When looking for more affordable insurance, are you intimidated by the dozens of auto insurance companies in your area? Lot’s of other drivers are too. Consumers have so many companies available that it can quickly become a difficult mission to locate the lowest prices.
The purpose of this post is to introduce you to how to effectively get price quotes and some money-saving tips. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will be able to cut costs considerably using these techniques. Although vehicle owners must know how the larger insurance companies price online insurance and use this information to your advantage.
There are a variety of methods to compare insurance coverage quotes, and some are less labor-intensive and much quicker. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking to local insurance agents in your area, or you can stay home and use the web to get the quickest rates.
Many insurance companies belong to an insurance system that enables customers to send in one quote, and each company returns a rated price determined by their information. This eliminates the need for quote requests to each individual insurance coverage company. To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.
The only drawback to doing it this way is you cannot specify which carriers to get quotes from. So if you want to choose specific providers for rate comparison, we have a listing of the cheapest insurance coverage companies in your area. Click here to view list.
Compare rates however you want, just try to use the exact same deductibles and coverage limits with every price quote. If you compare unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be nearly impossible to get a fair rate comparison. Quoting even small variations in insurance coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. And when price shopping your coverage, comparing more rates from different companies helps improve the odds of finding the best price. Not every company allows you to get quotes online, so it’s important to compare rates from them as well.
When buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Having a good grasp of your policy helps when choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Auto liability
Liability coverage provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show policy limits of 50/100/50 that translate to a limit of $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability can pay for things like bail bonds, medical expenses and repair costs for stationary objects. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.
Collision protection
This covers damage to your Park Avenue caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage pays for claims such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, rolling your car, colliding with a tree and hitting a mailbox. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. You can also bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Frequently these limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Medical payments and PIP coverage
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for expenses for things like prosthetic devices, X-ray expenses and dental work. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive auto coverage
Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from 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 like fire damage, falling objects and vandalism. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.