Nobody cherishes buying auto insurance, in particular when their premiums are too high. Many auto insurance companies compete for your insurance dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates and get the best coverage at the cheapest price
If you have a policy now or need a new policy, you can use these techniques to find the best rates and still get good coverage. Buying car insurance is quite easy. Drivers only need to know the tricks to compare rates online.
The easiest way to compare rate quotes takes advantage of the fact almost all companies provide online access to give free rates quotes. The only thing you need to do is spend a couple of minutes providing details such as whether the vehicles are used for commuting, your occupation, your education level, and if it has an alarm system. That rating information is sent automatically to all major companies and they respond with quotes quickly.
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always advertise all available discounts very clearly, so here is a list some of the best known and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.
Consumers should know that most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So when it seems like you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck.
For a list of companies with discount auto insurance rates, click this link.
When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
If you can’t answer these questions, you might consider talking to an agent. To find 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. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.
Understanding the coverages of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are the normal coverages found on most auto insurance policies.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Intrepid resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things like damaging your car on a curb, crashing into a building, rolling your car, sideswiping another vehicle and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your 2002 Dodge Intrepid.
Due to the fact that many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Coverage for medical expenses – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for expenses like prosthetic devices, nursing services, rehabilitation expenses, hospital visits and EMT expenses. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive auto insurance – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like hail damage, falling objects, fire damage and damage from getting keyed. The maximum amount your auto 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.
Auto liability – This protects you from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people in an accident. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have liability limits of 100/300/100 that means you have a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage protects against claims like medical expenses, court costs, bail bonds and funeral expenses. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.