Finding cheaper car insurance from online rate quotes saves time, is easy to do and at the same time you may find lower rates. The key to finding lower rates is to take the time to get rates from as many companies as possible in order to have all your choices.

Finding the best direct price on car insurance is challenging if you are a beginner to online quotes. Don't let that stop you because we're going to show you how. The are a couple different ways to get quotes from different insurance companies. The fastest way to compare is to perform an online rate comparison. It is quite easy and can be accomplished by comparing rates here.

What factors determine your insurance rates?

Insurance premiums for your 2006 can vary widely and are calculated by many factors. Taken into consideration are:

• Tickets increase premiums
• Credit rating
• The size of your community
• High miles vs. low miles
• Men typically pay more than women
• Deductible amount directly impacts your rate
• Your vehicle's safety rating
• Your job
• The level of coverage
• Whether you rent or own your home

One important consideration which can affect your rates is the age of the vehicle. Models that are a few years old have a reduced actual cash value compared to new models so the payout to repair may end up costing you less. Conversely, more recent vehicles have more advanced features such as forward-collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control, and lane departure warning system which can lower rates.

Liability insurance

This will cover damages or injuries you inflict on other's property or people that is your fault. Liability coverage pays for things such as emergency aid, pain and suffering, and medical services. It is cheap coverage so buy higher limits if possible.

Auto collision coverage

This will pay to fix damage to your resulting from colliding with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. You can also increase the deductible to bring the cost down.

Comprehensive protection

Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay. 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 not worth carrying full coverage.

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage

This protects you and your vehicle's occupants from other drivers when they are uninsured or don't have enough coverage. Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it doesn't take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Medical expense coverage

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for expenses like doctor visits, EMT expenses, and X-ray expenses. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay.