Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced car insurance policy? You’re in good company because there are many drivers thinking the same thing. You have so many insurers to insure vehicles with, and even though it’s nice to have multiple companies, more choices can make it harder to get the best deal.
Smart consumers take time to quote other rates on a regular basis because rates are variable and change quite frequently. If you had the lowest premium rates for Alero coverage a few years ago you will most likely find a better price today. Block out anything you think you know about car insurance because I’m going to teach you the right way to lower your annual insurance bill.
Many insurance companies allow consumers to get coverage price quotes online. The process is possible for anyone as all you need to do is type in your required coverages into the form. After you submit the form their quoting system automatically retrieves your driving record and credit report and generates pricing information. Being able to quote online makes it simple to compare prices but the time required to go to several different sites and complete many quote forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it’s also necessary to compare as many rates as possible in order to get lower prices.
A quicker way to lower your rates requires only one form to obtain quotes from multiple companies. It saves time, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes price shopping online much more enjoyable. After sending your information, it is quoted and you can select any one of the resulting price quotes. If a lower price is quoted, it’s easy to complete the application and purchase the new policy. The entire process can be completed in a matter of minutes and may save quite a bit of money.
To find out what other companies charge, click here to open in a new tab and enter your information. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you duplicate the limits and deductibles identical to your current policy. This helps ensure you will have a price comparison for exact coverage.
Some insurance providers don’t always publicize every disount available very well, so the list below details both well-publicized as well as the least known insurance savings.
As a footnote on discounts, most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts should definitely cut the amount you have to pay.
A list of companies and a selection of discounts can be read below.
If you need cheaper auto insurance quotes, ask each company how many discounts you can get. Some discounts listed above may not apply to policyholders in your area. To choose insurers with discount rates, click here to view.
One of the most helpful ways to save on auto insurance is to to have a grasp of the factors that go into determining your premiums. If you have some idea of what influences your rates, this allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.
When choosing coverage for your vehicles, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique so this has to be addressed. These are some specific questions might point out if your insurance needs would benefit from an agent’s advice.
If you’re not sure about those 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 insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.
Consumers can’t avoid all the ads for cheaper auto insurance from companies such as Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies make the point that drivers can save some big amount if you move to their company.
How does every company claim to save you money? This is the way they can do it.
Auto insurance companies have an ideal profile for the type of driver that earns them the most money. One example of a preferred risk might have to be a married male, has a clear driving record, and drives a car with an anti-theft system. A customer who fits that profile will probably get the lowest car insurance rates and most likely will save a lot if they switch.
People who are not a match for these standards must pay a higher premium and this can result in the customer not purchasing. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “people that switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” will save that much if they switch. That is how companies can truthfully state the savings. This really emphasizes why you need to compare price quotes frequently. It’s just too difficult to predict which company will have the best car insurance rates at this point in time.
Knowing the specifics of your policy can be of help when determining appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Auto insurance terms can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are the usual coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
This coverage will pay to fix damage to your Alero resulting from a collision with another car or object. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things such as damaging your car on a curb, scraping a guard rail, sideswiping another vehicle, backing into a parked car and hitting a mailbox. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.
This provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people in an accident. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see values of 100/300/100 which stand for a limit of $100,000 per injured person, $300,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage protects against things like loss of income, court costs and attorney fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.
Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea.
Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like hitting a bird, a broken windshield and rock chips in glass. The maximum amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for short-term medical expenses such as EMT expenses, X-ray expenses and ambulance fees. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage and learned later they didn’t have enough coverage. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price and still be able to protect your assets.
You just read some good ideas how to compare 2000 Oldsmobile Alero insurance premium rates online. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding cheap auto insurance. Drivers may discover the best premium rates are with an unexpected company. These companies may only write in your state and offer lower prices than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive.
Marti Brown
I found pretty cheap rate quotes for a 2000 Oldsmobile Alero in Saint Louis, Missouri. Ended up at roughly $70 every six months with AIG Insurance. I’m thinking about dropping full coverage though.
Jacinto Barlow
It all costs too much. Quoted with AIG Insurance for my Oldsmobile and saved about $100 a year. Have an at-fault accident tho.
Merissa May
I live in San Jose, California. Quoted prices online for a 2000 Oldsmobile Alero. Ended up at about $100 savings annually. Went with State Farm. I have kids on my policy, too.
Fae Gordon
Lots of good stuff here. I’m in the north part of Jacksonville, Florida. I got free quotes with AIG Insurance, Esurance, and Nationwide for my Oldsmobile and am saving around $60 a year. Not sure if rates are cheaper online or through an agent. I think I’ll get rid of full coverage next time.
Delta Robbins
I switched to State Farm. Quoted good rates in Portland, ME. Did it all online.
Clair Sims
How are claims handled by Allstate around Rio Rancho, NM?