No one looks forward to paying premiums for car insurance, particularly when the price is too high.
Drivers have multiple insurers to choose from, and though it is a good thing to have a choice, more choices can make it harder to find a good deal.
There are a variety of methods to shop for insurance coverage, but one way is more efficient than others. You can waste a lot of time driving to local insurance agents in your area, or you could use online quoting to accomplish the same thing much quicker.
Most of the best insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace that allows shoppers to complete one form, and each company returns a rated price based on that data. This system prevents you from having to do quote requests for every insurance coverage company.
To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.
One minor caviat to using this type of system is you can’t choose the companies to get pricing from. So if you prefer to choose from a list of companies for rate comparison, we have a listing of the cheapest insurance coverage companies in your area. Click to view list.
You can choose any of those ways to find more affodable coverage, but make sure you use apples-to-apples coverages on every quote you get. If you have different values for each quote then you won’t be able to determine which company has the best rates. Having just a slight variation in insurance coverages or limits may cause a big price difference. And when comparison shopping, comparing more company’s prices gives you a better chance of getting more affordable insurance.
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always advertise every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below contains both well-publicized in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that may be available.
Don’t be surprised that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most cut specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it’s just not the way it works.
A few popular companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts include:
If you want cheaper insurance quotes, ask every insurance company how you can save money. Discounts might not be offered in every state.
When buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Every situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether or not you will benefit from professional help.
If you’re not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Learning about specific coverages of your policy helps when choosing the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Listed below are typical coverages found on the average car insurance policy.
Liability insurance provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you against claims from other people. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see policy limits of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Alternatively, you may have one limit called combined single limit (CSL) that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage pays for claims such as repair costs for stationary objects, attorney fees and legal defense fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for expenses like pain medications, EMT expenses, surgery and doctor visits. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. They cover you and your occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not universally available and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers claims like colliding with another moving vehicle, rolling your car, hitting a mailbox and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your 2016 Nissan Titan.
Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
Comprehensive insurance pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as hail damage, hitting a bird and damage from getting keyed. The highest amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.