Are you tired of being strong-armed each month for auto insurance? You are no different than the majority of other consumers in Indiana. Consumers have so many insurance companies to purchase coverage from, and although it’s nice to be able to choose, lots of choices makes it harder to compare company pricing.
Smart consumers take time to shop coverage around yearly because auto insurance rates change regularly. Even if you got the best deal a year ago the chances are good that you can find a lower price today. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about auto insurance out there, but in this article, you’re going to get some proven techniques to buy auto insurance cheaper.
All major auto insurance companies allow you to get coverage price quotes online. The process is pretty painless because you just enter the coverages you want into the quote form. Upon sending the form, their rating system automatically orders information on your driving record and credit history and generates a price based on the information you submitted. Online price quotes makes it easy to compare insurance prices but the time required to go to different websites and type in your information can be a bit repetitive. But it is imperative to do this if you want to get the lowest possible prices on auto insurance.
Isn’t there an easier way to compare rates?
A less time-consuming method to find better auto insurance pricing uses one simple form that analyzes rates from a bunch of companies at once. This type of form saves time, reduces the work, and makes online shopping much more enjoyable and efficient. After sending your information, your coverage is rated and you can choose your choice of the returned quotes.
If the quotes result in lower rates, you can click and sign and purchase the new policy. The entire process only takes a few minutes and you will know how your current rates stack up.
To quickly find out how much you can save on auto insurance, click here to open in a new tab and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you enter the coverage information identical to your current policy. Doing this guarantees you’re receiving a price comparison for the exact same coverage.
Don’t overlook these five auto insurance discounts
Some providers don’t list every possible discount very well, so the following is a list of some of the best known as well as some of the hidden discounts that you can inquire about if you .
- Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) on medical payment and PIP coverage.
- Clubs and Organizations – Participating in qualifying employment or professional organizations could trigger savings when shopping for auto insurance.
- Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who avoid accidents can save as much as half off their rates compared to accident prone drivers.
- Federal Government Employee – Having worked for a branch of the government can earn a discount up to 10% with a few auto insurance companies.
- Auto/Life Discount – If the company offers life insurance, you could get a discounted price on car insurance if you buy auto and life insurance together.
Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like you can get free auto insurance, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.
Insurance companies that may offer quotes with some of the above discounts may include but are not limited to:
When getting a coverage quote, ask each insurance company which discounts they offer. Some of the earlier mentioned discounts may not be offered in Warsaw.
When to get professional advice
When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance should reflect that For instance, these questions might help in determining whether you could use an agent’s help.
- Should I buy only the required Indiana minimum liability coverage?
- Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
- When should I not file a claim?
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
- When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
- Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
- Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
- Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
- Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier
Auto insurance coverages 101
Learning about specific coverages of auto insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need at the best deductibles and correct limits. Auto insurance terms can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are the usual coverages found on most auto insurance policies.
Liability
Liability coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other’s property or people. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see policy limits of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 bodily injury coverage, a total of $300,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Some companies may use one number which is a combined single limit that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability coverage protects against things such as repair costs for stationary objects, bail bonds, funeral expenses, legal defense fees and loss of income. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but consider buying higher limits if possible. Indiana state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/50,000/10,000 but you should think about purchasing higher limits.
Comprehensive coverages
This coverage will pay to fix damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like damage from getting keyed, falling objects, theft, hitting a deer and fire damage. The highest amount your auto insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Collision coverage protection
This coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision coverage pays for claims such as colliding with another moving vehicle, crashing into a building, hitting a mailbox and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to bump up the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.
Uninsured and underinsured coverage
This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many Indiana drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (25/50/10), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is a good idea. Most of the time these coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.
Coverage for medical payments
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for expenses for rehabilitation expenses, chiropractic care, hospital visits and funeral costs. They can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers all vehicle occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
Much more information about auto insurance in Indiana can be found on the website for the Indiana Department of Insurance found here. Indiana consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, view agent and company licensing information, learn about specific coverages, and view a list of available companies.