Confused by the crazy number of auto insurance choices? You’re not the only one! You have so many choices that it can be a big hassle to locate the lowest price.
It’s a great practice to compare prices once or twice a year because rates tend to go up over time. Even if you got the best price on Sportage coverage two years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re about to learn the tricks you need to know to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that go into determining car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.
Auto insurance companies don’t always list all available discounts very well, so we took the time to find some of the more common and also the lesser-known savings tricks you should be using.
It’s important to understand that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.
To see a list of insurers offering auto insurance discounts, follow this link.
Insurance providers like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all make the same claim of big savings if you switch your policy. But how can every company say the same thing? It’s all in the numbers.
Insurance companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that earns them a profit. An example of a preferred risk might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, owns a home, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” will get very good rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.
Drivers who don’t qualify for the requirements will be quoted a higher premium and ends up with business not being written. The ads say “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. This emphasizes why drivers must get as many quotes as possible. It’s not possible to predict which insurance company will provide you with the cheapest Kia Sportage insurance rates.
When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique.
For instance, these questions may help you determine whether your personal situation may require specific advice.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Having a good grasp of insurance can be of help when determining appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Collision coverage protection
This coverage will pay to fix damage to your Sportage from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage protects against things like crashing into a building, colliding with a tree, hitting a parking meter, sustaining damage from a pot hole and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Liability coverages
Liability insurance protects you from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people that is your fault. It protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have limits of 25/50/25 which stand for a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, $50,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000.
Liability insurance covers claims like court costs, legal defense fees, repair costs for stationary objects and pain and suffering. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Kia Sportage.
Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important.
Medical expense insurance
Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for expenses for ambulance fees, surgery, hospital visits and X-ray expenses. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Comprehensive (Other than Collision)
Comprehensive insurance pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as hitting a bird, damage from getting keyed and rock chips in glass. The most your insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.
We just showed you many ways to get a better price on 1999 Kia Sportage insurance. The key concept to understand is the more you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the best prices are with some of the lesser-known companies.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s a bad idea to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage only to regret that it was a big mistake. Your focus should be to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.
Insureds change insurance companies for any number of reasons including lack of trust in their agent, unfair underwriting practices, questionable increases in premium or even policy non-renewal. Regardless of your reason, switching insurance companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.