Are you intimidated by the number of insurance coverage companies? Many other drivers are as well. There are so many choices that it can turn into a lot of work to locate the lowest price.
Car insurance companies don’t necessarily list all available discounts very well, so the following is a list of some of the more common and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving.
It’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
To see a list of providers who offer insurance discounts, follow this link.
It’s important that you understand the rating factors that come into play when calculating your auto insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
The list below includes some of the items used by your company to calculate rates.
When buying the right insurance coverage, there is no cookie cutter policy. Every insured’s situation is different.
For instance, these questions might help in determining if your insurance needs could use an agent’s help.
If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Companies like Geico, State Farm and Progressive continually stream ads in print and on television. All the ads make an identical promise about savings after switching to their company. How can each company make the same claim?
All the different companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that is profitable for them. For example, a desirable insured might be profiled as a mature driver, has no tickets, and has great credit. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good rates and most likely will save a lot of money.
Potential customers who fall outside these standards will have to pay higher rates which leads to business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. This is how insurance companies can make those claims. Because of the profiling, drivers must compare many company’s rates. Because you never know which car insurance company will fit your personal profile best.
Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Car insurance terms can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy.
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as hitting a bird, rock chips in glass, damage from a tornado or hurricane, hail damage and hitting a deer. The most a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
This provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover 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. You might see liability limits of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage protects against things such as emergency aid, medical services and legal defense fees. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.
This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Suzuki SX4.
Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for short-term medical expenses like funeral costs, pain medications, doctor visits, surgery and nursing services. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover you and your occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Collision coverage pays for damage to your SX4 from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision can pay for things such as driving through your garage door, sustaining damage from a pot hole and hitting a mailbox. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
When you buy insurance online, don’t be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped liability coverage limits only to regret at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your goal should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.
Insureds switch companies for any number of reasons including high prices, questionable increases in premium, being labeled a high risk driver or not issuing a premium refund. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch switching insurance coverage companies can be less work than you think.
Low-cost 2007 Suzuki SX4 insurance is possible online and with local insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best rate selection. A few companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
Additional insurance coverage information can be read at these links: