Full Protection
The whole purpose of car insurance is to give you the protection you need, so the most critical thing you have to consider is how much coverage to buy. It is important to find a car insurance company that is willing to work with you to get you the best possible coverage for the lowest possible price. A good car insurance company will be willing to help you determine exactly how much protection you need, based on your financial circumstances and your experience.
A good car insurance company will also be able to suggest additional coverage you might not have thought off, such as coverage for uninsured and underinsured motorists, or coverage that pays for a rental car while your own car is being fixed after an accident.
Available Discounts
Every car insurance company offers some sort of discounts to its policyholders. Your job is to research those potential discounts and take advantage of as many of them as you can. It is always a good idea to ask the car insurance agent about any discounts to which you might be entitled, since those discounts are not always obvious.
Some discounts, like those for anti-theft devices and safety equipment, might be obvious and straightforward. But if you are a young driver, you might also be offered a discount for being a good student, or for signing a pledge stating that you will not drink and drive or ride with anyone who has been drinking.
Older drivers might also be eligible for discounts if they take a defensive driving course, or if they enroll in additional driver training. Unless you know about those discounts in advance, you might not be able to take advantage of them, and that could mean paying for more car insurance than you have to.
Premium Criteria
When shopping for car insurance, it is important to shop with companies whose premium criteria best match your own needs and your own experience. For instance, some car insurance companies consider your credit history as well as your driving record when setting premium rates. If you have a less than stellar credit rating but have never had an accident, you would do well to focus on companies that do not consider credit when setting premiums.
On the other hand, if you have a spotless credit report and an equally spotless driving record, your ability to handle money might allow you to save even more if you shop with a company that does use your credit as a criteria. The key is to know what criteria the company uses, and to use that knowledge to your advantage.
The whole purpose of car insurance is to give you the protection you need, so the most critical thing you have to consider is how much coverage to buy. It is important to find a car insurance company that is willing to work with you to get you the best possible coverage for the lowest possible price. A good car insurance company will be willing to help you determine exactly how much protection you need, based on your financial circumstances and your experience.
A good car insurance company will also be able to suggest additional coverage you might not have thought off, such as coverage for uninsured and underinsured motorists, or coverage that pays for a rental car while your own car is being fixed after an accident.
Available Discounts
Every car insurance company offers some sort of discounts to its policyholders. Your job is to research those potential discounts and take advantage of as many of them as you can. It is always a good idea to ask the car insurance agent about any discounts to which you might be entitled, since those discounts are not always obvious.
Some discounts, like those for anti-theft devices and safety equipment, might be obvious and straightforward. But if you are a young driver, you might also be offered a discount for being a good student, or for signing a pledge stating that you will not drink and drive or ride with anyone who has been drinking.
Older drivers might also be eligible for discounts if they take a defensive driving course, or if they enroll in additional driver training. Unless you know about those discounts in advance, you might not be able to take advantage of them, and that could mean paying for more car insurance than you have to.
Premium Criteria
When shopping for car insurance, it is important to shop with companies whose premium criteria best match your own needs and your own experience. For instance, some car insurance companies consider your credit history as well as your driving record when setting premium rates. If you have a less than stellar credit rating but have never had an accident, you would do well to focus on companies that do not consider credit when setting premiums.
On the other hand, if you have a spotless credit report and an equally spotless driving record, your ability to handle money might allow you to save even more if you shop with a company that does use your credit as a criteria. The key is to know what criteria the company uses, and to use that knowledge to your advantage.
