No one in their right mind cherishes buying car insurance, especially knowing the price is too high.
Because there are so many car insurance companies to choose from, it can be challenging to choose the right car insurance company.
These 5 discounts can lower your rates
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you may find discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be applied when you get a quote, but less common discounts must be specially asked for prior to getting the savings.
- Drivers Education – Have your child enroll in driver’s education in school.
- Accident Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially when compared to bad drivers.
- Club Memberships – Being a member of a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when shopping for car insurance.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Life Insurance Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
Keep in mind that some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like you can get free auto insurance, companies don’t profit that way. But any discount will help reduce your premiums.
To see a list of insurance companies who offer car insurance discounts in Utah, click this link.
Different people need different coverages
When buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there is no “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions might point out whether or not you may require specific advice.
- What discounts do I qualify for?
- Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
- When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?
- What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
- Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Tooele?
- Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
- How high should my uninsured/underinsured coverage be in Utah?
- Do I need higher deductibles?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.
Car insurance coverage options
Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine the best coverages for your vehicles. Car insurance terms can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy. These are typical coverages available from car insurance companies.
Medical payments and PIP coverage
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP reimburse you for expenses such as doctor visits, X-ray expenses, nursing services and hospital visits. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers all vehicle occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible
Liability coverages
Liability insurance will cover damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and does not provide coverage for damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see limits of 100/300/100 that means you have a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Another option is one number which is a combined single limit which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.
Liability coverage pays for things such as repair bills for other people’s vehicles, emergency aid, pain and suffering and funeral expenses. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but buy higher limits if possible. Utah requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/65,000/15,000 but you should consider buying more liability than the minimum.
Comprehensive auto coverage
This pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive insurance covers things such as fire damage, damage from getting keyed, a broken windshield, damage from a tornado or hurricane and hitting a deer. The maximum payout your car insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Collision protection
This pays for damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers claims like backing into a parked car, scraping a guard rail, driving through your garage door and hitting a parking meter. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. You can also choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your vehicle.
Since many Utah drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 25/65/15), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.
Additional car insurance information can be read on the website for the Utah Insurance Department found here. Utah consumers can view a list of available companies, read consumer alerts, and discover disciplinary actions.
Other useful links include Auto Insurance 101 and this resource to find Tooele, UT insurance agents.
Affordable insurance is out there
We just showed you some good ideas how you can save on car insurance. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the best price on car insurance is with a small mutual company. These companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm and Allstate.
Lower-priced car insurance is possible both online and also from your neighborhood Tooele agents, so compare prices from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies may not provide online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.