Have you fallen victim to overpriced insurance? Believe me when I say you’re not the only one. Many auto insurance companies vie for your insurance dollar, so it’s not easy to compare every insurer to find the absolute best rates possible.
Companies don’t always list all possible discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we researched a few of the more well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that you can inquire about if you buy car insurance online. If you do not double check each discount available, it’s possible you qualify for a lower rate.
A little note about advertised discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, insurance companies aren’t that generous.
Popular insurance companies and a partial list of their discounts are included below.
Double check with each company or agent to apply every possible discount. Some discounts may not apply in your area. If you would like to see a list of insurance companies with discount insurance rates, click this link.
There are multiple methods to compare insurance coverage quotes, but some are easier and takes less work. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking about coverages with insurance agencies in your area, or you can stay home and use the internet to quickly compare rates.
All the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace where prospective buyers send in one quote, and each participating company can give them a price based on the submitted data. This prevents consumers from doing quote forms for each company.
To find out how much you’re overpaying now click here (opens in new window).
The only downside to doing it this way is buyers cannot specifically choose the providers to get pricing from. So if you want to select from a list of companies to compare, we have a listing of companies who write insurance coverage in your area. Click to view list.
Compare rates however you want, just compare the same coverage limits with every price quote. If each company quotes differing limits it’s not possible to determine which company has the best rates.
It’s important that you understand a few of the rating criteria that help calculate your policy premiums. If you know what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this allows you to make educated decisions that can earn you much lower annual insurance costs. Lots of factors are part of the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some of the criteria are obvious like a motor vehicle report, but others are not quite as obvious like your continuous coverage or how financially stable you are.
When it comes to choosing coverage, there is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is a little different and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining if you 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 an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.
Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are typical coverage types found on most car insurance policies.
Comprehensive coverages
This will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like vandalism, damage from getting keyed, hail damage and rock chips in glass. The maximum payout your car insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Collision protection
Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your Eos resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for things like colliding with a tree, rolling your car, backing into a parked car and driving through your garage door. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.
Coverage for medical payments
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for pain medications, ambulance fees, surgery, X-ray expenses and prosthetic devices. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. They cover you and your occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Liability auto insurance
This coverage can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people by causing an accident. It protects you against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
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 values of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have a combined single limit or CSL that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability insurance covers things such as funeral expenses, structural damage, medical services, attorney fees and loss of income. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as much as you can afford.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage
This provides protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your Volkswagen Eos.
Since many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Normally your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.
As you prepare to switch companies, never buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice collision coverage only to regret that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at the lowest possible cost but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
You just read a lot of techniques to reduce 2007 Volkswagen Eos insurance rates online. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates are with some of the smallest insurance companies. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like Progressive or Geico.
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