If you’re new to shopping for insurance quotes online, by this point your are probably bewildered thanks to the incredible selection of online insurance coverage companies and websites that all promise the best rates.
Shopping for lower car insurance rates can take time and effort if you don’t know the most efficient way. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking about coverages with agents in your area, or you could use the internet to get rates in a matter of minutes.
Most of the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace that allows shoppers to send in one quote, and each participating company then gives them pricing based on that information. This saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions for every car insurance company.
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The single downside to using this type of form is you cannot specify the insurers you want pricing from. So if you prefer to pick from a list of companies to compare rates, we have a listing of the cheapest car insurance companies in your area. View list of insurance companies.
The approach you take is up to you, just try to use equivalent coverages for each quote you get. If each company quotes mixed coverages it will be very difficult to determine which rate is truly the best. Just slight variations in insurance coverages or limits could skew the results. And when comparison shopping, comparing a large number of companies helps you find more affordable insurance.
Auto insurance is not inexpensive, but you might be missing out on some discounts to help bring down the price. Certain discounts will be applied when you get a quote, but occassionally some discounts must be specially asked for before being credited.
As a footnote on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. If you do the math and it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it’s just not the way it works. Any amount of discount will bring down your overall premium however.
Larger auto insurance companies and a selection of discounts are included below.
When quoting, ask every company to give you their best rates. Some discounts listed above may not apply to policyholders in your area. For a list of insurers who offer discounts, click here.
When choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
These are some specific questions may help highlight whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Knowing the specifics of a car insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Collision coverage – Collision coverage covers damage to your Jimmy resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers things like damaging your car on a curb, crashing into a building, colliding with another moving vehicle, backing into a parked car and sideswiping another vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Coverage for medical payments – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for immediate expenses for things like chiropractic care, EMT expenses and dental work. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers all vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your GMC Jimmy.
Since many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important.
Comprehensive coverages – This coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as damage from getting keyed, hitting a deer and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount your car insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Liability – Liability insurance will cover injuries or damage you cause to people or other property in an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show limits of 50/100/50 that translate to a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability can pay for things like structural damage, funeral expenses and emergency aid. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but you should buy higher limits if possible.