Are you sick and tired of scraping the payment together to pay your car insurance bill each month? You are in the same boat as most other car owners. There are many car insurance companies to buy insurance from, and although it’s nice to have a selection, lots of choices makes it harder to find the best rates.
Locating cheaper protection is simple if you know the tricks. If you have a current car insurance policy or are looking for a new policy, you can use these tips to get lower rates while maintaining coverages. Vehicle owners just need to learn the most efficient way to shop for car insurance online.
Shopping for lower car insurance rates can be a daunting task if you aren’t aware of the most efficient way to do it. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking about coverages with agents in your area, or you can stay home and use online quotes to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.
Most major companies participate in an industry program where prospective buyers complete one form, and each participating company then gives them pricing based on the submitted data. This saves time by eliminating form submissions for each company.
To enter your information into the quoting system, click here (opens in new window).
One minor caviat to doing it this way is that you can’t choose which companies you want pricing from. If you prefer to choose specific insurance companies to compare, we have a page of companies who write car insurance in your area. Click here to view list.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just ensure you’re using exactly the same coverage information for every quote you compare. If you have different values for each quote it’s not possible to make an equal comparison.
When choosing coverage, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions could help you determine whether or not you could use an agent’s help.
If you can’t answer these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It’s fast, free and can help protect your family.
Having a good grasp of a auto insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are typical coverage types found on the average auto insurance policy.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
This gives you protection when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your 2011 Audi A5.
Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Frequently these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Coverage for liability
Liability insurance will cover damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property in an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see limits of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which limits claims to one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability insurance covers things such as bail bonds, court costs, repair costs for stationary objects, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and attorney fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.
Collision coverage protection
Collision insurance pays for damage to your A5 caused by 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 protects against things such as sustaining damage from a pot hole, rolling your car, crashing into a ditch and scraping a guard rail. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like vandalism, hail damage and a broken windshield. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for things like pain medications, funeral costs and prosthetic devices. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage