Tired of not being able to afford each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other drivers.
Lots of insurers contend for your hard-earned dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare auto insurance companies to discover the definitive lowest rate possible.
If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. Choosing the best insurance company for you is easy if you know what you’re doing. But car owners need to learn how the larger insurance companies compete online and use this information to your advantage.
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always advertise every discount very clearly, so we break down both well-publicized as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it just doesn’t work that way.
Insurance companies who might offer these money-saving discounts may include but are not limited to:
It’s a good idea to ask every prospective company what discounts are available to you. Savings might not be offered in your state.
Performing a rate comparison is a ton of work if you aren’t aware of the easiest way. You can waste hours talking about coverages with insurance companies in your area, or you can utilize online quoting to get the quickest rates.
All the larger companies belong to a marketplace where insurance shoppers only type in their quote data once, and each participating company can provide price quotes. This saves time by eliminating form submissions to each company.
To access this free quoting program, click here to start a free quote.
One minor caviat to pricing coverage this way is buyers cannot specifically choose the insurers to get pricing from. So if you prefer to pick individual companies to request quotes from, we have assembled a list of low cost insurance companies in your area. Click here to view list.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just be sure to compare the exact same coverages with every price quote. If you enter different deductibles you will not be able to determine the best price for your Nissan Maxima. Slightly different limits may cause a big price difference. And when quoting insurance, remember that having more price comparisons will increase your chances of finding better pricing.
When buying coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.
If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Knowing the specifics of your policy helps when choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Insurance terms can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find typical coverages offered by insurance companies.
Comprehensive auto coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as theft, hitting a bird, damage from getting keyed, falling objects and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount your insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for expenses for ambulance fees, rehabilitation expenses, pain medications and prosthetic devices. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Auto liability insurance – This protects you from damage or injury you incur to other people or property. It protects you from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show liability limits of 100/300/100 which stand for a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability can pay for claims like repair costs for stationary objects, attorney fees and structural damage. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but you should buy higher limits if possible.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Nissan Maxima.
Due to the fact that many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance pays for damage to your Maxima from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers claims such as rolling your car, colliding with a tree, damaging your car on a curb and hitting a mailbox. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. You can also increase the deductible to bring the cost down.
As you prepare to switch companies, you should never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are many occasions where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage only to regret that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.
We just showed you some good ideas how to lower your 1995 Nissan Maxima insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the best price on insurance coverage is with the least-expected company. Smaller companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than the large multi-state companies such as Allstate or State Farm.
Low-cost insurance is possible online in addition to many insurance agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance coverage companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.