Have you fallen victim to an underperforming, overpriced insurance coverage policy? Trust us, you’re not alone. Drivers have so many auto insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and though it is a good thing to have a selection, it makes it harder to find the lowest rates.
Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates enables informed choices that could result in lower auto insurance prices.
Shown below are a few of the “ingredients” auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, buy you may qualify for discounts that can drop the cost substantially. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time you complete a quote, but a few need to be asked about before you will receive the discount. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.
As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But all discounts will cut your overall premium however.
To see a list of insurers who offer auto insurance discounts, click here.
When it comes to buying coverage, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions might point out whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.
Having a good grasp of insurance can help you determine the best coverages for your vehicles. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Listed below are typical coverage types offered by insurance companies.
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Nissan NX.
Since many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Usually these limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things like fire damage, hitting a bird, rock chips in glass, falling objects and hitting a deer. The highest amount a insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Liability insurance can cover damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property. This coverage protects you against claims from other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have limits of 25/50/25 that translate to a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Occasionally you may see a combined limit which limits claims to one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability can pay for things such as attorney fees, bail bonds, loss of income and pain and suffering. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for bills for nursing services, ambulance fees, EMT expenses and prosthetic devices. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. A deductible applies then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for claims like sideswiping another vehicle, crashing into a ditch, crashing into a building, backing into a parked car and colliding with another moving vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. Another option is to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Cost effective 1992 Nissan NX insurance can be purchased from both online companies and also from your neighborhood agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers may not provide online quoting and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.
We’ve covered a lot of ways to compare insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with some of the smallest insurance companies. Regional companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate or State Farm.
Even more information can be read at these sites: