No one in their right mind enjoys paying for insurance coverage, particularly when they could find lower prices if they just compared rates. There is such a variety of car insurance companies to choose from, and although it’s nice to have a selection, it can be more difficult to find a good deal.
It’s a good idea to compare prices periodically because insurance coverage prices go up and down regularly. Just because you found the best deal on GS 350 insurance last year a different company probably has better premium rates today. Forget all the misinformation about insurance coverage because we’re going to demonstrate the tricks you need to know to properly buy coverages while reducing your premium.
Shopping for the cheapest car insurance is quite easy. If you are insured now or need a new policy, you can learn to find the best rates while maximizing coverage. Drivers only need an understanding of the most effective way to compare rates over the internet.
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that can dramatically reduce your bill. Some discounts will apply at quote time, but less common discounts must be requested specifically before they will apply.
You can save money using discounts, but most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, it’s just not the way it works.
The best car insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts include:
When comparing rates, check with each company which discounts can lower your rates. Some of the discounts discussed earlier may not apply to policies in your area. To see a list of companies that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts, follow this link.
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions can help discover if your situation would benefit from professional advice.
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.
Learning about specific coverages of your policy can help you determine which coverages you need for your vehicles. Car insurance terms can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the usual coverages found on the average car insurance policy.
Liability
Liability coverage can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property that is your fault. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have values of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability can pay for things such as bail bonds, funeral expenses, repair costs for stationary objects, emergency aid and medical expenses. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for immediate expenses such as nursing services, funeral costs, doctor visits and hospital visits. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Collision coverage protection
Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage pays for claims such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, colliding with a tree and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
This provides protection when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Comprehensive insurance
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as hitting a deer, damage from getting keyed, falling objects, theft and hail damage. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Some insurance providers do not offer rates over the internet and these small insurance companies work with independent insurance agents. Cheaper insurance is attainable online as well as from independent agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, make sure you don’t sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are too many instances where someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.