You have many choices when buying insurance for your vehicle. You can either buy through a local agent or go online to compare rates from lots of different providers. Finding cheaper car insurance through online providers can be fast and easy, in addition you might just save a little.

If you are a novice to online car insurance shopping, you may be confused by the hoards of online car insurance companies and websites vying for your business. When shopping for car insurance there are multiple ways of comparing rates and find the best price. The recommended way to compare is to perform an online rate comparison. This is very easy and can be done by comparing rates here.

Criteria which help determine your insurance rates

Auto insurance rates for your 1998 can be significantly different depending on several factors. A few of these criteria are:

• Higher performance 1998 vehicles cost more
• How many accidents you have had
• Home/auto policy bundles save money
• Pleasure, commuting or business use can affect rates
• Your birth date
• Whether you are married
• Optional coverages like vehicle replacement
• What you do for a living
• Insurance coverage level
• Owning a home can lower rates

A final factor which can affect is the model year. Models that are a few years old have a much lower replacement value in comparison to older models so the payout to repair may result in lower rates. 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 that may help lower rates.

Liability auto insurance - This coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to other's property or people that is your fault. Liability coverage protects against claims such as funeral expenses, loss of income, and emergency aid. Coverage is generally pretty cheap so consider buying as large an amount as possible.

Collision coverage - This covers damage to your resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so you might think about dropping it 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 caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by your comprehensive insurance. The highest amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it's not worth much more than your deductible it's probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage - This coverage protects you and your vehicle's occupants from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits, their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.

Medical expense insurance - Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for bills (i.e. ambulance fees, surgery, and doctor visits). They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay.