Having to pay for expensive insurance can take a big chunk out of your savings account and make it hard to pay other bills. There are many insurance companies to pick from, and although it’s a good thing to have a choice, too many choices makes it more difficult to find the best rates for your vehicles.
The purpose of this post is to introduce you to the most effective way to quote insurance and some money-saving tips. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using these tips. Vehicle owners just need to know how to compare company rates online.
There are several ways you can shop for auto insurance but there is one way that is less labor-intensive and much quicker. You can waste hours talking about coverages with agents in your area, or you could use online quotes to maximize your effort.
Most of the larger companies belong to an insurance system where prospective buyers complete one form, and each participating company then returns a price quote determined by their information. This saves time by eliminating quote forms to each company.
To enter your information into the quoting system, click here (opens in new window).
The one downside to doing it this way is that consumers can’t choose which insurance companies you want to price. If you wish to select from a list of companies to compare rates, we have a page of the cheapest auto insurance companies in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.
You can choose any of those ways to find more affodable coverage, but be sure to compare identical coverages and limits on every quote. If you have different values for each quote you will not be able to find the best deal for your Mazda CX-5.
Some companies don’t necessarily list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so below is a list a few of the more common and also the more inconspicuous discounts you could be receiving when you buy insurance coverage online.
Keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, that’s just not realistic.
The best car insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts are included below.
When quoting, ask each company which credits you are entitled to. Depending on the company, some discounts may not apply to policyholders in your area. For a list of insurers with significant discounts, click this link.
When choosing adequate coverage, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions can help discover if you could use an agent’s help.
If you can’t answer these questions then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.
Lots of things are considered when premium rates are determined. Most are fairly basic such as your driving history, although others are less apparent such as your marital status or your financial responsibility.
Drivers constantly see and hear ads for cheaper auto insurance by companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the ads make the point that drivers will save a bundle after switching your policy.
It sounds good, but how can they all give you a better price? Here is the trick they use.
Many companies have specific criteria for the type of customer that earns them the highest profit. One example of a profitable risk profile might be between 25 and 40, has no prior claims, and drives less than 5,000 miles a year. Any driver that hits that “sweet spot” is entitled to the best price and will most likely save a lot of money.
Consumers who cannot meet the requirements will probably be forced to pay higher rates which leads to business going elsewhere. The wording the ads use say “customers who switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” can get the lowest rates when switching. This is how insurance companies can make those statements.
This really drives home the point why you really should compare quotes as often as possible. Because without a comparison, you cannot know the company that will have the best premium rates for your profile.
Knowing the specifics of a insurance policy helps when choosing which coverages you need for your vehicles. Insurance terms can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement. Shown next are typical coverage types found on the average insurance policy.
Liability – Liability coverage protects you from damage or injury you incur to a person or their property. It protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have policy limits of 100/300/100 that means you have a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Another option is a combined single limit or CSL which limits claims to one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability can pay for claims like medical services, pain and suffering, emergency aid and repair costs for stationary objects. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.
Collision coverages – Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your CX-5 from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers claims like scraping a guard rail, rolling your car and hitting a mailbox. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things such as hail damage, rock chips in glass and hitting a deer. The maximum 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 probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – This coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your 2018 Mazda CX-5.
Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Frequently these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Coverage for medical expenses – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for expenses such as doctor visits, nursing services, pain medications, EMT expenses and funeral costs. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover both the driver and occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
We just showed you many tips how you can reduce 2018 Mazda CX-5 insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better likelihood of getting cheaper insurance coverage. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from an unexpected company. These companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas compared to the large companies like State Farm, GEICO and Nationwide.
When buying insurance coverage, never buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your objective should be to find the BEST coverage for the lowest cost while still protecting your assets.
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