I can’t think of a single person who looks forward to buying car insurance, especially when they are paying too much. Online insurance companies like State Farm, Progressive and Geico increase brand awareness with advertising and it is challenging if not impossible to see past the geckos and flying pigs and find the best price available.
If you have a policy now or are shopping for new coverage, you can learn to shop for the lowest rates and possibly find even better coverage. Buying car insurance is easy if you know what you’re doing. Drivers only need an understanding of the most effective way to compare company rates online.
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that go into determining your insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to lower insurance prices.
All the larger insurance coverage companies give pricing directly from their websites. The process doesn’t take much effort as you just type in your personal and coverage information into a form. After the form is submitted, the company’s rating system makes automated requests for information on your driving record and credit history and quotes a price. This streamlines rate comparisons, but the time required to go to a lot of sites and complete many quote forms can be a bit repetitive. But it is imperative to compare as many rates as possible in order to get a better rate.
Quote rates the easy way
An easier way to lower your rates utilizes a single form to return rates from a lot of companies. The form is fast, eliminates repetitive work, and makes rate comparisons a little more enjoyable. Immediately after you send the form, it gets priced with multiple companies and you can pick any or none of the resulting price quotes.
If you find a better price you simply finish the application and buy the policy. This process just takes a couple of minutes and may save quite a bit of money.
If you want to fill out one form to compare multiple rates now, click here to open in new window and complete the simple form. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended you copy the limits and deductibles just like they are on your policy. This way, you will be getting a price comparison using the exact same coverages.
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be applied when you get a quote, but a few need to be asked for prior to receiving the credit. If you’re not getting every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think it’s possible to get free car insurance, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will cut the amount you have to pay.
A partial list of companies that may offer these money-saving discounts include:
It’s a good idea to ask every prospective company how you can save money. Some discounts might not apply in your area.
When choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions might point out if you will benefit from professional help.
If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.
Learning about specific coverages of your insurance policy can help you determine the best coverages for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are the usual coverages offered by insurance companies.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers things such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, damage from getting keyed, falling objects and theft. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Liability auto insurance
Liability insurance will cover damages or injuries you inflict on people or other 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 limits of 100/300/100 that translate to a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Alternatively, you may have one number which is a combined single limit which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability can pay for things such as medical services, legal defense fees, attorney fees and repair costs for stationary objects. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but you should buy higher limits if possible.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
This gives you protection when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Lexus GX 470.
Due to the fact that many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Frequently these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Collision insurance
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against things like hitting a parking meter, rolling your car and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for bills such as nursing services, hospital visits, funeral costs, pain medications and doctor visits. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers all vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible
As you prepare to switch companies, do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. There are too many instances where an insured dropped physical damage coverage and learned later that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price.
The cheapest 2004 Lexus GX 470 insurance is attainable both online and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some companies may not provide online quoting and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
Even more information can be found by following these links: