Are you baffled by the dozens of insurance coverage choices? You’re not alone. Consumers have such a large number of options that it can quickly become a chore to compare prices.
Finding affordable coverage is not rocket science. Just about anyone who shops for insurance coverage should be able to save money. But consumers benefit from understanding the way companies sell online and take advantage of how the system works.
Shopping for lower auto insurance rates can be challenging if you don’t understand the easiest way. You could waste a few hours talking to agents in your area, or you could save time and use online quoting to achieve your goal.
Many of the larger companies belong to an insurance system that enables customers to submit their information once, and every company returns a rated price determined by their information. This eliminates the need for quote requests for every auto insurance company. To use this form to compare rates click here to open in new window.
The only drawback to using this type of system is you don’t know exactly the insurers you want to price. So if you prefer to choose from a list of companies to compare rates, we have assembled a list of auto insurance companies in your area. Click here to view list.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but be sure to compare identical deductibles and coverage limits for every company. If each company quotes unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be impossible to determine which rate is truly the best. Just slight variations in limits can make a big difference in price. It’s important to know that obtaining a wide range of quotes will enable you to find a lower rate. Not every company allows you to get online rate quotes, so it’s important to compare quotes from them, too.
Auto insurance providers like Allstate, Geico and Progressive seem to constantly run ads on TV and radio. They all seem to have a common claim that people will save after switching to their company. It sounds good, but how can they all save you money? Just pay attention to how they say it.
Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that will most likely be profitable. For example, a profitable risk profile may need to be between the ages of 30 and 50, owns a home, and drives a car with an anti-theft system. Someone that meets those criteria receive the lowest rate quotes and will also save a lot if they switch.
Potential customers who fall outside the “perfect” profile may be required to pay a higher rate which results in the customer buying from a different company. The ads state “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save the amount stated. That is how companies can truthfully make those statements. Because of the profiling, you should get price quotes at each policy renewal. It is just not possible to predict which company will be your best fit.
Auto insurance companies do not advertise all available discounts very well, so here is a list some of the more common and the more hidden discounts that you can inquire about if you buy auto insurance online.
As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like you could get a free insurance coverage policy, you aren’t that lucky. Any amount of discount will definitely lower your policy premiums.
For a list of insurers with discount rates, follow this link.
When choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique.
These are some specific questions can help discover whether you could use an agent’s help.
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Knowing the specifics of insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
Collision protection
This coverage will pay to fix damage to your Sportage caused by collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as damaging your car on a curb, colliding with a tree, scraping a guard rail, sideswiping another vehicle and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Auto liability insurance
Liability insurance will cover damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property by causing an accident. It protects you from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show values of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000.
Liability coverage protects against things like court costs, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, loss of income, repair costs for stationary objects and attorney fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as falling objects, damage from getting keyed, damage from flooding, fire damage and vandalism. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Coverage for medical expenses
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for bills like doctor visits, surgery, dental work, X-ray expenses and rehabilitation expenses. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important.
When shopping online for car insurance, it’s not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many cases where drivers have reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.
Drivers leave their current company for a variety of reasons including questionable increases in premium, lack of trust in their agent, unfair underwriting practices and delays in paying claims. Regardless of your reason, finding a great new company is actually quite simple.
Budget-conscious 2017 Kia Sportage insurance is possible online and from local insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller companies only sell coverage through independent agents.
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