Our vehicle is one of the most valuable possessions we have and it’s just right that we insure it. The law also requires us to get a motor vehicle liability insurance to any car, truck or motorcycle we own. This provides us financial security in case our vehicle is involved in any traffic accident that could result in material or human damage. Generally, every country has its own set of regulations when it comes to auto insurance. In most cases, vehicle owners must buy an insurance policy before they are allowed to drive their vehicle on public roads.
Having an auto insurance can provide several advantages, especially if you got a comprehensive car insurance for your vehicle. This particular insurance policy can cover almost every incident that you might encounter on the road and these include the following:
- Accidental or malicious damage to your car
- Fire
- Theft
- Glass breakage resulting in damage to sunroofs, windows and windscreen
- Flood and other natural calamities
- Damage you caused to property during an accident
- Injury you caused to people during the accident
Imagine the hassles and the enormous expense you need to endure if you don’t have a valid auto insurance. In fact, if you shoulder the repairs for your vehicle and the medical bills that you’ve incurred in an accident will surely hurt your pocket. Therefore, getting the right type of car insurance is a must. You also need to choose a reputable insurance company that can provide you with the best value insurance policy for your vehicle. Actually, there are several factors that you must consider first before choosing an insurance company.
First, you need to know their track record and the number of years they operated in this type of business. You may also want to check if they are tied-up with credible auto shops that have the best repair facilities in your area. So, in case your car got damaged in an accident, they can repair it as quickly as possible and with the highest quality standards. A reliable auto insurance company must also provide you with a courtesy car. This is actually a service car that you can use while your actual car is being repaired.
The Ultimate Car Insurance Checklist
Diving in to the world of car insurance can seem a little daunting especially if you are insuring your car for the first time. Here is a simple guide that aims to take the stress out of buying car insurance in just a few simple steps.
Personal Information: The first step is to collate all of your personal details and note them down in one place. Searching for the right car insurance deal can be stressful enough without having to locate your details and your driving records. If you plan to add another driver to your policy, make sure you have all of their details to hand also. Having this information to hand will save you time on your search for the best car insurance deal. Keep all of your personal details in a pile with your renewal letter and your proof of no claims discount if you have any. Lastly, dig out your debit or credit card in preparation of payment.
Vehicle Details: When you are shopping online for car insurance, you will need to know a number of things about your vehicle. Your vehicle registration number should be noted down as well as your annual mileage and the model and brand of your car.
Types of Car Insurance: Once you have all of the required information, it’s time to start your search for the right type of car insurance online. There are a number of different options to choose from including comprehensive car insurance, third party car insurance and third party, fire and theft. Choose comprehensive car insurance if you want to be covered for everything should an accident happen but be prepared to pay for the privilege. This is the most expensive car insurance type but it will cover you against fire, theft and the damages caused to your vehicle and the other car involved should you be in an accident that was your fault. Third party insurance is more of a basic option that is usually the cheapest form of cover but this will only cover your passengers in the event of an injury.
Policy Excess : You will have to pay policy excess regardless of the car insurance provider you choose. You can choose the amount of voluntary excess you want to pay and if you are willing to pay a substantial amount, this will lower the price of your premium.
How to Find the Right Car Insurance Provider:
Finding the right car insurance provider can be time consuming but it is essential to shop around for the best deal. Doing your homework is one way to save money on your car insurance and this is your chance to lower the price of your cover. You can either search for a cheap quote via a car insurance comparison site or go direct to a car insurance provider. If you do choose to go direct, make sure you get a number of different quotes as this will ensure you are not paying over and above for your insurance.
Small Car, Big Insurance Bill?
That small car you’re planning to purchase may look “cute” and save money on gas, but when you go online to check for a car insurance quote, that “cute” and gas saver coverage may not be as cheap or affordable as you thought. About that time you become a member in good standing in the Rodney Dangerfield club: No Respect! That said, perhaps it’s time to separate some of the more common “myths” from reality, when it boils down to any type of vehicle insurance.
Less expensive auto insurance for smaller cars are cheaper to insure! The answer is maybe, and it will depend on what is in your policy or not. Some of the minor coverage like uninsured motorist or no-fault insurance along with towing and rental car protection will probably cost the same regardless of the vehicle size.
An automobile insurance quote. Auto insurance quote for any small car purchase will include the “Big 3” – collision, comprehensive, and liability. They’re the three most expensive items on any auto insurance policy. This is where “size” really does matter. Ergo, your vehicle insurance cost could rise exponentially.
However there is one saving caveat in all this frustration as it pertains to small cars or any other size for that matter, and it’s the age of your car. All state DMV’s require only liability coverage, but if the car is new or only a few years old, any sane person will include collision and comprehensive, as well. Yet if you’re driving a vehicle that is 10 years or older, you don’t need collision and comprehensive coverage since the value doesn’t warrant the cost you are still paying. Also, the DMV could care less about you “dumping” either one or both, and you’ll save money in the process.
It’s a fact that smaller and cheaper cars are purchased by those in a lower income bracket, yet are more costly to insure. So it should come as no surprise that larger cars offering more accident protection, will always be on the receiving end of better car insurance quotes.
Know What Your Auto Insurance Won’t Cover
The importance of having a car insurance policy needs not to be ascertained further. The car owners need to purchase an insurance plan for the safety of their vehicles as well as themselves. In some states, it is an obligation to make an insurance purchase. Even if it is not an obligation, you should buy a good insurance policy that will take care of financial responsibility if anything unfortunate happens to you.
It is good news that insurance offers are galore for the prospective buyers. Even customized plans are also available to satisfy your specific requirements. What you need is to make a sound plan that will provide adequate coverage. You will also want the deal to be within a reasonable cost margin. If you get a right insurance deal, you can save thousands of dollars on premium payment. Here are a few tips on how to save money by buying a suitable insurance policy.
Understanding what your car insurance will cover
- Bodily injury liability
- Property damage liability
- Comprehensive coverage
- Collision coverage
Knowing what is not covered
- Damage to a rental car
- Items inside your car
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist liability
- Medical payments
Money saving auto insurance tips
Firstly, you need to start with getting quotes from the auto insurance providers. As it has been already stated that several insurance companies are working in the industry, so it will be easy to get at least 5-7 quotes from the premier insurers. Once you collect them, read through the coverage, pricing, terms and conditions of each policy.
You need to have a clear understanding of what the different auto insurance providers have to offer. Compare the coverage and price. You can also search online for the quotes and it will be an easier alternative to shopping around. Never rush through the information as it will make more likely for you to miss some crucial details.
Secondly, if you have an impeccable driving record, getting good discount is more likely. The same is true if you are associated with certain enlisted organization and can show your membership card. It has high probability that the individuals who own a roadside assistance policy will get a deeper discount. Some car insurance companies offer cheap policies to the students who have got a good grade in their college exam. The premium rate will also drop down if you already have a car insurance policy and want to cover another vehicle under the same. Loyalty discounts are also available.
Thirdly, if you install safety measures in your car or can prove that your car parking zone is a safe area where theft of vehicles is a little possibility, the companies will provide highly discounted offers. As extra precaution, you may consider installing anti-lock brakes, air bags and other high-end equipments. This way, you can save a lot on your policy with certain companies.
Fourthly, if your current auto insurance policy is expensive, you may seek an escape by capitalizing on coverage tweak. Save cost by increasing deductibles on collision coverage. You can ensure a good amount of saving by eliminating roadside assistance policy and rental reimbursement. However, to avail that, you need to have a roadside insurance policy. If your vehicle is less than 10 years’ old, you can seek lowering of coverage. Some premier companies offer cheap policies, you can also grab those options, provided your requirements are properly covered.
What Are The Best Car Insurance Apps?
An intuitive mobile app for car insurance can make the most difference when you actually need it in a tight spot. If you are stopped by law enforcement authorities on the road, you can show your insurance card from an app instead of digging through your glove box and looking for physical paperwork. You also have the option, if you have an insurance claim, to send it in digitally.
Indeed, a good mobile app can help you in many ways and make your life easier. Let’s keep reading to find out what a good app must have.
Things to look for in car insurance apps
Here is a list of things that a good app for motor insurance must have:
- Access to auto insurance ID cards: It can be stressful to get pulled over by the police. You don’t need to go through the trouble of looking for proof of an insurance card when you have a car insurance app installed on your mobile. A good car insurance app will easily let you access the insurance ID. *
- Ability to view insurance policies: You only read your insurance policy when you absolutely have to. However, when you have a problem, you need to have quick access to your current policy. It is then important to be able to easily access policies through a mobile app. *
- Ability to file a claim: The app for car insurance should give you ways to save time and go paperless. It’s much better to use an app than to call in and wait for a live agent on the phone. *
- Keep track of the claim status: When you file a claim, you want to be able to quickly and easily find out what’s going on with it. Keeping track of the status of your claim can save you time and stress. *
- Upload photos and/or documents: Speeding up your claim digitally saves time, so being able to upload claim documents online, lets you move on to other things. *
- Call for roadside assistance: What good is roadside assistance insurance if you can’t get help when you’re stuck on the side of the road? A good app for your phone can send help right away. *
- Find auto repair shops: If you have been in an unfortunate car accident, you don’t want to worry about where to go to get your car fixed. A good car insurance app in your phone will help you find what you need. *
- Car accident checklist: It’s hard to stay calm at the scene of a car accident, especially when you have to figure out who was hurt and how much damage was done. A car accident checklist will help you get all the necessary information at the scene, giving you a better chance of getting your insurance claim approved later. *
- Extras: Some auto insurers have put more thought into their mobile apps by adding features that may not be directly related to your car insurance needs but help you with your car needs as and when required.
Tips for Getting Lower Car Insurance
Car insurance is not only a legal requirement, but it also helps you avoid many future problems. For instance, the insurance cares for expenses in case your car gets lost, or your car causes accident. In most cases though, car insurance can be expensive to an ordinary person. This is because most insurance companies feel that there are a lot of risks involved with car business. For that reason, they price insurance premiums highly so as not to run at a loss. The following though are some of the things you can do to answer the question of how to reduce the price of car insurance.
Drive Less Cheaper Cars
Cheaper cars are prone to fewer risks as opposed to more expensive cars. Because of this, less expensive cars are likely to attract low car insurance premiums from most insurance companies. This is because the insurance companies believe that there are no many risks involved with less expensive cars. For instance, if your car gets lost or damaged, it will require less money to replace it as compared to high expensive cars. You can also drive less expensive cars and avoid high insurance car premiums.
Drive Safely
Most road incidences occur out of negligence of drivers. In fact, careless drivers are likely to cause accidents thus leading to a lot of damages. These damages are eventually going to be fixed by the insurance company. Such drivers will not get an easy ride when seeking insurance for their cars. If you would to get cheap insurance quotes, you should learn to drive carefully. Always be cautious and develop a good name. When you do that, insurance companies will have confidence in you when you drive safely because the risk involved is low.
Research
There are many insurance companies in the world today. These insurance companies have got different car insurance premiums. Research therefore is one of the ways of how to reduce the price of car insurance you can employ to get cheap car insurance quotes. This is because research will most likely help you land at the company that offers premiums at cheap prices as opposed to others.
The above are some of the ways of how to reduce the price of car insurance that you can employ to evade expensive car insurance premiums. It is important to take advantage of them and be assured of your comfort while driving on the roads.
Compare The Market Car Insurance’s content team provided this article in a hope to educate people on the ways they can lower their car insurance.