Tired of wondering where the money will come from to pay your auto insurance bill each month? You have the same problem as the majority of other drivers.
Big companies like State Farm, Farmers Insurance, Geico and Allstate all claim big savings with ad campaigns and it can be hard to see past the corporate glitz and take the time to shop coverage around.
Insurance coverage is not inexpensive, but you might be missing out on some discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you get a quote, but some must be inquired about before you get the savings. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, it’s possible you qualify for a lower rate.
Just know that many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies don’t profit that way.
If you would like to view insurance companies who offer discounts, follow this link.
When choosing coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is a little different and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions may help you determine if your situation might need an agent’s assistance.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Big name companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with television, radio, and online ads. They all seem to say the same thing that drivers can save some big amount if you switch your coverage to them. How can each company charge less that you’re paying now? It’s all in how they say it.
Insurance coverage companies have an ideal profile for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a profitable customer should be a married female, owns a home, and chooses high deductibles. Any customer that meets those criteria will get very good premium rates and will also save a lot of money.
Consumers who don’t qualify for the ideal profile may be forced to pay a higher premium with the end result being the customer buying from a different company. The ads state “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” can save as much as they claim. That is how insurance companies can make it sound like they have such great rates. Because of these techniques, it’s extremely important to get auto insurance quotes as often as possible. It’s impossible to know with any certainty which company will have the lowest rates.
Having a good grasp of a auto insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find typical coverage types found on most auto insurance policies.
Medical expense insurance – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for things like dental work, prosthetic devices and rehabilitation expenses. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Coverage for liability – This can cover damage that occurs to other’s property or people. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see values of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 bodily injury coverage, $300,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers things like legal defense fees, court costs, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as much as you can afford.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – This gives you protection when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
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 is very important.
Collision coverage – This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for claims like rolling your car, colliding with a tree and hitting a parking meter. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – This coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as damage from flooding, hitting a bird, damage from getting keyed, fire damage and falling objects. The most your auto insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Affordable 2000 GMC Sierra 2500 insurance is definitely available on the web and from local agencies, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers may not have internet price quotes and most of the time these regional insurance providers only sell through independent agencies.
When shopping online for insurance coverage, it’s a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where drivers have reduced liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest cost while still protecting your assets.
Much more information about insurance coverage is available on the following sites: