When looking for lower-cost insurance, do you get frustrated by the wide range of insurance companies that you can choose from? You’re not alone. consumers have so many companies to choose from that it can be a burden to find lower prices.
The best way to compare rate quotes is to understand all the major auto insurance companies allow for online access to provide you with free rate quotes. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is give them some information including how your vehicles are used, daily mileage, how old drivers are, and if you’re married. That rating information gets sent immediately to insurance carriers in your area and they return rate quotes immediately.
Some providers don’t always publicize every discount they offer very well, so we took the time to find a few of the more well known and the harder-to-find credits available to you.
A quick disclaimer, most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though you would think you could get a free car insurance policy, it’s just not the way it works.
Companies that may have some of the above discounts include:
When getting a coverage quote, ask all companies you are considering to apply every possible discount. Some discounts listed above might not be offered in your state.
When it comes to buying coverage, there is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different.
Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if your insurance needs may require specific 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. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form.
Understanding the coverages of your policy can be of help when determining which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Liability auto insurance
This coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property in an accident. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see values of 25/50/25 that translate to a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability insurance covers claims like medical services, loss of income, repair costs for stationary objects and funeral expenses. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but buy higher limits if possible.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important. Normally these coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for expenses for things like rehabilitation expenses, chiropractic care and hospital visits. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as hitting a bird, a broken windshield, damage from flooding and vandalism. The highest amount your insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Collision coverage protection
This coverage will pay to fix damage to your Sonata from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision insurance covers claims such as colliding with another moving vehicle, sideswiping another vehicle, driving through your garage door and rolling your car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Cheaper insurance is available online in addition to many insurance agents, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies don’t offer internet price quotes and usually these smaller companies sell through independent agents.
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s very important that you do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice full coverage and learned later that it was a big error on their part. Your goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best possible price while still protecting your assets.
People who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including lack of trust in their agent, being labeled a high risk driver, questionable increases in premium or not issuing a premium refund. Regardless of your reason, finding a new company is not as hard as you think.
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