Are you irritated from being strong-armed to pay your car insurance bill each month? Your situation is no different than many other drivers.
Consumers have so many auto insurance companies to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to have a selection, more options can take longer to compare company pricing.
You should take the time to price shop coverage as often as possible because insurance rates trend upward over time. Even if you think you had the best rate for Quest insurance a few years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you’re about to learn the tricks you need to know to find great coverage at a great price.
Some providers do not list all their discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find both well-publicized as well as some of the hidden discounts that you can inquire about if you buy car insurance online.
You can save money using discounts, but most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, nobody gets a free ride.
Some of the larger companies that may offer quotes with these discounts are:
If you want affordable car insurance quotes, ask each insurance company which credits you are entitled to. Depending on the company, some discounts may not be offered in every state. To find car insurance companies that offer some of these discounts, click this link.
When choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions can help discover if you will benefit from professional help.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.
Auto insurance companies such as 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm continually stream television, radio, and online ads. All the ads try to convey promises that you’ll save big just by moving your auto insurance coverage to their company. How does each company have lower policy pricing? This is how they do it.
Companies have specific characteristics for the type of driver that earns them the most money. For example, a desirable insured might be described as between the ages of 40 and 55, has no prior claims, and the vehicle is rated for pleasure use. Anybody who fits those characteristics will get low prices and have a good chance to save quite a bit of money when switching.
People who do not fit this ideal profile may receive higher premiums which leads to the prospect going elsewhere. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” can get the lowest rates when switching. This is how insurance companies can claim big savings.
Each company has different criteria, so you absolutely need to compare many company’s premium rates. It is impossible to predict which company will have the lowest rates.
Knowing the specifics of insurance can help you determine appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are typical coverage types offered by insurance companies.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers
Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your 2015 Nissan Quest.
Since many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Usually these coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Auto liability
Liability coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see liability limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability coverage protects against things such as medical expenses, loss of income, pain and suffering, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and funeral expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but you should buy as large an amount as possible.
Medical expense insurance
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for short-term medical expenses like EMT expenses, hospital visits, doctor visits and ambulance fees. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Collision insurance
Collision coverage pays for damage to your Quest from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision can pay for things such as scraping a guard rail, colliding with another moving vehicle and damaging your car on a curb. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision)
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as hitting a bird, hail damage, damage from getting keyed, damage from a tornado or hurricane and rock chips in glass. The maximum amount your insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
As you shop your coverage around, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, drivers have reduced collision coverage and found out when filing a claim they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.
Some insurance providers do not provide price quotes online regional insurance providers sell through local independent agents. Cheaper insurance is available online in addition to local insurance agencies, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates.
Additional insurance information is available below: