Want lower auto insurance rates for your Chevrolet Camaro? Wish you could get a refund on an overpriced auto insurance policy? You’re in good company because there are a lot of people just like you who feel imprisoned by their auto insurance policy.
Many auto insurance companies vie for your insurance dollar, so it’s not easy to compare every insurer to find the best price available.
If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to save some money using these methods. Finding affordable coverage is easy if you know what you’re doing. But car owners must comprehend the way companies price online insurance.
Not too many consumers would say car insurance is affordable, but you might already qualify for some discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically when you complete an application, but a few must be specifically requested prior to getting the savings.
It’s important to note that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So even though you would think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, that’s just not realistic.
Large car insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer can be read below.
Double check with all the companies how many discounts you can get. Some discounts might not apply in your area. For a list of insurers with discount car insurance rates, click here to view.
Part of the insurance coverage buying process is learning the different types of things that help calculate insurance coverage rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get big savings.
The itemized list below are some of the factors that factor into your prices.
When buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Every situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions can help discover if your situation 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 may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Well-known insurance companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all seem to advertise claims about savings just by switching your policy. But how can every company charge you less for car insurance? Just pay attention to how they say it.
Companies quote their cheapest rates for the driver they prefer to insure. For instance, a driver they prefer could be between 30 and 50, has had continuous coverage, and has a short commute. Anybody who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates as well as save a lot of money.
Consumers who are not a match for these standards will be charged a higher rate which results in business not being written. The trick is to say “people that switch” not “all people who quote” save the amount stated. This is how insurance companies can make the claims of big savings. Each company has different criteria, so you really should do a price quote comparison at every renewal. It is impossible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.
Knowing the specifics of insurance can be of help when determining the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find the normal coverages found on the average insurance policy.
Insurance for medical payments
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for things like dental work, funeral costs and surgery. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims like damage from a tornado or hurricane, rock chips in glass and damage from flooding. The highest amount your insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
This protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Liability insurance
This coverage will cover damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show liability limits of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 bodily injury coverage, $300,000 for the entire accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability coverage pays for claims such as pain and suffering, attorney fees, emergency aid, structural damage and loss of income. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but buy as much as you can afford.
Collision protection
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for things like crashing into a building, hitting a mailbox, colliding with a tree and crashing into a ditch. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. Another option is to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
When shopping online for insurance coverage, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage and discovered at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest cost, but do not skimp to save money.
More affordable insurance coverage is definitely available from both online companies in addition to many insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance providers may not provide rate quotes online and most of the time these small insurance companies only sell through independent agents.
More detailed insurance coverage information can be read in these articles: