Cutting costs on insurance coverage can seem to be a challenge for drivers new to comparison shopping online. There are so many options available that it can be a real difficult job to find a cheaper company.
If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. The purpose of this post is to tell you how to effectively get price quotes and some tips to save money. But vehicle owners should learn how big insurance companies price insurance differently.
Car insurance can cost a lot, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that may help make it more affordable. Most are applied when you quote, but some discounts are required to be specifically requested before they will apply.
As a sidenote, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Even though it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
Large car insurance companies and some of the premium reductions they offer are outlined below.
Double check with every insurance company which discounts you qualify for. Depending on the company, some discounts may not apply to policyholders in your area. To find car insurance companies who offer car insurance discounts, click here.
When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there really is no “best” method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.
For instance, these questions may help you determine if your situation would benefit from professional advice.
If you can’t answer these questions, you may need to chat with an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.
Understanding the coverages of your auto insurance policy helps when choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Liability insurance
This coverage will cover injuries or damage you cause to people or other property by causing an accident. It protects you against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have values of 25/50/25 that translate to $25,000 bodily injury coverage, $50,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Another option is a combined single limit or CSL which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability can pay for claims such as bail bonds, funeral expenses, pain and suffering, medical expenses and medical services. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford.
Collision insurance
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for things such as damaging your car on a curb, crashing into a ditch and sustaining damage from a pot hole. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive auto coverage
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims like hitting a bird, falling objects, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and rock chips in glass. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Medical payments and PIP coverage
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for expenses such as dental work, nursing services, funeral costs, hospital visits and ambulance fees. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan 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 only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
This provides protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law, their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is very important. Normally these coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.
Drivers switch companies for many reasons like denial of a claim, poor customer service, delays in paying claims and even policy non-renewal. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding the right car insurance provider can be easy and end up saving you some money.
When getting car insurance quotes online, it’s a bad idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. Too many times, an insured dropped collision coverage only to discover later that it was a big mistake. Your focus should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
We covered many tips how you can get a better price on 2011 Nissan Leaf insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote car insurance, the better your chances of lowering your premium rates. You may even discover the biggest savings come from the smaller companies.
More information can be found at these links:
Burl Conway
Does State Farm offer good discounts?
Shameka Gould
What is Underinsured Motorist coverage?
Danika Donaldson
Any Progressive or Encompass customers near Anchorage, AK?
Tamala Mosley
I’m just west of Wilmington, Delaware. Compared rates from a lot of places. Saved roughly $60 a month. Progressive was the cheapest for me. Good multi-policy discounts. I used their online quote form to compare rates.
Foster Bennett
Just a quick comment on my experience. From West Valley City, Utah. Quoted with AIG Insurance, Sentry, and some smaller one I can’t remember the name of for my 2011 Nissan Leaf and saved $408 a year.
Vena Parrish
From west side of Gaithersburg, MD, and Allstate rates were best. They have a lot of discounts available. Just go online and compare their rates.
Tracy Jenkins
Will 21st Century raise rates if I file a claim?
Len Richards
Here’s what I found out. I’m from Allentown, PA. Went online for free insurance quotes for a 2011 Nissan Leaf. Ended up at about $170 savings annually. Went with GEICO. I got a quote from their website.
Trish Waters
Here’s what I found out. From northwest of Oklahoma City, OK. I quoted with Amica, MetLife, and Western Auto Insurance for my 2011 Nissan Leaf and saved just over $220 a year. I get lower rates because of my clean driving record.
Cherryl Hunter
I’ve insured with Allstate for a long time. Pretty cheap in Aurora, IL.
Ora Nguyen
If you don’t have tickets and live near Springfield, Massachusetts, check out Progressive. I saved quite a bit. Left Progressive to switch. Have a couple speeding tickets too.
Sharri Tillman
Do I have to have car insurance in Idaho?
Lelia Gonzales
I compared a lot of rate quotes for a 2011 Nissan Leaf in Spokane, WA. Ended up at roughly $380 every six months with Auto-Owners. Was with Western Auto Insurance. I have a teen driver too.