Pretty sure you bought an underperforming, overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me, many drivers have buyer’s remorse. Insurance companies such as Allstate, Progressive and Geico continually hit you with catchy ads and it is challenging if not impossible to separate fact from fiction and do the work needed to find the best deal.
If you have insurance now or are just looking to switch companies, you will benefit by learning to shop for the lowest rates while maximizing coverage. Finding the best rates is not rocket science. Drivers only need an understanding of the proper methods to buy insurance online.
Insurance is not cheap nor is it fun to buy but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not even be aware of. Certain discounts will be applied when you get a quote, but some discounts are required to be specially asked for before being credited.
As a footnote on discounts, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
Some of the larger companies that may have these money-saving discounts are:
Double check with every insurance company which discounts you qualify for. Savings may not be offered everywhere. To see insurance companies who offer cheap insurance quotes, follow this link.
Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings for switching by Allstate and Progressive. They all seem to state the claim that drivers will save a bundle if you just switch to their company.
That’s great but how can every company sell you cheaper insurance coverage?
Many companies give the cheapest rates for the type of customer that earns them a profit. One example of a driver they prefer might be described as between 25 and 40, has other policies, and drives a lower-performance vehicle. A driver who meets those qualifications will get very good prices and as a result will probably save a lot if they switch.
Drivers who cannot meet the “perfect” profile will be charged a higher premium which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The trick companies use is to say “drivers who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” can save as much as they claim. That’s why companies can truthfully make those claims.
That is why drivers should compare price quotes frequently. It is impossible to guess which company will have the best premium rates at this point in time.
When choosing the right insurance coverage, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Each situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if your situation might need professional guidance.
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.
Understanding the coverages of insurance can be of help when determining the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are the usual coverages available from insurance companies.
Comprehensive auto coverage – This covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as falling objects, fire damage, a broken windshield, damage from flooding and rock chips in glass. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – This coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your 2011 Mazda 3.
Due to the fact that many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important. Most of the time these limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
Auto liability – Liability insurance provides protection from damage that occurs to people or other property. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show liability limits of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Another option is a combined limit which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage pays for claims like medical services, structural damage, attorney fees, repair costs for stationary objects and pain and suffering. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but buy as large an amount as possible.
Collision coverage – Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your 3 caused by collision with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for things like sustaining damage from a pot hole, scraping a guard rail, crashing into a building and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for bills such as nursing services, ambulance fees, EMT expenses, funeral costs and chiropractic care. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to you and your occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
We just presented a lot of ways to shop for 2011 Mazda 3 insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote insurance coverage, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest premium rates are with a small mutual company. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like Allstate, Geico and Progressive.
As you quote insurance coverage, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many situations where someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at the best possible price, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
Low-cost 2011 Mazda 3 insurance can be bought from both online companies and from local agencies, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who may not offer online quoting and most of the time these regional carriers only sell through independent agents.
More detailed car insurance information is available at these sites: