If you’re shopping for cheaper insurance, do you get frustrated by the number of auto insurance providers? people have so many providers available that it can turn into a difficult situation to find the perfect company for you.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using these tips. The purpose of this post is to tell you the most effective way to quote insurance. Although drivers need to learn the methods companies use to sell insurance online because it can help you find the best coverage.
Some insurers don’t list all their discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find both the well known and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving when you buy insurance coverage online.
It’s important to note that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like it’s possible to get free car insurance, nobody gets a free ride. Any amount of discount will reduce your insurance coverage premiums.
Insurance companies that have these discounts include:
Check with every insurance company which discounts can lower your rates. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts might not be offered on policies in your area. If you would like to choose from a list of companies that provide some of the discounts listed above, click here to view.
When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine if your situation would benefit from professional advice.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Auto insurance providers like Allstate, Geico and Progressive consistently run ads on TV and radio. All the ads advertise the message that you’ll save big if you switch your auto insurance coverage to their company. How can each company make the same claim? Here is the trick they use.
Auto insurance companies quote their cheapest rates for the type of insured that will most likely be profitable. For example, this type of insured might be described as a mature driver, has never had a policy lapse, and drives less than 5,000 miles a year. Any driver that meets those criteria gets the lowest premium rates and will most likely save a lot of money.
People who are not a match for the “perfect” profile must pay higher rates which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “customers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much when switching. That is how companies can make claims that they all have the best car insurance rates. Because every company is different, you absolutely need to compare price quotes frequently. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will have the lowest rates for your situation.
Having a good grasp of a car insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Collision insurance
Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from colliding with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision can pay for things like damaging your car on a curb, colliding with a tree, colliding with another moving vehicle and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Comprehensive coverage
This coverage pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like damage from a tornado or hurricane, rock chips in glass and hitting a bird. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
Auto liability insurance
Liability insurance provides protection from damage or injury you incur to a person or their property by causing an accident. It protects you against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show limits of 25/50/25 which stand for $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and property damage coverage for $25,000.
Liability can pay for claims like medical services, structural damage, funeral expenses, emergency aid and loss of income. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for bills for things like hospital visits, prosthetic devices, pain medications, funeral costs and dental work. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your goal is to buy enough coverage at the lowest possible cost, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
Consumers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, not issuing a premium refund, high prices or high rates after DUI convictions. No matter why you want to switch, finding a great new company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
Some insurance providers don’t offer online price quotes and most of the time these regional carriers provide coverage only through local independent agencies. Lower-priced car insurance can be purchased on the web as well as from insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis.
Much more information about car insurance is available on the following sites:
Gladis Serrano
I compared a lot of rate quotes for a 2013 BMW 3 Series in New Haven, CT. Ended up at darn near $530 every six months with Auto-Owners. I’m a pretty low risk driver.
Florene Murphy
Good site, thanks. I live on the north side of Allentown, Pennsylvania. I got free quotes with Nationwide, Erie, State Farm, and Auto-Owners for my 2013 BMW 3 Series and am saving around $380 a year. Switched homeowners coverage too.
Karin Ramos
Good site, thanks. I live on the north side of Fayetteville, AR. Compared quite a few companies. Saved right around $20 a month. GEICO was the cheapest for me. Insured with Eastwood before. I think they have home insurance too. Not sure about claim service.
Verona Stephens
If you have a good history and live in the vicinity of Philadelphia, PA, check out 21st Century. They seem to be cheaper. They have a lot of discounts available. God forbid I actually have a claim.
Fabian Guzman
Cheaper car insurance is a myth. I live on the north side of Columbia, SC. I don’t recall every quote but I ended up saving about $50 each month.
Iraida Owen
Anyone like their agent?
Devon Key
From east side of Nashua, NH. Got car insurance quotes with AIG Insurance, Erie, and Safeco for my BMW and I think I saved around $30 each month. Left AIG Insurance to switch.
Lilia Riggs
It all costs too much. From northwest of Lexington, KY. Got car insurance prices from GEICO, Hartford, and Esurance for my BMW and I think I saved around $30 each month. Have a couple speeding tickets too.
Jc Schmidt
I’m in the suburbs of Charleston, WV. I got free quotes from AIG Insurance, Erie, and Nationwide for my 2013 BMW 3 Series and saved just over $340 a year. I get multi-vehicle and multi-policy discounts.
Jules Maddox
I’m in the suburbs of Greensboro, NC. Got quotes from 21st Century, AAA, Encompass, and Hartford for my 3 Series and saved $527 a year. Even increased my liability limits. I got prices on the web.