Are you regretting buying overpriced car insurance? You’re in good company because you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse. There is such a variety of insurers to purchase coverage from, and although it’s a good thing to have a selection, so many choices can make it hard to adequately compare rates.
It’s a good idea to get comparison quotes at least once a year because insurance prices are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you had the best rate for Yukon XL insurance on your last policy a different company probably has better premium rates today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re going to learn the fastest and easiest way to lower your annual insurance bill.
There are a variety of methods you can shop for auto insurance but there is one way that is easier and takes less work. You could spend the better part of a day talking about coverages with local insurance agents in your area, or you can stay home and use online quotes to get prices fast.
Many insurance companies participate in an industry program where insurance shoppers enter their policy data once, and every company returns a rated price. This prevents consumers from doing quote forms to each company.
To find out how much you’re overpaying now click here to start a free quote.
The only downside to doing it this way is you cannot specify which carriers to get quotes from. If you would rather choose individual companies to request quotes from, we have a listing of the cheapest auto insurance companies in your area. Click to view list.
Compare rates however you want, just be certain you are entering equivalent coverage data on every quote. If you have different liability limits it will be very difficult to determine which rate is truly the best.
Car insurance companies do not advertise the complete list of policy discounts very well, so the list below contains some of the best known in addition to some of the lesser obvious ways to save on insurance coverage.
Just know that most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.
For a list of companies that offer many of these discounts, click this link.
When buying proper insurance coverage, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions might point out if your insurance needs could use an agent’s help.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area. It is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.
Having a good grasp of insurance can help you determine the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Insurance terms can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. Below you’ll find typical coverages found on most insurance policies.
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for expenses such as nursing services, X-ray expenses, surgery and prosthetic devices. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover all vehicle occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Liability coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property by causing an accident. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
It consists of three limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see limits of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 bodily injury coverage, $300,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Occasionally you may see a combined limit which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability insurance covers claims such as attorney fees, emergency aid, legal defense fees, court costs and bail bonds. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your GMC Yukon XL.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, falling objects and a broken windshield. The maximum payout a insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your Yukon XL resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for things such as colliding with another moving vehicle, hitting a parking meter, sideswiping another vehicle and rolling your car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. You can also raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Paulita Oneal
Good detail in your article. From Charlotte, NC. Got quotes with 21st Century, AIG Insurance, Farmers, and Hanover for my 2011 GMC Yukon XL and I think I saved around $30 each month. Left Allstate to switch. BTW speeding tickets are not good. Not sure if rates are cheaper online or through an agent.
Dorcas Ward
Hope my car insurance gets cheaper. Proud to be from Rio Rancho, NM. Quoted quotes from GEICO, AAA, and Esurance for my GMC and saved $152 a year. Insured with Safeco before. I think they have home insurance too.
Arica Ortega
This is too expensive. Live in Evansville, IN. Went online for free insurance quotes for a 2011 GMC Yukon XL. Ended up at about $490 savings annually. Went with Allstate. Left Liberty Mutual to switch. Even increased coverage a bit. It’s still not cheap enough.
Dione Bradshaw
In Provo, UT, GEICO is a good choice. Can still barely afford it.
Gregorio Bradley
Good site, thanks. Proud to be from Anchorage, Alaska. Got quotes from Allstate, Hanover, and Encompass for my GMC and saved about $400 a year. I even had a DUI years ago.
Keeley Black
For me, State Farm was by far the cheapest in Norman, Oklahoma.
Alison Atkins
When should I drop comp and collision?