Finding affordable car insurance
can be a daunting task. We are here to help you get the best
information on affordable car insurance plans. Car Insurance rates can
be quite varied due to a lot of factors. Hopefully this site
will help you in finding the most affordable car insurance coverage to
best fit your needs.
Some
Important Things You Need To Know About Buying Affordable Car Insurance.
Prices can vary when looking for car
insurance, so it certainly pays to shop around. Get at least 3 - 4
price quotes. You can call car insurance companies via phone or access
information on the Internet. Your state insurance department may also
provide comparisons of prices charged by most car insurance providers.
This way finding affordable car insurance is much easier and faster.
Affordable Car Insurance -
Always Compare Prices
Get quotes from different types of car
insurance companies too. Some sell only through their own agents. These
car insurance agencies have the same name as the insurance company.
Some will sell through independent agents who offer policies from many
car insurance companies. Others will not use agents at all. They sell
car insurance directly to consumers over the phone or over the
Internet. Now let's look at some ways to find affordable car insurance
by following some guidelines as outlined below.
Knowing Car Insurance Coverage
Types Is The First Step When Looking For Affordable Car
insurance
* Bodily injury liability: Covers injury and
death claims against you, and legal costs, if your car injures or kills
someone.
* Property damage liability: Covers claims for property that your car
damages in an accident. Because liability coverage protects the other
party, it is required in all but three states.
* Medical payments: Pays for injuries to yourself and to occupants of
your car. This is optional in some states. In no-fault states, personal
injury protection replaces medical payments as part of the basic
coverage.
* Uninsured motorist protection: Covers injuries caused to you or the
occupants of your car by uninsured or hit-and-run drivers.
Under-insured coverage also is available, to cover claims you may make
against a driver who has inadequate insurance. In some states, as many
as 30 percent of drivers are uninsured.
* Collision coverage: Covers damage to your car up to its book value.
Collision car insurance coverage carries a deductible, which is the
amount per claim you have to pay before the insurance takes effect. The
lower the deductible, the higher the premium. While it is legally
optional, a lending institution or leasing company usually requires
collision coverage.
* Comprehensive (physical damage): Covers damage to your car
from theft, vandalism, fire, wind, flood, and other non-accident
causes. Comprehensive also carries a deductible. This is sometimes
optional so when searching for the most affordable car insurance keep
this in mind.
The Type
Vehicle You Drive Greatly Influences Your Costs When Seeking Affordable
Car Insurance
You may desire a flashy sports car
or a big expensive SUV, but your car insurance company will charge you
more to protect you while driving it. Car insurance is based partly on
the cost of the vehicle, which affects the replacement cost if it is
stolen or totaled in an accident. How expensive the vehicle is to
repair -- including parts and labor -- can also affect the cost of the
car insurance rate. In addition, surcharges may apply to vehicles that
are frequently stolen or involved in accidents.
According to the HLDI, the lowest injury claims are from
large vehicles -- cars, pickup trucks, and sport-utility vehicles.
Small 2- and 4-door cars have the highest injury claims. Small cars
also are among the highest in collision costs, along with sports cars.
If you have your heart set on a sporty vehicle, you'll probably pay
quite a lot. Car insurance for a high-performance car can easily cost
two or three times the insurance rate for an ordinary model. If you are
looking for the most affordable car insurance you certainly want to
keep this in mind.
SUV's, the hottest market segment, often have higher
insurance rates than mid- and full-size cars, but some SUV models are
relatively cheap to insure. SUVs are hot for other reasons: They are
among the most frequently stolen vehicles, and they are more expensive
than most cars. Cadillac's Escalade is currently the most popular model
sought by thieves, but it's followed by the Nissan Maxima sedan. SUVs
also can cost more to fix after an accident if the 4-wheel-drive system
is damaged.
However, car insurance companies set rates based on their own
experience. If Company A has more collision and theft claims for a
particular vehicle than Company B, then A will charge more for the same
coverage. It all boils down to a company's actual experience with a
particular vehicle or category of drivers. That is why it pays to shop
around for the most affordable car insurance and keep these factors in
mind.
Other Risk
Factors And Important Tips On Obtaining The Most Affordable Car
Insurance Rates
Single males under the age of 25 pay the
highest rates. Statistics show they are involved in the most accidents,
so car insurance companies charge young men higher premiums than women
of the same age. Married men, who statistically have fewer accidents,
pay less than single men.
A handful of states do not allow rates based on sex or age, but that
prohibition has tended to result in higher rates for women, not lower
rates for men. If you are convicted of moving traffic violations or of
causing an accident, your car insurance premiums will likely go up, no
matter what your age. Drivers with clean records, no tickets, no
accidents the most affordable car insurance rates.
1) Most car insurance companies give a break to those who drive less
than 7500 miles a year. If you take public transportation instead of
driving to work, your premium will go down. Also you might want to
consider carpooling.
2) Drop collision coverage on older cars. Claims are limited to book
value, so you're not likely to get much anyway if you car is more than
seven years old. A good rule of thumb is to drop collision when the
annual premium reaches 10 percent of your car's value.
3) Shop around. Instead of just renewing, study the fine print of your
car insurance policy to see if its terms, or your situation have
changed. Another company might have better rates, but you won't know
unless you shop. Most insurers give rates over the phone and many via
online, making it easy to compare car insurance premiums.
4) Have your teenager share the family car instead of owning his or her
own. Be sure to tell your agent if your son or daughter makes the honor
roll or moves away to college. Both qualify for discounts with most car
insurance companies.
5) Most importantly, be a good driver. Avoid accidents and traffic
violations and you will be rewarded with good-driver discounts. Bad
driving is expensive. The safer you can be on the road, the lower your
car insurance premiums.
