Having to pay for overpriced insurance coverage can dwindle your bank account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Comparison shopping is a smart way to cut your insurance bill.
Since consumers have many options, it can be impossible to choose the right company.
It’s a great practice to take a look at other company’s rates periodically since insurance rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Just because you had the best rates for Outback coverage two years ago a different company probably has better rates today. Don’t believe everything you read about insurance coverage on the web, but I’m going to show you some of the best ways to put money back in your pocket.
Finding the best rates is not rocket science. Basically, everyone who has to buy insurance coverage should be able to find lower rates. Although drivers can benefit by having an understanding of how insurance companies determine prices and use this information to your advantage.
Effectively comparing insurance prices can be a daunting task if you don’t understand the most efficient way to do it. You can spend your afternoon talking to insurance agencies in your area, or you could save time and use online quoting to get prices fast.
All the larger companies enroll in a system that enables customers to complete one form, and at least one company then gives them pricing. This prevents consumers from doing form submissions to each individual insurance company.
To compare 2002 Subaru Outback rates now click here to open in new window.
One minor caviat to using this type of form is that you can’t choose which carriers to get pricing from. If you would rather choose from a list of companies to compare rates, we have assembled a list of companies who write insurance in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.
It’s up to you which method you use, but ensure you are comparing exactly the same coverages and limits on every quote you get. If you enter different values for each quote it’s not possible to decipher which rate is best. Having just a slight variation in limits can result in a big premium difference. Just keep in mind that more quotes helps locate better pricing.
When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Each situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover if you will benefit from professional help.
If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area.
Understanding the coverages of a insurance policy can be of help when determining the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Insurance terms can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are the normal coverages offered by insurance companies.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Subaru Outback.
Since many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Insurance for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for expenses for EMT expenses, surgery and pain medications. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible
Collision coverage protection
This will pay to fix damage to your Outback resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers things like colliding with another moving vehicle, sideswiping another vehicle, sustaining damage from a pot hole, scraping a guard rail and hitting a parking meter. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like fire damage, vandalism and damage from flooding. The most a insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.
Liability coverage
This will cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property in an accident. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see liability limits of 25/50/25 that means you have a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability insurance covers claims like emergency aid, loss of income, pain and suffering and attorney fees. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but buy higher limits if possible.