Tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul to buy insurance? You are no different than many other consumers. Big-name insurance companies like State Farm, Farmers Insurance, Geico and Allstate persitently shower you with catchy ads and consumers find it hard to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and find the best price available.
It is always a good idea to compare rates at least once a year since prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Just because you found the best deal for Astro Cargo insurance last year there may be better deals available now. Don’t believe everything you read about insurance out there, but in a few minutes you can learn some great ways to put money back in your pocket.
If you have a policy now or need a new policy, you can use these techniques to get lower rates while maximizing coverage. Buying car insurance is easy if you know what you’re doing. Consumers only need to know the best way to compare price quotes on the web.
The easiest way to compare insurance rates from multiple companies is to know all the major auto insurance companies allow for online access to provide you with free rate quotes. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is take a few minutes to give details such as an estimate of your credit level, if a SR-22 is needed, the year, make and model of vehicles, and whether you are married. Those rating factors is sent automatically to many highly-rated insurers and they return cost estimate almost instantly.
Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there are discounts available that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time you complete a quote, but occassionally some discounts must be inquired about before being credited.
You can save money using discounts, but most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.
Companies and a partial list of their discounts include:
If you need lower rates, check with every insurance company what discounts are available to you. Some credits might not apply in your area. To choose insurers that offer the discounts shown above, click here to view.
When buying coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions may help you determine if your situation might need professional guidance.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.
Understanding the coverages of a insurance policy can be of help when determining the best coverages for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Listed below are typical coverages found on the average insurance policy.
Liability – Liability insurance can cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property by causing an accident. This coverage 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: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see liability limits of 50/100/50 that translate to a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit which provides one coverage limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability can pay for things like pain and suffering, bail bonds, emergency aid, court costs and loss of income. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.
Insurance for medical payments – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for expenses for things like X-ray expenses, rehabilitation expenses, ambulance fees and pain medications. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Chevy Astro Cargo.
Due to the fact that many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage pays for things like sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a mailbox, damaging your car on a curb, scraping a guard rail and crashing into a ditch. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – This covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things like falling objects, damage from getting keyed, hitting a bird, hail damage and vandalism. The maximum payout your insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.