Being forced to pay for high-priced auto insurance premiums can draw down your family’s budget and make it impossible to make ends meet. Getting a rate comparison is an excellent way to slash your bill and have more diposable income.
Big companies like Allstate, Progressive and GEICO constantly blast consumers with ads and it is difficult to ignore the propoganda and take the time to shop coverage around.
Smart consumers take time to get comparison quotes on a regular basis because prices are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Even if you got the lowest rate for Achieva coverage six months ago a different company probably has better premium rates today. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the easiest way to buy cheaper auto insurance.
Some companies do not advertise every policy discount very well, so the list below contains a few of the more common in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits available to you. If you do not check that you are getting every discount you qualify for, you are throwing money away.
It’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy.
Some of the larger companies who might offer these discounts include:
Before buying, ask each company how you can save money. A few discounts may not apply in your area. To choose insurance companies offering insurance discounts, click here to view.
There are a lot of ways to compare auto insurance quotes, and some are less time-consuming than others. You could waste a few hours talking about coverages with insurance agencies in your area, or you could use the web to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.
Most car insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace where prospective buyers enter their policy data once, and at least one company then gives them pricing determined by their information. This prevents consumers from doing quote forms for each company you want a rate for. To find out how much you’re overpaying now click here (opens in new window).
The only drawback to doing it this way is you are unable to specify which carriers you will receive quotes from. If you would rather choose specific providers for rate comparison, we have a page of the cheapest auto insurance companies in your area. View list of insurance companies.
Whichever way you use, ensure you are comparing the same coverage data with every price quote. If you have different deductibles it will be next to impossible to find the best deal for your Oldsmobile Achieva.
The best way to find cheaper auto insurance is to take a look at some of the things that go into determining the level of your policy premiums. If you have some idea of what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables you to make decisions that can earn you much lower annual insurance costs. Many things are taken into consideration when quoting car insurance. Some are obvious such as your driving history, although others are more obscure such as your marital status or how safe your car is.
Shown below are just a few of the factors utilized by car insurance companies to help set your premiums.
When it comes to choosing the best car insurance coverage, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Every insured’s situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.
Consumers can’t escape the ads that claim the cheapest auto insurance rates by State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. All the ads advertise claims about saving some big amount if you just switch your policy.
How do they all charge you less for auto insurance? It’s all in how they say it.
Most companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For example, a desirable insured might have to be between the ages of 30 and 50, carries full coverage, and insures a new vehicle. A driver who meets those qualifications will get low premium rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.
People who do not match this stringent profile will be charged higher rates and ends up with the prospect going elsewhere. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “drivers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much when switching. That’s why companies can truthfully make those statements. Because of this risk profiling, drivers must compare free car insurance quotes often. It is impossible to guess which company will have the best auto insurance rates.
Understanding the coverages of a auto insurance policy can be of help when determining the right coverages for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement. These are the usual coverages available from auto insurance companies.
Coverage for medical expenses
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for immediate expenses like prosthetic devices, X-ray expenses, rehabilitation expenses and hospital visits. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. They cover both the driver and occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Liability auto insurance
Liability insurance protects you from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
It consists of three limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see values of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability insurance covers things like bail bonds, legal defense fees, funeral expenses, structural damage and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but buy as large an amount as possible.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
This coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your Oldsmobile Achieva.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Comprehensive auto insurance
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as damage from a tornado or hurricane, falling objects, hail damage and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum payout your auto 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 not worth carrying full coverage.
Collision protection
This will pay to fix damage to your Achieva 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 hitting a mailbox, crashing into a ditch, crashing into a building and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Cheaper insurance coverage is possible online as well as from insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who may not offer rate quotes online and usually these smaller companies work with independent agents.
As you restructure your insurance plan, make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed physical damage coverage and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. The goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, but do not skimp to save money.
Additional insurance coverage information is located on the following sites: