Overwhelmed by the crazy number of insurance coverage providers? Many other drivers are as well. There are so many choices that it can quickly become hard work to find better rates.
If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. Finding more affordable coverage is quite easy. But drivers should learn how big insurance companies price online insurance and apply this information to your search.
All major insurance coverage companies such as State Farm, Geico and Progressive allow you to get pricing direct online. Getting online quotes is possible for anyone as you simply type in your coverage preferences into the form. When the form is submitted, their rating system automatically orders your credit score and driving record and provides a quote.
Quoting online simplifies rate comparisons, but the time required to go to a lot of sites and fill out multiple forms can get tiresome after awhile. But it’s absolutely necessary to have as many quotes as possible if you are searching for the best price possible.
Quote rates the easy way
A better way to find cheaper rates is to use a quote form to return rates from more than one company. It’s a real time-saver, eliminates form submissions, and makes online price comparison much easier. After sending your information, it is rated with multiple companies and you can pick any or none of the quotes that you receive.
If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, it’s easy to complete the application and purchase coverage. The whole process takes less than 15 minutes and you’ll know if lower rates are available.
To compare rates now, simply click here to open in new window and input your coverage information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you input coverages and limits exactly as shown on your declarations page. Doing this guarantees you’re receiving comparison quotes for similar insurance coverage.
Lots of things are used in the calculation when premium rates are determined. Most are fairly basic such as your driving history, but others are not as apparent such as whether you are married or how financially stable you are.
Companies that sell car insurance don’t necessarily list every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the next list breaks down a few of the more well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits available to lower your premiums when you buy insurance online.
One thing to note about discounts is that most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.
A few popular companies and some of the discounts include:
If you need cheap insurance quotes, ask each company or agent which discounts you qualify for. Savings may not apply to policyholders in your state. If you would like to choose from a list of providers with discount auto insurance rates, click here.
When it comes to buying the best insurance coverage coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
For example, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Having a good grasp of a insurance policy helps when choosing which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Collision – Collision insurance covers damage to your Mariner caused by collision with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision insurance covers things like colliding with another moving vehicle, driving through your garage door, damaging your car on a curb, rolling your car and crashing into a ditch. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Coverage for liability – Liability insurance can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property that is your fault. It protects you against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show values of 100/300/100 which stand for a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability can pay for things like repair costs for stationary objects, medical expenses, emergency aid, structural damage and medical services. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but consider buying higher limits if possible.
Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as vandalism, rock chips in glass, hail damage and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum amount your insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Coverage for medical expenses – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses like X-ray expenses, hospital visits, doctor visits and chiropractic care. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers 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 only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – This gives you protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Mercury Mariner.
Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
Drivers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including an unsatisfactory settlement offer, high prices, policy cancellation or poor customer service. Whatever your reason, switching companies is not as hard as you think.
More affordable insurance coverage can be purchased on the web in addition to many insurance agents, so you need to quote insurance with both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some companies may not provide internet price quotes and these smaller companies work with independent agents.
While you’re price shopping online, you should never buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, an insured cut liability coverage limits only to discover later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your strategy should be to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford.
Additional detailed information can be read in these articles: