Are you drained from sacrificing other expenses to buy auto insurance? You are no different than many other consumers. There is such a variety of car insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and even though it’s nice to have a selection, having more insurance companies makes it harder to compare rates and find the lowest cost auto insurance.
There are multiple methods to compare auto insurance quotes, but there is one way that is easier and takes less work. You can waste a few hours (or days) discussing policy coverages with agents in your area, or you can utilize online quotes to get pricing more quickly.
Many insurance companies enroll in a system where prospective buyers submit one quote, and every company then returns a price quote for coverage. This eliminates the need for quotation requests to each company. To submit your quote information now, click here (opens in new window).
The only drawback to pricing coverage this way is you don’t know exactly which carriers you want to price. So if you prefer to choose specific providers to compare prices, we put together a list of auto insurance companies in your area. View list of insurance companies.
Take whichever approach you prefer, but make absolute certain that you use exactly the same deductibles and coverage limits for every company. If you are comparing mixed coverages then you won’t be able to determine the lowest rate for your Honda Odyssey.
When buying the best car insurance coverage, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions might help in determining if you could use an agent’s help.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.
Having a good grasp of your insurance policy can be of help when determining the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are typical coverage types offered by insurance companies.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for bills like X-ray expenses, nursing services, hospital visits, surgery and doctor visits. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. They cover you and your occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Comprehensive coverage
This coverage will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as damage from a tornado or hurricane, damage from getting keyed, theft and a broken windshield. The most your insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider dropping full coverage.
Liability coverages
Liability insurance can cover injuries or damage you cause to other people or property in an accident. It protects YOU from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
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 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage pays for claims like court costs, bail bonds, structural damage, repair costs for stationary objects and funeral expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as large an amount as possible.
Collision insurance
Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for things like damaging your car on a curb, driving through your garage door and colliding with a tree. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Due to the fact that many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important. Normally these coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.