Are you a victim of an overpriced car insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you there are a lot of people just like you who feel imprisoned by their car insurance policy. Big-name insurance companies like GEICO, Farmers Insurance and State Farm constantly bombard you with ads and it is difficult to not get sucked in by the cute commercials and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
It’s important to do rate comparisons once or twice a year because prices are variable and change quite frequently. Even if you got the lowest price for Sportage coverage a couple years back a different company probably has better rates today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re about to learn the things you must know in order to get good coverage at a lower rate.
Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that come into play when calculating car insurance rates. Understanding what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.
Performing a rate comparison can be a daunting task if you don’t utilize the most efficient way to do it. You can waste a few hours (or days) discussing policy coverages with insurance companies in your area, or you can stay home and use online quotes to get rates in a matter of minutes.
Most major companies enroll in a system that enables customers to submit their information once, and each participating company then gives them pricing based on that data. This system prevents you from having to do quote forms to each individual auto insurance company.
To compare 2005 Kia Sportage rates using this form now click here to open in new window.
The one disadvantage to getting quotes like this is you cannot specify the insurers to receive prices from. So if you want to choose specific providers to compare rates, we have assembled a list of auto insurance companies in your area. Click here for list of insurance companies.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just double check that you are using the exact same information on every quote you get. If each company quotes differing limits it will be next to impossible to decipher which rate is best.
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but discounts can save money and there are some available that many people don’t even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically when you quote, but less common discounts must be inquired about before they will apply. If you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck. But any discount will cut the amount you have to pay.
For a list of companies offering car insurance discounts, click here.
When choosing adequate coverage, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Each situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions might point out whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.
If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.
Knowing the specifics of your policy aids in choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. Policy terminology can be impossible to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring. Listed below are typical coverages found on the average insurance policy.
This coverage gives you protection when the “other guys” are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered claims include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your 2005 Kia Sportage.
Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required, their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Normally these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims such as a broken windshield, fire damage and damage from flooding. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
This coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property in an accident. It protects you against other people’s claims, and doesn’t cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.
Liability coverage pays for claims such as funeral expenses, attorney fees, legal defense fees, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and pain and suffering. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford.
Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses such as hospital visits, ambulance fees, nursing services, EMT expenses and dental work. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision can pay for claims like crashing into a building, scraping a guard rail, rolling your car and colliding with another moving vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and learned later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.
We covered some good ideas how you can get a better price on 2005 Kia Sportage insurance. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from an unexpected company. Regional companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.
Cost effective insurance can be found online as well as from independent agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies don’t offer online quoting and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
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