Tired of scraping the payment together to pay your car insurance bill each month? Your situation is no different than most other car owners. There are many car insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and although it’s a good thing to have multiple companies, it can be more challenging to find the lowest rates.
Smart consumers take time to do rate comparisons every six months because rates go up and down regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price for Q1 insurance six months ago other companies may now be cheaper. Starting right now, block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the quickest way to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.
Locating affordable insurance coverage can be fairly easy. If you have a current insurance coverage policy or are looking for a new policy, you will benefit by learning to reduce the price you pay and still get good coverage. Consumers just need to learn the most effective way to shop their coverage around online.
The fastest way that we advise to compare insurance rates in your area utilizes the fact almost all companies pay for the opportunity to quote your coverage. The only thing you need to do is provide details such as the make and model of your vehicles, an estimate of your credit level, whether you are single or married, and types of safety features. Your insurance information is instantly submitted to insurance carriers in your area and they provide comparison quotes within a short period of time.
Car insurance is not cheap, but there could be available discounts to cut the cost considerably. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at quote time, but some may not be applied and must be specifically requested before you get the savings. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.
It’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won’t be that lucky. But all discounts will bring down your premiums.
Companies that may offer these money-saving discounts are:
Before buying, ask each insurance company how you can save money. All car insurance discounts may not apply everywhere.
When choosing adequate coverage, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s situation is a little different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For instance, these questions could help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.
Knowing the specifics of a auto insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Comprehensive coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers things such as damage from flooding, hail damage, damage from getting keyed and theft. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Medical payments coverage and PIP – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses like ambulance fees, EMT expenses, nursing services and hospital visits. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover both the driver and occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Liability coverage – This provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property. It protects YOU against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show liability limits of 25/50/25 which means a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability insurance covers claims such as emergency aid, funeral expenses, repair costs for stationary objects and medical services. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but you should buy higher limits if possible.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – This coverage provides protection from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your 2016 Audi Q1.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Normally these limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Collision coverage – Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for things such as driving through your garage door, sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter and sustaining damage from a pot hole. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.