Have you fallen victim to an underperforming, overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me, there are many drivers thinking the same thing. Online insurance companies like State Farm, Progressive and GEICO constantly blast consumers with ads and it can be hard to ignore the flying pigs and cute green geckos and do the work needed to find the best deal.
When buying auto insurance it’s important to understand the different types of things that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. If you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this helps enable you to make changes that can earn you lower rates. Lots of things are taken into consideration when you quote your car insurance policy. A few of the factors are predictable such as your driving history, but others are not quite as obvious such as whether you are married and annual miles driven.
Car insurance is neither fun to buy or cheap, but there could be available discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Certain reductions will be credited when you complete an application, but occassionally some discounts must be manually applied before you get the savings.
While discounts sound great, it’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, nobody gets a free ride. But all discounts should help reduce your overall bill.
If you would like to view insurance companies that offer multiple discounts, click here to view.
Consumers can’t escape the ads that claim the lowest premium rates by companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. All the companies state the claim that you’ll save big after switching to their company.
It sounds good, but how can they all give you a lower rate? It’s all in how they say it.
Many companies have specific guidelines for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured may need to be between the ages of 30 and 45, has a clear driving record, and the vehicle is rated for pleasure use. Any person that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest prices and therefore will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
People who cannot meet this ideal profile must pay higher rates and the driver buying from a lower-cost company. If you pay close attention to the ads, they say “drivers who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much. That’s why insurance companies can state the savings.
This emphasizes why you really should compare many company’s rates. Because you cannot predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.
When it comes to choosing coverage, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining if your situation could use an agent’s help.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and may give you better protection.
Having a good grasp of insurance helps when choosing appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement. These are the usual coverages found on the average insurance policy.
This provides protection when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Due to the fact that many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Frequently the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as rock chips in glass, fire damage, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, damage from a tornado or hurricane and hitting a bird. The highest amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for bills like prosthetic devices, X-ray expenses, rehabilitation expenses and EMT expenses. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers you and your occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Liability insurance protects you from damage or injury you incur to a person or their property in an accident. This insurance 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 might see liability limits of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is one number which is a combined single limit that pays claims from the same limit without having the split limit caps.
Liability insurance covers claims like funeral expenses, pain and suffering, structural damage and court costs. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.
This covers damage to your Avenger resulting from a collision with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for claims such as rolling your car, scraping a guard rail and hitting a mailbox. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
We’ve covered many ways to get a better price on 2009 Dodge Avenger insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with the least-expected company. They can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive.
While you’re price shopping online, it’s not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price.