Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced car insurance? It’s quite common and there are many people just like you. Having so many choices of insurance companies, it can be diffult for people to find the most cost effective company.
Finding affordable coverage is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you have insurance now or need a new policy, you can follow these tips to find the best rates while maximizing coverage. Consumers just need to understand how to get comparison rates online.
The quickest method to compare rates takes advantage of the fact most of the larger companies allow for online access to compare rate quotes. All you need to do is spend a couple of minutes providing details like the ages of drivers, whether you are single or married, if it has an anti-theft system, and if you have an active license. Your insurance information is then sent to many different companies and you will receive price estimates with very little delay.
Auto insurance is expensive, but you may qualify for discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically at quote time, but some must be requested specifically prior to receiving the credit.
One thing to note about discounts is that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, that’s just not realistic.
Popular auto insurance companies and the discounts they provide are shown below.
Check with each company or agent to give you their best rates. Discounts may not apply in your area. To find companies that offer discounts, click here.
When buying proper insurance coverage, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining whether you might need professional guidance.
If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of insurance coverage companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.
Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find typical coverage types available from insurance companies.
Medical expense coverage – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for expenses for things like nursing services, funeral costs, ambulance fees, rehabilitation expenses and chiropractic care. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover you and your occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Collision coverages – This covers damage to your Corvette resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage protects against things such as backing into a parked car, colliding with a tree, crashing into a building and sustaining damage from a pot hole. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Liability coverages – Liability coverage will cover damage that occurs to a person or their property. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see values of 50/100/50 that means you have a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and property damage coverage for $50,000.
Liability coverage pays for things such as structural damage, medical services, attorney fees, funeral expenses and bail bonds. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as large an amount as possible.
Comprehensive protection – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like a tree branch falling on your vehicle, damage from a tornado or hurricane, a broken windshield, hail damage and theft. The maximum payout a insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your 1991 Chevy Corvette.
Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.