Did a good deal turn into an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say there are many people just like you. Insurance companies such as Allstate and Progressive promote their brand names with fancy advertisements and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.
There are multiple methods you can shop for insurance coverage but there is one way that is less time-consuming than others. You can spend your afternoon talking about coverages with insurance agencies in your area, or you could save time and use online quotes to achieve your goal.
Many of the larger companies take part in a program that allows shoppers to submit one quote, and each participating company then returns a price quote determined by their information. This saves time by eliminating quote requests for each company.
To compare rates using this form now click to open in new window.
The one disadvantage to using this type of form is you cannot specify the providers to get quotes from. So if you prefer to choose specific providers to request quotes from, we have a listing of companies who write insurance coverage in your area. Click here to view list.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just be sure to compare apples-to-apples coverage limits with every price quote. If you use differing limits you can’t possibly make an equal comparison.
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may be missing some discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Certain credits will be shown when you quote, but a few must be asked for prior to receiving the credit.
As a footnote on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Most cut individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts will help lower the amount you have to pay.
Popular auto insurance companies and their offered discounts include:
Check with every company how you can save money. Some discounts may not be available in your area. To see companies with significant discounts, click here to view.
Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that aid in calculating your insurance rates. When you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this helps enable you to make changes that could result in lower rates. Lots of things are taken into consideration when pricing auto insurance. Some are obvious like your driving record, but others are not quite as obvious such as your marital status or your commute time.
The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” companies use to determine your rate level.
When buying proper insurance coverage, there is no one size fits all plan. Every situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions could help you determine whether or not you will benefit from professional help.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to 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 It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.
Learning about specific coverages of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement. Below you’ll find typical coverages found on most auto insurance policies.
Medical expense insurance
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for immediate expenses such as prosthetic devices, surgery, pain medications, hospital visits and EMT expenses. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers all vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Collision protection
Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your S70 resulting from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against claims like scraping a guard rail, driving through your garage door and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Auto liability
Liability coverage will cover damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see values of 100/300/100 that means you have a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000.
Liability insurance covers things such as court costs, medical expenses and funeral expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers
Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your Volvo S70.
Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision)
This coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as fire damage, hail damage, theft and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The most a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
More affordable auto insurance can be bought both online in addition to many insurance agents, so you need to shop insurance with both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers do not offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these small insurance companies sell through local independent agencies.
As you quote insurance, make sure you don’t buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and learned later that it was a big mistake. Your goal is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
More detailed auto insurance information can be found by following these links: