Using the web to shop for insurance may seem to be difficult if you’re new to online rate quotes. But relax because online price shopping is actually quite simple.
If you currently have car insurance, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. This article will let you in on how to get online quotes and some tricks to saving. But consumers must know how insurance companies compete online because it can help you find the best coverage.
Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the more common and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using.
As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won’t be that lucky.
To see a list of insurance companies with discount car insurance rates, follow this link.
Most companies provide price estimates on their websites. Obtaining pricing is quite easy as you simply type in the amount of coverage you want into a form. Once entered, the system sends out for your driving record and credit report and returns pricing information based on these factors.
Quoting online makes comparing rates easy, but having to visit many different websites and type in the same information can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. Unfortunately, it is important to do this in order to get a lower rate.
A less time-consuming method to find cheaper rates is to use a quote form to get prices from a lot of companies. This type of form saves time, requires much less work on your part, and makes comparison shopping much more efficient. Immediately after you send the form, your coverage is rated and you can choose any of the pricing results. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can simply submit the application and purchase coverage. The whole process only takes a few minutes and can result in significant savings.
If you want to find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and submit the form. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended that you enter the coverages just like they are on your policy. This helps ensure you will have an apples-to-apples comparison using the exact same coverages.
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that come into play when calculating insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower insurance prices.
The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” insurance companies consider when setting prices.
When buying the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
For example, these questions can help discover whether you will benefit from professional help.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form.
Knowing the specifics of your auto insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family.
Collision – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage pays for claims like hitting a mailbox, backing into a parked car and driving through your garage door. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Comprehensive coverages – This will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as vandalism, hail damage and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The most a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
Coverage for medical payments – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for expenses such as prosthetic devices, pain medications, chiropractic care and nursing services. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers all vehicle occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Auto liability insurance – Liability coverage will cover injuries or damage you cause to other people or property. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people, 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. You might see policy limits of 100/300/100 that means you have $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability can pay for claims such as bail bonds, pain and suffering, structural damage, attorney fees and legal defense fees. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where an insured dropped collision coverage only to discover later they didn’t have enough coverage. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
We just showed you quite a bit of information on how to compare 2002 Pontiac Montana insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a small local company.
Insureds who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, delays in paying claims, lack of trust in their agent or policy cancellation. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a new company is not as difficult as it may seem.
Additional detailed information can be read in these articles: