Sunday, November 30, 2008

First Time Driver Sports Car Insurance

By Louis Soul

If you have really set you heart on owning a high performance sports car, then you should not let the costs of running it stop you. Just like the cars themselves, sports car insurance is a specialist area of auto insurance that deals purely with high performance cars. Good sports car insurance will cover the vehicle against a number of events such as property damage, medical costs, legal expenses and liability.

Each driver's sports car insurance premium is calculated individually, partly using their previous driving record, for obvious reason. For instance, every vehicle has an insurance rating which is primarily based around two areas; its power to weight ratio and the cost of replacement parts. Although the driver's previous record is taken into account when assessing the sports car insurance risk, so is his (or hers) insurance claims record plus a number of other factors. Insurance companies will also investigate other areas concerning the car itself for instance, where the driver lives, the time it takes for a car thief to break into it and how effective it is in a collision. Even the drivers age, number of years driving, gender, profession and credit history can affect a sports car insurance premiums.

Of course, because so many collisions take place with cars traveling at high speeds, sports car insurance providers charge sports car drivers more than a family car driver who is less likely to drive in the same manner as his counterpart. When you look at statistics for accident damage, it is the sports, luxury and high performance cars that always top the losses lists. These cars are also the most likely to be caught up in a case of vehicle insurance fraud which is on the increase.

Armed with these facts, a driver wishing to find a good sports car insurance premium must first look into the subject and search for a reputable specialist insurer. However, the best way to keep you sports car insurance premiums low is by maintaining good driving skills and a clean police record which is how most drivers keep their vehicle insurance costs to a minimum. Another method employed by many sports car insurance companies is to place a limit on how many miles the car can be driven in a year; alternatively, you can set a figure yourself providing it doesn't conflict with theirs, which should help reduce your annual insurance outlay. Some insurance companies go even further and make other recommendations before they will accept the risk, especially if the car is worth a great deal of money, up to and including a vehicle tracking system and an engine immobilizer. Nowadays though, most high performance car manufacturers will be able to provide sports car insurance at a discounted price on their own vehicles but may require proof that the driver has a clean record.

Often, a good way forward is to try and find a broker who only deals with sports car insurance and is experienced at dealing with claims and legal aspects. One thing to remember is that a spots car insurance policy provides sports cars with standard insurance protection so the insurance does not cover the car in case of modifications to the body or its engine.

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