Are you a victim of an underperforming, overpriced insurance policy? Believe me when I say there are a lot of people just like you who feel imprisoned by their insurance policy. Many auto insurance companies vie for your business, and it can be difficult to compare rates to find the absolute best rates possible.
Consumers should take time to do rate comparisons once or twice a year due to the fact that insurance rates change frequently. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest rates on Monte Carlo insurance last year you can probably find a better price now. So just block out anything you think you know about insurance because you’re about to learn the best methods to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.
If you have insurance now or are just looking to switch companies, you will benefit by learning to reduce the price you pay while maximizing coverage. Choosing the best insurance company for you is not rocket science. Drivers only need to know how to compare price quotes online.
Shopping for lower insurance rates can take hours if you don’t utilize the most efficient way. You can waste hours talking to agents in your area, or you could save time and use the internet to maximize your effort.
Many insurance companies belong to an insurance system where prospective buyers submit one quote, and every company then gives them pricing. This prevents consumers from doing form submissions to every company.
To find out how much you’re overpaying now click here (opens in new window).
The one downside to comparing rates this way is you are unable to specify the companies to get pricing from. So if you prefer to pick specific providers to request quotes from, we have a page of insurance companies in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just make sure you use apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles with every price quote. If you have higher or lower deductibles you will not be able to decipher which rate is best.
Car insurance is not cheap, but companies offer discounts to reduce the price significantly. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but some must be specifically requested before being credited. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you are throwing money away.
Keep in mind that some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won’t be that lucky. But any discount will cut the amount you have to pay.
Insurance companies that may have these benefits include:
Check with each company how you can save money. Some discounts might not be offered in every state.
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions might help in determining whether your personal situation will benefit from professional help.
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.
Understanding the coverages of your insurance policy can be of help when determining the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find the normal coverages offered by insurance companies.
Coverage for liability – Liability insurance will cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have limits of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Another option is one number which is a combined single limit which combines the three limits into one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability can pay for claims such as emergency aid, medical services, funeral expenses and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family and damage to your Chevy Monte Carlo.
Due to the fact that many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Medical expense coverage – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for bills such as hospital visits, X-ray expenses, dental work and doctor visits. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Comprehensive protection – Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like theft, damage from a tornado or hurricane, vandalism, hitting a bird and damage from getting keyed. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Collision coverages – This covers damage to your Monte Carlo 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 hitting a mailbox, backing into a parked car, damaging your car on a curb, colliding with a tree and driving through your garage door. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible to bring the cost down.