Nobody likes paying for car insurance, in particular when they are paying too much. Consumers have many insurance companies to choose from, and even though it’s nice to have a selection, so many choices can make it hard to find the best rates for your vehicles.
It’s smart to get comparison quotes once or twice a year because insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal on Jetta coverage two years ago you will most likely find a better rate today. So just forget all the misinformation about car insurance because I’m going to teach you the best methods to remove unneeded coverages and save money.
Effectively comparing insurance coverage prices can be a daunting task if you don’t know the best way to get rate quotes. You could spend the better part of a day talking to insurance agencies in your area, or you can utilize the internet for quick rates.
Most car insurance companies belong to an insurance system where insurance shoppers enter their policy data once, and each participating company returns a rated price. This prevents consumers from doing quote requests to every company.
To get comparison pricing now click here to start a free quote.
The one disadvantage to doing it this way is you cannot specify which insurance companies you want pricing from. If you wish to select from a list of companies to compare prices, we put together a list of low cost insurance coverage companies in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.
It’s up to you which method you use, but ensure you are comparing apples-to-apples coverages and limits for each price quote. If the quotes have different values for each quote it will be impossible to determine the lowest rate for your Volkswagen Jetta.
Car insurance can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available to help bring down the price. Certain discounts will be applied at the time you complete a quote, but a few need to be specially asked for prior to getting the savings. If you don’t get every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.
As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But all discounts will reduce your premiums.
For a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts, click here to view.
When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Every situation is different and your policy should reflect that. These are some specific questions could help you determine whether your personal situation will benefit from professional help.
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.
Knowing the specifics of a car insurance policy can help you determine which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are typical coverages offered by car insurance companies.
Liability coverages – Liability insurance can cover injuries or damage you cause to other people or property. It protects you against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Liability coverage has 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 a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability can pay for claims such as repair costs for stationary objects, attorney fees, pain and suffering and court costs. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible.
Collision coverages – Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your Jetta from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.
Collision coverage protects against things such as backing into a parked car, colliding with a tree, hitting a mailbox, damaging your car on a curb and hitting a parking meter. This coverage can be expensive, so you might think about dropping it from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Insurance for medical payments – Med pay and PIP coverage reimburse you for expenses for X-ray expenses, hospital visits, EMT expenses and rehabilitation expenses. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – This pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as fire damage, a broken windshield, hitting a deer, rock chips in glass and hitting a bird. The maximum amount your car insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as damage to your Volkswagen Jetta.
Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.