Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced insurance policy? Believe me when I say you’re not alone. Many car insurance companies compete for your business, and it can be difficult to compare rates to discover the definitive lowest rate possible.
Auto insurance companies don’t list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of some of the best known and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you’re paying more than you need to.
It’s important to note that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
Insurance companies that possibly offer these money-saving discounts include:
It’s a good idea to ask each insurance company which discounts they offer. Discounts might not be offered everywhere.
Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for insurance coverage. Understanding what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get lower insurance coverage prices.
Shown below are a few of the “ingredients” companies use to determine your rates.
When buying the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions may help highlight if your situation may require specific advice.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.
Having a good grasp of your insurance policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. Insurance terms can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find typical coverage types offered by insurance companies.
Collision – This coverage will pay to fix damage to your MKT resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage pays for things like colliding with a tree, backing into a parked car and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. Another option is to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Liability auto insurance – This will cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property by causing an accident. It protects YOU from claims by other people. Liability doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have liability limits of 50/100/50 which stand for a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of income and emergency aid. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – This gives you protection from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Lincoln MKT.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as a broken windshield, vandalism and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount your insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Medical expense insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for immediate expenses for things like ambulance fees, pain medications, prosthetic devices and EMT expenses. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Cost effective 2011 Lincoln MKT insurance is available both online and also from your neighborhood agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies may not provide online quoting and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.
We’ve covered some good ideas how to shop for insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company. They may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like State Farm or Progressive.
When shopping online for car insurance, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.
More detailed car insurance information can be read in these articles: