Buying insurance for your vehicle is one of those things that none of us really want to think about. After all, insurance sometimes feels like a big money pit: you keep pouring money into it each month but rarely – if ever – do you get anything back from it.

Of course, if you ever were to get into an accident or have some non-accident-related damage happen to your car, suddenly you will be very glad you have insurance. A bad accident can wipe an uninsured person out financially, especially if a lawsuit is brought forth.

Even if you had a crystal ball and knew you would never be in an accident for the rest of your life, there is another good reason to buy car insurance: it is the law. While the law varies from state to state, in each state there is at least some minimal car insurance coverage required by law.

Most states require that drivers buy liability insurance. This is the type of coverage that pays for the property and medical expenses of the other party if you cause an accident.

Of course, liability insurance is usually not enough to satisfy most people’s needs. You will likely want to buy other types of coverage, such as medical payments (covers your medical expenses if the accident was your fault), collision (covers your car if it was your fault), and uninsured motorist (covers you and your car if it was their fault but they lack insurance).

Think you need insurance? You are right. But, how do you get the best rate?

Why Different Companies Offer Such Different Rates

It is easy to try to rationalize not having to shop around for car insurance. After all, it is easy to tell yourself that most companies charge about the same rate. Well, this could not be further from the truth. Actually, for the same applicant, insurance companies can offer widely different insurance quotes.

The reason for this is two-fold. First, companies all use different formulas (called actuarial tables) to calculate risk; and, no two companies share the same formulas. The second reason is that companies know that once you are a customer, you are unlikely to switch companies. So, they hike your rates up over time: another reason shop around every 6-12 months.

The Trick to Finding the Lowest Rates on Car Insurance

What is the magic secret for finding the lowest-possible car insurance rates? Do good research and asking the right questions. It is that simple. By doing careful research while recording your results, you could easily save hundreds or even a thousand or more per year in insurance costs for the same coverage.

Car Insurance for Your Vehicle: Lowest Rates Tips

Here are 3 tips for finding the lowest car insurance rates:

1. Start with a sizable list of companies: The first golden rule is this: more choices will always increase your chances of getting the best rates. Make sure to create a list of at least 5-7 car insurance companies. Use Internet research to build your list.

2. Record your results: Prepare a file in a spreadsheet program like Excel. Create fields for items like company name, contact information and premium. This may seem like an unnecessary step, but having your data organized in this way will greatly help you make sense of it all and decide more easily.

3. Get apples-to-apples quotes: It is essential that you get a quote for the identical coverage from each company. No matter what, do not let some agent talk you into more coverage mid-way through your research, since doing so will no longer allow you to compare quotes. (Remember, you can always go back and add the extra coverage before placing your final order and signing a policy).

Follow these 3 tips for getting the lowest rate on car insurance.

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Category: Automotive
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