No sane person loves paying for insurance coverage, especially when they are aware that the cost is way too high. You have multiple insurance companies to pick from, and even though it’s nice to be able to choose, more choices can make it harder to find a good deal.
Effectively comparing car insurance prices can be a daunting task if you aren’t aware of the fastest way to get free quotes. You can waste hours driving to insurance agencies in your area, or you can stay home and use the web to get the quickest rates.
Many popular insurance companies take part in a program where prospective buyers enter their policy data once, and every company returns a rated price determined by their information. This prevents consumers from doing repetitive form submissions for every car insurance company. To use this form to compare rates click here (opens in new window).
The only downside to using this type of system is you can’t choose which carriers you want to price. If you prefer to choose individual companies to request quotes from, we have assembled a list of the cheapest car insurance companies in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.
You can choose any of those ways to find more affodable coverage, but ensure you’re using equivalent coverage limits and deductibles on every price quote you get. If you have mixed coverages then you won’t be able to determine which company has the best rates.
Buying insurance is not cheap, but there could be available discounts to reduce the price significantly. Many discounts should be triggered at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be asked about prior to getting the savings. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you could be getting lower rates.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So when it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, insurance companies aren’t that generous.
Companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are detailed below.
When quoting, ask all companies you are considering the best way to save money. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be offered in your area. If you would like to view providers with the best discounts, click here.
When it comes to choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. Every situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions might point out whether or not you could use an agent’s help.
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.
Knowing the specifics of car insurance can be of help when determining appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are the normal coverages found on most car insurance policies.
Auto liability
Liability insurance provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property in an accident. It protects YOU against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for your own vehicle damage or injuries.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see limits of 100/300/100 that means you have $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Occasionally you may see one limit called combined single limit (CSL) that pays claims from the same limit and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability insurance covers things like court costs, medical expenses, repair bills for other people’s vehicles, funeral expenses and repair costs for stationary objects. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is your choice, but you should buy as much as you can afford.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like rock chips in glass, fire damage, hitting a bird and theft. The maximum amount you’ll receive from a claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Collision protection
Collision coverage covers damage to your XC70 from colliding with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage protects against things like damaging your car on a curb, sustaining damage from a pot hole and crashing into a ditch. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
This coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people only carry the minimum required liability limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is very important. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for prosthetic devices, X-ray expenses, doctor visits, funeral costs and pain medications. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Cost effective 2004 Volvo XC70 insurance is definitely available both online and from local agencies, so you need to quote auto insurance with both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies may not have online quoting and usually these smaller companies prefer to sell through local independent agencies.
When trying to cut insurance costs, it’s very important that you do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice full coverage and discovered at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
Titus Tate
Here’s my quote info. I live just to the south of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Received prices from Auto-Owners, Mercury, and some smaller one I can’t remember the name of for my Volvo and I think I am saving around $20 each month. Got better coverage too. Wish I didn’t have to insure at all. I think I’ll get rid of full coverage next time.
Jesse Byers
I live just outside Concord, NH. Quoted a bunch of companies. Saved about $20 a month. Progressive was the cheapest for me. Was with Auto-Owners. I get multi-vehicle and multi-policy discounts.
Daren Ellison
Thanks for putting this site together. From a town just southwest of Charlotte, North Carolina. Quoted quotes with MetLife, Erie, Allstate, and AIG Insurance for my Volvo and I’m now saving $11 a month. Insured with Progressive before. Thankfully I’m not a high risk driver. I used their online quote form to compare rates. When should I drop full coverage?
Akiko Arnold
This is too expensive. I live just to the south of Gulfport, MS. Quoted prices online for a 2004 Volvo XC70. Ended up at about $100 savings annually. Went with Allstate. Left Allstate to switch. I’m a pretty good driver though.
Lurline Gilbert
Like your site, BTW. I’m just east of Bangor, ME. Checked online prices for a 2004 Volvo XC70. Ended up at about $110 savings annually. Went with GEICO. Was with Auto-Owners. I’m a pretty good driver though.
Cathleen Young
I live just outside Philadelphia, PA. Got prices from AAA, MetLife, and some smaller one I can’t remember the name of for my Volvo and I’m now saving $13 a month. They have a lot of discounts available. They were helpful in switching over. I dropped full coverage awhile back.
Colene Cochran
Anyone know of any company in Biloxi, Mississippi that will insure high risk drivers?
Vanita Blake
What does medical payments cover?
Angelina Velazquez
Mine is so expensive. I’m in the suburbs of Hartford, CT. I quoted with 21st Century, Amica, and some I forget for my Volvo and I think I saved around $30 each month. Still almost need a second mortgage.
Hye Allen
I found pretty cheap rate quotes for a 2004 Volvo XC70 in Norman, OK. Ended up at darn near $80 every six months with American Family. Left Esurance to switch. Even increased my liability limits.
Valene Alexander
Compared rates with Progressive and Auto-Owners but still pricey.
Soon Lester
Any Allstate or Erie customers near Worcester, MA?
Burt Levy
Does Nevada require me to have car insurance?
Bridget Osborne
Checking in from Juneau, AK. Quoted a bunch of companies. Saved about $20 a month. 21st Century was the best choice for me. I get a discount for insuring multiple vehicles. They offer free online rate quotes. I only have liability coverage on it.