How to lower your auto insurance rate

You may not know it, but the insurance rate you pay
for your car can vary dramatically depending on the insurance
company, agent or broker you choose, the coverages you request
and the kind of car you drive. Listed below are a number of
things you can do right now to lower your insurance rate.


1. COMPARE COMPANY.


Prices for the same coverage can vary by hundreds of
dollars, so it pays to shop around. Ask your friends, check the
yellow pages or call your state insurance department (phone
numbers are on back page). You can also check consumer guides,
insurance agents or companies. This will give you an idea of
price ranges and tell you which companies or agents have the
lowest prices. But don't shop price alone.


The insurer you select should offer both fair prices and
excellent service. Quality personal service may cost a bit
more, but provides added conveniences, so talk to a number of
insurers to get a feeling for the quality of their service. Ask
them what they would do to lower your costs. Check the
financial ratings of the companies too. Then, when you've
narrowed the field to three insurers, get price quotes.



2. ASK FOR HIGHER DEDUCTIBLE.


Deductibles represent the amount of money you pay before
you make a claim. By requesting higher deductibles on collision
and comprehensive (fire and theft) coverage, you can lower your
costs substantially. For example, increasing your deductible
from $200 to $500 could reduce your collision cost by 15% to
30%.


3. DROP COLLISION AND/OR COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGES ON OLDER
CAR.


It may not be cost-effective to have collision or
comprehensive coverages on cars worth less than $1000 because
any claim you make would not substantially exceed annual cost
and deductible amounts. Auto dealers and banks can tell you the
worth of cars.


4. ELIMINATE DUPLICATE MEDICAL COVERAGE.


If you have adequate health insurance, you may be paying
for duplicate medical coverage in your auto policy. In some
states, eliminating this coverage could lower your personal
injury protection (PIP) cost by up to 40%.


5. BUY A "LOW PROFILE" CAR.


Before you buy a new or used car, check into insurance
costs. Cars that are expensive to repair, or that are favorite
targets for thieves, have much higher insurance costs. Write to
the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 1005 North Glebe
Road, Arlington, VA 22201 and ask for the Highway Loss Data
Chart.


6. CONSIDER AREA INSURANCE COST IF YOU ARE MAKING A MOVE.


Costs tend to be lowest in rural communities and highest
in center cities where there is more traffic congestion.



7. TAKE ADVANTAGE Of LOW MILEAGE DISCOUNT.


Some companies offer discounts to motorists who drive
fewer than a predetermined number of miles a year.


8. FIND OUT ABOUT AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT OR AIR BAG DISCOUNT.


You may be able to take advantage of discounts on some
coverages if you have automatic seat belts and/or air bags.


9. INQUIRE ABOUT OTHER DISCOUNT.


Some insurers offer discounts for more than one car, no
accidents in three years, drivers over 50 years of age, driver
training courses, anti-theft devices, anti-lock brakes and good
grades for students. See the following page for a guide to
these and other discounts.




IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEM, YOU CAN REACH YOUR STATE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT AT:


AL: 205-269-3550
AK: 907-465-2515
AS: 684-633-4116
AZ: 602-255-5400
AR: 501-686-2900
CA: 800-927-4357
CO: 303-894-7499
CT: 203-297-3800
DE: 800-282-8611
DC: 202-727-8002
FL: 800-342-2762
GA: 404-656-2056
GU: 671-477-5144
HI: 800-468-4644
ID: 208-334-2250
IL: 217-782-4515
IN: 800-622-4461
IA: 515-281-5705
KS: 800-432-2484
KY: 502-564-3630
LA: 504-342-5900
ME: 207-582-8707
MD: 800-492-6116
MA: 617-727-3357
MI: 517-373-9273
MN: 800-652-9747
MS: 601-359-3569
MO: 314-751-2640
MT: 800-332-6148
NE: 402-471-2201
NV: 800-992-0900
NH: 800-852-3416
NJ: 609-292-5363
NM: 505-827-4500
NY: 212-602-0203
NC: 800-662-7777
ND: 800-247-0560
OH: 800-686-1526
OK: 405-521-2828
OR: 503-378-4271
PA: 717-787-5173
PR: 809-722-8686
RI: 401-277-2223
SC: 803-737-6117
SD: 605-773-3563
TN: 800-342-4029
TX: 512-463-6464
UT: 801-530-6400
VT: 802-828-3301
VI: 809-774-2991
VA: 800-552-7945
WA: 800-562-6900
WV: 800-642-9004
WI: 800-236-8517
WY: 307-777-7401


FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL THE NATIONAL INSURANCE
CONSUMER HELPLINE AT 1-800-942-4242

Legal method to cut your tax

Now we are in an economic downturn. Many people have their salaries cut back or even got laid off. If opportunities are not there. A dollar saved is a dollar earned. I hope I can help you in saving some money. One of the area we can cut expense is tax. Many people do not know fully what items they can claim for tax deduction and end up paying more tax they should pay. Here is the items we can claim tax deductions in our US individual federal income tax return. Follow them you may end up in paying less tax. I am not engaged in rendering legal or accounting service and here I disclaim any liability caused by utilization of any information presented in here. The following methods are the methods I learned while I was in business school. If you have any doubt you should consult your accountant.


1. Cost of having a tax return prepared the previous
year.
2. Dues to professional societies and subscriptions to
professional journals.
3. Medical insurance premiums.
4. Union dues and expenses.
5. Liquidated damages to a former employer, such as for
a broken contract.
6. Gambling losses. (However, winnings are taxable).
7. Money given to non-profit charities.
8. Cost of uniforms and/or special clothing required on
the job.
9. Special shoes required for your job.
10. Special tools, equipment and supplies necessary for
your job.
11. Credit for political contributions.
12. Credit for care of a child or dependent.
13. Earned income credit (for low income workers).
14. Energy tax credit, for making energy efficiency
improvements to home.
15. Charitable gifts such as clothing, furniture, real
estate, etc.
16. Doctor's, dentists, hospital bills.
17. costs of prescriptions, drugs.
18. Expenses for eyeglasses, hearing aids, dentures,
contact lenses, etc.
19. Employment agency fee when looking for work.
20. Moving expenses, when necessary for business related
reasons.
21. Fees for books, newsletters, seminars, etc., that
give tax advice.
22. Upkeep expenses (including laundry, cleaning) for
uniforms, work clothes.
23. Protective clothing such as safety shoes & glasses,
hard hats, etc.
24. Appraisal fee to determine amount of loss for
casualty or theft deduction.
25. Appraisal fee to determine market value of property
claimed as deduction.
26. Home telephone expenses relating to your job,
including long distance.
27. Customer entertainment.
28. Professional licenses.
29. Malpractice insurance (as in case of nurses, doctors,
etc.)
30. Investment expenses for advice paid to banks,
brokers, advisors, etc.
31. Travel expenses to consult with broker, to do
investment research, etc.
32. Cost of safety deposit box rental.
33. cost of preparing, typing, printing, mailing, etc.,
job resumes.
34. Cost of seminars, books, classes, etc., on how to
write a job resume.
35. Travel and transportation expenses necessary for
finding new employment.
36. Meal and lodging costs when necessary for finding a
new job.
37. Cost of education required by your employer for
keeping your job.
38. Cost of education to improve skills required in
performing current work.
39. Donations to churches, religious, non-profit
organizations.
40. Losses caused by accidents, storms, floods, thefts,
etc.
41. Elective surgery such as face-lifts, breast implants,
thigh-tapering, etc.
42. Acupuncture.
43. Laetrile, in states where it is legal.
44. Psychiatric and psychological care and treatment.
45. Transportation to and from places for medical
examinations, treatments, etc.
46. Sales taxes, including big-ticket times such as car,
boat, etc.
47. Mortgage interest.
48. Interest on credit card and department store charges.
49. Interest on loan purchases, such as automobile.
50. Closing costs when selling home & moving, for
business related reasons.
51. Capital gains and losses.
52. Personal retirement plans such as IRA and Keogh
plans.
53. Personal property taxes, state and local taxes.
54. Real estate taxes.
55. Alimony.