Finding cheap insurance may at first seem to be rather challenging for vehicle owners not familiar with comparing and buying insurance over the internet. With such a large choice of companies competing online, how are vehicle owners expected to have a chance to compare each option to find better insurance prices?
It’s important to price shop coverage periodically because insurance prices change frequently. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal for Malibu Classic coverage a few years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about insurance because you’re going to learn the right way to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.
It’s important that you understand some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for insurance coverage. When you understand what determines premiums, this allows you to make educated decisions that could help you find big savings. Lots of things are used when premium rates are determined. A few of the factors are predictable like your driving record, but other factors are less obvious such as your credit history or your commute time.
The following are some of the items used by insurance companies to determine your rates.
Some insurance providers don’t always list every discount in an easy-to-find place, so the list below details a few of the more well known as well as the least known discounts that you may qualify for.
Please keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won’t be that lucky. Any amount of discount should help reduce the amount you pay for coverage.
Companies that may offer policyholders these benefits include:
When quoting, ask all companies you are considering which credits you are entitled to. Discounts might not be offered on policies in your state. To see a list of companies with discount rates, click here to view.
When buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Every situation is different.
For example, these questions might help in determining whether you could use an agent’s help.
If you can’t answer these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.
Having a good grasp of your auto insurance policy can be of help when determining which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Comprehensive auto insurance
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like hitting a bird, theft, a broken windshield and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Liability car insurance
Liability insurance protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU from claims by other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
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 values of 25/50/25 that translate to a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, 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 coverage pays for claims like medical services, pain and suffering, funeral expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and structural damage. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but you should buy as large an amount as possible.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers
This coverage provides protection from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your 2008 Chevy Malibu Classic.
Due to the fact that many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Frequently your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Coverage for medical expenses
Med pay and PIP coverage pay for immediate expenses for prosthetic devices, rehabilitation expenses and surgery. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Collision protection
This covers damage to your Malibu Classic caused by collision with an object or car. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision can pay for claims like scraping a guard rail, sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter and rolling your car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
As you restructure your insurance plan, make sure you don’t buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many cases, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to regret that it was a big error on their part. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest cost while not skimping on critical coverages.
Lower-priced insurance can be purchased on the web in addition to local insurance agencies, so get free insurance quotes from both of them to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies don’t offer price quotes online and these smaller providers only sell through independent agencies.
Drivers switch companies for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, high rates after DUI convictions, poor customer service or delays in responding to claim requests. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a new insurance company is not as difficult as it may seem.
More detailed insurance information is available at these sites: