Whether your car insurance bill is driving you crazy…or you don’t know exactly what you pay.
It may be time to shop around—or at least make sure you’re getting discounts with your current insurance company.
Elisa McCulough says she pays roughly $1,200 a year to insure a Lexus that’s 13 years old.
We asked her what holds her back from shopping for a better rate.
“Just, being lazy, not calling and you know. I’ve been with Allstate so long, I thought about calling other people, I just hadn’t um, gotten around to it”
For people like Elisa places like Correll Insurance Group may be a good option. At no cost to you, they take your information and shop around from among dozens of insurance companies they represent.
President Jon Jensen says maintaining a good credit score is key to getting a good rate.
“Statistically credit scores show that folks with better credit as it matches up with a good driving record end up being—having less losses than folks in the other direction. And carriers use a lot of credit scoring in these days and times to make sure those premiums are the best,“ said Jensen.
If you’re credit history isn’t the best, you can also get discounts for taking drivers training courses, a car alarm, senior discounts and bundling your house and other family cars under one company.
Keep that in mind when you go to compare prices. Speaking of that, you can also get competing quotes online at these websites: youDecide.com and InsureOne.com
If you do decide to change insurance companies, make sure you look for two important clauses, before signing. Experts say you should retain your right to sue, and make sure you don’t sign with an insurance company that uses “after market parts” when fixing your car.
You’ll also want to get up to speed on your level of comprehensive collision coverage, uninsured motorists coverage, and how much you pay in deductibles. Once you find the level that fits your needs—make sure you compare apples to apples when choosing between insurance companies.
Once you find a better rate, check with JD Power & Associates. They collect data on insurance companies and can tell you how they rate when it comes to customer satisfaction and claims handling.
Source
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Car Insurance How To Find The Best Policy
Car insurance and how to find the best policy for you (and the cheapest!). Find the best deal
Car insurance is something every car owner needs (it is required by law), but car insurance can be an expensive proposition. Depending on your age, driving record, the area you live in, the distance you drive in a given year, and type of car you drive, you could be paying thousands of dollars a year.
As with any purchase, it is smart to shop around, compare quotes and see what best suits your needs. The internet has simplified this process, with insurance companies offering online quote questionnaires that are simple to fill out and usually generate a quote amount quickly. These questionnaires are generally the same, asking for age, driving experience, accident history, whether you have been insured before, distance you drive in a year, distance you drive to work, and whether the vehicle is used for business or pleasure.
These questions give companies a basic profile of your driving record, but the questionnaire will ask other things you should not ignore. Be sure to note if you have any anti-theft devices, how many, and what they are specifically. This is less a problem with modern cars, since most come with at least an alarm pre-installed. However, the more anti-theft devices in the car, such as a kill switch, boomerang, even glass etching, can significantly reduce the amount you pay, especially if you live in an area insurance companies consider “high-risk”.
If you happen to have two or more vehicles, be sure note you’d like a multiple car discount. Generally, this won’t reduce your rate, but it won’t increase it much (if at all) either. If you’re planning on selling your other vehicle, one trick is to cover that vehicle for liability only, so you can get the discount.
If you’re part of any groups or organizations, see if you qualify for a discount. Many insurance companies will knock off a few dollars for people who are affiliated with professional organizations, alumni groups, even fraternities and sororities. Check with your credit card company, too. Credit card holders can also qualify for group discounts, depending on the card.
Consider combining your home insurance policy with your car insurance. Most companies will offer a deep discount if you do this, ranging from 5 to 20 %. This is usually an option you’ll find at the beginning of the online questionnaire.
Also be sure to check and see if the questionnaire enquires about any drivers education or defensive driving courses. The more you can show the insurance company you’re a safe driver, the more you will benefit.
One thing you should watch out for is redundant or unnecessary coverage. If you have a health insurance policy, you might want to avoid or reduce the medical coverage included in your car insurance policy. Consider getting only liability coverage on a car worth $1000 or less. You can also raise your deductible. Carrying a $500 deductible as opposed to a $250 or $0 deductible will lower your quote substantially.
Remember, you want to find the company that offers YOU the best rate. Be sure to compare multiple quotes from several different companies. What is the cheapest for one person is not always the cheapest for another.
Car insurance is something every car owner needs (it is required by law), but car insurance can be an expensive proposition. Depending on your age, driving record, the area you live in, the distance you drive in a given year, and type of car you drive, you could be paying thousands of dollars a year.
As with any purchase, it is smart to shop around, compare quotes and see what best suits your needs. The internet has simplified this process, with insurance companies offering online quote questionnaires that are simple to fill out and usually generate a quote amount quickly. These questionnaires are generally the same, asking for age, driving experience, accident history, whether you have been insured before, distance you drive in a year, distance you drive to work, and whether the vehicle is used for business or pleasure.
These questions give companies a basic profile of your driving record, but the questionnaire will ask other things you should not ignore. Be sure to note if you have any anti-theft devices, how many, and what they are specifically. This is less a problem with modern cars, since most come with at least an alarm pre-installed. However, the more anti-theft devices in the car, such as a kill switch, boomerang, even glass etching, can significantly reduce the amount you pay, especially if you live in an area insurance companies consider “high-risk”.
If you happen to have two or more vehicles, be sure note you’d like a multiple car discount. Generally, this won’t reduce your rate, but it won’t increase it much (if at all) either. If you’re planning on selling your other vehicle, one trick is to cover that vehicle for liability only, so you can get the discount.
If you’re part of any groups or organizations, see if you qualify for a discount. Many insurance companies will knock off a few dollars for people who are affiliated with professional organizations, alumni groups, even fraternities and sororities. Check with your credit card company, too. Credit card holders can also qualify for group discounts, depending on the card.
Consider combining your home insurance policy with your car insurance. Most companies will offer a deep discount if you do this, ranging from 5 to 20 %. This is usually an option you’ll find at the beginning of the online questionnaire.
Also be sure to check and see if the questionnaire enquires about any drivers education or defensive driving courses. The more you can show the insurance company you’re a safe driver, the more you will benefit.
One thing you should watch out for is redundant or unnecessary coverage. If you have a health insurance policy, you might want to avoid or reduce the medical coverage included in your car insurance policy. Consider getting only liability coverage on a car worth $1000 or less. You can also raise your deductible. Carrying a $500 deductible as opposed to a $250 or $0 deductible will lower your quote substantially.
Remember, you want to find the company that offers YOU the best rate. Be sure to compare multiple quotes from several different companies. What is the cheapest for one person is not always the cheapest for another.
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