I can’t think of a single person who cherishes buying car insurance, in particular when they are paying too much. There are many insurers to choose from, and although it’s a good thing to have a choice, lots of choices makes it harder to adequately compare rates.
Finding the cheapest insurance coverage can be fairly easy. If you have a policy now or are shopping for new coverage, you can use this information to shop for the lowest rates and still get good coverage. Vehicle owners just need to understand the tricks to compare rates on the web.
Cutting your insurance rates doesn’t have to be difficult. Just take the time to compare rate quotes online with multiple companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished using a couple different methods.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but ensure you are comparing identical quote information on every quote you get. If your comparisons have different deductibles it will be impossible to make an equal comparison.
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you may find discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for before you get the savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.
Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will reduce your overall premium however.
To see a list of companies who offer insurance discounts, click this link.
When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation might need an agent’s assistance.
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of insurance coverage companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.
Knowing the specifics of insurance can be of help when determining the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Insurance terms can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are typical coverages offered by insurance companies.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – This protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your 1993 Toyota Camry.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Frequently your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Liability coverages – This coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property by causing an accident. It protects YOU against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have values of 25/50/25 which stand for a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL that pays claims from the same limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability coverage pays for claims like pain and suffering, repair costs for stationary objects, medical services, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and bail bonds. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.
Insurance for medical payments – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for bills for pain medications, dental work, doctor visits and X-ray expenses. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible
Collision coverage – Collision coverage pays for damage to your Camry resulting from a collision with another car or object. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers claims such as sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter, driving through your garage door and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. You can also increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – This will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like hitting a deer, falling objects, rock chips in glass and theft. The highest amount your insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.