Being forced to pay for expensive car insurance premiums can sap your funds and force you to prioritize other expenses.
Because you have many companies and agents to choose from, it’s nearly impossible to pick the right insurer.
This information will instruct you on how to effectively get price quotes and some tips to save money. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to cut costs considerably using these techniques. But car owners must know how big insurance companies sell online and take advantage of how the system works.
There are a lot of ways to shop for car insurance, but one way is less time-consuming than others. You can spend your afternoon talking to local insurance agents in your area, or you could use online quoting to get the quickest rates.
Most major companies participate in a marketplace where prospective buyers submit their information once, and each company can provide price quotes. This system prevents you from having to do quote forms to each individual car insurance company.
To compare pricing click here (opens in new window).
One minor caviat to using this type of form is you are unable to specify which companies to receive prices from. If you prefer to choose specific insurance companies to compare, we have a page of low cost car insurance companies in your area. Click here to view list.
Which method you use is up to you, but try to keep apples-to-apples coverage limits on every quote you get. If you have different limits and deductibles on each one it will be impossible to make an equal comparison. Just slight variations in limits can make a big difference in price. And when quoting car insurance, remember that comparing more rates from different companies will enable you to find the best offered rates. Not every company allows you to get quotes online, so you need to compare price estimates from them as well.
Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there could be significant discounts that you may not even know about. Most are applied when you quote, but some need to be inquired about in order for you to get them.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, company stockholders wouldn’t be very happy. Any amount of discount will help lower the amount you pay for coverage.
A list of companies and a selection of discounts are:
Check with all companies you are considering how you can save money. Some discounts listed above might not apply everywhere. To see a list of companies with the best discounts, click this link.
When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.
If you can’t answer these questions, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of insurance companies in your area.
Understanding the coverages of car insurance can be of help when determining appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are the usual coverages found on most car insurance policies.
Collision coverages – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision insurance covers claims like sustaining damage from a pot hole, backing into a parked car and crashing into a building. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. You can also increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Liability coverages – Liability coverage will cover damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property by causing an accident. It protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see values of 50/100/50 that translate to a limit of $50,000 per injured person, $100,000 for the entire accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Alternatively, you may have a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage pays for things like court costs, funeral expenses and structural damage. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but you should buy as much as you can afford.
Coverage for medical expenses – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for bills for things like EMT expenses, doctor visits, X-ray expenses, nursing services and funeral costs. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Comprehensive car insurance – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as theft, a broken windshield and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount your car insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider dropping full coverage.
Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers – This protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many drivers have only the minimum liability required by law, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
When you buy car insurance online, it’s a bad idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced full coverage and found out when filing a claim that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest cost, not the least amount of coverage.
We covered a lot of information how to compare 1990 Chevy Lumina Minivan insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the lowest prices come from an unexpected company. These companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like Progressive and Geico.
To learn more, feel free to visit the following helpful articles:
Karan Lopez
Just a quick comment on my experience. I live just to the west of Los Angeles, CA. Don’t remember every company but I ended up saving about $30 each month. Insured with GMAC before. Ask about discounts. It never hurts to quote around. When should I drop full coverage?
Cristie Holman
If you have a clean record and live in the vicinity of Fairbanks, AK, check out 21st Century. You might get cheaper rates. I have a couple other vehicles on the policy.
Tierra Johnston
I’m from Montgomery, AL. Got rates from State Farm, Eastwood, and Liberty Mutual for my Lumina Minivan and I’m now saving $18 a month. Was with AIG Insurance. God forbid I actually have a claim.
Jenice Velez
I’m just east of Des Moines, Iowa. I got free prices from USAA, Auto-Owners, Hartford, and Safeco for my 1990 Chevrolet Lumina Minivan and I’m now saving $21 a month. Can still barely afford it. I only have liability coverage on it.
Mollie Brady
Found cheapest coverage with Mercury for my Lumina Minivan and saved around $60 a year. I even had a DUI years ago. Full coverage costs too much.
Grazyna Vincent
Liked the article. I’m in the east part of Indianapolis, Indiana. Checked online prices for a 1990 Chevrolet Lumina Minivan. Ended up at about $100 savings annually. Went with GEICO. Insured with Western Auto Insurance before. Ask about discounts.
Cristin Compton
What is comprehensive coverage?
Stacy Koch
Live in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Got car insurance rates from GEICO, GMAC, and Erie for my 1990 Chevrolet Lumina Minivan and saved around $110 a year. Teenage drivers are expensive!
Shelley Mueller
Any Allstate or Eastwood customers near Mesa, Arizona?
Rita Evans
This is too expensive. Located in Warwick, Rhode Island. Quoted with Travelers, American Family, Liberty Mutual, and Mercury for my Chevrolet and saved just over $80 a year.
Georgia Rosales
Anyone try to read their policy?
Allena James
Will Progressive raise rates for a rock chip claim?