Purchasing the cheapest insurance coverage on the web can seem to be intimidating for beginners to shopping for insurance online. When there are so many online companies available, how can drivers possibly compare every one to find the lowest rates?
This article will let you in on the best way to quote coverages and some money-saving tips. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these methods. Although consumers need to have an understanding of how big insurance companies market insurance on the web.
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may find discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time you complete a quote, but some must be asked for before they will apply.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will reduce your premiums.
Companies that may have these discounts may include but are not limited to:
Before buying, ask all companies you are considering which discounts you may be entitled to. Savings might not apply in your area.
When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Every insured’s situation is different.
These are some specific questions might point out if your situation may require specific advice.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
Having a good grasp of auto insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Collision insurance
Collision insurance pays for damage to your Focus resulting from a collision with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage pays for claims like sideswiping another vehicle, colliding with a tree, backing into a parked car, scraping a guard rail and crashing into a ditch. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Another option is to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Liability coverage
Liability insurance protects you from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see limits of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $50,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Another option is one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability coverage pays for claims such as emergency aid, legal defense fees, attorney fees and loss of income. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford.
Comprehensive auto coverage
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like hitting a deer, damage from getting keyed, fire damage, rock chips in glass and a broken windshield. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Medical payments and PIP coverage
Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for immediate expenses such as doctor visits, rehabilitation expenses, hospital visits and pain medications. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers all vehicle occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Ford Focus.
Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
We just showed you many tips how you can lower your 2010 Ford Focus insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the lowest rates come from some of the smallest insurance companies.
People switch companies for any number of reasons including poor customer service, being labeled a high risk driver, denial of a claim and even questionable increases in premium. Regardless of your reason, finding a new company is less work than it seems.
Cheap insurance is attainable online in addition to many insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers do not provide online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.