Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced car insurance? It’s a common feeling and there are many drivers thinking the same thing.
With so many different company options, it can be challenging to choose the lowest price insurer.
Buying car insurance is not that difficult. Essentially every driver who is shopping for insurance stands a good chance to be able to find better rates. But drivers must comprehend how companies compete online because it can help you find the best coverage.
The are a couple different ways to compare rate quotes from many different insurance companies. The easiest way by far to compare rates is to jump online and get quotes. This can be accomplished by using one of the methods below.
For a handy list of car insurance company links in your area, click here.
The method you choose is up to you, but ensure you are comparing equivalent information with every price quote. If your comparisons have different values for each quote you will not be able to determine which company has the best rates. Just a small difference in coverages can make a big difference in price. And when quoting auto insurance, remember that getting more free quotes helps locate lower pricing.
Car insurance can cost a lot, but you may find discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Many of these discounts will be applied automatically at quote time, but once in a while a discount must be inquired about prior to receiving the credit. If you do not double check each discount you deserve, you’re paying more than you need to.
As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won’t be that lucky.
To view insurance companies who offer discounts, click here.
When buying coverage, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Every situation is different so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions might help in determining if you will benefit from professional help.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Big name companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on television and other media. They all make the same claim that people will save if you get a free car insurance quote and switch your policy. It sounds good, but how can they all charge you less for car insurance? It’s all in the wording.
All the different companies can use profiling for the type of driver that makes them money. For instance, a desirable risk might have to be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and drives a car with an anti-theft system. Any new insured who fits those characteristics will get a cheap rate quote and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.
Consumers who are not a match for the ideal profile may be required to pay a higher premium and ends up with the customer buying from a different company. If you pay attention, the ads say “customers that switch” not “all people who quote” save that much money. That is how insurance companies can confidently make those claims. Each company has different criteria, so it is so important to compare rate quotes every year. Because without a comparison, you cannot know which company will have the lowest rates.
Having a good grasp of a insurance policy can be of help when determining appropriate coverage for your vehicles. Insurance terms can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are typical coverages available from insurance companies.
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your 2005 Mazda 3.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Medical expense insurance – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for things like doctor visits, chiropractic care and EMT expenses. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. They cover you and your occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible
Collision coverages – Collision insurance pays for damage to your 3 from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against things like damaging your car on a curb, rolling your car, hitting a mailbox, sustaining damage from a pot hole and sideswiping another vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like a tree branch falling on your vehicle, rock chips in glass, damage from a tornado or hurricane and fire damage. The maximum amount your insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Liability – Liability coverage protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property in an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see values of 100/300/100 that translate to a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as court costs, pain and suffering, legal defense fees, repair costs for stationary objects and loss of income. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford.
We covered many ways to save on 2005 Mazda 3 insurance. The key thing to remember is the more you quote car insurance, the better likelihood of getting cheap car insurance. You may even find the lowest priced insurance comes from some of the lesser-known companies. Smaller companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
As you quote car insurance, it’s very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, someone sacrificed physical damage coverage and learned later they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your goal is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest cost and still be able to protect your assets.
To learn more, link through to the resources below: