You have many choices when finding cheaper insurance coverage on your vehicle. You can get prices from a local agent or get quotes online to compare insurance costs of a lot of car insurance companies. Shopping for car insurance through online companies saves time, is easy to do, in addition you might just save a little.

Comparing car insurance rates direct online can be complicated if you are a beginner to online rate quotes. But don't be discouraged because comparing prices is actually very simple. When shopping for car insurance there are multiple ways to get quotes from car insurance companies in your area. The easiest way by far to find the cheapest consists of shopping online. This is very easy and can be done by getting a quick quote here.

Criteria which help determine insurance rates

Auto insurance rates on a 1997 will vary greatly and are calculated by many factors. A few of these criteria are:

• High performance increases premiums
• Your accident history
• Whether you insure your home with the same company
• Pleasure use vs. commuting use
• Young drivers cost more
• Being married may save money
• Optional coverages like vehicle replacement
• What you do for a living
• The amount of protection requested
• Owning a home can lower rates

A final factor that will help determine is the model year. Older cars and trucks have a much lower replacement value in comparison to older models so the cost to replace them may end up costing you less. But more recent vehicles may have a trim level with safety features including active head restraints, traction control, and a rollover prevention system so those may help offset higher rates.

Coverage for liability

This will cover injuries or damage you cause to people or other property by causing an accident. Liability insurance covers claims such as funeral expenses, loss of income, and emergency aid. It is cheap coverage so consider buying as much as you can afford.

Collision protection

Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your resulting from a collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company. Collision coverage for your 1997 can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)

This coverage covers damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by your comprehensive insurance. The maximum amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle's value it's not worth carrying full coverage.

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

This coverage provides protection when the "other guys" are uninsured or don't have enough coverage. Due to the fact that many drivers carry very low liability coverage limits, it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family.

Insurance for medical payments

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for bills (i.e. ambulance fees, surgery, and doctor visits). They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. PIP coverage is only offered in select states and may carry a deductible.