Feel like you’re a prisoner to an overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say you’re not the only one.
Numerous car insurance companies battle for your insurance dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates and uncover the absolute cheapest price
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that play a part in calculating your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that can help you get big savings.
Shown below are some of the items car insurance companies consider when setting your rates.
There are a lot of ways to compare insurance coverage quotes, but some are easier and takes less work. You could spend your day driving to agents in your area, or you could save time and use the internet to quickly compare rates.
Many companies belong to a marketplace where insurance shoppers complete one form, and every company then gives them pricing based on that data. This system prevents you from having to do quotation requests for every insurance coverage company. To use this form to compare 2013 Volkswagen Golf insurance rates click here to start a free quote.
The one downside to doing it this way is you are unable to specify which providers to get quotes from. If you would rather choose specific insurance companies to receive pricing from, we have assembled a list of companies who write insurance coverage in your area. View list of insurance companies.
Whichever method you choose, make darn sure you compare exactly the same coverage limits for every company. If you use differing limits it’s not possible to determine the lowest rate for your Volkswagen Golf. Slightly different insurance coverages could mean much higher rates. It’s important to know that quoting more will improve the odds of getting the best rates.
Companies like Allstate and Progressive consistently run ads in print and on television. All the ads make the same claim that you can save if you change your policy. How can each company make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.
All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver they prefer to insure. For example, a profitable customer could be over the age of 50, has no prior claims, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.
Drivers who don’t qualify for the requirements will be charged higher prices and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much. That’s the way companies can state the savings. That is why drivers must get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.
Companies offering auto insurance do not list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we researched some of the best known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using.
It’s important to understand that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.
For a list of insurers with discount insurance rates, click this link.
When it comes to choosing the best insurance coverage, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Every situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions can help discover if you could use an agent’s help.
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Learning about specific coverages of your car insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. These are the usual coverages offered by car insurance companies.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as damage from getting keyed, vandalism, hitting a bird, hitting a deer and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
Collision coverages – This coverage will pay to fix damage to your Golf 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 protects against things such as crashing into a ditch, damaging your car on a curb and hitting a parking meter. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – This coverage provides protection from other drivers when they 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.
Since many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Medical expense insurance – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for short-term medical expenses such as nursing services, ambulance fees, EMT expenses, dental work and X-ray expenses. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers you and your occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Liability coverages – This can cover damage or injury you incur to other people or property by causing an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see liability limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage pays for claims like medical services, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, legal defense fees and emergency aid. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.
In this article, we presented many ways to shop for 2013 Volkswagen Golf insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the best prices are with some of the lesser-known companies. Some small companies often have lower prices on specific markets than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.
When you buy insurance online, do not skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In many cases, an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.