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Auto insurance will protect your investment and to protect yourself from catastrophic losses. This independent guide will help you select the appropriate level of cover you need, and to avoid paying more than you need to by selecting the wrong level of insurance cover.
Auto Insurance Coverage Types.
Here are the major types of car insurance coverage, a brief description of each, and guidance on when to purchase these coverages:
Bodily Injury Liability - if someone in the other car is injured due to your negligence, you will be covered up to the limit specified in your policy. Every driver should have this coverage. To get license plates for your car, almost all states require proof of both Bodily Injury and Property Damage liability insurance. The amount of required insurance varies by state.
Property Damage Liability - same as Bodily Injury Liability, but applies to damage to the other car.
Collision - if you sustain damage during an accident, the insurance company will pay regardless of who was at fault. Collision insurance is required by lenders as long as they hold a lien on the car.
Comprehensive - if you sustain damage, caused by something other than a collision, like having a tree limb fall on your car or a rock hit your windshield, the insurance company will pay. Comprehensive insurance is required by most lenders as long as they hold a lien on the car.
Other coverages to be aware of include:
* Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury
* Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury
* Uninsured Motorist Property Damage
* Underinsured Motorist Property Damage
What factors will affect my rate?
The basic equation is: the higher the risk, the higher the rate. Some factors weigh more heavily than others, based on the statistical connection between the factor and increased risk.
* Age - quotes go down at age 25, unless you have a history of accidents or claims. After age 65, quotes go up again.
* Sex - males generally get a higher quote until age 25; then quotes are similar between the sexes.
* Marital status - a single person will generally get a higher quote than a married person.
* Driving record - an increased number of certain traffic violations will raise your quote. On the other hand, having a good driving record could get you a Safe Driver Discount.
* Geographic location - cities have higher quotes than rural areas. Areas with more accident histories or more stolen cars will have higher quotes. Moving residence might not be practical but installing an anti-theft device is. Check http://www.auto-theft.info for the cities with the most stolen cars, as well as for the most popular cars to steal.
* Car make/model - the claims history of the people who drive the same car will affect your quote. Car color will not affect your rate. Some cars are more popular with thieves.
* Car safety - a better safety record for your car will lower your quote. Things like anti-lock breaks, airbags, and automatic seat belts will also lower your quote.
* Car value - the more your car is worth, the higher the quote.
* Insurance score - many insurance companies compute this to help them determine what rate to charge you.
The insurance score is comprised of:
o Credit report information accident
o Insurance claim history
o Occupation - some occupations garner lower quotes.
o Annual mileage - the more miles you drive, the higher the quote. A shorter commute to work can save you here.
Save On Auto Insurance Quotes.
Beyond what's stated above, you can get save on quotes using the following strategies:
* Multiple policy discount - Get your auto insurance quote from the same place you have your homeowner's or renter's insurance.
* Multiple driver discount - get on the same policy as your parents, spouse, or kids.
* Raise your deductibles on various coverages. Comprehensive coverage is a good place to raise your deductible and save money.
* Consider dropping Collision coverage if your car isn't worth much.
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