It turns out, uninsured motorist populations really decide how much law-abiding citizens pay for auto insurance.

That seems unfair—but it’s the truth.

Last year’s top states in terms of auto insurance premiums were Oklahoma, Michigan, and Louisiana.

Vermont had the lowest premiums in the U.S.

Oklahoma has over 24 percent of its drivers without insurance. Add to the quarter of uninsured drivers a high instance of tornadoes, and you have an average 40-year-old male paying over $2,100 a year for his car insurance. Ouch.

Unfortunately, there’s nothing the average 40-year-old male can do to lower his car insurance in a state where 24 percent of the drivers do not have insurance. His good driving habits can only go so far.

So if you know someone who doesn’t have car insurance, let him know that he is costing you money every month.

And we can help him get the cheapest insurance rates out there by simply filling out our quote form.

The holiday season is afoot, and for some people, that means attending holiday parties and driving home under the influence.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there is an increase in alcohol-related car crashes and fatalities over the holidays, which equates to high insurance premiums when drivers are able to get their licenses back after a DUI or DWUI.

Furthermore, many drivers will have to get SR-22 insurance forms when they reapply for car insurance policies after losing their license.

So make sure you either have a designated driver or other ride plans before you attend a party where you are planning to drink. A DUI, alcohol classes, and increased car insurance premiums can put quite a damper on your holiday cheer.

This legislative session has brought new light to the auto insurance industry in North Carolina, a light that some are working hard to put out.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin is one such individual who has taken on the responsibility of calling out car insurance companies who are backing new legislation that, in his professional opinion, will raise rates for most of the drivers in the "Tar Heel" state.

Under current North Carolina state law, all auto insurance companies are required to file their rating plans with the North Carolina Rate Bureau (NCRB), which proposes base-rate premium-calculation formulas to the commissioner for approval on behalf of all companies operating in the state. Many out-of-state as well as in-state car insurance companies contest that this process is too restrictive and needs to be changed.

In what many are calling a power move by the auto insurance industry, three bills have been introduced this legislative session designed to do just that, and loosen the grip of the NCRB on regulating proposed insurance plans. If the bills pass, they will grant insurers the flexibility to adjust rates as they see fit without having to answer to the NCRB.

Responding to the aggressive backing of the bills by the auto insurance industry, Goodwin claimed in an online press release that the current structure "strikes a necessary balance between the consumers' interest and the insurance companies' interest." Goodwin went on to add, "Auto insurers make enough money to keep doing business here profitably, and drivers have relatively low rates."

With North Carolina having one of the lowest average car insurance rates in the country according to several studies released in 2010 and 2011 by a number of groups including the Insurance Information Institute, Goodwin's claim has teeth.

The three bills will go up for an initial vote in May, although the likelihood of them passing the first round of voting is still up for what will surely be a heated battle.

—AJ Register

Effective today, New York drivers who are pulled over for using their hand-held cell phone while driving can expect an additional penalty—points off their license.

The cell-phone ban is nothing new. New York passed the initial ban in 2001 (It was the first state to do so). But that statute only attached a fine for the action—no points. However, beginning today, Feb. 16, drivers will be penalized two points in addition to the fine, which will, in some cases, adversely affect car insurance premiums.

While two points is considered the lightest penalty, one that insurance providers tend to overlook, if a driver has any additional points missing, the two-point penalty could place the driving record into dangerous territory and raise a red flag with the insurance company.

Unlike other non-driving related infractions that negatively affect insurance premiums, talking on a cell-phone while driving has been proven to be quite distracting, on par, according to some studies, with drunk driving.

"Distracted driving is one of the most serious dangers on our roadways today," said New York DMV Executive Deputy Commissioner J. David Sampson in a recent press release by the department. "By strengthening the current law, our hope is that motorists will become even more aware of the potential consequences of their actions if they use a cell phone while driving."

This new feature of the cell-phone ban is due in part to New York’s number of distracted-driver deaths. According to the NYDMV, in 2009, 5,500 people were killed in accidents involving a distracted driver. Over 400,000 were injured.

Although the law may be seen as a deterrent, New York’s government, which is broke, can use the money. The NYDMV estimates that they issue about 300,000 tickets for cell phone violations annually. That’s about $3 million in revenue a year.

—Theo Romeo

When you get an electric bill, you only get charged for the kilowatts you use. When you get a water bill, you only get charged for the water you use. But, when you get your auto insurance bill, you get charged a flat rate for the entire month regardless of how much you drove your car. Wouldn’t it make more sense that you should only get charged for the miles you drive? Why would you want to pay the same premiums as someone who drives 100 miles a week when you only drive 20 miles? That’s where pay-as-you-go car insurance plans come in.

The name is pretty much self explanatory, but there are a few things behind the inner workings of unique pay-as-you-go insurance plans available through several providers. Basically, with this kind of plan, which has been around since 1929, you pay a variable rate of insurance based on the miles you drive.

The way insurance companies charge you is with a small device that is installed in your car, which monitors the miles you drive. It has a small transmitter that reports the miles you drive to the insurance company at the time of the month you choose with your provider. You can also opt to install mile meters that will track speed patterns, estimated gas mileage, and there are rumors that GPS will soon be integrated into the meters as well. Unfortunately, the startup cost of pay-as-you-go car insurance is a little more expensive because of the cost to install the mile meters, but there are other benefits to investing in pay-as-you-go car insurance.

One great thing about pay as you go insurance is that it allows for easier green incentives for driving less. In Oregon, there is already over $1,000,000 in tax credits for pay as you go car insurance customers. Also, there is a hypothetical national government program in the works that would pay a 10-percent tax credit to the value of your pay-as-you-go insurance policy pricing.

The individualized approach of pay-as-you-go car insurance has caught the eye of a lot of Americans lately. It helps provide a plan that is tailored to your needs specifically and not as much to a general age group, model of car, or location. Also, by encouraging people to drive less in order to save money, pay-as-you-go car insurance is promoting a greener U.S. economy.

—AJ Register