Locating the cheapest auto insurance may be intimidating for drivers new to shopping for insurance on the internet. With so many insurance agents and online companies, how can drivers effectively compare every auto insurance company to find better auto insurance prices?
It’s important to compare premium rates occasionally due to the fact that insurance prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. If you had the best rates for Ram pickup insurance two years ago you will most likely find a better rate quote today. You can search a lot of auto insurance online, but I’m going to show you some great ideas on how to lower your auto insurance rates.
When looking for cheaper auto insurance quotes, there are a couple ways to compare quotes from many insurance coverage companies in your state. By far the easiest way to comparison shop is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be accomplished in a couple minutes as outlined below.
For a list of links to companies insuring cars in your area, click here.
Take whichever approach you prefer, but make sure you are using equivalent coverages for every quote you compare. If you compare differing limits it’s impossible to determine the lowest rate for your Dodge Ram Pickup 3500. Slightly different insurance coverages could mean much higher rates. And when quoting insurance coverage, remember that comparing a large number of companies will increase your chances of finding the best price. Not every company allows you to get online price quotes, so you should also compare price quotes from them as well.
Companies don’t always advertise all disounts very well, so we break down some of the more common and the more hidden discounts that you may qualify for.
Policy discounts save money, but most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though you would think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don’t profit that way.
A partial list of companies that may offer most of the discounts above are:
Before you buy a policy, ask every company to apply every possible discount. Depending on the company, some discounts may not apply to policyholders in your area. To see insurance companies with discount rates, click this link.
It’s important that you understand the rating factors that aid in calculating your premiums. If you understand what determines premiums, this enables you to make decisions that can help you get big savings.
When buying proper insurance coverage, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine whether you would benefit from professional advice.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form.
Respected companies like Progressive, Allstate and Geico endlessly run ads on television and other media. All the ads try to convey promises that drivers will save a bundle if you change your policy. That’s great but how can every company make almost identical claims? You have to listen carefully.
Most companies give the cheapest rates for a prospective insured that is profitable for them. For example, a profitable insured may need to be over the age of 35, has no driving citations, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any customer that matches those criteria will get low prices as well as save a lot of money.
Potential insureds who don’t measure up to these criteria may be forced to pay a higher rate which usually ends up with the prospect going elsewhere. If you pay attention, the ads say “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much when switching. That is how insurance companies can make those statements. This really drives home the point why it’s extremely important to do a rate comparison at every renewal. It is impossible to guess which auto insurance company will have the best car insurance rates for your profile.
Learning about specific coverages of car insurance can be of help when determining appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Collision coverages – This pays for damage to your Ram Pickup 3500 from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage pays for claims such as scraping a guard rail, damaging your car on a curb and hitting a mailbox. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your Dodge Ram Pickup 3500.
Due to the fact that many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for expenses for funeral costs, X-ray expenses, surgery and doctor visits. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Coverage for liability – This provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property. It protects YOU against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show values of 25/50/25 which means $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability can pay for things such as court costs, repair costs for stationary objects and loss of income. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but you should buy as large an amount as possible.
Comprehensive insurance – This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as rock chips in glass, hitting a bird, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and damage from flooding. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
As you shop your coverage around, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many cases where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.
Some insurance coverage companies may not have online price quotes regional insurance providers only sell coverage through independent agents. Cheaper insurance coverage can be found on the web as well as from insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best rate selection.
Insureds leave their current company for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, denial of a claim, high rates after DUI convictions or even extreme rates for teen drivers. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch choosing a new company is easier than you think.
Additional insurance coverage information can be found at the links below