Expensive insurance can drain your bank account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Doing a price comparison is a smart way to make sure you’re not throwing money away.
Because there are so many insurance companies to choose from, it’s difficult to find the best insurer.
Buying car insurance is quite easy. Just about everyone who has to buy car insurance will be able to cut their insurance bill. Although drivers do need to understand how big insurance companies determine prices.
Comparing auto insurance rates can be exhausting if you don’t utilize the most efficient way to do it. You can spend your afternoon talking about coverages with local insurance agents in your area, or you could save time and use online quoting to maximize your effort.
Most of the larger companies take part in a program that enables customers to enter their coverage request one time, and every company returns a rated price for coverage. This eliminates the need for quote forms for each company.
To enter your information into the quoting system, click here to open in new window.
The single downside to comparing rates this way is you are unable to specify which companies to get pricing from. So if you prefer to choose individual companies for rate comparison, we have assembled a list of the cheapest auto insurance companies in your area. Click to view list.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but make darn sure you compare identical coverages with every price quote. If the quotes have differing limits it will be very difficult to decipher which rate is best. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits may cause a big price difference. Just keep in mind that comparing a large number of companies will enable you to find better pricing.
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is a little different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of insurance coverage companies in your area.
Having a good grasp of car insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find typical coverage types available from car insurance companies.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your 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. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Collision coverages – This will pay to fix damage to your Camaro caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers claims such as sideswiping another vehicle, scraping a guard rail and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also raise the deductible to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive protection – Comprehensive insurance covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for things like fire damage, hitting a deer, falling objects and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The highest amount your car insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Liability – Liability coverage can cover damage that occurs to other’s property or people in an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
It consists of three limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see policy limits of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability can pay for things like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, legal defense fees, loss of income, funeral expenses and pain and suffering. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but consider buying as much as you can afford.
Medical expense coverage – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for immediate expenses such as prosthetic devices, chiropractic care and doctor visits. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers both the driver and occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage