Are you kicking yourself for buying an overpriced car insurance policy? Don’t feel bad because there are lots of people in the same boat. Big-name insurance companies like State Farm, Farmers Insurance, Geico and Allstate continually hit you with catchy ads and consumers find it hard to ignore the promise of big savings and find the best price available.
Cutting your auto insurance rates can be relatively painless. The only thing you need to do is invest a little time comparing rate quotes to see which company has affordable car insurance quotes. It’s super easy and can be done by following the guidelines below.
If you’re in a hurry, the quickest way to find the lowest comparison rates is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This style of form saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions for every company. Filling out one form will get you price quotes from all major companies.
A more time consuming way to shop for auto insurance online is going to each company’s website to request a price quote. For example, let’s assume you want to view quotes from Progressive, Geico and Farmers. In order to get each rate, you would have to spend time on each company’s site and punch in your information repeatedly, which can be really labor intensive.
To view a list of companies in your area, click here.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just make sure you use nearly identical quote data for each comparison quote. If you have different data you can’t possibly determine which rate is truly the best.
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you might already qualify for some discounts to help offset the cost. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of purchase, but a few must be asked for before you will receive the discount.
You can save money using discounts, but most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, insurance companies aren’t that generous.
The best insurance companies and some of the discounts are:
If you are trying to find inexpensive car insurance quotes, ask each insurance company what discounts are available to you. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered in your area.
When it comes to choosing coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique so this has to be addressed. These are some specific questions might help in determining whether your personal situation may require specific advice.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.
Learning about specific coverages of car insurance can be of help when determining appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Below you’ll find the normal coverages found on the average car insurance policy.
Collision protection
This coverage will pay to fix damage to your Sonata caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage pays for claims such as sideswiping another vehicle, rolling your car and crashing into a ditch. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Medical expense coverage
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for bills such as prosthetic devices, surgery, chiropractic care, EMT expenses and X-ray expenses. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers both the driver and occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Liability coverages
Liability coverage provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property. It protects YOU against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have limits of 25/50/25 which stand for a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage pays for things such as pain and suffering, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, funeral expenses and attorney fees. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.
Comprehensive protection
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for 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 insurance covers things such as hitting a deer, hail damage and damage from flooding. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.