You have lots of choices when shopping for insurance coverage for your vehicle. You can buy direct from an insurance agent or get quotes online to compare insurance costs of car insurance companies. Comparing car insurance from online rate quotes saves time, is easy to do and at the same time you may find lower rates.

Using the web to shop for car insurance direct is challenging if you are a beginner to online quotes. Don't let that stop you because we're going to show you how. The are a couple different ways of comparing rates from different insurance companies. The best method to find the cheapest involves getting comparison quotes online. It is quite easy and can be accomplished by getting a quick quote here.

What factors determine your insurance rates?

Insurance premiums for your 2003 can vary widely and are calculated by many factors. Taken into consideration are:

• High performance increases premiums
• Any accidents you may have
• Home and auto can earn discounts
• Pleasure, commuting or business use can affect rates
• Special coverage such as replacement cost
• Your job
• The level of coverage
• Whether you rent or own your home

One important consideration that can impact your rates is the age of the vehicle. Used vehicles have a reduced actual cash value compared to new models so the payout to repair may end up costing you less. Conversely, newer vehicles have more advanced features such as a collision avoidance system, forward-collision avoidance, and active head restraints which can help offset higher rates.

Liability insurance - This can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other's property or people. Liability coverage pays for things such as emergency aid, pain and suffering, and medical services. It is cheap coverage so buy higher limits if possible.

Collision coverage - This coverage covers damage to your resulting from colliding with an object or car. You will need to pay your 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 lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to increase the deductible to bring the cost down.

Comprehensive protection - Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle's value it's probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage - This provides protection from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Because many people carry very low liability coverage limits, it doesn't take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is a good idea.

Medical expense coverage - Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for expenses like doctor visits, EMT expenses, and X-ray expenses. They can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and may carry a deductible.