Have you had enough of trying to scrape together enough money to pay your car insurance bill each month? You’re in the same situation as millions of other consumers.
Drivers have multiple auto insurance companies to choose from, and though it is a good thing to have multiple companies, it can be more challenging to compare rates and find the lowest cost auto insurance.
It’s a good habit to compare prices occasionally because prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Just because you found the best price on SSR coverage a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the things you must know in order to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.
Effectively comparing car insurance prices can take hours if you don’t utilize the most efficient way to do it. You could spend your day talking to insurance agencies in your area, or you could save time and use online quotes to get pricing more quickly.
Most car insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace that enables customers to only type in their quote data once, and each company then returns a price quote determined by their information. This saves time by eliminating form submissions for each company. To access this free quoting program, click here to open in new window.
The only drawback to comparing rates this way is that you can’t choose which providers you will receive quotes from. So if you prefer to choose specific providers to request quotes from, we have a listing of companies who write car insurance in your area. Click here to view list.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just compare the exact same coverage limits with each company. If you compare different liability limits it’s impossible to make an equal comparison. Slightly different insurance coverages may cause a big price difference. And when quoting car insurance, remember that more quotes gives you a better chance of getting the best rates.
Insurance coverage providers like State Farm, Allstate and Geico consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all make the same claim of big savings if you change your policy. How does each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.
Different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver they prefer to insure. An example of a driver they prefer could be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. A propective insured that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and as a result will probably save quite a bit of money when switching.
Drivers who don’t qualify for this ideal profile will have to pay a higher premium and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that much money. That’s the way insurance companies can make those claims.
Because of the profiling, it’s extremely important to get a wide range of price quotes. You cannot predict which insurance coverage company will fit your personal profile best.
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, buy you may qualify for discounts to cut the cost considerably. Most are applied when you get a quote, but a few must be inquired about in order for you to get them.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.
For a list of insurers offering car insurance discounts, click here.
When buying proper insurance coverage, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s needs are different so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if your insurance needs might need an agent’s assistance.
If you can’t answer these questions, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Understanding the coverages of car insurance can help you determine the right coverages for your vehicles. Car insurance terms can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are the normal coverages offered by car insurance companies.
Coverage for liability
Liability insurance provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to people or other property that is your fault. It protects YOU against claims from other people. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show limits of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage pays for claims such as bail bonds, repair costs for stationary objects, funeral expenses, medical services and legal defense fees. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but you should buy as much as you can afford.
UM/UIM Coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Most of the time these coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Collision coverage protection
Collision coverage 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 your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage protects against claims like rolling your car, driving through your garage door, sideswiping another vehicle, backing into a parked car and scraping a guard rail. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Comprehensive or Other Than Collision
This coverage will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like hitting a deer, hitting a bird and fire damage. The highest amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.
Medical costs insurance
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for bills for things like prosthetic devices, X-ray expenses, pain medications, rehabilitation expenses and doctor visits. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
We’ve covered a lot of information how to save on 2006 Chevy SSR insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more times you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers may even find the best price on car insurance is with the least-expected company. Smaller companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like Progressive and Geico.
When you buy insurance online, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.