Comparison shopping for insurance is challenging for consumers not familiar with comparison shopping online. There are so many choices that it can turn into a big hassle to locate the lowest price.
If you currently have car insurance, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. Finding more affordable auto insurance can be fairly easy. But consumers should learn how big insurance companies market insurance on the web because it can help you find the best coverage.
Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that could result in big savings.
Effectively comparing auto insurance prices can be exhausting if you don’t know the most efficient way to do it. You could waste a few hours talking about coverages with insurance agencies in your area, or you could save time and use online quotes to get pricing more quickly.
Most of the best insurance companies participate in an industry program that allows shoppers to only type in their quote data once, and every company then gives them pricing based on the submitted data. This saves time by eliminating quote requests for every auto insurance company. To participate in this free quote system, click to open in new window.
The one disadvantage to using this type of system is you can’t choose which companies you want to price. So if you prefer to choose specific providers to compare prices, we put together a list of low cost auto insurance companies in your area. Click here to view list.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just double check that you are using identical information with every price quote. If you have differing limits you will not be able to determine the lowest rate for your Chrysler PT Cruiser. Having just a slight variation in insurance coverages may cause a big price difference. Just keep in mind that comparing a large number of companies will enable you to find better pricing.
Insurance providers like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually stream ads in print and on television. They all say the same thing that you can save after switching to their company. How does each company say the same thing?
Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer they prefer to insure. An example of a desirable insured might be profiled as a mature driver, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save quite a bit of money when switching.
Potential insureds who fall outside these standards must pay more money which usually ends up with business not being written. The ads state “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. That’s why companies can truthfully advertise the savings. This illustrates why it’s extremely important to compare as many rates as you can. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest Chrysler PT Cruiser insurance rates.
Companies do not advertise every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both the well known and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.
Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn’t work that way.
To see a list of companies offering auto insurance discounts, click this link.
When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine if your insurance needs might need an agent’s assistance.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.
Knowing the specifics of a auto insurance policy helps when choosing the best coverages for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Medical costs insurance
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for bills for things like ambulance fees, doctor visits, X-ray expenses, dental work and funeral costs. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Collision coverage protection
This coverage pays for damage to your PT Cruiser resulting from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers claims such as damaging your car on a curb, colliding with a tree and crashing into a building. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. You can also choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Liability auto insurance
Liability coverage provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property in an accident. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see policy limits of 25/50/25 which stand for $25,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers things such as bail bonds, funeral expenses, court costs and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but buy as much as you can afford.
Comprehensive or Other Than Collision
Comprehensive insurance covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as hail damage, fire damage, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, damage from a tornado or hurricane and falling objects. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
UM/UIM Coverage
This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your Chrysler PT Cruiser.
Since many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Consumers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including lack of trust in their agent, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, delays in paying claims and denial of a claim. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.
Lower-priced 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser insurance can be bought from both online companies and also from your neighborhood agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who may not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are many occasions where drivers have reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.