Are you confused by the sheer number of car insurance companies that you can choose from? Drivers have so many companies to choose from that it can be a burden to locate the lowest premium rates.
This information will familiarize you with how car insurance quotes work and some tricks to saving. If you currently have car insurance, you will be able to save some money using these techniques. But drivers benefit from understanding the methods companies use to market on the web and take advantage of how the system works.
Most larger insurance companies allow consumers to get insurance quotes online. Obtaining pricing is fairly simple because you just enter your personal and coverage information into a form. After you submit the form their system requests your driving record and credit report and returns pricing information based on these factors.
This makes it easy to compare insurance prices but the process of having to visit many different websites and type in the same information is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it’s very important to compare as many rates as possible if you want to get a lower rate.
A less time-consuming method to find lower prices uses one form to obtain quotes from a bunch of companies at once. This type of form saves time, eliminates repetitive work, and makes rate comparisons much easier. As soon as you send your information, it is rated and you can select any of the quotes that you receive.
If the quotes result in lower rates, it’s easy to complete the application and buy the policy. This process takes just a few minutes to complete and you will know how your current rates stack up.
To find out how much you’re overpaying now, click here to open in new window and enter your information. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you duplicate the coverage information as shown on your current policy. This way, you will have rate quotes for similar coverage.
Some providers don’t always list every possible discount in an easy-to-find place, so the list below gives a summary of both well-publicized and the harder-to-find discounts that you can inquire about if you buy insurance online.
Don’t be shocked that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like it’s possible to get free car insurance, you’re out of luck. Any amount of discount will bring down your policy premium.
A few of the larger companies and the discounts they provide are detailed below.
Before you buy a policy, ask every insurance company what discounts are available to you. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply to policies in every state. To choose providers that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts, follow this link.
When it comes to buying adequate coverage, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is unique.
Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine if your situation may require specific advice.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Learning about specific coverages of your insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Insurance terms can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Collision coverage – This coverage pays for damage to your Suburban resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage protects against things like sideswiping another vehicle, crashing into a ditch and rolling your car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. Another option is to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.
UM/UIM Coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Due to the fact that many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important. Usually these coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Comprehensive or Other Than Collision – Comprehensive insurance pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as fire damage, hitting a bird and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Auto liability – Liability insurance can cover damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property in an accident. It protects you from claims by other people. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have policy limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 bodily injury coverage, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is one number which is a combined single limit which limits claims to one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability coverage protects against things such as loss of income, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and repair costs for stationary objects. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.
Medical costs insurance – Med pay and PIP coverage pay for immediate expenses for EMT expenses, nursing services, funeral costs and chiropractic care. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to you and your occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage