Feel like you’re a prisoner to an underperforming, overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me when I say there are many consumers feeling the pinch from expensive car insurance. Many auto insurance companies vie for your insurance dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a insurer and get the best coverage at the lowest rate
You need to price shop coverage every six months because insurance rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Even if you got the best deal on Highlander coverage two years ago there may be better deals available now. Starting now, forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you’re going to learn the right way to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.
There are a lot of ways to shop for auto insurance, but one way is less labor-intensive and much quicker. You could spend your day talking to agents in your area, or you can stay home and use online quoting to get prices fast.
Many companies are enrolled in a marketplace that enables customers to enter their policy data once, and each participating company can provide price quotes for coverage. This saves time by eliminating quote requests for each company you want a rate for. To compare 2011 Toyota Highlander rates now click here to open in new window.
The one downside to pricing coverage this way is buyers cannot specifically choose the providers you want to price. So if you prefer to choose specific providers to receive pricing from, we have a page of companies who write auto insurance in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.
It’s up to you which method you use, but make absolute certain that you use exactly the same coverages and limits for every quote you compare. If your comparisons have different liability limits it’s impossible to determine the lowest rate for your Toyota Highlander.
When it comes to buying the best insurance coverage, there is no perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions can help discover whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.
Learning about specific coverages of a auto insurance policy helps when choosing the best coverages for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are the usual coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance covers damage to your Highlander resulting from colliding with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage pays for things like scraping a guard rail, crashing into a ditch, colliding with another moving vehicle and colliding with a tree. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. Another option is to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your 2011 Toyota Highlander.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Coverage for medical expenses – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for expenses such as surgery, pain medications, EMT expenses and nursing services. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers both the driver and occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible
Comprehensive auto insurance – This coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as theft, fire damage, a broken windshield, damage from a tornado or hurricane and hitting a deer. The maximum payout your auto insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Auto liability insurance – This coverage provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see values of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability can pay for things such as repair bills for other people’s vehicles, structural damage, court costs and emergency aid. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.