I can’t think of anyone who looks forward to buying car insurance, particularly when their premiums are through the roof. Companies like Allstate and Progressive continually bombard you with catchy ads and it is challenging if not impossible to avoid their marketing magic and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
If you have a current auto insurance policy or need new coverage, you can follow these tips to reduce the price you pay and still get good coverage. Choosing the best insurance company for you is easy if you know what you’re doing. Drivers just need to learn the best way to shop their coverage around online.
Comparing insurance rates is a ton of work if you don’t know the easiest way. You could spend your day talking to local insurance agents in your area, or you can utilize the internet to get the quickest rates.
Most of the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace that allows shoppers to send in one quote, and each participating company returns a rated price based on the submitted data. This saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions for each company. To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.
The only downside to pricing coverage this way is you can’t choose which providers to get quotes from. If you would rather choose individual companies for rate comparison, we have assembled a list of insurance companies in your area. Click to view list.
However you get your quotes, make darn sure you compare the exact same coverages for each comparison quote. If you compare different values for each quote it’s impossible to find the best deal for your Buick Rainier.
Companies don’t always list all their discounts in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list both the well known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you are throwing money away.
Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think it’s possible to get free car insurance, insurance coverage companies aren’t that generous.
To see a list of insurance companies who offer insurance coverage discounts, click here.
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.
When buying the best car insurance coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions may help highlight if your situation could use an agent’s help.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.
Learning about specific coverages of your policy aids in choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Listed below are the usual coverages offered by auto insurance companies.
Collision coverages – Collision insurance pays for damage to your Rainier from colliding with another car or object. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for things like damaging your car on a curb, sideswiping another vehicle and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. It’s also possible to increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Auto liability – This can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your injuries or vehicle damage.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see liability limits of 100/300/100 that translate to a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage pays for things such as repair bills for other people’s vehicles, bail bonds, structural damage and medical expenses. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but buy higher limits if possible.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked.
Comprehensive coverage – This coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things like falling objects, damage from a tornado or hurricane and vandalism. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Medical payments coverage and PIP – Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage provide coverage for immediate expenses like surgery, dental work, doctor visits and pain medications. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. PIP is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Cost effective 2007 Buick Rainier insurance can be found from both online companies and with local insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.
As you restructure your insurance plan, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where an accident victim reduced liability coverage limits only to find out they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford.