No one cherishes buying car insurance, especially knowing they are paying too much.
Having so many online and local companies to choose from, it can be hard to pick the lowest price insurer.
Companies don’t always advertise all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of some of the more common and the more hidden ways to save on car insurance.
It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To see a list of companies with the best car insurance discounts, click this link.
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. Understanding what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that can help you get better car insurance rates.
When choosing proper insurance coverage, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine if you might need professional guidance.
If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Auto insurance companies such as 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm consistently run ads on television and other media. They all seem to have a common claim of big savings if you change to their company. How does each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.
All the different companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a driver they prefer could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no prior claims, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer who meets those qualifications will get the preferred rates and therefore will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Drivers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will be charged higher rates and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. That’s the way companies can claim big savings. That is why you absolutely need to get as many comparisons as possible. Because you never know which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest Volkswagen New Beetle insurance rates.
Knowing the specifics of your insurance policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Insurance terms can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Below you’ll find typical coverages found on the average insurance policy.
Medical payments coverage and PIP – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for immediate expenses for dental work, ambulance fees and chiropractic care. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Comprehensive coverage – Comprehensive insurance covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like rock chips in glass, a broken windshield, damage from flooding, hitting a deer and hail damage. The highest amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Auto liability – This will cover injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people by causing an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have liability limits of 50/100/50 that means you have a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability insurance covers claims such as funeral expenses, attorney fees, legal defense fees, repair costs for stationary objects and bail bonds. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle.
Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Collision coverages – This pays for damage to your New Beetle resulting from a collision with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage pays for things such as scraping a guard rail, backing into a parked car, colliding with a tree, rolling your car and crashing into a ditch. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. Another option is to choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
When you buy insurance online, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret at claim time that it was a big error on their part. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.
We just covered a lot of techniques to get a better price on 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle insurance. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers may even find the lowest premiums are with some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like Allstate, Geico and Progressive.
Low-cost insurance is possible online in addition to many insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.