Are you tired of being strong-armed to buy car insurance? You’re in the same situation as many other drivers.
Consumers have many auto insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and even though it’s nice to be able to choose, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates and find the lowest cost auto insurance.
Car insurance can cost a lot, but you can get discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically when you get a quote, but some must be asked about prior to receiving the credit.
Drivers should understand that most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. Any amount of discount will reduce the cost of coverage.
Companies that possibly offer some of the above discounts may include but are not limited to:
It’s a good idea to ask each company what discounts are available to you. Savings might not apply in your area.
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with better insurance rates.
When choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Each situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions may help highlight if you might need an agent’s assistance.
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. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Insurance providers like Geico, State Farm and Progressive consistently run ads on TV and radio. They all make the same claim of big savings if you change to their company. But how can every company say the same thing? This is how they do it.
All companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a driver they prefer might be profiled as over the age of 50, has no tickets, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and therefore will save when switching.
Potential customers who don’t measure up to the requirements will have to pay more money and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can advertise the savings.
Because of the profiling, it is so important to compare as many rates as you can. It’s not possible to predict the company that will provide you with the cheapest Dodge Avenger insurance rates.
Knowing the specifics of a auto insurance policy aids in choosing which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are typical coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Comprehensive auto coverage – Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like a broken windshield, vandalism, damage from getting keyed and falling objects. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for bills such as pain medications, chiropractic care, prosthetic devices, funeral costs and hospital visits. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers all vehicle occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your 2014 Dodge Avenger.
Since a lot of 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 very important. Usually these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Collision coverage – This will pay to fix damage to your Avenger caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers things like rolling your car, driving through your garage door and damaging your car on a curb. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. You can also raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Liability coverage – Liability insurance will cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property. It protects YOU from claims by other people. It does not cover 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 limits of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit that pays claims from the same limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability coverage pays for claims like medical services, attorney fees, court costs and repair costs for stationary objects. How much liability coverage do you need? That is your choice, but buy as much as you can afford.
Affordable 2014 Dodge Avenger insurance is possible on the web as well as from independent agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
We just presented some good ideas how to save on insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from some of the lesser-known companies. Regional companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like Allstate, Geico and Progressive.