No one in their right mind likes having to buy insurance, in particular when the cost is too high. With so many insurance companies to choose from, it can be challenging to pick the cheapest car insurance company.
Car insurance can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you complete an application, but less common discounts must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount. If you don’t get every credit possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.
Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.
Companies that may have these discounts may include but are not limited to:
Check with each insurance company which discounts they offer. Discounts might not be offered everywhere.
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is a little different and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions might help in determining if you may require specific advice.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.
Consumers can’t ignore all the ads for car insurance savings by companies like Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies have a common claim that you can save if you change to them.
How do they all claim to save you money? This is how they do it.
All the different companies have a preferred profile for the driver they prefer to insure. For instance, a profitable customer could possibly be between 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer that hits that “sweet spot” gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.
Potential insureds who don’t qualify for the “perfect” profile will be quoted higher premiums and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state “people who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save money. That’s why companies can make the claims of big savings.
This emphasizes why drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. You cannot predict which company will fit your personal profile best.
Understanding the coverages of car insurance aids in choosing the right coverages for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. These are the normal coverages available from car insurance companies.
Collision insurance
Collision coverage covers damage to your Monte Carlo resulting from a collision with an object or car. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as colliding with another moving vehicle, colliding with a tree, sideswiping another vehicle, driving through your garage door and crashing into a ditch. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
This coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as vandalism, hitting a deer, rock chips in glass and falling objects. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Auto liability insurance
This can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people in an accident. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people. It does not cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have liability limits of 50/100/50 which stand for $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Another option is a combined limit which limits claims to one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability insurance covers things such as medical expenses, structural damage and court costs. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.
Insurance for medical payments
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for things like ambulance fees, funeral costs, hospital visits and pain medications. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is a good idea. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
We just showed you quite a bit of information on how to reduce 1996 Chevy Monte Carlo insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the lowest premiums are with an unexpected company. Some small companies often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like Progressive and GEICO.
Cheap insurance is possible online and also from your neighborhood agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best selection. Some insurance providers may not provide online quoting and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.
More detailed car insurance information can be read at these sites: