Not only young drivers have problem picking the right car insurance. No matter if it’s your first or seventh time that you’re getting your car insured, it’s very likely that you will make a couple of mistakes when picking car insurance policy. As agents working in insurance companies can tell you, even experienced drivers who already have been through the process of getting car insurance tend to make the same mistakes as the first timers. If you’re looking for a way to save money on car insurance and get the best possible deal, you have to look out for these mistakes that could cost you money and nerves.
First thing you have to pay attention to is getting the right amount of protection. Nothing could ruin your life more than realizing that your coverage is too small and having to pay out of your own pocket. For example, if you have $5000 damage coverage and end up with $10,000 after a collision, you will have to figure out a way to pay the additional $5000. Things might even get worse when it comes to not having injury coverage, and having to pay sky high medical bills might ruin you financially. All these nightmares can be avoided if you carefully plan the amount of coverage needed.
The other extreme is getting your car overprotected. Most agents will try to get you to sign up for additional riders because they work on commission, and the way they can make any disaster sound possible might make you give in. Ignore their suggestions unless you’re certain they’re not trying to sell you something you don’t need. Some basic damage coverage is OK, but you don’t need protection from floods if you’re living in a desert area, sort to speak.
When getting car insurance, you will have to give some pretty detailed info on your vehicle and other things about it. Some people lie when talking to the insurance agent, like giving the wrong zip code of the garage to get lower rates, but these little scams don’t pay off in the long run. You might get caught and without coverage if the agency finds out you haven’t been truthful, and it really isn’t worth those couple of bucks you’ll save.
On the other hand, every car insurance company offers a set of bonuses and discounts, but most people aren’t even aware of them. For example, if you have additional car features that help by improving safety, they might give you lower rates. Things like a tire pressure monitoring system, ABS and air bags can all get you a better deal.
If your driver record is clean, make sure you keep it that way. There’s nothing that could make your rates go sky high like a DUI in your record. Some studies have shown that this can make the rates up to 40% higher, so think twice before sitting in the car intoxicated. A clean driver record will most likely get you a better deal or even a discount.