No one gets a kick out of paying for car insurance, especially knowing the cost is way too high.
You have so many car insurance companies to pick from, and although it’s nice to have a choice, having more insurance companies makes it harder to adequately compare rates.
When looking for affordable auto insurance quotes, there are a couple ways to get quotes from many insurance companies in your state. The fastest way to do a complete rate comparison is to use the internet to compare rates. This is quite simple and can be completed by using one of the methods below.
Whichever way you choose to compare rates, make darn sure you compare equivalent quote information on every price quote you get. If you are comparing differing limits it will be very difficult to determine which rate is truly the best. Slightly different insurance coverages can make a big difference in price. And when comparing insurance rates, know that obtaining a wide range of quotes gives you a better chance of getting a lower rate. Some regional insurers cannot provide quotes online, so you should also compare price estimates from the smaller companies as well.
Not too many consumers would say car insurance is affordable, but you may find discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain credits will be shown when you get a quote, but occassionally some discounts must be requested specifically in order for you to get them. If they aren’t giving you every credit available, you are not getting the best rate possible.
Discounts lower rates, but most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky. Any qualifying discounts should help reduce the cost of coverage.
To see a list of providers who offer discounts, click here.
The best way to find cheaper insurance coverage is to take a look at some of the things that help calculate your premiums. If you know what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get better insurance coverage rates. Multiple criteria are used when you get a price on insurance. Some of the criteria are obvious such as your driving record, although others are more transparent such as your marital status or how safe your car is.
The factors shown below are most of the major factors that factor into rates.
When choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Every situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions might help in determining if you would benefit from an agent’s advice.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Knowing the specifics of a car insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find typical coverage types found on the average car insurance policy.
This will pay to fix 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 coverage protects against claims like vandalism, hitting a deer and hitting a bird. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for expenses such as EMT expenses, doctor visits, prosthetic devices and X-ray expenses. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. It covers you and your occupants as well as getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers claims such as crashing into a ditch, backing into a parked car, hitting a mailbox and driving through your garage door. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. You can also increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Due to the fact that many drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Usually the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
This coverage provides protection from damage that occurs to people or other property in an accident. It protects YOU against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 100/300/100 that means you have a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Occasionally you may see one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability insurance covers claims such as medical expenses, court costs and loss of income. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as much as you can afford.
You just read quite a bit of information on how to shop for 2004 Ford Ranger insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more times you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding cheap auto insurance. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates are with the least-expected company. These smaller insurers may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.
As you prepare to switch companies, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to discover later that it was a big error on their part. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price and still be able to protect your assets.
Some insurance companies do not offer rates over the internet and these small insurance companies prefer to sell through independent insurance agents. Cheaper insurance is definitely available both online in addition to local insurance agencies, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection.
Additional information can be read at these links:
Deena Randall
From a town just southwest of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Quoted rates from American Family, Sentry, and some smaller one I can’t remember the name of for my 2004 Ford Ranger and am saving around $100 a year. Moved home policy as well. Next renewal I’ll just do liability.
Bradly Leonard
If you have a good history and live near Aurora, IL, check out GEICO. They seem to be cheaper. I don’t have comp or collision coverage.
Luke Spence
I live in a small town just outside of Newark, DE. Not sure of all the companies but I ended up saving about $20 each month. Left AIG Insurance to switch. Can still barely afford it. When should I drop full coverage?
Arletha Moore
Nice post. I live just to the west of Frederick, Maryland. Got quotes with Auto-Owners, Mercury, and USAA for my 2004 Ford Ranger and saved $65 a year. I have several vehicles insured with them. I used their website to get prices.
Roxanne Acosta
I got quite a few price quotes for a 2004 Ford Ranger in Phoenix, AZ. Ended up at darn near $90 every six months with AAA. Thankfully I have a good driving record. I quoted rates online then called them. Just liability coverage since it’s getting old.
Jacki Hart
What does medical payments cover?
Charlyn Sullivan
I’m in Frederick, MD. Received quotes with GEICO, Auto-Owners, and some I forget for my Ford and I think I saved about $30 each month. Ask about discounts. Full coverage costs too much.
Genny Galloway
I’m in Seattle, WA, and Progressive rates were affordable. Even increased coverage a bit. Online quotes are the way to go.
Donny Christensen
Does Allstate insure after a DUI?
Herschel Frost
Will Progressive do a SR22 in Delaware?