Price shopping your insurance can be nearly impossible for people who are new to shopping for insurance online. Consumers have so many choices that it can easily become a challenge to find lower rates.
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that come into play when calculating insurance coverage rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get lower insurance coverage prices.
The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” companies use to determine your rates.
Car insurance companies do not list every discount very well, so here is a list some of the best known and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using.
It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don’t profit that way.
Insurance companies that possibly offer these benefits include:
Before buying, ask each insurance company how you can save money. Savings may not be available in your area.
Insurance coverage companies such as Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm regularly use ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing that you can save if you move to them. How can each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.
All the different companies can use profiling for the type of driver they prefer to insure. An example of a desirable insured could be between 30 and 50, owns a home, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A propective insured that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and therefore will save quite a bit of money when switching.
Potential customers who do not match the “perfect” profile will be charged a more expensive rate which usually ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “people who quote” save money. This is how companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings. That is why you absolutely need to compare many company’s rates. It’s impossible to know which company will provide you with the cheapest Saturn VUE insurance rates.
When buying proper insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s needs are different.
For instance, these questions might help in determining whether you might need professional guidance.
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Understanding the coverages of car insurance aids in choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Car insurance terms can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for expenses like doctor visits, prosthetic devices and X-ray expenses. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover both the driver and occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Collision coverage – This coverage pays for damage to your VUE caused by collision with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers claims like colliding with another moving vehicle, sustaining damage from a pot hole, crashing into a building, hitting a mailbox and driving through your garage door. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. You can also bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.
Auto liability insurance – This protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property that is your fault. This coverage protects you against claims from other people, 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. You might see liability limits of 25/50/25 that translate to a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability can pay for things such as attorney fees, emergency aid, medical expenses and structural damage. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but buy higher limits if possible.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – This coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Saturn VUE.
Since many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Comprehensive insurance – This coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like falling objects, theft, hitting a bird, damage from a tornado or hurricane and vandalism. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
People who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as questionable increases in premium, delays in paying claims, high prices and poor customer service. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding the right auto insurance provider can be less work than you think.
When trying to cut insurance costs, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
Throughout this article, we presented a lot of ways to compare 2002 Saturn VUE insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers may even find the best price on auto insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies.
For more information, take a look at the resources below: