Feel like you’re a prisoner to high-priced auto insurance? Trust us, there are many Portage consumers feeling the pinch from expensive auto insurance. There are many insurance companies to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to have multiple companies, it can be more challenging to compare company pricing.
Choosing the best insurance company for you in Portage is quite easy. If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to cut costs considerably using this strategy. Indiana drivers only need an understanding of the proper methods to compare prices over the internet.
Compare Quotes for Portage Auto Insurance
Getting better auto insurance pricing can be quick and easy. You just need to invest a little time to get quotes online with multiple companies. This can be done in several different ways.
- The fastest way consumers can analyze rates is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This method saves time by eliminating multiple quote forms to each individual auto insurance company. Just one form will get you rate comparisons direct from many companies.
- A more time consuming way to obtain and compare quotes online consists of visiting each company’s website to complete a price quote. For sake of this example, we’ll assume you want to compare State Farm, Geico and Farmers. You would have to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.
To view a list of companies in Portage, click here.
Which method you use is up to you, but make sure you use identical coverages and limits on every quote. If you enter different limits and deductibles on each one it’s impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Portage.
These six discounts can slash auto insurance rates
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always publicize all their discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find some of the best known and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Homeowners Discount – Owning a house in Portage may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
- Discount for Good Grades – Getting good grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up to age 25.
- Anti-theft System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Clubs and Organizations – Affiliation with certain professional organizations may earn a discount on auto insurance.
- No Accidents – Drivers who don’t have accidents can earn big discounts as compared to drivers who are more careless.
- Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to the entire cost. Most only cut specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates you could get a free auto insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way.
What auto insurance coverages do you need?
Learning about specific coverages of a auto insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Policy terminology can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Below you’ll find the usual coverages found on the average auto insurance policy.
Coverage for liability – Liability coverage protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property in an accident. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 25/50/25 that means you have $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability insurance covers things such as attorney fees, medical services, structural damage, repair costs for stationary objects and legal defense fees. How much coverage you buy is a personal decision, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. Indiana requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/10,000 but you should consider buying higher limits.
Collision coverage – This coverage pays for damage to your vehicle from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for claims like sideswiping another vehicle, rolling your car, hitting a mailbox and colliding with a tree. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.
Coverage for medical payments – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for short-term medical expenses like ambulance fees, rehabilitation expenses, nursing services, surgery and doctor visits. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover both the driver and occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Uninsured and underinsured coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your vehicle.
Due to the fact that many Indiana drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (25/50/10), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.
Comprehensive coverages – Comprehensive insurance covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like damage from flooding, hail damage, falling objects, theft and vandalism. The highest amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider removing comprehensive coverage.
More detailed Indiana auto insurance information can be found at the Indiana Department of Insurance website. Consumers can learn about insurance regulations, report car insurance fraud, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Smart shoppers get results
As you shop your coverage around, it’s very important that you do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where someone dropped collision coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big mistake. The aim is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford.
Low-cost auto insurance can be purchased on the web in addition to many Portage insurance agents, so compare prices from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance providers do not provide online quoting and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.
Throughout this article, we presented many ways to lower your auto insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from the smaller companies. Smaller companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than their larger competitors like Progressive and Geico.