Expensive car insurance can bottom out your budget and force you to make sacrifices. Comparing rate quotes is a smart way to tighten up your finances.
Multiple auto insurance companies compete for your insurance dollar, so it can be very hard to choose a company to discover the definitive cheapest price
It’s smart to price shop coverage on a regular basis because prices fluctuate regularly. Even if you think you had the lowest rate on Sprinter insurance a few years ago you can probably find a better premium rate now. There is a lot of bad advice regarding car insurance on the web, but by reading this article, you’re going to learn some of the best ways to put money back in your pocket.
If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. Finding affordable coverage is not rocket science. But consumers do need to know the methods companies use to compete online.
To find the best insurance rates, there are several ways to compare prices from local insurance companies. The best way to do a complete rate comparison is to jump online and get quotes. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
The recommended way to get the best comparison quotes is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This form eliminates the need for a different quote for every company. A single form gets prices estimates from several companies.
A less efficient way to get quotes online is spending the time to visit each individual company website to complete a price quote. For examples sake, we’ll pretend you want to view quotes from Farmers, Progressive and Travelers. You would have to spend time on each company’s site to enter the same coverage data repeatedly, which can be really labor intensive. For a list of companies in your area, click here.
How you compare quotes is your choice, just make absolute certain that you use equivalent coverage information on every price quote you get. If you are comparing different liability limits it will be nearly impossible to decipher which rate is best. Just a small difference in insurance coverages may result in large price differences. Just keep in mind that quoting more will improve the odds of getting better pricing. Some insurance companies are not set up to provide online quotes, so you need to compare quotes from those companies as well.
Some insurance providers don’t always advertise every available discount very clearly, so below is a list a few of the more well known and also the more inconspicuous credits that you can use to lower your rates.
As a sidenote, most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, insurance companies wouldn’t stay in business.
Companies and some of the discounts can be found below.
If you want low cost insurance coverage quotes, ask every insurance company which credits you are entitled to. All car insurance discounts might not be available to policyholders in every state. To see companies that can offer you the previously mentioned discounts, click here to view.
When choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation may require specific advice.
If you’re not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Part of the insurance coverage buying process is learning some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for insurance coverage. When you understand what determines premiums, this enables you to make decisions that could help you find better insurance coverage rates. Lots of things are used in the calculation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some are obvious such as your driving record, but other factors are less obvious like your vehicle usage or your vehicle rating.
The list below includes some of the items used by companies to determine your premiums.
Big name companies like State Farm, Allstate and Geico constantly bombard you with ads on television and other media. All the ads have a common claim that drivers will save a bundle if you move your auto insurance policy to them. How is it plausible that every one can charge you a lower premium? This is the way they can do it.
Insurance providers have specific characteristics for a prospective insured that will be a good risk. One example of a desirable risk could be over the age of 35, carries high limits, and has excellent credit. Any person that matches those criteria will get very good prices and will probably save if they switch.
Potential customers who don’t measure up to this ideal profile will see a more expensive rate which results in the customer buying from a different company. The trick is to say “customers that switch” not “all people who quote” save that much money. That’s why insurance companies can make the claims of big savings.
Because each company has a different risk profile, you need to get a wide range of price quotes. You cannot predict the company that will have the lowest premium rates for your situation.
Understanding the coverages of your insurance policy can help you determine appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Insurance terms can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. These are the usual coverages available from insurance companies.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive can pay for things like damage from flooding, vandalism, damage from getting keyed and hitting a bird. The maximum payout you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Auto liability insurance
This will cover damage that occurs to other people or property by causing an accident. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people. Liability doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show values of 25/50/25 that translate to $25,000 bodily injury coverage, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Alternatively, you may have a combined single limit or CSL which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability can pay for claims such as bail bonds, pain and suffering, repair costs for stationary objects and attorney fees. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but you should buy as much as you can afford.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for immediate expenses for things like nursing services, rehabilitation expenses, dental work, hospital visits and chiropractic care. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. They cover all vehicle occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Collision coverage protection
Collision insurance covers damage to your Sprinter resulting from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for claims such as hitting a parking meter, colliding with another moving vehicle, damaging your car on a curb and rolling your car. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants and also any damage incurred to your Dodge Sprinter.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Normally these coverages are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.
Cheaper insurance coverage is available from both online companies and from local insurance agents, so you need to quote insurance coverage with both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies may not offer online price quotes and these small insurance companies only sell coverage through independent insurance agencies.
When shopping online for insurance coverage, it’s not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. In many instances, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time that it was a big error on their part. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the lowest possible cost, not the least amount of coverage.
For more information, link through to the articles below:
Abram Travis
Cheaper not always better. From north side of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Got car insurance quotes from 21st Century, Amica, Eastwood, and Hanover for my 2006 Dodge Sprinter and saved $193 a year. Just go online and compare their rates.
Tandy Yang
Anyone buy from Auto-Owners? I’m in Cincinnati, OH.
Denise Cotton
Anyone buy from American Family? I’m in Overland Park, KS.
Bettie Rocha
I found pretty cheap rate quotes for a 2006 Dodge Sprinter in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Ended up at roughly $220 every six months with AIG Insurance. Left Sentry to switch.
Serina Downs
What is UM/UIM coverage?
Shizuko Jennings
If you’re a decent driver and are close to Wichita, Kansas, check out 21st Century. They seem to be cheaper. I have a couple other vehicles on the policy. :)
Tonie Schneider
If you don’t have tickets and live near Idaho Falls, ID, check out 21st Century. I saved quite a bit. Was with GEICO. I get lower rates because of my clean driving record.
Denna Johnston
Lifelong resident of Davenport, Iowa. Quoted prices from Hanover, American Family, MetLife, and a couple others for my 2006 Dodge Sprinter and I’m now saving $18 a month. Insured with MetLife before.
Kathyrn Hansen
I’ve had Progressive for years. I’m in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Noelia Silva
Just my two cents. Quoted with GMAC for my 2006 Dodge Sprinter and saved around $100 a year. Insured with 21st Century before. I’m a pretty good driver though.
Anya Kim
Nice post. I live just to the west of Anchorage, Alaska. Got car insurance quotes with GEICO, American Family, Encompass, and GMAC for my Sprinter and I think I cut my rates about $30 each month. Good multi-policy discounts. I used their website to get prices.