Saving money on Driverscar insurance is always kind of frustrating for drivers who are new to comparison shopping online. With dozens of insurers available, it can easily be a chore to find cheaper prices.
Buying car insurance is not rocket science. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. Nevertheless, vehicle owners do need to learn the way insurance companies compete online and apply this information to your search.
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you may be missing some discounts that you may not know about. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but some discounts are required to be asked for before you get the savings.
As a sidenote, some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like you could get a free insurance policy, you’re out of luck.
Some companies that have these money-saving discounts are:
Before buying, ask each company how you can save money. Savings may not apply to policies in your area. For a list of insurance companies that provide some of the discounts listed above, follow this link.
When choosing coverage for your vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
These are some specific questions may help highlight whether or not you might need an agent’s assistance.
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form.
Insurance companies such as State Farm, Geico and Progressive seem to constantly run ads in print and on television. All the companies convey the message of big savings just by switching your coverage. But how can every company lower your prices?
Most companies offer their best rates for the type of driver that is profitable for them. A good example of a profitable customer might have to be between 30 and 50, has other policies, and drives a lower-performance vehicle. Any new insured that fits those parameters will qualify for the lowest prices and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.
Consumers who fall short of these stringent criteria will be quoted higher premium rates and ends up with business going elsewhere. If you listen closely, the ads state “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. This is how companies can truthfully make it sound like they have such great car insurance rates. This really drives home the point why you should get insurance quotes from several different companies. It’s just not possible to know which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.
Learning about specific coverages of your policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. Insurance terms can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
This coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your Dodge Dakota.
Because many people 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 payments and PIP coverage
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for expenses such as ambulance fees, pain medications, hospital visits, dental work and X-ray expenses. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Collision insurance
This coverage covers damage to your Dakota caused by collision with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for claims like crashing into a building, sustaining damage from a pot hole and colliding with another moving vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.
Auto liability
Liability insurance provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to people or other property. It protects YOU against other people’s claims. Liability doesn’t 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 50/100/50 that translate to a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $50,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as repair costs for stationary objects, attorney fees and emergency aid. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as much as you can afford.
Comprehensive auto coverage
This covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like damage from getting keyed, rock chips in glass and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
People leave their current company for a variety of reasons including denial of a claim, extreme rates for teen drivers, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and even unfair underwriting practices. No matter why you want to switch, finding the right insurance provider can be easy and end up saving you some money.
Some companies may not have the ability to get quotes online regional carriers work with local independent agencies. Budget-friendly insurance can be found on the web as well as from independent agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates.
As you restructure your insurance plan, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced collision coverage only to regret that it was a big mistake. Your objective should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best cost and still be able to protect your assets.
Additional detailed information can be found in these articles:
Zofia Levy
Is Allstate cheaper than Amica in Birmingham, AL?
Beatrice Beach
Is Progressive or State Farm cheaper in Charleston, SC?
Kacey Lambert
GEICO was cheapest for my 1999 Dodge Dakota in Philadelphia, PA.
Josie Simmons
If you have a clean record and live around Biloxi, MS, check out GEICO. You might save some money. Bought it from an online quote. Just liability coverage since it’s getting old.
Svetlana Booker
I’m in the west part of Rapid City, South Dakota. Not sure of all the companies but I ended up saving about $20 each month. Online quotes are the way to go.
Felice Rowe
In Allentown, PA compare Allstate with Progressive and see which is best.
Leonia Barrera
Cheap car insurance? What’s that? Located in Philadelphia, PA. Quoted with Western Auto Insurance, Auto-Owners, GMAC, and MetLife for my Dakota and I think I am saving around $20 each month. Thankfully I’m not a high risk driver. Just go online and compare their rates. I dropped full coverage awhile back.
Pete Daugherty
It’s all a rip off. Proud to be from Tampa, FL. Quoted with AIG Insurance, Encompass, and Mercury for my Dakota and I think I am saving around $20 each month. Book value doesn’t justify full coverage anymore.
Aurelia Villarreal
I got quite a few price quotes for a 1999 Dodge Dakota in Warwick, RI. Ended up at right around $100 every six months with AIG Insurance. Was with Encompass. I got prices on the web. Just liability coverage since it’s getting old.
Summer Thompson
All companies are crooks. Found cheapest coverage with Esurance for my 1999 Dodge Dakota and am saving around $60 a year. Have a couple speeding tickets too. It’s only liability tho.
Lupe Fitzpatrick
How are claims handled by State Farm around Fayetteville, AR?
Elsa Moon
If you don’t have tickets and are close to Houston, Texas, check out 21st Century. They seem to be cheaper. Next renewal I’ll just do liability.
Emmett Mcguire
Good site, thanks. Quoted with MetLife for my 1999 Dodge Dakota and saved about $110 a year. Insured with Esurance before. Switched homeowners coverage too.
Roberto Deleon
If you have a good history and live near Baltimore, MD, check out Progressive. They seem to be cheaper. LOL