Wish you could get a refund on an underperforming, overpriced insurance policy? Say no more because many consumers are feeling buyer’s remorse and feel like there’s no way out.
Lots of car insurance companies contend for your insurance dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare insurance companies to find the absolute lowest cost out there.
It’s a great practice to compare prices yearly since prices are constantly changing. Even if you got the best rates for X-90 coverage last year you will most likely find a better premium rate today. You’ll find a ton of advice on insurance online but you can learn some good information on how to lower your insurance rates.
If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. Buying car insurance is quite easy. Although car owners must understand how companies compete online and apply this information to your search.
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but discounts can save money and there are some available that can help lower your rates. Some trigger automatically when you quote, but a few need to be asked for prior to receiving the credit. If you do not check that you are getting every discount available, you are throwing money away.
Don’t be shocked that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.
Some of the larger companies that may offer quotes with some of the discounts shown above may include but are not limited to:
Before purchasing a policy, check with all companies you are considering how many discounts you can get. Savings might not be offered in your area. To choose providers that offer multiple discounts, follow this link.
The best way we recommend to compare car insurance rates takes advantage of the fact most larger insurance companies will pay a fee to give free rates quotes. The only thing you need to do is spend a couple of minutes providing details including the type of vehicles you drive, your credit rating estimate, if you lease or own, and driver details. The data is automatically sent to insurance companies and they return rate quotes immediately.
When buying adequate coverage, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Each situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions might help in determining whether you would benefit from professional advice.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Knowing the specifics of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Collision protection
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for claims such as colliding with a tree, rolling your car, crashing into a ditch and driving through your garage door. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Auto liability insurance
This can cover damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property by causing an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see values of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit that pays claims from the same limit without having the split limit caps.
Liability can pay for things like medical expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and bail bonds. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but buy as high a limit as you can afford.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Normally these limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Insurance for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for bills for rehabilitation expenses, funeral costs, nursing services and prosthetic devices. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
This pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, damage from getting keyed, hitting a deer and rock chips in glass. The maximum payout your auto insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
More affordable insurance is definitely available online and from local agencies, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies do not provide rates over the internet and many times these regional carriers only sell coverage through independent agents.
When trying to cut insurance costs, make sure you don’t skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the lowest possible cost, not the least amount of coverage.
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