Finding low-cost insurance online may at first seem to be impossible for vehicle owners who are new to price shopping over the internet. With so many insurance agents and companies, how can anyone possibly compare them all to find the cheapest price possible?
When buying insurance it’s important to understand a few of the rating criteria that play a part in calculating your insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay, this enables informed choices that could result in lower insurance prices. Lots of factors are considered 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 or how safe your car is.
The factors shown below are some of the most rate-impacting factors insurance companies consider when setting prices.
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you might be missing out on some discounts that you may not know about. Certain credits will be shown at the time of quoting, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for before being credited. If you don’t get every credit you deserve, you may be paying too high a price.
Don’t be shocked that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. If you do the math and it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.
Companies and a selection of discounts can be read below.
Check with every company which discounts you qualify for. Savings may not be offered in your area. To see car insurance companies that have a full spectrum of discounts, click here.
When choosing coverage, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you may require specific advice.
If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form.
Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The terms used in a policy can be ambiguous and coverage can change by endorsement.
Collision coverages – Collision insurance pays for damage to your GS 400 resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as driving through your garage door, sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter and hitting a mailbox. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Another option is to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Comprehensive insurance – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like damage from flooding, hitting a deer, fire damage, rock chips in glass and vandalism. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider dropping full coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for expenses such as EMT expenses, dental work, chiropractic care, nursing services and rehabilitation expenses. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not universally available and may carry a deductible
Liability car insurance – This protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people. It protects you from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 25/50/25 which means a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, $50,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage protects against things such as medical expenses, attorney fees, court costs, medical services and funeral expenses. How much liability should you purchase? That is up to you, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford.
We just presented a lot of techniques to lower your 1998 Lexus GS 400 insurance car insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get premium rates for, the better likelihood of getting cheaper auto insurance. You may even discover the best car insurance rates are with a small local company.
Affordable 1998 Lexus GS 400 insurance is definitely available online and also from your neighborhood agents, so you need to shop auto insurance with both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who may not have rate quotes online and these small insurance companies only sell through independent agencies.
Drivers leave their current company for many reasons like being labeled a high risk driver, delays in paying claims, lack of trust in their agent or policy non-renewal. No matter why you want to switch, finding the right insurance coverage provider can be easier than you think.
Luella Vega
Great info, thanks for posting. Checking in from Mesa, AZ. Quoted prices from State Farm, Encompass, and GMAC for my Lexus and saved just over $100 a year. I got a quote from their website. Liability only on my Lexus.
Tad Pope
Cheap car insurance? What’s that? I’m in the east part of Boston, MA. I quoted with The General, AAA, Safeco, and a couple others for my 1998 Lexus GS 400 and saved around $90 a year. Good savings if you bundle. Hardly afford to drive anymore. It’s only liability tho.
Lincoln Rocha
Cheaper not always better. I’m in Cincinnati, OH. Got car insurance quotes from The General, Amica, MetLife, and a couple others for my 1998 Lexus GS 400 and I think I saved around $20 each month. Still almost need a second mortgage.
Edie York
Great info, thanks for posting. Live in Columbus, Ohio. Got car insurance quotes from Western Auto Insurance, Auto-Owners, Liberty Mutual, and Safeco for my GS 400 and I’m now saving $12 a month. Insured with AIG Insurance before. Not sure about claim service.