Confused by the crazy number of insurance coverage providers? Many other drivers are as well. There are so many providers to choose from that it can quickly become a ton of work to find better rates.
The purpose of this article is to help you learn the best way to quote coverages and some tricks to saving. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using these tips. Nevertheless, drivers must learn how the larger insurance companies determine prices and use this information to your advantage.
There are multiple methods to compare car insurance quotes, but one way is easier and takes less work. You could spend your day talking to insurance companies in your area, or you can stay home and use online quoting to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.
All the larger companies belong to a marketplace that enables customers to enter their policy data once, and every company can give them a price based on that data. This system prevents you from having to do quote forms for each company you want a rate for. To compare rates using this form now click here to open in new window.
The one downside to doing it this way is that you can’t choose the providers you want to price. So if you prefer to pick specific insurance companies for rate comparison, we have assembled a list of low cost car insurance companies in your area. Click here to view list.
You can use whichever method you prefer to find lower rates, just ensure you’re using equivalent coverage data with each company. If your comparisons have different liability limits it will be nearly impossible to decipher which rate is best. Even a minor difference in limits may result in a large different in cost. Just remember that more quotes helps increase your odds of locating more affordable insurance. Not every company does price estimates online, so it’s recommended that you also compare quotes from them as well.
When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
Understanding the coverages of your policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Coverage for medical expenses – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for immediate expenses for EMT expenses, surgery, pain medications, doctor visits and funeral costs. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive insurance – This pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like a tree branch falling on your vehicle, a broken windshield and hitting a deer. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. It can pay for injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since a lot of drivers 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 should not be overlooked. Usually these coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.
Liability coverage – Liability coverage protects you from damage that occurs to people or other property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have values of 25/50/25 that translate to a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, $50,000 for the entire accident, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Occasionally you may see a combined single limit or CSL which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as medical services, legal defense fees, emergency aid and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability coverage do you need? That is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.
Collision coverage – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against things such as scraping a guard rail, colliding with a tree, crashing into a ditch and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.