Comparing car insurance quotes online could seem overwhelming if you have never used quoting online. Don’t let that bother you because finding lower rates is actually fairly simple.
It’s a good habit to take a look at other company’s rates yearly because auto insurance prices go up and down regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest quotes for Prelude insurance six months ago a different company probably has better rates today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the easiest way to reduce your cost while improving coverage.
Car insurance is easily one of your largest bills, but you might already qualify for some discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Many discounts should be triggered when you get a quote, but a few must be asked about prior to receiving the credit.
As a sidenote, most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Despite the fact that it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To find insurance companies who offer discounts, click this link.
There are a variety of methods to shop for insurance coverage, but there is one way that is less labor-intensive and much quicker. You could waste time talking about coverages with insurance companies in your area, or you can utilize online quotes to accomplish the same thing much quicker.
Most of the larger companies belong to an insurance system where prospective buyers enter their coverage request one time, and at least one company can give them a price based on that information. This saves time by eliminating quote forms for each company.
To participate in this free quote system, click here (opens in new window).
The single downside to comparing rates this way is you can’t choose which providers to get quotes from. So if you want to select individual companies to receive pricing from, we put together a list of companies who write insurance coverage in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.
The approach you take is up to you, just make sure you are using apples-to-apples information with every price quote. If you are comparing different coverage information it will be next to impossible to decipher which rate is best. Just slight variations in limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when quoting insurance coverage, remember that comparing more quotes helps improve the odds of finding lower pricing. Some smaller insurers to not give price estimates online, so it’s necessary to compare price estimates from those companies as well.
Multiple criteria are part of the calculation when premium rates are determined. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving record, although others are not quite as obvious like where you live or your financial responsibility.
When it comes to buying the best insurance coverage coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
For example, these questions may help highlight if your insurance needs could use an agent’s help.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form.
Popular auto insurance providers such as Geico, State Farm and Progressive seem to constantly run ads on TV and radio. All the ads advertise the message of big savings if you get a free car insurance quote and switch to their company. How does every auto insurance company make almost identical claims? It’s all in how they say it.
All companies give the best rates for the right customer that will add to their bottom line. A good example of a profitable insured should be between 25 and 40, has never had a claim, and drives less than 5,000 miles a year. A customer that fits those parameters receives the best rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.
Potential insureds who cannot meet those standards will be quoted more expensive rates which translates to the customer buying from someone else. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “customers who switch” not “all people who quote” can get the lowest rates when switching. That’s why companies can make claims that they all have the best rates.
This emphasizes why it is so important to compare as many free car insurance quotes as you can. It is just not possible to predict with any certainty which company will have the lowest prices for your situation.
Understanding the coverages of insurance can help you determine appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Insurance terms can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement.
Medical expense coverage
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses for ambulance fees, EMT expenses and X-ray expenses. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Liability insurance
Liability coverage provides protection from damage that occurs to other people or property. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
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 100/300/100 that translate to a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability coverage pays for things like pain and suffering, medical services, repair costs for stationary objects, medical expenses and bail bonds. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.
Collision insurance
Collision coverage pays for damage to your Prelude resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision can pay for claims such as colliding with a tree, crashing into a building, colliding with another moving vehicle, scraping a guard rail and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and damage to your Honda Prelude.
Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Usually the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Comprehensive protection
This coverage pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as damage from getting keyed, hail damage, a broken windshield, damage from a tornado or hurricane and damage from flooding. The most a insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
People leave their current company for a variety of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, being labeled a high risk driver, delays in responding to claim requests or not issuing a premium refund. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a great new company can be easy and end up saving you some money.
Budget-friendly insurance is attainable from both online companies and with local insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. Some insurance providers do not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small insurance companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies.
When shopping online for insurance, make sure you don’t buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits only to find out that it was a big error on their part. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford.
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