More and more South African car owners are realizing the benefits (and necessity) of car insurance cover. Because we all want to get our money's worth, we must take the responsibility to educate ourselves about the options.

For the auto insurance, you have 3 general kinds.

Third party cover is very important these days. If you happen to damage somone's personal property such as the vehicles, physical structures, then the third party covers your legal liability. It also takes care of damages caused by fire and the theft or attempted theft of your vehicles as the basic Third party cover includes the Third party fire and theft.

Damage to your own vehicle is covered by a comprehensive policy even if the accident is your own fault. The policy also includes third party, fire and theft coverage, along with coverage when you drive another person's car.

Each of these is suitable for a variety of car owners. Review the benefits of each type and apply them to your own situation. You should also be familiar with the factors that influence your insurance rates. To begin with, your age, job and driving record will have the most influence. In general younger drivers pay higher rates, as will drivers with a history of auto accidents.

It is simple to see the cost of the car you drive determines your rates. The more costly the car, the higher the insurance. High performance cars are also more expensive. Figure out the cost of insurance when you go looking for a car so you find something you can afford.

Where you keep the car and what you use it for are additional considerations. If you plan to park your car in a high-crime area, your rates will be higher. Additionally, you will see higher rates if you have a long commute to work or if you will use your car for business purposes.

You can drop rates if you think about adding a gps system onto your car.

Young inexperienced drivers who are the highest risk benefit the most from finding the right insurance company. In these instances it is usually best to go with a direct insurer who can customize a policy for the driver's specific needs. They do not charge extra for this.

Before choosing an insurance policy, any driver should get the right kind of advice. Various insurance policies might look attractive but a careful decision is needed and in doing so, the driver can choose a policy which is also suitable in terms of budget.