Auto Insurance - Not Sexy but You Can Save a Ton of Money!
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Auto Insurance is not a sexy thing to talk about, no question. Think about it, when was the last time you sat around on a Saturday night with your friends and talked about your bodily injury coverage? Probably never...
However, it can not be understated that, by comparing auto insurance premiums from several of the best known and regional companies, you CAN save significant money. I am going to do my best to provide some insight into finding cheaper insurance and also a few tips on how to go about doing it. It likely won't be sexy, however, saving hundreds of dollars can certainly make you feel good.
We all have to have car insurance, no matter where you live, if you drive a car. Every state, except New Hampshire, requires you to carry at least liability coverage, commonly known as PL/PD, and will dictate the minimum limits you must carry. If you are not sure what your states minimum limits are, check your states minimum limit requirement here.
So, if this is something that we have to have, to drive legally anyway, why not save as much dough as possible? Rhetorical question of course, who doesn't want to save money...
How should you go about this? Good question. You could visit multiple carrier sites, like Progressive or GEICO, however, you won't receive comparative quotes from other companies by doing so. Sure, some of them say they will show you rates from competing companies but the truth is those rates are what are called manufactured rates. Basically, they are estimates pulled from a database of historical data on premiums from those companies. Not real quotes. The better option is to use a reputable site in which you can complete ONE form and have your insurance quoted by multiple companies.
I want to let you know what will happen next as many people that have received quotes online may not have been informed as to what happens next. With most sites, ours included, when you complete a quote form you will then be contacted by a few agents that all want your business and are willing to compete for it. Although it is not always fun to have to provide the same information to a few different agents, it is necessary if you want to compare and save on your insurance. Here a few tips when talking to the agents or companies directly:
The other option available to you in terms of comparing, is to use a site that can provide you with instant rates online. The form may be a page or two longer, however, you will receive instant quotes vs. having agents call you. If you live in Arizona, California or Colorado our site allows you to secure instant rates through our partnership with CoverHound, a national insurance agency based in California.
As a real-world example, my wife and I recently used our site to shop our auto insurance. We did receive a few calls from a few agents and actually followed the advise I provided above
. We ultimately did switch insurance companies and are going to save $1,200 this year. No joke! Now, you have to admit, that is a bit sexy! :rolleyes:
So, although auto insurance itself is not sexy, saving money in these difficult times certainly can be, a little... I don't know about you, but when we look to cut costs at home, we start with those discretionary items like entertainment. Many of us often overlook our insurance as a way to save money. Put a little time in and there is strong chance you could find some pretty fantastic savings as well.
Take care and happy shopping!
However, it can not be understated that, by comparing auto insurance premiums from several of the best known and regional companies, you CAN save significant money. I am going to do my best to provide some insight into finding cheaper insurance and also a few tips on how to go about doing it. It likely won't be sexy, however, saving hundreds of dollars can certainly make you feel good.
We all have to have car insurance, no matter where you live, if you drive a car. Every state, except New Hampshire, requires you to carry at least liability coverage, commonly known as PL/PD, and will dictate the minimum limits you must carry. If you are not sure what your states minimum limits are, check your states minimum limit requirement here.
So, if this is something that we have to have, to drive legally anyway, why not save as much dough as possible? Rhetorical question of course, who doesn't want to save money...
How should you go about this? Good question. You could visit multiple carrier sites, like Progressive or GEICO, however, you won't receive comparative quotes from other companies by doing so. Sure, some of them say they will show you rates from competing companies but the truth is those rates are what are called manufactured rates. Basically, they are estimates pulled from a database of historical data on premiums from those companies. Not real quotes. The better option is to use a reputable site in which you can complete ONE form and have your insurance quoted by multiple companies.
I want to let you know what will happen next as many people that have received quotes online may not have been informed as to what happens next. With most sites, ours included, when you complete a quote form you will then be contacted by a few agents that all want your business and are willing to compete for it. Although it is not always fun to have to provide the same information to a few different agents, it is necessary if you want to compare and save on your insurance. Here a few tips when talking to the agents or companies directly:
- Provide accurate information so you get the best rates
- Apples to Apples - provide the exact same information to each to assure rates are comparable in terms of coverage
- Ask about discounts - this is huge and can save you tons...
- Check the financial strength of each company
The other option available to you in terms of comparing, is to use a site that can provide you with instant rates online. The form may be a page or two longer, however, you will receive instant quotes vs. having agents call you. If you live in Arizona, California or Colorado our site allows you to secure instant rates through our partnership with CoverHound, a national insurance agency based in California.
As a real-world example, my wife and I recently used our site to shop our auto insurance. We did receive a few calls from a few agents and actually followed the advise I provided above
. We ultimately did switch insurance companies and are going to save $1,200 this year. No joke! Now, you have to admit, that is a bit sexy! :rolleyes:So, although auto insurance itself is not sexy, saving money in these difficult times certainly can be, a little... I don't know about you, but when we look to cut costs at home, we start with those discretionary items like entertainment. Many of us often overlook our insurance as a way to save money. Put a little time in and there is strong chance you could find some pretty fantastic savings as well.
Take care and happy shopping!