Nobody looks forward to paying premiums for insurance, in particular when the prices are way too high. Popular companies such as Allstate, Progressive and Geico increase brand awareness with fancy advertisements and it is difficult to separate fact from fiction and find the best price available.
Performing a rate comparison can be challenging if you aren’t aware of the most efficient way. You can spend countless hours discussing policy coverages with insurance companies in your area, or you can utilize online quotes to maximize your effort.
The majority of car insurance companies take part in a program that allows shoppers to submit one quote, and each participating company then returns a price quote determined by their information. This eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company.
To compare rates using this form now click to open in new window.
The one disadvantage to using this type of form is that you can’t choose which companies to get pricing from. So if you want to select specific insurance companies to compare, we have a page of companies who write auto insurance in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.
How you compare quotes is your choice, just try to keep apples-to-apples coverage information for every company. If you are comparing different coverage information it’s not possible to truly determine the lowest rate.
When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Every insured’s situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation might need professional guidance.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It’s fast, free and can help protect your family.
Understanding the coverages of your auto insurance policy can help you determine which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. Auto insurance terms can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. Below you’ll find typical coverage types found on the average auto insurance policy.
Collision – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision insurance covers claims such as colliding with a tree, sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. Another option is to raise the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your 2014 Honda Odyssey.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Medical payments coverage and PIP – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for immediate expenses for things like nursing services, pain medications, funeral costs and dental work. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Comprehensive coverage – Comprehensive insurance covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims like hitting a deer, hitting a bird, damage from flooding and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The most a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Auto liability insurance – This will cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property in an accident. Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show limits of 25/50/25 that translate to a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000.
Liability coverage pays for things such as legal defense fees, funeral expenses and pain and suffering. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford.