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders said, however, that companies’ spending on contingency plans for a possible no-deal Brexit had now reached £330m.

Mr Krueger made his comments after BMW reported a 28% drop in pre-tax profits for the second quarter of the year.

The firm attributed this to investing heavily in electric car production and said it still expected to hit its financial targets for 2019.


Government gives electric car charging a cash boost

The government is pumping nearly £40m into improving the infrastructure for electric vehicles despite a sharp drop in hybrid car sales.

The Department for Transport will invest in UK engineering to “transform” the network of electric charge points.

Wireless charging and “pop-up” pavement technology are among the investments being made.

Sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles slumped by 50.4% in June after the government scrapped a £2,500 grant.

But the DfT said it was “focusing on the cleanest, zero emission models”.

New UK car registrations for battery electric cars rose by 61.7% to 2,461 in June compared with the same month last year, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

However, the drop in demand for plug-in hybrid cars, which fell from sales of 4,571 vehicles last June to 2,268 vehicles last month, meant that overall the alternatively fuelled vehicle sector shrank for the first time since April 2017.

A DfT spokeswoman said: “The plug-in car grant has supported the purchase of 180,000 new cars with over £700m, including 100,000 plug-in hybrids.”

As well as scrapping the grant for plug-in hybrid models last year, the government also reduced the subsidy for pure electric cars from £4,500 to £3,500.

It also announced last year that it would end the sale of all new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040.

New projects

Nevertheless, the government is now investing £37m in a number of projects to make it easier for electric car owners to charge up their vehicles.

The government’s new investment marks the first anniversary of the launch of the government’s Road to Zero strategy, which wants “almost every car and van” in the UK to be zero emission by 2050.

It has handed £2.3m to a company called Char.gy, which is developing ways to deploy wireless charging technology on residential streets which would remove the need for trailing cables and additional infrastructure.

Urban Foresight has been awarded £3m to roll out “pop-up” chargers which are built into the pavement, which are designed to help drivers without access to off-street parking.

At present, the UK has a network of more than 24,000 public charging connectors in nearly 9,000 locations, according to figures from the Department for Transport.

Jaguar Land Rover recently announced that it would invest millions of pounds in the UK to build a range of electric cars at its Castle Bromwich plant in Birmingham.

However, its chief executive Professor Ralph Speth criticised the number of charging points for electric cars in the UK.

“The current charging infrastructure is not really sufficient to cover the country, nor the hotspots of the cities. The government has to govern the process,”.


What to do if you are in a car accident

In 2018, the number of cars sold in the world was over 78.7 million units. If you add the number of pickups and sport utility vehicles (SUV) to the list, the number easily tops 120 million.

Then add in the costs of building and maintaining roads for them to be driven on, parking lots, bridges, parts and accessories, insurance, and repairs. Add it all together and it comes to quite a bit of money. Suffice it to say, the automotive industry is big business.

As we continue marching into the future, the automotive share of the economy will continue to grow in lockstep with it. Kerbside management is transforming the way drivers park their cars and generating a lot of business in the process. That’s just one example from one city. There are literally millions of other examples from around the globe.

In all of that revenue-generating business, in the midst of the gleaming metal and new car smell, in all of those gigantic numbers, there is still one thing missing; you.

Oops!

It’s a sad fact of life that accidents happen often and when they do, the one who usually gets left out in the cold, financially speaking, is you. Your money, as the customer buying all the cars and trucks and accessories, powers the entire automotive industry worldwide but when the shoe is on the other foot and you’re the one needing money to recover from an accident, you’re the one who gets left dangling.

It’s not fair. It’s not humane. It’s not right. It is, however, a fact of life.

That being the case, you need an advocate in your corner (if you’ll allow us to mix our metaphors a bit). You need someone who will listen to your concerns and take a personal interest in your case beyond merely the impact on your banking account. You need someone who will fight for you as if you were family.

Recovering From An Accident

An automobile accident damages your auto, obviously, but there is more to it than that. It also has the potential to put you in the hospital for weeks or months on end, along with all the attendant pain and suffering that accompanies it. Many companies have modern attitudes toward accidents and the time you need to recuperate, so you may not lose your employment, but you’ll certainly take a financial hit no matter arraignments you’ve made.

There is also the emotional toll it takes on you. Being out of work while you recover may be the first enforced idleness you’ve experienced since you were a child. Additionally, there may be large psychological complications during the first year after an accident. That is when most people will experience posttraumatic stress disorders, depression, persistent anxiety, and unexpected phobias. Surprisingly, these types of psychological problems may be more severe in less serious accidents than you would think. You should prepare yourself and not be taken by surprise if it happens to you.

Replacing Your Auto

Depending on the severity of the accident, your automobile may not be repairable. You may have to replace it. Sadly, insurance often fails to cover the entire cost of replacing your automobile with an equivalent or better one. This is another reason why you need an advocate to stand up and fight for you during your most vulnerable hours.

Assuming everything has gone your way, there are several different ways to go about shopping for another vehicle, not the least of which is shopping for it online. New start-up companies that specialize in helping consumers buy new, used, or leased cars online are growing by leaps and bounds. You can utilize their services while you’re still in a hospital bed or at home with your bandaged foot propped up on an ottoman.

If your old care couldn’t be fixed or would cost more than it’s worth, you’re going to need a new vehicle, so why not try doing it the modern way from the comfort of your favorite armchair?

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

The 1987 comedy with Steve Martin and John Candy made a joke out of driving around the country in the dead of winter in a torn-up car with a manic companion (Candy) but the reality is, cars can be dangerous even under the best of circumstances. You need someone to help you through the aftermath of an accident who knows all the ins and outs of the legal system. Most of all, you need someone who will treat you right. You need a friend.


Factors that influence business negotiation

Negotiation is a skill that many believe is hard to acquire. It has been under appreciated for quite some time, until recently where it has been brought to the attention of several businesses.

We undergo negotiations in all aspects of life: the services we use, things we purchase, even what restaurant you are willing to go to. With that being said, it is extremely important to be familiar with negotiation skills and the key factors that play a role in the process.

The key factors that are going to be portrayed in this article influence the art of business negotiation. Steve Gates, the author of The Negotiation Book, lays out three key factors that play a crucial role in the negotiation process.

Power

Power since the beginning of time has been the decider of how countries, businesses, etc. operate and today is still a prevalent determination of rank. While holding great power is effective, in a negotiation situation, it can be quite detrimental if not used properly. For instance, power can be used to manipulate another person. In this state, it is more beneficial to not partake in using your power to get what you want.

Overuse of power can result in the counterpart feeling threatened or manipulated resulting in a hostile environment and potentially even a deadlock. A deadlock consists of no agreement and both parties walking away empty-handed. This is the worst-case scenario and in order to prevent this from happening, one should not engage in using their power to control the other individual’s decision.

There is a time and place for excessive use of power, unfortunately, it is not the best to use as a negotiation technic. Power influences the negotiation process as a whole and can be responsible for either making or breaking the agreement.

Trust

Trust goes a long way in all aspects of life. When It comes to business, trust is one of the most important traits one can have. Everyone wants to be trusted, however, it isn’t that easy. Trust is something that has to be acquired over time and must be achieved through repetition and accuracy. One doesn’t simply gain trust from their counterpart; it must be earned. In a negotiation, trust goes hand and hand with respect.

If someone can trust you they can learn to respect you. Steve Gates states that “if you are able to maintain a good balance between trust and respect, and create the right environment in your meetings, you will have created an environment where it’s possible to secure better and more sustainable agreements.”

The goal in any negotiation is to end in a mutual agreement that benefits both parties. If you can achieve maximum trust and respect from your counterpart, you should begin to see a higher success rate in the number of negotiations that end in an agreement. Building trust takes time and is a process, however, as mentioned above, one must not get too comfortable with the amount of trust they have. This can be seen as a use of power, which to your counterpart, could be taken the wrong way.

Understanding total value and mutual opportunities

In any negotiation, there are several opportunities worth considering. The more opportunities available, the more possibilities there are for total value from both parties. Would you want to walk away from an agreement with less value than you could have potentially gained? I’ll answer that for you. No. You want to consider all possibilities and opportunities in order to achieve full value. Take a new car for instance.

If you had two cars, same colour, price, mileage, etc. to choose from but one had a higher safety rating wouldn’t you choose the car with the higher safety rating?  It makes sense to choose that car because you are getting full value from the price you are paying for it.

Its all about getting the best bang for your buck; and in this instance the best value is the car with the higher safety rating. To improve your negotiation skills you can turn to businesses such as The Negotiation Society who have over 20,000 global members and a huge knowledge bank of negotiation videos, tips and news.

Negotiations are very similar in that you may have two similar possibilities but one will end with a better result and higher value. That is why it’s very important to weigh out all of your options and pick the one that is going to benefit you the most. If you can master finding the total value in a negotiation, you will see that the majority of the time both you and your counterpart are walking away satisfied.

If you are able to understand and consider these factors when participating in a business negotiation you can give it the best possible outcome with both parties benefiting.