Getting the Best Car Insurance

Getting the best car insurance quote can often be as stressful and daunting as purchasing a car itself. Since the price you pay depends on a host of factors, you're never quite sure of the deal you'll get from each provider. How much coverage should you go for? How much deductible for collision or for comprehensive? All these are important criteria for making your decision.

Know What Coverage You Want
Before considering the different insurance companies, decide how much coverage you want. Although you can reduce your monthly insurance payment by reducing coverage, in general this isn't advisable because you want to have the appropriate amount to protect your assets. If you own a house or other significant assets, this is one aspect you might not want to go on the cheap with.

Don't Decide Solely Based on Brand
It can be easy to make your insurance decisions based on the most well-known companies. Infectious slogans can pique your attention, and most insurance providers, such as Progressive or Geico, will to have the lowest rates in their commercials. But often, there are lesser-known companies that provide great service as well. Amica Mutual Insurance Company, for example, is a top-rated pick by Consumer Reports, but is one that receives little exposure.

The More Quotes, the Better
There's no limit to how many quotes you can get, and no penalties for casting the net widely. Hence, it's better to take the time and collect all the insurance quotes you can from potential candidates. Sure the phone calls or Internet quotes can be a hassle, but the invested time will pay off in the long run.

Contact an Independent Agent
Many large companies use independent agents to sell insurance. Even if you do not purchase insurance through them, they can provide you with quotes and be able to answer any of your questions. Independent agents are great resources as they have all of the information on different companies and policies, and can help direct you to the right one.

Install Anti-Theft Devices
When you put additional anti-theft devices into your car, you show the car insurance company that you care about your vehicle. Most new cars already have anti-theft devices in them, but putting in additional devices according to what your insurance company wants can get you a substantial discount on your insurance quotes.

Add All the Cars You Have on the Same Policy
This also works if you have life insurance, health insurance and home insurance with a single company. Use the same company to ask for a quote for all the cars you have. A single parent insurance company is more likely to charge you lower insurance rates. This is because they already know and value your business. They will also offer you discounts when you club all your cars under the same insurance policies.

Ask for Discounts
There are several discounts that are offered to customers who take on car insurance. Additional safety driving courses, no traffic violations or accidents, AAA and AARP memberships, low mileage and students with good grades also make you eligible for discounts on your car insurance quotes or premium payments. Inquire about these before you sign up for the insurance policy.

Play with the Numbers
Although coverage is typically something you want to nail down beforehand, there are other ways to lower your rate. Increasing or decreasing the deductible and opting to include car rentals are just some of the ways you can impact the coverage cost. Be sure to mention details that can help lower your rate, such as having a car security system, immobilizer, garage or gated car port, or Lojack system.

Liability-Only
Choosing to go with liability-only insurance can be a tempting solution. After all, who plans on wrecking their car and being at fault? Unless your car is a beater that carries little monetary value, you'll usually want to have full coverage in case of a worst-case scenario. Nothing can be more disheartening than totaling a $25,000 car, only to have to continue to make payments for a wrecked ride.

Identify Prices by Amounts of Coverage
Make sure when you are comparing prices that the deductibles are the same, and that the same features (for example, multiple drivers, roadside assistance or collision) are included in the policies. If full or limited tort is available (for example, in the state of Pennsylvania), make sure this is comparable as well. Finding the lowest dollar amount is not a solution unless the buyer considers what specific coverage is involved.

Use Free Internet Auto Insurance Quotes
The Internet also helps customers to find cheap car insurance rates. Take a look at the rates you find on the Internet, but again, dig deeper for the complete details and for accurate price comparisons.

Determining the Best Car Insurance for You

Determining the best car insurance for your needs incorporates a number of factors. Before you think about any extras, first consider what you are legally obliged to have in accordance with your state minimum requirements. Anything you purchase on top of that will require further consideration to ensure you have adequate car insurance coverage.

Value
If your car is an older vehicle with a very low value, your main consideration will be how much protection you need in case you are involved in an accident. If your car is older, you may decide that the asset value is too low to worry about and under these circumstances, you should opt for the basic coverage to help control costs. However, if your car is an expensive asset with added features, you might decide that the best insurance will be a level of coverage that protects the vehicle and its contents. Comprehensive insurance is a good option for this type of vehicle.

Surcharge and Deductibles
When you're looking for a suitable car insurance quote, make sure you identify any potential surcharges and the amount of deductible you will have to pay in the event of a claim. All insurance companies require a deductible on a policy, and the amount will have an effect on the final policy price you pay. A lower deductible will reduce your own out-of-pocket expenses in the event of any subsequent claim. A higher deductable lowers your premiums, but raises your out-of-pocket money if you're in an accident.

Requirements
Make a list of the basic requirements you expect from an insurance policy, and note down any added extras that you prefer to have included. You may find that some companies are able to provide all of the requirements but others will not, so shopping around and comparing policies will get you the best deal.

The Best Luxury Car Insurance Quotes

Just because your car is top quality and you have good credit, doesn't mean that you'll be able to find reasonable coverage for your vehicle.

The Bad News
Even if you have a clean driving record and great credit, you will pay more to insure your luxury car. You simply won't be able to get cheap car insurance, but relative to the price of the car you can get something reasonable. Luxury cars are expensive to insure because replacement parts are expensive and studies have shown that cars with higher horsepower are involved in more accidents.

The Good News
You can get lower priced car insurance for your luxury vehicle if you can show that it is your second or third car, and that you only drive for a few miles on the weekends. Another way to get the best car insurance quotes for your luxury car is to take additional driving lessons or a road safety class and of course, maintain your clean driving record and good credit.

Go for Comprehensive Coverage
It might not make for the lowest car insurance quote, but getting comprehensive coverage will save you money in the long run. Since comprehensive covers most things from wind-related damage to theft, the insurance company will pay for repairs instead of you going out of your own pocket.

Compare
Go for the lowest car insurance quote you can find by shopping around. By comparing different insurance quotes you have a better chance of finding cheap car insurance, and then you can choose the policy that works best for you.

What Is the Best Car Insurance Company?

If you are searching for the best car insurance company, you'll find there are many companies that claim to be the best. Not that, there are millions of insurance company policyholders that swear their company is better than any other. With so many varying opinions, you may ask how it is possible determine which company truly is the best. While no one may ever know who the best company truly is, here are some suggestions to help you find the best insurance companies out there.

Best Customer Service Insurance Companies
If great customer service is more important to you than the cheapest rates, consider companies like Allstate, Geico and Progressive. Although their rates are not always the lowest, many customers do express high levels of satisfaction with customer service, claims payment and response. These companies are all top-tier insurance companies that provide quality insurance policies for millions of American drivers.

Best Cheap Rate Insurance Companies
If the only important factor when choosing a car insurance company is the lowest price, consider companies like Eastwood, Travelers and Safeco Insurance. These companies specialize in providing deeply discounted insurance rates; however, their levels of customer service and customer satisfaction are not always the highest. Many people complain about issues with customer service response, late claims payments or failure to pay claims in some cases.

The Best Company Is . . .
When searching for the best insurance company, there are many things you will need to consider. You will need to weigh the service and support that the company offers along with their rates. Great customer service alone does not make a good insurance company--and neither does simply offering the lowest rates. The best insurance company for you will be the company that provides affordable rates, excellent service and pays out quickly on claims when you need them to.