The following is a guest post from 21st Century Insurance that explains how to shop for car insurance and put some extra money in your pocket. “21st Century is dedicated to providing superior coverage and service, while saving you money on your auto insurance.”
Have you ever tried on an old pair of blue jeans and found a few dollars in your pocket? You know that feeling. Well, imagine how happy you’d be if instead of a few dollars in your pocket you found a few hundred dollars! Hundreds of dollars that are all yours to spend however you wish. Go on a shopping spree … go away for a long weekend… have a party!
*Note from Crystal: You could also save it or pay down debt…thought you might be upset if someone didn’t mention it, lol.*
That’s what it’s like when you take a few minutes to compare car insurance rates and switch to a company that will save you money. All of a sudden you’ll have hundreds of dollars you didn’t think you had. Now that’s time well spent.
Just follow these steps.
Be Ready
If you want to compare auto insurance quotes, you need accurate information. So before you start, take a few minutes to make sure you have the following information available.
* Your Current Insurance Declarations Page
– By matching your current deductibles and coverage limits you can be sure you’re getting the same protection.
* Vehicle Information
– Year make model and VIN
– Annual miles and distance to work
– Value of any custom or after-market equipment
– Type of alarm or theft recovery device
* Driver Information (For each household member old enough to drive)
– Drivers name, occupation, gender, number of years licensed, and Driver’s License number.
– Any accidents or violation in the past 3 years including dates, who was at fault, if someone was injured and the claim amount.
Be Choosy
There are a lot of car insurance companies out there and each one has its own way of determining rates. So if you’re only getting one quote to compare, you’re probably not going to get the best rate. The more quotes you get, the better your opportunity to save money. Plus, if you want a better understanding of the features and service a company offers you should contact them yourself. The service you get shopping is a good indicator of what you can expect if you purchase a policy.
Be Thorough
When shopping for cheap car insurance you need to consider more than price. To find out what you’re getting, what’s covered and what isn’t, remember these tips.
– Get your quote in writing and confirm the accuracy of each vehicle and driver you are insuring.
– Make sure your deductibles and coverage limits match your current policy.
– Ask about special features, such as Emergency Roadside Assistance.
– Find out if there are additional membership or broker fees.
– Are repairs guaranteed for as long as you own your car?
– What kind of payment options are available?
Questions from Crystal:
Have you ever saved a ton by switching or comparing rates? Which insurance companies had the best rates for you?
Evaluating car insurance is on my list of things to do actually! We have been using the same insurance company for a long time. However, neither of us have any tickets, so its a good time to do it. Plus, I have to find out what kind of cost I am in for when I add my 16 year old son to a policy…
Actually, I did switch insurers and 21st Century is who I went with. They are the old AIG, but their customer service is pretty impressive (IMO).
I totaled my van in 2009 and they were helpful throughout the process. They did try to ‘lowball’ the offer, but I came back w/some comps from the internet and they raised their settlement offer by $1200. I don’t think they behaved badly since that’s how the ins. co.’s make their profits.
I agree w/everything stated in the post. But remember that you don’t necessarily have to get the same coverage as before (unless it’s a lease). For instance, you may decide to raise your deductible to $1000 or cut out the comprehensive coverage if your vehicle isn’t worth much (Glad I didn’t, though!).
Everyday Tips, I try to call around every year or two since you realy can save money almost every time. I wish one company would just stay reasonable, but it’s the game I force myself to play…good luck with your search!
For what it’s worth, we are currently with Geico. I hear Allstate is good too, but they don’t seem to insure houses in my area of Houston, so we looked elsewhere to save money by combining policies.
Holly, thanks for the suggestions! It’s so true that you may want to change your policy. I think the key is to make sure to get quotes for the same things from every company…getting quotes for a $500 deductible from company A and $1000 deductible from company B leads to problems, lol.
I’ll keep 21st Century in mind when I call around in October or next April. We have full coverage on the Prius but liability only on my Aveo (it’s only worth $4300)…I like to keep the total amount of insurance to around $100 a month.
I’m in NJ which has always been the most expensive state for auto insurance. I have NJM though which is really good, no other carriers come even close (though its been a couple years since I shopped around).
Hmmm, I have to check them out! Thanks for the heads up!
When I first got my job after school I had one company for a few years and they kept raising my rates for no reason. At the time I was either not paying enough attention or just thought that was normal. Eventually I got wise and shopped around. The company I switched to was probably 50% less.
Mike, I’d normally suggest calling around again, but if you’re happy, that’s really good enough, right? Cool beans!
jim, I love it when I find awesome deals and kick myself a little for not looking sooner. I’m glad you found better rates elsewhere!
I thought I was paying too much with state farm, but I found out that no one could beat or get near their prices.
Financial Bondage, now I know you don’t live in Houston, lol. State Farm decided after a hurricane here about 5 years ago to start charging double to quadruple for homeowner’s insurance and even raised their car insurance rates a bit. Now they are the last company I look at since I find it’s almost always cheaper to find a company that gives multiple policy discounts. Glad to hear they don’t suck everywhere though!
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