Pretty sure you bought an expensive car insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you you’re not alone. Companies like Geico, Farmers Insurance and State Farm all claim big savings, bombarding you with catchy ads and it is difficult to ignore the flashy ads and take the time to shop coverage around.
Insurance coverage is not an enjoyable expense, but there could be significant discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be applied at quote time, but some need to be asked for prior to getting the savings.
While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So even though you would think adding up those discounts means a free policy, it’s just not the way it works. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your policy premiums.
To locate insurance companies that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts, click here.
There are a variety of methods you can shop for insurance coverage but there is one way that is less time-consuming than others. You can waste a lot of time talking about coverages with agents in your area, or you can utilize online quotes to get pricing more quickly.
Many companies take part in a program that enables customers to submit their information once, and each participating company can give them a price based on that information. This prevents consumers from doing quotation requests to every company.
To access this free quoting program, click here to open in new window.
The one downside to using this type of system is that consumers can’t choose the providers you will receive quotes from. So if you want to choose individual companies to compare prices, we have a page of low cost insurance coverage companies in your area. Click to view list.
Whichever method you choose, make sure you are using nearly identical coverage information with every price quote. If you compare mixed coverages it will be very difficult to truly determine the lowest rate.
When it comes to buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions may help highlight if your insurance needs might need an agent’s assistance.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.
Understanding the coverages of a insurance policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are typical coverages available from insurance companies.
This provides protection from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your 2014 Chevy Traverse.
Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Usually these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
This coverage pays for damage to your Traverse from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for things such as hitting a parking meter, scraping a guard rail, sideswiping another vehicle, colliding with another moving vehicle and colliding with a tree. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. Another option is to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
This provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people that is your fault. It protects you from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
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 policy limits of 50/100/50 that translate to a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Another option is one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability coverage protects against claims like bail bonds, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, pain and suffering and emergency aid. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but buy as much as you can afford.
Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for bills such as rehabilitation expenses, EMT expenses, dental work and chiropractic care. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
This coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like rock chips in glass, damage from flooding, hitting a bird and vandalism. The maximum amount your insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Budget-conscious 2014 Chevy Traverse insurance can be bought online in addition to many insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers prefer to sell through independent insurance agencies.
When searching for cheaper insurance coverage quotes, it’s a bad idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut liability coverage limits only to regret at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your strategy should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest cost and still be able to protect your assets.