Your auto insurance policy is designed to protect your car, and a lot more. It’s also designed to protect both you and other drivers and their cars. It is important to review your policy to find out what exactly is covered and fill in any shortcomings. Use the tips in this article to learn how to get all that you can from your auto insurance.
Keep your driving record clean. Accidents and moving violations on your record will drastically increase your insurance premiums. If you do have citations or accident reports on your record, you may be able to get them removed by attending driving school, which will lower your rates.
When you are considering accessories for your car, be sure to consult your insurance agent in regards to how these accessories will affect your coverage. When purchasing extras for your car like stereo systems, it doesn’t matter what price you paid, only what the appraiser is willing to value them at.
Most states require that you pay for liability insurance. The law requires you to be pro-active in knowing if you’ve got the required minimum insurance coverage for the state in which you reside. Getting in an accident and not having adequate insurance coverage can have major financial consequences, and it can also be a violation of law.
They type of vehicle you buy will play a huge role in the price you pay for your insurance policy. If you can’t be seen without a Lexus or a BMW, you’ll pay high premiums. Go with something modest and safe if you really want to save the most money.
Insurance companies offer a wide range of coverage and services that go beyond what is legally required. In the end, the extra expense of some insurance policies may be worth it. Uninsured motorist coverage protects you when you suffer damages to your vehicle or yourself that are caused by an uninsured driver.
Always get multiple quotes from different companies when buying car insurance. There is a drastically large variation of rates in the world of auto insurance. To ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck, make it a point to shop new quotes at least once per year. Just be careful to make sure that the quotes are offering the same levels of insurance when reviewing.
Make perfectly certain that you have new auto insurance coverage before actually dropping your current coverage. You should not be without auto insurance even for a short time, since accidents can and do happen at any time.
Create a list of the company’s discounts, look it over, and figure out which ones you can get. Claiming these discounts can save you a surprising amount of money.
If you’ve received a ticket, you know what that does to your car insurance rates. Conversely, the less points you have on your license, the lower your insurance costs. Once your record is clean again, it could be advantageous to request a new quote from your auto insurance.
Look over your policy and remove anyone who no longer drives the vehicle. Adding other drivers to your insurance can increase your payments, however if you take them out you will save cash on your premium since that’s one less person you have to cover.
Even though your insurance company should send someone to record damage from an accident, you must also document what happened. Use your cell phone to take pictures and record video of the damage caused by the accident and the location where it occurred. Another option would be to keep a camera with you all the time just in case you should need it in an emergency like this.
Keeping in mind the tips from this article, look again at your policy. When you know what you to look for, you may be surprised at items that are lacking in your coverage. See if there are any places where it may be beneficial to you to head back to your agent for a new policy.