Feeling guilty for buying high-priced auto insurance? You’re in good company because you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse.
Vehicle owners have so many insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and although it’s a good thing to have a choice, more choices can make it harder to compare rates.
This information will teach you how car insurance quotes work and some money-saving tips. If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using this information. Although drivers must know how companies sell online.
The method we recommend to compare car insurance company rates is to know auto insurance companies have advanced systems to compare rate quotes. The only thing you need to do is give the companies some data including if you lease or own, your credit rating estimate, how much education you have, and whether you drive to work or school. That rating information is sent automatically to many different companies and you get price estimates with very little delay.
Some providers don’t always advertise every disount available in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find both the well known and the more hidden credits available to lower your premiums when you buy car insurance online. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you could be saving more on your auto insurance.
Policy discounts save money, but most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Despite the fact that it seems like you can get free auto insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
Auto insurance companies that may have some of the above discounts possibly include:
Check with each company or agent which discounts they offer. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not be available in every state.
Many factors are considered when pricing auto insurance. Some are obvious like an MVR report, but other criteria are not quite as obvious like where you live and annual miles driven.
Shown below are just a few of the factors companies use to determine your rates.
When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there really is not a best way to insure your cars. Each situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover whether you might need an agent’s assistance.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Having a good grasp of your insurance policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Listed below are the usual coverages available from insurance companies.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as theft, falling objects, a broken windshield and hitting a deer. The maximum payout a insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.
Medical expense insurance – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for expenses for pain medications, ambulance fees and chiropractic care. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Auto liability insurance – Liability insurance provides protection from damage that occurs to a person or their property that is your fault. It protects you from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
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. You commonly see policy limits of 50/100/50 that translate to a limit of $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 for the entire accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit that pays claims from the same limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability insurance covers things such as repair costs for stationary objects, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, attorney fees, loss of income and court costs. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford.
Collision – Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your Passat caused by collision with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things like rolling your car, crashing into a ditch and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – This provides protection when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Frequently your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
When shopping online for auto insurance, you should never reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where someone dropped collision coverage to discover at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your strategy should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the best cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
In this article, we presented a lot of tips how to get a better price on 2008 Volkswagen Passat insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the best price on auto insurance is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive and Geico.
Much more information about auto insurance can be read on the following sites:
Vivian Johnson
Cheaper car insurance is a myth. I live in Rutland, Vermont. I quoted with 21st Century, Hartford, and Erie for my Volkswagen and saved just over $170 a year. I have kids on my policy, too.
Phylicia Wilcox
Is Allstate cheap in Newark, Delaware?
Myrna Nolan
I’ve had 21st Century for years. I’m in Mesa, AZ.
Devorah Daniel
This is too expensive. I’m in the south part of Mesa, Arizona. Quoted with AIG Insurance, Safeco, and a few others for my Volkswagen and cut my rates about $200 a year.
Angelique Knowles
I’m in the south part of New Haven, Connecticut. I quoted with Progressive, Encompass, and Hartford for my 2008 Volkswagen Passat and saved just over $100 a year. My new agent seems to be really good. Still almost need a second mortgage.
Olene Ortiz
I live just outside Dallas, Texas. Got rates from GEICO, AAA, and some I forget for my Volkswagen and I think I am saving around $50 each month.
Renetta Howell
I’m in Providence, Rhode Island, and State Farm rates were affordable.
Abel Holman
$100 to anyone who understands their policy.
Janean Ross
In Burlington, VT, Auto-Owners had the best rates for my 2008 Volkswagen Passat.
Daniell Bennett
Hope my rates come down. Quoted with GEICO for my Passat and cut my rates about $170 a year. Moved home policy as well. LOL
Herman Mcknight
Live in the southern part of Omaha, Nebraska. I compared lots of rates. Saved about $70 a month. Allstate was the cheapest option for me. Insured with Safeco before.
Leila House
Anyone like their agent?
Stan Smith
Here’s my quote info. I’m from Tulsa, OK. Compared quite a few companies. Saved roughly $70 a month. Allstate was the best choice for me. You can get a rate quote online.
Jared Knight
In Nashua, NH, GEICO is a good choice. Left Progressive to switch. I have kids on my policy, too. Can still barely afford it.
Dudley Fleming
I’m looking for cheaper coverage. Lifelong resident of Concord, NH. Received prices from Auto-Owners, Mercury, and USAA for my 2008 Volkswagen Passat and saved $123 a year. I even had a DUI years ago.
Merrill England
This is too expensive. I’m in Aurora, CO. Quoted rates from State Farm, American Family, and some I forget for my Passat and saved about $90 a year. Left Mercury to switch.