Are you a victim of an overpriced car insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you there are many people just like you.
Multiple car insurance companies compete to insure your vehicles, so it can be very hard to choose a company to discover the definitive best price available.
The quickest way to compare rates is to take advantage of the fact all the major auto insurance companies allow for online access to compare rate quotes. The only thing you need to do is provide the companies a bit of rating information like if you’re married, if you went to college, the ages of drivers, and if your license is active. The rating information is submitted instantly to multiple different insurance companies and they provide comparison quotes very quickly.
Auto insurance companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the ads make an identical promise that drivers can save some big amount if you just switch your auto insurance policy to them. How do they all lower your car insurance rates? This is how they do it.
Most companies give the best rates for the type of driver that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable risk could possibly be over the age of 40, carries full coverage, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote that fits those parameters receives the best car insurance rates and will also save when they switch companies.
Potential insureds who do not match the ideal profile may be forced to pay a more expensive rate which translates to business going elsewhere. The trick companies use is to say “drivers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. This is how companies can truthfully lure you into getting a quote. Because of these techniques, you absolutely need to do a price quote comparison at every renewal. Because you cannot predict which auto insurance company will have better car insurance rates than you’re paying now.
Not too many consumers would say car insurance is affordable, but you may be missing some discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Some trigger automatically when you get a quote, but some discounts are required to be asked for before you get the savings.
One thing to note about discounts is that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don’t profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will lower your policy premiums.
Large car insurance companies and a summarized list of policyholder discounts are shown below.
Before buying, ask every company what discounts are available to you. Savings may not apply to policies in every state.
When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions might point out if you will benefit from professional help.
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Knowing the specifics of car insurance can help you determine the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are the usual coverages found on the average car insurance policy.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage – This protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your Pontiac Montana.
Since many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Liability coverage – This protects you from damage that occurs to a person or their property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims. Liability 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. Your policy might show liability limits of 25/50/25 which means a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000.
Liability coverage pays for things like pain and suffering, court costs, funeral expenses, repair costs for stationary objects and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying higher limits if possible.
Medical expense coverage – Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses like pain medications, dental work, chiropractic care, ambulance fees and hospital visits. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers both the driver and occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Collision – Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your Montana from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for things like sustaining damage from a pot hole, driving through your garage door and sideswiping another vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Comprehensive protection – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as hitting a bird, damage from a tornado or hurricane and falling objects. The maximum payout your car insurance company will pay is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
As you prepare to switch companies, never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best cost while still protecting your assets.
Budget-conscious 2000 Pontiac Montana insurance is available on the web and from local agencies, so you need to shop car insurance with both to have the best selection. Some companies may not have online rate quotes and usually these small, regional companies only sell coverage through independent agencies.
To learn more, feel free to browse the following helpful articles: