Having to pay for expensive auto insurance can dry up your checking account and possibly require postponing other expenditures. Doing a price comparison is recommended to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.
Multiple auto insurance companies compete for your insurance dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare insurance companies and get the best coverage at the cheapest price
Comparing auto insurance rates can be challenging if you aren’t aware of the easiest way. You can waste a lot of time talking about coverages with local insurance agents in Kaplan, or you can utilize online quoting to get the quickest rates.
Many companies enroll in a system where insurance shoppers enter their coverage request one time, and every company then gives them pricing for coverage. This eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company.
To participate in this free quote system, click here to start a free quote.
The single downside to comparing rates this way is buyers cannot specifically choose which carriers you want to price. So if you prefer to choose individual companies for rate comparison, we have a page of the cheapest auto insurance companies in Louisiana. Click here for list of insurance companies in Louisiana.
Whichever way you choose to compare rates, ensure you are comparing identical deductibles and coverage limits on every quote you get. If you enter different coverage information it’s not possible to find the best deal in Kaplan. Just a small difference in insurance coverages may cause a big price difference. Keep in mind that quoting more will enable you to find a lower rate.
Slick advertising tricks that work
Auto insurance companies such as Progressive, Allstate and Geico consistently run television and radio advertisements. They all seem to make the point that you’ll save big if you change your auto insurance policy to them. How do they all lower your premium rates? This is how they do it.
Most companies give the cheapest rates for the right customer that earns them the highest profit. One example of this type of risk profile might be described as a female over age 40, has no claims, and the vehicle is rated for pleasure use. Any customer that meets those criteria receives the best premium rates and will probably cut their rates if they switch.
Consumers who do not meet those standards will see higher premium rates and this can result in the customer not buying. The ad wording is “customers who switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save that much. That is how insurance companies can confidently claim big savings. Different companies use different criteria so you need to compare often. Because you never know which auto insurance company will have better premium rates than you’re paying now.
Five discounts for cheaper auto insurance rates
Auto insurance is not inexpensive, but you might be missing out on some discounts that could help you make your next renewal payment. Certain discounts will be applied at quote time, but some need to be specially asked for before you get the savings. If you check and find you aren’t receiving every discount available, you are not getting the best rate possible.
- Professional Memberships – Being in certain professional organizations could trigger savings on your policy.
- Sign Early and Save – Some insurance companies provide a discount for buying a policy before your current policy expires. You can save around 10% with this discount.
- Safety Course Discount – Participating in a defensive driver course could earn you a small percentage discount and make you a better driver.
- ABS Braking Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles prevent accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Claim-Free Discount – Drivers who don’t have accidents can earn big discounts as opposed to drivers who are more careless.
Don’t be surprised that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. Despite the fact that it seems like you can get free auto insurance, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.
For a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Kaplan, click here.
You may need specialized auto insurance coverage
When buying the right insurance coverage, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is unique so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions can aid in determining whether your personal situation could use an agent’s help.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px;" src="https://www.carinsurancediy.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-71.jpg" alt="Kaplan Louisiana auto insurance“/>
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
- Is a new car covered when I drive it off the dealer lot?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.
Specific coverage details
Understanding the coverages of your auto insurance policy helps when choosing which coverages you need for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are typical coverages found on most auto insurance policies.
Collision protection
Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with an object or car. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for things like crashing into a ditch, sideswiping another vehicle, driving through your garage door, sustaining damage from a pot hole and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.
Coverage for liability
Liability coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see policy limits of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 bodily injury coverage, a per accident bodily injury limit of $100,000, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability coverage protects against things such as medical services, pain and suffering, attorney fees, bail bonds and medical expenses. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as much as you can afford. Louisiana requires minimum liability limits of 15,000/30,000/25,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy better liability coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your vehicle.
Since many Louisiana drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (15/30/25), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.
Comprehensive coverage
This coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage pays for things like damage from getting keyed, hitting a bird and damage from flooding. The maximum payout a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance pay for bills for things like nursing services, pain medications, prosthetic devices and dental work. The coverages can be used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
More detailed Louisiana auto insurance information is available at the Louisiana Department of Insurance website. Consumers can read state legal mandates and laws, download brochures, file complaints about a company, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.
Quote often and quote early
In this article, we presented many ideas to save on auto insurance. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of getting . Consumers could even find that the most savings is with an unexpected company. They may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate and Progressive.
Cost effective auto insurance is possible both online in addition to many Kaplan insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who do not offer price quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies prefer to sell through local independent agencies.
When trying to cut insurance costs, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits only to find out that they should have had better coverage. Your objective should be to buy enough coverage at the best cost, not the least amount of coverage.