Are you tired of being strong-armed each month for car insurance? You’re in the same situation as millions of other consumers. You have so many insurers to pick from, and although it’s nice to be able to choose, lots of choices makes it harder to get the best deal.
It’s important to compare rates on a regular basis due to the fact that insurance rates trend upward over time. If you had the lowest rates for Villager coverage two years ago you may be paying too much now. There is too much inaccurate information about insurance online, so we’re going to give you some solid techniques on how to stop overpaying for insurance.
The quickest method we recommend to compare car insurance rates takes advantage of the fact most of the larger companies will pay a fee to give free rates quotes. All you need to do is provide the companies a bit of rating information such as deductibles desired, if a SR-22 is needed, if you have a valid license, and if you’re married. Your rating data is instantly sent to multiple top-rated companies and they return cost estimate immediately.
It’s important that you understand some of the elements that play a part in calculating your auto insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that may reward you with better auto insurance rates.
Shown below are some of the items auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.
Companies that sell car insurance don’t necessarily list every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the best known and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you are throwing money away.
Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn’t quite work that way.
For a list of insurers offering auto insurance discounts, click this link.
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Every situation is different so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions may help highlight whether you might need an agent’s assistance.
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.
Knowing the specifics of your car insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are typical coverages available from car insurance companies.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage
This coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your Mercury Villager.
Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Comprehensive coverages
This pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like vandalism, theft and hail damage. The highest amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.
Coverage for medical payments
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for immediate expenses for things like nursing services, chiropractic care, hospital visits and funeral costs. They are utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP coverage is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Liability coverages
Liability insurance can cover damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property in an accident. It protects you from legal claims by others. It does not cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
It consists of three limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have limits of 50/100/50 which stand for $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and property damage coverage for $50,000.
Liability insurance covers things such as court costs, pain and suffering, funeral expenses, bail bonds and legal defense fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.
Collision protection
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage pays for things such as colliding with another moving vehicle, driving through your garage door, colliding with a tree and crashing into a ditch. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. Another option is to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Cheaper 2002 Mercury Villager insurance can be purchased on the web and also from your neighborhood agents, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers may not provide online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to regret at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate.
More detailed car insurance information can be read in the articles below: