Paying for high-priced car insurance can diminish your monthly budget and make it impossible to make ends meet. People have so many auto insurance companies to choose from, and though it is a good thing to have a selection, it can be more difficult to find the best rates for your vehicles.
This information will let you in on the best way to quote coverages and some tips to save money. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to save some money using these methods. Although Alabama consumers can benefit from knowing how companies sell insurance online because it can help you find the best coverage.
The easiest way to get policy rate comparisons utilizes the fact most insurance companies pay for the opportunity to give you rate quotes. To start a quote, the only thing you need to do is provide details like if a SR-22 is needed, whether you are single or married, types of safety features, and if you lease or own. The rating information is then submitted to all major companies and you should receive rate quotes with very little delay.
To start a rate quote now, click here and see if a lower rate is available.
Car insurance discounts are available to cut your rates
Some insurance providers don’t necessarily list every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so the list below gives a summary of some of the more common in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits that may apply to you.
- Good Students Pay Less – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Cars that have air bags could see savings of 25 to 30%.
- ABS Braking Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are much safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Bundled Policy Discount – If you combine your home and auto policies with the same company you will save up to 20% and get you .
- Drivers Education – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver’s ed class in school.
- Seat Belts Save – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to buckle up before driving can save 10% or more off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Theft Deterent – Cars, trucks, and SUVs optioned with advanced anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and will qualify for a discount on a .
- Federal Employees – Having worked for a branch of the government could provide a small rate reduction with a few car insurance companies.
- Mature Driver Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you are able to get reduced rates.
You can save money using discounts, but most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Even though it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.
A few popular companies and a partial list of their discounts are detailed below.
- State Farm policyholders can earn discounts including good student, good driver, accident-free, safe vehicle, passive restraint, and Drive Safe & Save.
- American Family offers discounts including air bags, Steer into Savings, accident-free, good student, mySafetyValet, and good driver.
- Geico includes discounts for anti-lock brakes, multi-vehicle, seat belt use, military active duty, membership and employees, and five-year accident-free.
- 21st Century may offer discounts for air bags, anti-lock brakes, theft prevention, 55 and older, teen driver, and good student.
- Progressive offers discounts for online signing, multi-policy, homeowner, good student, continuous coverage, and online quote discount.
It’s a good idea to ask every prospective company which discounts they offer. Savings might not be offered in every state. If you would like to view companies that offer many of these discounts in Alabama, click here.
Everyone needs different car insurance coverages
When buying the best car insurance coverage, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions might help in determining if your insurance needs could use an agent’s help.
- Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
- How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- What are the best liability limits?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- Am I covered when driving a rental car?
- Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
- Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Saraland?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Auto insurance coverage information
Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. Car insurance terms can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Below you’ll find typical coverages found on the average car insurance policy.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
This gives you protection when the “other guys” do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your vehicle.
Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (25/50/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits are set the same as your liablity limits.
Collision coverage
Collision insurance pays for damage to your vehicle caused by collision with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as damaging your car on a curb, hitting a mailbox and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from vehicles that are 8 years or older. Another option is to increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for bills like funeral costs, ambulance fees and X-ray expenses. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers both the driver and occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Coverage for liability
Liability coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other’s property or people by causing an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims. It does not cover your injuries or vehicle damage.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see policy limits of 25/50/25 which stand for a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and property damage coverage for $25,000. Some companies may use one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability can pay for things such as loss of income, pain and suffering and attorney fees. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but buy higher limits if possible. Alabama state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive can pay for things like rock chips in glass, hail damage, hitting a bird, damage from getting keyed and vandalism. The maximum amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
You can lower your rates
You just read some good ideas how you can shop for car insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more you , the higher your chance of finding . You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from a lesser-known regional company. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower auto insurance rates as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive and Geico.
Affordable car insurance is possible on the web as well as from independent agents in Saraland, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies don’t offer online rate quotes and these small insurance companies provide coverage only through independent agents.
Additional Alabama consumer information
Additional information can be read on the website for the Alabama Department of Insurance found here. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, find a variety of consumer forms, and find out industry alerts.
Other useful links include Auto Insurance 101 and this link where you can make Saraland car insurance comparisons.