Before you select your insurance provider by word of mouth recommendations, make sure you do your research on rates and premiums to ensure you get the best deal around. We’ve got five things you should be thinking about before purchasing car insurance.
Choose Your Insurance Provider Carefully
Your insurance providers decide your rates based on many factors, such as your previous auto history, your age, credit score, and the deductible you choose. Think about this before deciding to go with an insurance provider.
Understand Your Insurance Requirements
While most states require only liability insurance, consider getting more comprehensive coverage. Research the various insurance options to know which plan you should buy.
Go Beyond the Basics
When you know you’ll be spending considerable time on the road, you should consider the following.
–Comprehensive coverage requires you to pay a deductible first. This will help you pay for any damage to your vehicle from fire, theft, vandalism, and other non-crash incidents.
–Collision coverage also means paying a deductible first. Though it also pays for repairs to your car, after an accident, irrespective of who is at fault.
-Personal Injury Protection will pay for medical costs or lost income to you or your passengers if another driver happens to crash into you.
–Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Protection (UM/UIM): Some states require you to have this additional protection to pay for repairs if your car is damaged by either an uninsured or underinsured driver.
Set up Your Deductibles
Deductible rates – which are paid upfront before your insurance provider pays the remainder of the bill – can cost up to $1,500. Raising your deductible amount can lower your car insurance premium or monthly cost.
What Kind of Vehicle Do You Drive?
If your car has a larger chance of causing damage to other vehicles, like a truck or SUV, you might end up paying a higher premium due to increased liability risk.
Ask for Discounts
Insurance providers often give discounts for certain safety features like airbags, car alarms, and clean driving records. Ask about which deals you qualify for as many providers aren’t likely to offer them upfront.