Drivers have lots of options when buying insurance for your vehicle. You can either buy through a local agent or get quotes online to compare rates from lots of different providers. Shopping for car insurance through online providers saves time, is easy to do, plus you might just save a little.

Comparing car insurance rates direct online can be difficult if you are a beginner to online rate quotes. Don't let that stop you because comparing prices is actually very simple. When shopping for car insurance there are multiple ways of comparing rates and find the best price. The recommended way to compare consists of shopping online. This can be done by comparing rates here.

Car insurance rates influenced by the following

Auto insurance rates for your 2004 will vary greatly and are calculated by many factors. Including but not limited to:

• High performance increases premiums
• Your accident history
• Whether you insure your home with the same company
• Pleasure, commuting or business use can affect rates
• Your birth date
• Whether you are married
• Add-on coverages such as rental reimbursement
• What you do for a living
• Insurance coverage level
• Home ownership saves money

A final factor that will help determine is the model year. Older cars and trucks have a lower value in comparison to older models so the payout to repair may end up costing you less. Although newer vehicles may have a trim level with safety features included like active head restraints, an advanced theft deterrent system, and lane departure warning system so those may lower rates.

Liability auto insurance - This can cover damage or injury you incur to other's property or people by causing an accident. Liability insurance covers claims like pain and suffering, repair costs for stationary objects, and legal defense fees. It is cheap coverage so consider buying as much as you can afford.

Collision coverage - Collision coverage covers damage to your resulting from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper .

Comprehensive (Other than Collision) - Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by your comprehensive insurance. The maximum amount your car insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it's not worth much more than your deductible it's probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage - Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle's occupants from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Due to the fact that many drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.

Medical expense insurance - Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for immediate expenses (i.e. EMT expenses, pain medications, and nursing services). They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you are not covered by health insurance. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay.