Showing posts with label Estimates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Estimates. Show all posts

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Insurance Quotes - Why attend numerous seminars insurance? Get Estimates free home


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We often see our neighbors and friends to visit, many insurance companies and participating in many seminars of insurance in their attempt to understand there are better concept. They seem very serious about it, because they know that hundreds and thousands of dollars at stake. Even if you save a hundred dollars a month per year, will save a lot of money over a period of 20 to 25 years.

This is not so much time with regard to insuranceconcerned. They are, however, you pay your life insurance for the next 25 years. If you own your home, you're definitely in the same place for the next 10 years or so of life. If you just bought your house on a long-term credit of 20 years, then you will definitely live and repay the loan for the next two decades or so.

Health insurance is something that must be renewed year after year. May not be the same car for the ridenext 20 years, but they are certainly in a car, regardless of whether they are new or old.

It is not surprising that people take seriously the task of finding the very cheap insurance. But why should one go about the visit of insurance agents and participate in seminars? It is not reasonable to use the World Wide Web, make all the necessary information on your screen? What resources are available on the Web site that is available to helpSearch quotes low cost insurance for your car, life, health or home?

Blogs

Getting information, you can count on blogs of those in the same position as his concern in writing. You can read more about their problems and insurance as they do their best to overcome him.

Forum

The forums are the same blog with the only difference that this format is a question and answer.

More insurance quotes

These sitesare best when you first discover if you pay a lot or not. Sites If you use this site, you can get estimates of more than a dozen insurance companies.

Once you have this information, it's just a matter of comparison and choice of right-wing politics. The best thing about these quotes is that a conscious decision to take out insurance, even if you're not a say.

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Friday, April 2, 2010

Auto Repair Estimates and Car Repair Prices - The Real Information to Avoid Car Repair Scams


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Worrying whether or not you were overcharged for your car repair is an awful feeling. There's tons of advice on how to avoid getting ripped-off, but few discuss the actual car repair prices. We really need to look at the charges on a car repair estimate or auto repair invoice to determine if we're paying too much.

The focus needs to shift from giving outdated and ineffective advice to addressing the specific charges. Are they legitimate charges? Can they be justified by industry guidelines?

Now car repair estimates can be confusing. So let's break it down to get a better idea if your auto repair shop is billing you appropriately.

First, a glossary of terms is in order, as the auto industry has a language of its own...

Aftermarket Parts: parts not made by or for the manufacturer.

MSRP: Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price

OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer. Manufacturer approved parts designed specifically for your vehicle.

TSBs: Technical Service Bulletins. Notes and instructions provided by the manufacturer for known and specific concerns (they are not recalls).

Flat Fees: services such as alignments that don't get broken down into parts, tax, labor

Miscellaneous Charges: these can include, but are not limited to shop supplies - rags, chemicals, hazardous waste disposal fees, waste oil ...etc.

Labor Rate: a repair center's hourly charge to service your vehicle

Labor Time: the amount of time or hours determined that it will take to fix your vehicle

Labor Description: the step-by-step written details of repairs and/or services

Ok, let's look at the Anatomy of an Auto Repair Estimate:

There are six basic components to a car repair estimate

1) Customer/Vehicle Information

2) Parts

3) Labor

4) Miscellaneous Charges

5) Flat Fees

6) Summary of Charges

Customer and Vehicle Information
Using a generic "top down" style estimate, the top portion simply contains your personal information and your vehicle's specifics: year, make, model, mileage...etc, as well as your request or concern.

We also want find the shop's labor rate. The labor rate is critical in determining if you paid too much. Most repair centers don't list the labor rate. We'll discuss why shortly.

Auto Parts
Parts are listed usually with a brief description, as well as the quantity, and the price. There are three types of parts: OEM (parts made by or for a manufacturer). These are the parts installed by a dealer, although many local shops use OEM parts too.

Aftermarket parts are non OEM parts, and there are various degrees of quality, depending on the brand and where they're made - China versus USA, for example.

Then there are Used parts purchased from a salvage yard.

To determine if you paid too much for parts, first find out what type of parts are being used. With OEM parts, you don't want to pay more than MSRP, although most people do without realizing it. Premium aftermarket parts are similarly priced across brands, although beware not to pay more than MSRP, which again, many folks do. Used parts prices are all over the place, so pick the price in the middle.

Auto Repair Labor

Labor is billed in tenths. So 1.0 equals 1 hour. 1.5 equals an hour and a half.
Labor rates range from $60 to $100 per hour at local repair shops and $80 to $140 per hour at the dealer level. Labor times are based off established industry guidelines, which are frequently abused.

If you don't see the shop's labor rate posted on the car repair invoice, ask your service center for the rate. Repair shops can manipulate the labor rate (among other things) with a labor matrix. Matrix pricing is a complicated and ethically questionable practice discussed at length in RepairTrust literature. What you need to know is that you can pay as high as $150 per hour rather than the posted labor rate of $105 per hour.

Thus, you'll want to multiply the number of hours billed (which is also often not posted) by the shop's labor rate to determine if you've been charged accordingly.

Most labor descriptions are poorly written and difficult to understand. So ask questions.

Here's a "clear" labor description for a 30,000 mile service on a Toyota Camry.

Performed 30,000 mile service per customer request, and in accordance with manufacturer guidelines. Changed oil and filter, installed new air filter, cabin filter and performed all necessary tests, checks, and procedures, including road test (miles 30,123 - 30,125). Performed lubrication services and confirmed proper vehicle operation. Set tire pressures, and checked fluids, belts and hoses. Note: vehicle is pulling slightly left. Needs alignment

Miscellaneous Charges

The bulk of your car repair invoice will be parts and labor, but we can't forget about Miscellaneous Charges. These charges can include, but are not limited to, shop supplies - rags, chemicals, hazardous waste, disposal fees, waste oil ...etc. The latter of these may be billed out separately in a summary at the bottom of your repair invoice.

Very few of these "extras" are actually used during regular repairs. Miscellaneous charges are calculated off the amount of labor hours billed, not the amount of miscellaneous items used.

Flat Fees

Flat fees can be another very tricky area. Flat fees are services, such as an alignment, which don't get broken down into parts, tax and labor. This makes it difficult to determine the real and fair price. On the plus side, most flat fees are competitively priced.

Be warned however, another term for Flat Fee is called Menu Selling. In other words, you might see Tune Up: $99.99 or Transmission Flush: $89.99. Follow your manufacturer's recommendations only, not a dealer's or repair shop's menu.

For an interesting read on this topic, click
car maintenance costs

Summary of Charges

The last part of an auto repair estimate is the summary of charges. It's usually found in the bottom right hand corner of the invoice. Check it against the charges above to ensure that it all adds up mathematically, as well as logically.

This basic estimate outline may differ from your particular invoice, which may have other categories such as "Sublet" or "HazMat."

A sublet charge is added when your auto repair shop uses another vender to fix or repair your car, such as a glass company that replaces your windshield.

A HazMat charge may include waste oil or other disposal fees. Just make sure that the charges are warranted, as again, they too are often calculated off the labor time rather than actual need.

In sum, understanding the "actual" charges, asking the right questions, and breaking down your auto repair costs is the best way to avoid paying excessive car repair prices.

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Thursday, April 1, 2010

Auto Repair Estimates and Car Repair Prices - The Real Information to Avoid Car Repair Scams


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Worrying whether or not you were overcharged for your car repair is an awful feeling. There's tons of advice on how to avoid getting ripped-off, but few discuss the actual car repair prices. We really need to look at the charges on a car repair estimate or auto repair invoice to determine if we're paying too much.

The focus needs to shift from giving outdated and ineffective advice to addressing the specific charges. Are they legitimate charges? Can they be justified by industry guidelines?

Now car repair estimates can be confusing. So let's break it down to get a better idea if your auto repair shop is billing you appropriately.

First, a glossary of terms is in order, as the auto industry has a language of its own...

Aftermarket Parts: parts not made by or for the manufacturer.

MSRP: Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price

OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer. Manufacturer approved parts designed specifically for your vehicle.

TSBs: Technical Service Bulletins. Notes and instructions provided by the manufacturer for known and specific concerns (they are not recalls).

Flat Fees: services such as alignments that don't get broken down into parts, tax, labor

Miscellaneous Charges: these can include, but are not limited to shop supplies - rags, chemicals, hazardous waste disposal fees, waste oil ...etc.

Labor Rate: a repair center's hourly charge to service your vehicle

Labor Time: the amount of time or hours determined that it will take to fix your vehicle

Labor Description: the step-by-step written details of repairs and/or services

Ok, let's look at the Anatomy of an Auto Repair Estimate:

There are six basic components to a car repair estimate

1) Customer/Vehicle Information

2) Parts

3) Labor

4) Miscellaneous Charges

5) Flat Fees

6) Summary of Charges

Customer and Vehicle Information
Using a generic "top down" style estimate, the top portion simply contains your personal information and your vehicle's specifics: year, make, model, mileage...etc, as well as your request or concern.

We also want find the shop's labor rate. The labor rate is critical in determining if you paid too much. Most repair centers don't list the labor rate. We'll discuss why shortly.

Auto Parts
Parts are listed usually with a brief description, as well as the quantity, and the price. There are three types of parts: OEM (parts made by or for a manufacturer). These are the parts installed by a dealer, although many local shops use OEM parts too.

Aftermarket parts are non OEM parts, and there are various degrees of quality, depending on the brand and where they're made - China versus USA, for example.

Then there are Used parts purchased from a salvage yard.

To determine if you paid too much for parts, first find out what type of parts are being used. With OEM parts, you don't want to pay more than MSRP, although most people do without realizing it. Premium aftermarket parts are similarly priced across brands, although beware not to pay more than MSRP, which again, many folks do. Used parts prices are all over the place, so pick the price in the middle.

Auto Repair Labor

Labor is billed in tenths. So 1.0 equals 1 hour. 1.5 equals an hour and a half.
Labor rates range from $60 to $100 per hour at local repair shops and $80 to $140 per hour at the dealer level. Labor times are based off established industry guidelines, which are frequently abused.

If you don't see the shop's labor rate posted on the car repair invoice, ask your service center for the rate. Repair shops can manipulate the labor rate (among other things) with a labor matrix. Matrix pricing is a complicated and ethically questionable practice discussed at length in RepairTrust literature. What you need to know is that you can pay as high as $150 per hour rather than the posted labor rate of $105 per hour.

Thus, you'll want to multiply the number of hours billed (which is also often not posted) by the shop's labor rate to determine if you've been charged accordingly.

Most labor descriptions are poorly written and difficult to understand. So ask questions.

Here's a "clear" labor description for a 30,000 mile service on a Toyota Camry.

Performed 30,000 mile service per customer request, and in accordance with manufacturer guidelines. Changed oil and filter, installed new air filter, cabin filter and performed all necessary tests, checks, and procedures, including road test (miles 30,123 - 30,125). Performed lubrication services and confirmed proper vehicle operation. Set tire pressures, and checked fluids, belts and hoses. Note: vehicle is pulling slightly left. Needs alignment

Miscellaneous Charges

The bulk of your car repair invoice will be parts and labor, but we can't forget about Miscellaneous Charges. These charges can include, but are not limited to, shop supplies - rags, chemicals, hazardous waste, disposal fees, waste oil ...etc. The latter of these may be billed out separately in a summary at the bottom of your repair invoice.

Very few of these "extras" are actually used during regular repairs. Miscellaneous charges are calculated off the amount of labor hours billed, not the amount of miscellaneous items used.

Flat Fees

Flat fees can be another very tricky area. Flat fees are services, such as an alignment, which don't get broken down into parts, tax and labor. This makes it difficult to determine the real and fair price. On the plus side, most flat fees are competitively priced.

Be warned however, another term for Flat Fee is called Menu Selling. In other words, you might see Tune Up: $99.99 or Transmission Flush: $89.99. Follow your manufacturer's recommendations only, not a dealer's or repair shop's menu.

For an interesting read on this topic, click
car maintenance costs

Summary of Charges

The last part of an auto repair estimate is the summary of charges. It's usually found in the bottom right hand corner of the invoice. Check it against the charges above to ensure that it all adds up mathematically, as well as logically.

This basic estimate outline may differ from your particular invoice, which may have other categories such as "Sublet" or "HazMat."

A sublet charge is added when your auto repair shop uses another vender to fix or repair your car, such as a glass company that replaces your windshield.

A HazMat charge may include waste oil or other disposal fees. Just make sure that the charges are warranted, as again, they too are often calculated off the labor time rather than actual need.

In sum, understanding the "actual" charges, asking the right questions, and breaking down your auto repair costs is the best way to avoid paying excessive car repair prices.

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Monday, March 29, 2010

Auto Insurance Estimates Vary by State


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Auto insurance estimates are tricky, as insurance premiums depend on a whole number of factors. Insurance premiums depend on the state, car, driver, type of coverage that a motorist decides to purchase, and others. Many people purchase merely the state required minimum, while others also purchase additional coverage for increased protection.

Following are some sample automobile insurance premium rates. The residents of Iowa, Idaho, and Maine pay a little over $600. Those who live in Massachusetts and Rhode Island pay over $1,000. The residents of New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. pay an average of $1,200. As you can see, the discrepancy is quite astounding. Moreover, the reduced rates that you can obtain from some companies versus some other companies are also mind-boggling.

The best way to obtain car insurance estimates for your state is to fill out a number of insurance quotes. This is one of the only ways to obtain accurate estimates. The more complete the information is that you provide on the form, the more accurate your estimate will be.

Prior to shopping for auto insurance estimates, you need to decide on the type of coverage that you need. The most common types of insurance coverage include: liability, coverage for injuries, coverage for damages, collision, comprehensive, uninsured and under-insured motorist coverage. You are likely to be required to purchase a state-required minimum amount of some of the above in your state. You may want to consider whether the state-required minimum is enough for you, or whether you would be better off obtaining some additional types of coverage.

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Saturday, March 27, 2010

Auto Insurance Estimates Vary by State


Image : http://www.flickr.com


Auto insurance estimates are tricky, as insurance premiums depend on a whole number of factors. Insurance premiums depend on the state, car, driver, type of coverage that a motorist decides to purchase, and others. Many people purchase merely the state required minimum, while others also purchase additional coverage for increased protection.

Following are some sample automobile insurance premium rates. The residents of Iowa, Idaho, and Maine pay a little over $600. Those who live in Massachusetts and Rhode Island pay over $1,000. The residents of New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C. pay an average of $1,200. As you can see, the discrepancy is quite astounding. Moreover, the reduced rates that you can obtain from some companies versus some other companies are also mind-boggling.

The best way to obtain car insurance estimates for your state is to fill out a number of insurance quotes. This is one of the only ways to obtain accurate estimates. The more complete the information is that you provide on the form, the more accurate your estimate will be.

Prior to shopping for auto insurance estimates, you need to decide on the type of coverage that you need. The most common types of insurance coverage include: liability, coverage for injuries, coverage for damages, collision, comprehensive, uninsured and under-insured motorist coverage. You are likely to be required to purchase a state-required minimum amount of some of the above in your state. You may want to consider whether the state-required minimum is enough for you, or whether you would be better off obtaining some additional types of coverage.

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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Auto Insurance Estimates


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A lot of people will get an auto insurance plan from the first company that is referred to them, but it is worth taking a few minutes to compare auto insurance estimates from multiple companies in order to get the best rates. Thanks to the internet it only takes literally a few minutes to get quotes from a dozen insurance companies.

It doesn't hurt at all to check out rates from other top insurance companies. If you don't like what you see you can always choose the first insurance company you were going to go with. However, it could end up saving you hundreds of dollars a year to get a few quick quotes from other companies.

Each insurance company has different types of discounts they offer to different groups of drivers and you might qualify for these discounts. You can get a student discount if you're a young driver, a senior citizen discount for older drivers, a good student discount for students that have a high grade point average, a safe driver discount, and many more. You're not going to know if you qualify for one or more of these discounts if you don't see what's available at different insurers.

I would also suggest that you get quotes on insurance from a third party website. Insurance websites have quote comparisons but we all know that those quotes might be more than a little biased towards their own insurance policies. There are literally hundreds of quote comparison websites that you can easily find by doing a quick search online.

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Sunday, March 14, 2010

Auto Insurance Estimates


Image : http://www.flickr.com


A lot of people will get an auto insurance plan from the first company that is referred to them, but it is worth taking a few minutes to compare auto insurance estimates from multiple companies in order to get the best rates. Thanks to the internet it only takes literally a few minutes to get quotes from a dozen insurance companies.

It doesn't hurt at all to check out rates from other top insurance companies. If you don't like what you see you can always choose the first insurance company you were going to go with. However, it could end up saving you hundreds of dollars a year to get a few quick quotes from other companies.

Each insurance company has different types of discounts they offer to different groups of drivers and you might qualify for these discounts. You can get a student discount if you're a young driver, a senior citizen discount for older drivers, a good student discount for students that have a high grade point average, a safe driver discount, and many more. You're not going to know if you qualify for one or more of these discounts if you don't see what's available at different insurers.

I would also suggest that you get quotes on insurance from a third party website. Insurance websites have quote comparisons but we all know that those quotes might be more than a little biased towards their own insurance policies. There are literally hundreds of quote comparison websites that you can easily find by doing a quick search online.

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Sunday, March 7, 2010

Car Insurance Quotes - Want All Auto Insurance Benefits at Once? Online Estimates Are the Best


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Will your automobile function properly if it runs on four flat tires? Certainly not. What about three flat tires? Or two? Or one? It does not take a rocket scientist to determine that you will need well functioning tires on all four wheels if you want the automobile to run properly.

The same is the case with insurance as well? You will have to take all the necessary steps to lower your premium. Simply opting for a higher deductible or making use of online quotes or finding some other method to bring down the cost of insurance will not work. You will have to utilize all the possible solutions and remedies.

For that, you will have to go beyond your traditional method of searching for insurance. You must always remember that your auto insurance agent stands to lose a lot by suggesting the cheapest deal possible.

Commission is based on the total premium that you pay. Lower the premium, lower will be the commission and the income for the agent. This does not mean all agents are corrupt or unethical. However, it is unreasonable to expect that an automobile insurance agent will help you find the cheapest deal beyond the certain limit.

That is the reason why he or she will ensure that your automobile insurance always travels on at least one or two flat tires.

If you do not question the premium charged, he or she will not suggest any discounts whatsoever. If you complain, you will be advised to go in for higher deductible to bring down the premium.

Or, go in for expensive safety accessories to reduce the premium? You will rarely find a service provider who will suggest all these points all at once to help you bring down your premium drastically.

The onus is upon you to find the necessary information. You can work a lot faster if you make use of the World Wide Web. Bulk of the information related to automobile insurance is available online for free.

You can start by getting estimates for your automobile insurance. Once you have these quotes in your hand, you can proceed to check out various resources to find out ways to reduce the premium even further.

If you are satisfied with the cheapest policy and if you feel that it offers good value for money, you can skip all other aspects and focus on finalizing the deal only.

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Thursday, March 4, 2010

Car Insurance Estimates - The Best Way to Get Fast Quotes


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Securing the right car insurance estimates is a very crucial step in the process of getting the best deals on auto insurance. You can get best auto insurance estimates only when you know your coverage needs and the amount of budget that you can allocate to auto insurance premiums.

Here are some easy to follow tips that can fetch you automobile insurance estimates best suited to your needs:

Educate yourself about facts such as the state law requirements with respect to car insurance. Every state has mandated minimum coverage requirements and you can tailor your insurance needs around that. Before starting to look for the automobile insurance quotes or estimates, find out about the discounts that various companies offer. Be sure to ask for these discounts if you qualify. This can significantly bring down your automobile insurance estimate.

Search online for different insurance companies and the quotes they offer for a particular coverage. When you request for insurance quotes, you be asked a set of personal information such as your driving records, type of coverage you desire, type of car that you drive.

Next step is the auto insurance quote comparison. Compare the quotes from various companies apple to apple and make sure that you are getting a fair deal.

Before taking a final decision on any car insurance estimate call up the company representative to ensure the policy and premium are the way you have understood them.

Prefer insuring you car with established insurance companies having strong financial backbone and good track record of serving it's customers.

Following these simple to do tips you can ensure that you are getting the best automobile insurance deal on the market.

My Links : Insurance, Auto Insurance