Expensive auto insurance can dwindle your savings account, especially in this economy. Comparison shopping is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to make sure you’re not throwing money away.
Consumers have many insurance companies to choose from, and though it is a good thing to have a selection, so many choices can make it hard to find the lowest rates.
It’s important to price shop coverage periodically because rates change frequently. Even if you think you had the lowest rates on Forester coverage a couple years back you can probably find a lower rate today. So just forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because I’m going to teach you the right way to lower your annual insurance bill.
Choosing the best insurance company for you is not rocket science. If you have car insurance now, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using this information. But car owners do need to learn the methods companies use to sell insurance online and apply this information to your search.
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always list every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so we took the time to find some of the more common as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.
A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like you could get a free insurance coverage policy, you won’t be that lucky.
Insurance companies who might offer these discounts include:
It’s a good idea to ask each insurance company what discounts are available to you. Savings may not be available in every state.
When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage, there is no one size fits all plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that might point out whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Understanding the coverages of your insurance policy helps when choosing which coverages you need for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are the normal coverages found on the average insurance policy.
Auto liability insurance
This coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to people or other property in an accident. This coverage protects you against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see values of 25/50/25 that means you have 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.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as attorney fees, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, emergency aid, medical services and court costs. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but buy higher limits if possible.
Collision insurance
This will pay to fix damage to your Forester caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage pays for things such as hitting a parking meter, colliding with a tree, rolling your car, damaging your car on a curb and crashing into a building. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. Another option is to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Comprehensive coverage
This coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as a broken windshield, fire damage and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The highest amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
This coverage gives you protection 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 Subaru Forester.
Due to the fact that many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Med pay and PIP coverage pay for short-term medical expenses such as funeral costs, ambulance fees, surgery and X-ray expenses. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
You just learned many ways to shop for 2001 Subaru Forester insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the best price on car insurance is with the smaller companies. Regional companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive or Geico.
While you’re price shopping online, it’s very important that you do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
Lower-priced insurance can be sourced both online as well as from independent agents, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.
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