There isn’t anyone who anticipates paying for auto insurance, especially knowing they could find lower prices if they just compared rates.
Drivers have so many car insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and though it is a good thing to have a choice, too many choices makes it more difficult to locate the cheapest rates.
Choosing the best insurance company for you is easy if you know what you’re doing. Basically, every driver who has to buy insurance will most likely be able to cut their insurance bill. But car owners do need to know how insurance companies sell insurance online and apply this information to your search.
When comparison shopping, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from many auto insurance companies in your state. The best method to comparison shop is to jump online and get quotes. It’s really quite simple and can be done in a couple minutes as outlined below.
The first (and easiest) way to find low rates is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This quick form keeps you from doing repetitive form submissions for every auto insurance company. A single, simple form will get you rate comparisons from several companies.
A harder way to find better pricing requires you to visit the website of each company and fill out their own quote form. For example, let’s assume you want to compare Progressive, State Farm and GMAC. To find out each rate you need to spend time going to each site individually to enter the same coverage data repeatedly, which can take a lot of time.
To view a list of companies in your area, click here.
The least recommended method to get price estimates is driving around to each insurance agency near you. The internet can eliminate the need for a local agent unless your situation requires the personal advice that only a licensed agent can provide. However, consumers can compare the best prices online but still have the advice of a local agent.
You can use whichever method you prefer to find lower rates, just try to keep exactly the same quote information for every quote you compare. If you use higher or lower deductibles it’s impossible to make an equal comparison. Even a minor difference in insurance coverages can result in a big premium difference. And when comparing auto insurance rates, know that comparing more company’s prices helps locate the best offered rates. Some smaller insurers to not give price estimates online, so it’s important to compare rates from the smaller companies as well.
Some providers don’t always list every discount they offer very well, so below is a list both well-publicized as well as the least known credits available to bring down your rates. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount available, it’s possible you qualify for a lower rate.
One last thing about discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though you would think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won’t be that lucky.
Popular insurance companies and their offered discounts are detailed below.
If you need the cheapest insurance quotes, ask each company which discounts they offer. Some of the discounts discussed earlier might not be offered on policies in your area. If you would like to see a list of companies who offer free insurance quotes, click here.
When choosing coverage, there is no perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine if you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
If you can’t answer these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find the usual coverages available from auto insurance companies.
Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like damage from getting keyed, theft, damage from a tornado or hurricane, fire damage and rock chips in glass. The maximum amount your auto insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
This coverage provides protection from damage that occurs to other people or property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see values of 25/50/25 that translate to $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability can pay for claims such as court costs, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, emergency aid and loss of income. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but you should buy higher limits if possible.
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for short-term medical expenses like prosthetic devices, rehabilitation expenses, hospital visits, nursing services and X-ray expenses. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers you and your occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea.
Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things such as colliding with a tree, hitting a mailbox and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.
When buying insurance coverage, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many instances, drivers have reduced physical damage coverage and found out when filing a claim that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the lowest possible cost but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
Some insurance companies may not provide online price quotes smaller companies work with independent insurance agents. The cheapest 2012 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen insurance can be bought from both online companies and from local insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture.
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