If online auto insurance comparisons are new to you, you may be baffled by the vast number local agents and online companies all advertising big savings.
You should take the time to get comparison quotes on a regular basis due to the fact that insurance prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. If you had the lowest rates for A4 coverage last year the chances are good that you can find a lower rate quote today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you’re about to learn the proper way to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.
Finding the best rates is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. Although vehicle owners do need to understand the methods companies use to sell online and take advantage of how the system works.
It’s important that you understand the rating factors that play a part in calculating the level of your policy premiums. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels, this allows you to make good choices that will entitle you to lower premium levels.
The list below includes some of the major factors that factor into prices.
To find the best auto insurance prices, there are several ways to obtain and compare prices from different insurance companies. The simplest method to compare rates consists of shopping online. This is quite simple and can be completed in several different ways.
Probably the best way to get quotes for comparison is an all-inclusive rate comparison click to view form in new window. This type of form keeps you from doing repetitive form submissions for each company you want a rate for. Filling out one form will return quotes from all major companies. It’s definitely the quickest method.
A different way to find lower rates is going to each company’s website and repeat the quote process. For instance, let’s assume you want to view quotes from USAA, Safeco and Travelers. You would be required to go to each individual site and repeatedly enter your information, which is why the first method is quicker.
For a list of companies in your area, click here.
Take whichever approach you prefer, but ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples coverages and limits for each quote you get. If you compare different deductibles it’s impossible to get a fair rate comparison. Just a small difference in insurance coverages may cause a big price difference. And when price shopping your coverage, more quotes helps you find a better price. Not every company provides quotes online, so it’s necessary to compare price quotes on coverage from those companies, too.
Popular auto insurance providers such as Geico, State Farm and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the ads advertise the message that people will save after switching your coverage to them. How can each company say the same thing? It’s all in the numbers.
Different companies have an ideal profile for the type of driver that makes them money. One example of a preferred risk may be between the ages of 30 and 45, carries high limits, and drives a vehicle with a low ISO rating. Any driver who fits that profile will get low prices and will also save money with a new company.
Potential customers who do not meet these criteria will probably be forced to pay higher rates and this results in the customer not purchasing. The trick is to say “people that switch” not “all people who quote” save the amount stated. That’s why insurance companies can claim big savings. That is why you really need to do a quote comparison often. It’s just not possible to know which company will give you lower premium rates than your current company.
Some providers don’t necessarily list all available discounts very well, so the next list breaks down both the well known and also the more inconspicuous credits that you can use to lower your rates.
Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. Despite the appearance that you could get a free insurance policy, you’re out of luck.
A list of insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts are:
When getting a coverage quote, ask every insurance company to apply every possible discount. Discounts may not apply in your area. If you would like to see a list of providers offering insurance discounts, follow this link.
When buying the best auto insurance coverage, there really is no one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine if your insurance needs will benefit from professional help.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Knowing the specifics of your car insurance policy helps when choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.
Collision coverages – This covers damage to your A4 resulting from colliding with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers claims such as driving through your garage door, hitting a mailbox, hitting a parking meter and rolling your car. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Comprehensive car insurance – Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as damage from a tornado or hurricane, a broken windshield and damage from getting keyed. The most your car insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Coverage for medical expenses – Med pay and PIP coverage pay for short-term medical expenses like surgery, prosthetic devices and EMT expenses. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your Audi A4.
Due to the fact that many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important.
Liability car insurance – Liability insurance protects you from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see values of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability coverage pays for claims like loss of income, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and attorney fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but consider buying as much as you can afford.
We’ve covered quite a bit of information on how to lower your 2010 Audi A4 insurance prices. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from a smaller regional carrier.
When searching for inexpensive car insurance quotes, it’s a bad idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many cases where an accident victim reduced liability coverage limits to discover at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Consumers who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including delays in paying claims, delays in responding to claim requests, denial of a claim or even extreme rates for teen drivers. It doesn’t matter what your reason, choosing a new company is not as hard as you think.
Even more information can be read by following these links: