No one in their right mind likes paying for insurance, especially knowing the prices are way too high.
Since drivers have many options when it comes to insurance, it’s nearly impossible to choose the lowest cost company.
This information will teach you how to get online quotes and some money-saving tips. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these tips. But drivers benefit from understanding how big insurance companies sell online and apply this information to your search.
There are several ways to compare insurance quotes, and some are less labor-intensive and much quicker. You could waste time driving to insurance agencies in your area, or you can stay home and use the web to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.
Many of the larger companies enroll in a system that allows shoppers to only type in their quote data once, and each company returns a rated price based on that data. This system prevents you from having to do quote requests to every company. To find out how much you’re overpaying now click to open in new window.
The one downside to pricing coverage this way is you can’t choose the insurers you want pricing from. So if you want to choose individual companies to compare prices, we have a listing of insurance companies in your area. Click here to view list.
The approach you take is up to you, just do your best to use equivalent deductibles and coverage limits on every quote. If you are comparing different liability limits it’s impossible to make an equal comparison. Slightly different coverages could throw off the whole comparison. And when comparison shopping, comparing all the rates in your area will improve the odds of getting better pricing. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide online rate quotes, so it’s recommended that you also compare price quotes from them as well.
Car insurance companies don’t always advertise their entire list of discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the list below contains a few of the more common and the more hidden discounts that you can inquire about if you buy insurance online.
It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, that’s just not realistic.
The best auto insurance companies and the discounts they provide are detailed below.
Before purchasing a policy, check with each company how you can save money. All car insurance discounts might not be offered in your area. To see a list of insurance companies that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts, click this link.
Many factors are part of the equation when quoting car insurance. Some are obvious such as your driving history, although some other factors are more obscure such as your marital status and annual miles driven.
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions might point out whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Respected companies like State Farm and Allstate endlessly run television and radio advertisements. They all make the point that you can save after switching to them. It sounds good, but how can they all charge less that you’re paying now?
Insurance companies have specific guidelines for a prospective insured that is profitable for them. For instance, a driver they prefer could be a female over age 40, has never had a policy lapse, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A driver that meets those criteria is entitled to the best price and will also save when they switch companies.
Drivers who do not fit those criteria will probably be forced to pay higher prices which leads to the customer buying from a different company. The trick is to say “people who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save the amount stated. That is how companies can advertise the savings.
Because of these techniques, you absolutely need to get insurance quotes from several different companies. It is just not possible to predict which insurance coverage company will fit you best based on your risk profile.
Learning about specific coverages of your policy aids in choosing the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are typical coverage types available from car insurance companies.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as damage from getting keyed, falling objects and theft. The highest amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses like nursing services, dental work, funeral costs and doctor visits. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Liability car insurance
Liability insurance provides protection from damage that occurs to other people or property in an accident. It protects YOU against claims from other people. Liability 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. As an example, you may have limits of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Occasionally you may see a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability insurance covers claims such as repair costs for stationary objects, medical expenses, medical services, emergency aid and attorney fees. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but buy higher limits if possible.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and damage to your Mercury Sable.
Due to the fact that many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Usually these coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.
Collision insurance
Collision insurance pays for damage to your Sable resulting from a collision with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against claims like scraping a guard rail, hitting a parking meter, backing into a parked car and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
You just read many ways to get a better price on 2002 Mercury Sable insurance. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better likelihood of getting the cheapest insurance. You may even find the lowest priced insurance coverage comes from an unexpected company. Smaller companies can often provide lower prices in certain areas compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.
When buying insurance coverage, you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where an insured cut liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.