Are you tired of not being able to scrape enough together each month for insurance coverage? You are in the same boat as many other consumers.
There are many insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and though it is a good thing to have a selection, more options can take longer to find the lowest cost provider.
Choosing the best insurance company for you is not rocket science. If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to reduce your rates substantially using these techniques. But drivers do need to learn the way companies sell insurance online and take advantage of how the system works.
Many things are used in the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some of the criteria are obvious such as your driving history, although others are more transparent such as your credit history and annual miles driven.Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that help calculate the level of your policy premiums. If you know what impacts premium levels, this enables you to make decisions that could result in better insurance rates.
There are a lot of ways you can shop for auto insurance but one way is less time-consuming than others. You can waste a lot of time discussing policy coverages with insurance agencies in your area, or you could use online quoting to accomplish the same thing much quicker.
Many of the larger companies participate in an industry program where insurance shoppers enter their coverage request one time, and each company can give them a price based on that information. This saves time by eliminating quotation requests to each individual auto insurance company.
To find out how much you can save on auto insurance click here to start a free quote.
The only downside to comparing rates this way is that you can’t choose which companies you want pricing from. If you wish to select specific providers to compare, we put together a list of the cheapest auto insurance companies in your area. Click to view list.
However you get your quotes, try to use apples-to-apples quote data with every price quote. If you have different deductibles then you won’t be able to truly determine the lowest rate. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits may cause a big price difference. And when comparison shopping, comparing all the rates in your area will enable you to find a lower rate.
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always publicize all available discounts very clearly, so the next list breaks down a few of the more well known and also the more inconspicuous credits available to bring down your rates.
Just know that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Despite the appearance that it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
Some companies that may include some of the discounts shown above are:
When quoting, ask each company or agent to give you their best rates. Some credits might not be available to policyholders in your area. If you would like to view insurance companies that have a full spectrum of discounts, click here.
When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover if your situation might need professional guidance.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Having a good grasp of your policy can be of help when determining appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Insurance terms can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Below you’ll find typical coverage types found on most insurance policies.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – This pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like hitting a bird, falling objects, damage from flooding, hitting a deer and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum payout a insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries to you and your family and damage to your Dodge Ram Pickup 1500.
Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Medical expense insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for expenses for hospital visits, X-ray expenses, dental work, doctor visits and pain medications. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is only offered in select states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Collision coverage – Collision insurance covers damage to your Ram Pickup 1500 resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against things like damaging your car on a curb, hitting a mailbox and sustaining damage from a pot hole. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. You can also bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Liability coverages – This provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property that is your fault. It protects YOU from claims by other people. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have liability limits of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability insurance covers claims such as bail bonds, medical expenses, attorney fees and court costs. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.
When trying to cut insurance costs, don’t be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage and discovered at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage for the lowest cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Budget-conscious 2010 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 insurance is attainable online as well as from independent agents, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and these small insurance companies only sell through independent agents.
Even more information can be read at these sites: