Nobody I know cherishes buying car insurance, in particular when they are paying too much. Companies like State Farm, GEICO and Farmers Insurance constantly blast consumers with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to ignore the flying pigs and cute green geckos and do the work needed to find the best deal.
If you have a policy now or are just looking to switch companies, you can use these tips to cut your premiums and still get good coverage. Buying car insurance is easy if you know what you’re doing. Consumers only need an understanding of the proper methods to compare prices on the web.
Companies offering auto insurance do not list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.
Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
A partial list of companies that possibly offer these discounts are:
Check with each insurance company which discounts they offer. Discounts may not be available in your state.
All the larger car insurance companies like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO provide prices on the web. Getting online rates is fairly straightforward as you just type in your required coverages as detailed in the form. After the form is submitted, their rating system pulls credit information and your driving record and generates pricing information. Online price quotes simplifies rate comparisons, but having to visit several different sites and complete many quote forms can be a bit repetitive. Unfortunately, it is important to perform this step in order to find a lower rate.
The preferred way to find lower prices uses one form to obtain quotes from more than one company. It saves time, reduces the work, and makes comparison shopping a little more enjoyable. Once the form is submitted, your coverage is rated and you can select any of the pricing results. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can simply submit the application and purchase the new policy. It takes 15 minutes at the most and you will know how your current rates stack up.
If you want to compare pricing, simply click here to open in new window and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you complete the form with the coverage information as shown on your current policy. This ensures you will get rate comparison quotes based on similar coverages.
When buying proper insurance coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s situation is unique so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.
If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, free and can help protect your family.
Understanding the coverages of your policy can be of help when determining the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. The terms used in a policy can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the normal coverages offered by insurance companies.
Liability auto insurance – Liability coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property in an accident. This coverage protects you from legal claims by others. It does not cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show policy limits of 50/100/50 that means you have $50,000 bodily injury coverage, $100,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers claims such as loss of income, bail bonds, pain and suffering and medical expenses. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but you should buy as much as you can afford.
Collision – Collision insurance pays for damage to your Five Hundred from colliding with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage pays for things like scraping a guard rail, sustaining damage from a pot hole and hitting a parking meter. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Comprehensive insurance – This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage protects against things such as damage from getting keyed, rock chips in glass, theft and damage from flooding. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – This coverage gives you protection when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family.
Coverage for medical expenses – Med pay and PIP coverage pay for short-term medical expenses like X-ray expenses, funeral costs and nursing services. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
As you prepare to switch companies, don’t be tempted to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. Too many times, an accident victim reduced full coverage only to find out they didn’t have enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.
You just read a lot of information how to reduce 2014 Ford Five Hundred insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the lowest premiums are with a small local company. These smaller insurers often have lower prices on specific markets as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate and Progressive.