No one in their right mind looks forward to buying auto insurance, in particular when they are paying too much.
Insurance companies such as GEICO and Progressive persitently shower you with TV and radio ads and it is challenging if not impossible to see past the corporate glitz and take the time to shop coverage around.
If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using this information. Finding affordable coverage is easy if you know what you’re doing. But consumers need to have an understanding of how companies price insurance differently.
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, buy you may qualify for discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of quoting, but less common discounts must be asked for prior to receiving the credit.
Keep in mind that most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will reduce your premiums.
Insurance companies that possibly offer these money-saving discounts are:
Before buying, ask all companies you are considering which discounts you may be entitled to. Savings may not apply in your state.
Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.
When it comes to buying the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is a little different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions may help you determine whether you may require specific advice.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.
Auto insurance providers like Allstate and Progressive consistently run ads in print and on television. They all make an identical promise that you can save if you change to them. How can each company make the same claim?
Different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that is profitable for them. An example of a preferred risk might be profiled as over the age of 50, has no tickets, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.
Potential insureds who don’t measure up to the “perfect” profile will be quoted a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. The ads state “drivers who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That’s why insurance companies can claim big savings.
This emphasizes why you absolutely need to get quotes from several different companies. It’s impossible to know which company will provide you with the cheapest Volvo S80 insurance rates.
Knowing the specifics of your insurance policy helps when choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. Below you’ll find typical coverages offered by insurance companies.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage – This coverage gives you protection when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your Volvo S80.
Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important. Normally these coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.
Coverage for medical payments – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for immediate expenses such as EMT expenses, chiropractic care and surgery. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers you and your occupants in addition to getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not universally available but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Collision – This coverage pays for damage to your S80 resulting from a collision with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage protects against things such as colliding with another moving vehicle, rolling your car, driving through your garage door, colliding with a tree and crashing into a building. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible to bring the cost down.
Liability – This coverage provides protection from damage that occurs to other people or property. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have values of 100/300/100 that means you have $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Another option is a combined single limit or CSL which provides one coverage limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability coverage pays for things like loss of income, pain and suffering, repair costs for stationary objects and legal defense fees. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as much as you can afford.
Comprehensive coverages – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as rock chips in glass, fire damage, vandalism, hitting a deer and hail damage. The highest amount your insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Throughout this article, we presented many ideas to shop for 2005 Volvo S80 insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the most savings is with the least-expected company. These smaller insurers can often provide lower rates in certain areas compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.
The cheapest insurance can be purchased online in addition to many insurance agents, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.