Expensive auto insurance can drain your checking account and put a big crunch on your finances. Comparing price quotes is free and is an excellent way to make sure you’re not throwing money away. Lots of car insurance companies contend to insure your vehicles, and because of this it can be hard to compare car insurance companies and uncover the absolute lowest rate possible.
Lower rates by qualifying for these eight discounts
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available that can drop the cost substantially. Some trigger automatically at quote time, but a few must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Life Insurance Discount – Some companies give better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same company you will save approximately 10% to 15%.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
- Use Seat Belts – Drivers who require all occupants to wear their seat belts could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
- Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may receive reduced rates.
- Resident Student – Kids in college who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Have your child enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.
As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, you won’t be that lucky. But all discounts will help reduce your premiums.
For a list of insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Michigan, click here to view.
Situations that might require an agent
When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Every insured’s situation is different so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions might point out if your insurance needs might need professional guidance.
- Is Michigan a no-fault state?
- What if I total my vehicle and owe more than it’s worth?
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
- Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
- What if I don’t agree with a claim settlement offer?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
- Are all vehicle passengers covered by medical payments coverage?
- Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
If you can’t answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, free and can provide invaluable advice.
What happened to insurance agents?
Some consumers would prefer to visit with an insurance agent and that is a personal choice. Agents can help determine the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you may find better rates but also keep your business local. Buying from local insurance agencies is important particularly in Royal Oak.
For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, your coverage information is submitted to agents in your area who will battle for your coverage. You don’t have to leave your house because quoted prices will be sent to the email address you provide.
Shown below are Royal Oak auto insurance companies willing to provide rate quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 821 W 11 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067 – (248) 542-6416
L A Insurance – 911 E 11 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48067 – (248) 547-6900
Farm Bureau Insurance – 4000 Crooks Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48073 – (248) 655-0573
Kelly Insurance – 25600 Woodward Ave # 102, Royal Oak, MI 48067 – (248) 544-9390
Farmers Insurance Group – 4318 Rochester Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48073 – (248) 733-1788
William Behn Agency Inc – 3403 Rochester Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48073 – (248) 589-9811
Allstate Insurance – 4211 W 13 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI 48073 – (248) 435-6222
Picking a company requires more thought than just the premium amount. Here are some questions to ask:
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
- How are they compensated?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Do the companies they represent have a solid financial rating?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- How long has their agency been open in Royal Oak?
Once you have received satisfactory answers to your questions and a good coverage price, you have narrowed it down to an insurance company that is a good match to service your policy. Just keep in mind consumers can cancel coverage any time you want so never feel you’re contractually obligated to any specific agency for the full term.
Much more information about auto insurance in Michigan can be read on the website for the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation found here. Visitors are able to find out which companies have the most complaints, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, learn about specific coverages, and read consumer alerts.
Auto insurance coverage considerations
Understanding the coverages of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing which coverages you need for your vehicles. Policy terminology can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are the normal coverages found on most auto insurance policies.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses for funeral costs, surgery and X-ray expenses. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants as well as being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible
Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers claims such as damage from getting keyed, falling objects, hitting a deer, theft and damage from flooding. The highest amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.
Collision insurance
Collision insurance will pay to fix damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision can pay for things like crashing into a building, sustaining damage from a pot hole, colliding with another moving vehicle and driving through your garage door. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so you might think about dropping it from older vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
This gives you protection from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (20/40/10 in Michigan), their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Frequently these coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.
Liability coverages
Liability coverage will cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You commonly see policy limits of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property. Occasionally you may see one number which is a combined single limit that pays claims from the same limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability coverage protects against claims like repair costs for stationary objects, bail bonds, attorney fees, pain and suffering and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but consider buying as much as you can afford. Michigan state law requires minimum liability limits of 20,000/40,000/10,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.
Compare but don’t skimp
You just read a lot of techniques to reduce auto insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even discover the best prices are with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.
Cost effective auto insurance can be sourced from both online companies and with local Royal Oak insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.