Ten Tips to Buying Auto Insurance
Follow these ten tips to get the best auto insurance with optimum coverage at a nominal cost.
1. First assess your needs and decide what auto coverage you need, what does your existing policy cover and how much can you afford. This will help avoid unnecessary coverage that will save a lot of money.
2. Next, decide on the coverage as required by your state laws. Besides the minimum coverage, you need personal liability coverage to cover all your assets in case you cause an accident, injure people, and damage property. Decide upon the amount of personal liability coverage to protect your assets.
Take uninsured coverage to protect yourself against an accident by an uninsured driver. Set the amount of comprehensive coverage depending on your driving record and the annual distance you drive. You may forgo collision coverage if your car is very old.
3. Check your driving and safety record and claims history. If you are a safe driver, you can bargain with the insurer for discounts.
4. Write down the amount of coverage you require and get online quotes for this amount from at least three companies. Examine the policies and quotes in detail and select the one that suits you best.
5. Compare quotes from the companies based on the premium charged, the company’s reputation, its customer service, and the claims ratio.
6. Sometimes, it helps to get quotes over the phone as the customer service executive can get you exactly what you need faster over the phone, than online.
7. Bargain for discounts based on your safe driving or a low claims history with previous insurers.
8. Before finalizing an auto insurance company, check its financial stability and the state insurance department website for any legal complaints against it.
9. Analyze the policy for hidden clauses like arbitration or the use of local body parts in repairs. Stay away from such insurers, as they will do a shoddy job of repairs and claims settlement.
10. Once you have finalized the insurer and the policy, place the policy in your car, and remember to cancel the old policy.
If you proceed in this manner, you are sure to get great auto insurance at an optimum price.