Wish you could get out of high-priced car insurance? Don’t feel bad because many Alpena consumers are in the same pinch. Due to the increasing number of options when it comes to car insurance, it is very difficult to pick the lowest cost insurer.
Get lower rates by earning these ten discounts
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but there may be some discounts to cut the cost considerably. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time you complete a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be specifically requested in order for you to get them.
- Driving Data Discount – Policyholders that allow data collection to spy on when and where they use their vehicle by using a telematics device in their vehicle such as Snapshot from Progressive or Drivewise from Allstate may see discounts as long as the data is positive.
- Discount for Home Ownership – Owning your own home or condo can get you a discount because it requires a higher level of personal finance.
- Bundle and Save – If you can bundle your auto and homeowners insurance with one insurance company you may save at least 10 to 15 percent or more.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being on active deployment in the military could be rewarded with lower prices.
- Government Employee Discount – Simply working for the federal government can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your car insurance provider.
- Payment Discounts – By paying your entire bill at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can actually save on your bill.
- Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple cars on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Good Student – Performing well in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Completing a defensive driver course can save you 5% or more if you qualify.
- Theft Deterent Discount – Cars equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Policy discounts save money, but most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Despite the fact that it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don’t profit that way.
For a list of providers with the best discounts in Alpena, follow this link.
The most recommended method to compare rate quotes is to take advantage of the fact all the major auto insurance companies actually pay money for the chance to quote your coverage. The only thing you need to do is provide information such as types of safety features, the type of vehicles you drive, how much coverage you want, and your occupation. Your information is instantly provided to multiple top-rated companies and they return cost estimates instantly.
To compare multiple company rates now, click here and complete the form.
Specific coverage details
Learning about specific coverages of your car insurance policy can be of help when determining the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find typical coverage types available from car insurance companies.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your vehicle.
Since many Michigan drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (20/40/10 in Michigan), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage should not be overlooked. Frequently your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Auto collision coverage
Collision insurance pays for damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage pays for things such as damaging your car on a curb, colliding with a tree, driving through your garage door and crashing into a ditch. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Liability insurance
This protects you from damage that occurs to other people or property that is your fault. This coverage protects you against claims from other people. It does not cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have policy limits of 100/300/100 that means you have $100,000 bodily injury coverage, $300,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Occasionally you may see one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which combines the three limits into one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage protects against things such as medical expenses, repair costs for stationary objects and bail bonds. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but buy higher limits if possible. Michigan state law requires minimum liability limits of 20,000/40,000/10,000 but drivers should carry more coverage.
Comprehensive auto coverage
This coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as hitting a deer, damage from flooding, a broken windshield, damage from getting keyed and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider dropping full coverage.
Medical payments and PIP coverage
Med pay and PIP coverage pay for immediate expenses for things like chiropractic care, ambulance fees, pain medications, X-ray expenses and dental work. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. Coverage applies to all vehicle occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Keep this in mind
In this article, we covered a lot of techniques to shop for car insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of getting . You may even discover the lowest priced car insurance comes from a lesser-known regional company. Smaller companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
As you restructure your insurance plan, it’s a bad idea to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut comprehensive coverage or liability limits and learned later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford but still have enough coverage for asset protection.
Cost effective car insurance is attainable online and from local insurance agents, so you need to with both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some car insurance companies may not have the ability to get a quote online and many times these small, regional companies sell through independent insurance agencies.
Additional car insurance information is located on the found here. Michigan consumers can discover disciplinary actions, learn about insurance regulations, and find out industry alerts.