Buying lower-cost insurance might appear somewhat difficult for people that are not comfortable with quoting and shopping for insurance online. With literally dozens of insurers to choose from, how can drivers have the ability to compare every possible option in order to find the cheapest price possible?
Smart consumers take time to price shop coverage every six months since insurance prices go up and down regularly. Even if you think you had the lowest price on Tracker coverage on your last policy other companies may now be cheaper. Block out anything you think you know about insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the quickest way to find better coverage at a better price.
Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that help calculate your car insurance rates. If you understand what determines premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get lower premium levels. Many things are part of the equation when premium rates are determined. Some of the criteria are obvious such as your driving record, but other factors are more transparent like where you live and annual miles driven.
The following are some of the factors used by insurance companies to determine prices.
Some insurance providers don’t always publicize every available discount very clearly, so the list below contains both well-publicized and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using when you buy auto insurance online.
Please keep in mind that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you can get free auto insurance, you’re out of luck.
Companies who may offer these discounts possibly include:
Before buying, ask every prospective company which discounts they offer. A few discounts might not apply in your state. If you would like to view providers who offer free insurance quotes, click here.
Allstate and Progressive consistently run ads in print and on television. All the ads make the same claim about savings just by switching your coverage to them. How does each company sell you cheaper insurance coverage? This is the trick they use.
All companies provide the lowest rates for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer could be between 30 and 50, has a low-risk occupation, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any customer who fits those characteristics will get the preferred premium rates as well as save money with a new company.
People who don’t measure up to this ideal profile may be forced to pay higher prices which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The trick companies use is to say “customers that switch” but not “all drivers who get quotes” can save as much as they claim. That’s the way companies can make claims like that. Because of this risk profiling, you absolutely need to compare as many free auto insurance quotes as you can. Because you cannot predict with any certainty which company will have the lowest rates.
When it comes to buying coverage, there really is not a single plan that fits everyone. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
Here are some questions about coverages that might point out whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Having a good grasp of a car insurance policy helps when choosing the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – This coverage pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as rock chips in glass, theft and a broken windshield. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Liability car insurance – Liability insurance provides protection from damage that occurs to other’s property or people by causing an accident. It protects you from claims by other people, and does not provide coverage for damage to your own property or vehicle.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see values of 50/100/50 which stand for $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability coverage pays for things such as loss of income, medical expenses, funeral expenses, medical services and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford.
Collision coverage – Collision coverage covers damage to your Tracker resulting from a collision with an object or car. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for things like crashing into a ditch, scraping a guard rail, backing into a parked car and colliding with another moving vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to increase the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries and damage to your Chevy Tracker.
Since a lot of drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked.
Insurance for medical payments – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for immediate expenses like dental work, pain medications, doctor visits, hospital visits and X-ray expenses. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
We just covered many ways to shop for 1998 Chevy Tracker insurance online. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting low cost auto insurance. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from the least-expected company.
As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many cases, someone sacrificed collision coverage only to find out 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, but don’t skip important coverages to save money.
There are still a few companies who may not provide online rate quotes and these regional carriers prefer to sell through independent agencies. Budget-friendly insurance coverage is available both online and with local insurance agents, and you should compare rates from both to have the best chance of lowering rates.
Additional information can be read below:
Stephania Vinson
All companies are crooks. Live in Charleston, SC. Went online for free insurance quotes for a 1998 Chevrolet Tracker. Ended up at about $110 savings annually. Went with 21st Century. I used their online quote form to compare rates. Book value doesn’t justify full coverage anymore.
Jules Cantu
Just my two cents. From north side of Phoenix, AZ. Got rates from Travelers, Auto-Owners, Hanover, and MetLife for my Chevrolet and I think I am saving around $30 each month. I got prices on the web. When should I drop full coverage?
Malorie Schmidt
Here’s my info. I’m in the suburbs of Lexington, KY. Got car insurance prices from Nationwide, Erie, 21st Century, and Amica for my 1998 Chevrolet Tracker and saved just over $80 a year. Might find lower rates online. It’s too old for full coverage.
Lashell Conway
Will Allstate raise rates for a windshield claim?
Reina Cannon
I’m from Las Cruces, NM. Don’t remember every company but I ended up saving about $20 each month. Insured with Esurance before. A clean driving record helps. Might find lower rates online.
Winfred Vaughn
Good site, thanks. Live in the eastern part of Rochester, Minnesota. Can’t remember who all I quoted but I ended up saving about $30 each month. I think they have home insurance too. Highly recommended. Liability only on my Tracker.
Sona Durham
I live just outside Reno, NV. I got free rates from Nationwide, Encompass, GEICO, and AAA for my Chevrolet and saved $114 a year. Was with Safeco.
Tawana Ochoa
Thought I’d throw in my experience. From a town just southwest of Nashville, Tennessee. I got free prices from USAA, Auto-Owners, Liberty Mutual, and Nationwide for my Tracker and saved just over $100 a year.
Laine Richardson
I got a good deal I think. Proud to be from Jersey City, NJ. Compared quite a few companies. Saved about $30 a month. GEICO was the cheapest for me. Left Sentry to switch. Even increased my liability limits. I got a quote from their website.
Deanna Lott
Cheapest quote for my 1998 Chevrolet Tracker was with Eastwood. Left Encompass to switch. Have a couple speeding tickets too. Online quotes are the way to go. Full coverage costs too much.
Cherrie Morrow
Thought I’d throw in my experience. I live just to the west of Grand Rapids, Michigan. I quoted with State Farm, AIG Insurance, and Eastwood for my Chevrolet and saved $103 a year. Switched homeowners coverage too.
Romelia Bonner
Here’s my info. Found cheapest coverage with American Family for my Tracker and cut my rates about $60 a year. I have a couple other vehicles on the policy. Still almost need a second mortgage. My Chevrolet doesn’t have full coverage.
Lucia Sargent
If you’re a decent driver and live near Eugene, OR, check out State Farm. I saved quite a bit. Even increased my liability limits. I got prices on the web. I only have liability coverage on it.