Motorists are generally responsible to have insurance on their car, but the true cost of car insurance is far higher than what you will find from an instant auto insurance quote. Obtaining an insurance quote can be as easy as a phone call to various companies, an Internet inquiry, or talking directly with your current insurance agent.
Personal Information Needed
Getting your instant auto insurance quote requires answering questions regarding your driving history. The agent will need to know the coverage you want. He or she will also need some personal information for any drivers who live in your household.
- All driver’s names, driver’s license number, birth date, sex, and marital status
- Driving history, for each person, including moving violations and accidents with date’s
- Mileage each person drives
- Year of vehicle
- Cost of vehicle
- Vehicle identification number
- Special safety features
There are several important decisions you need to make regarding auto insurance before obtaining a quote. This includes the types of coverage you want, the amount of coverage you need, and researching the requirements in your state. The following gives you some basic information about obtaining an instant auto insurance quote from any company.
- Liability
- Collision
- GAP
- Comprehensive
- Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist
Liability Auto Insurance Coverage
Each state has their own laws and regulations as to the types and amounts of coverage, which they require drivers to obtain. For most states, the minimum coverage is liability. Liability only covers property damages or personal injuries that are the drivers fault. Liability insurance does not cover damages to your own vehicle if you are at fault and in most cases to passengers in your auto.
Before you drive your auto off the lot, it is important and usually mandatory, to have acceptable liability insurance. In some states, it is illegal for anyone to drive an auto without coverage, even if they have coverage on their own vehicle. You can receive an instant auto insurance quote, pay the first premium, and drive only from the time the liability coverage begins.
Collision Auto Insurance Coverage
Collision is generally a requirement of your lender when you purchase auto insurance, and this coverage names them as a lienholder. This means if you have an accident that totals your vehicle, then they receive payment first. This does not always cover the full price of your auto, even if you just drove it off the lot. It is necessary for you to pay your deductible before the insurance company releases their portion.
GAP Coverage
The GAP coverage protects you from the difference between what you owe on your vehicle and what the collision coverage will pay. This is significant to stress when you obtain your auto insurance quote. GAP coverage is definitely consequential when you purchase a new vehicle. Otherwise, you can be responsible for thousands of dollars and have no vehicle.
Comprehensive Auto Insurance Coverage
Many lenders require you have comprehensive insurance. Comprehensive will pay for theft or damage to your car from vandalism, flooding, fires, and even striking a deer. For most people, this is a standard part of their insurance coverage.
Auto Insurance Coverage for Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist
Unfortunately, it is all too often that a driver does not have enough damage to cover you, your family, or your passengers. In order to be fully covered it is safest to obtain both types of insurance coverage. Sometimes the cost of a lengthy hospital stay can easily extend beyond the coverage the other person’s insurance will pay.
There are many other options for insurance coverage. Your agent can give their recommendations for what coverage is optimal for you. An agent will need to ask questions to help determine what company can give you the foremost coverage for the least money. As you are discussing coverage, they will not discriminate in on things like race, religion, occupation, or place of residence.
Thingsto Know about Auto Insurance
As you can see auto insurance coverage is very intricate, so you obtain what you need, while staying within your budget. Being a safe driver does help reduce the cost of your insurance. It can take many years of receiving a ticket or being in an accident before your costs begin reducing. Safe drivers who have no tickets have the ability to obtain the most coverage for the least amount of money.
If you have never had insurance before or have been on someone else’s insurance as long as you have no tickets, accidents, or outstanding insurance claims getting an instant auto insurance quote can be quite simple. However, for those who fall into a higher risk, your insurance agent will be able to recommend ways for you to save costs while having the best coverage.
If you have left out a speeding ticket, your quote can be lower initially, than if you remember to tell them that you received a ticket. The problem can be that if you pay a lesser amount, you will be responsible to pay the difference, but they can cancel the coverage.
Additionally, the insurance company can cancel your insurance if they normally do not insure other drivers who had the same problem. Furthermore, the cancellation will make it difficult to get insurance from another insurance company. The information you give does determine your premium, and if the company will consider underwriting the coverage. Some discounts can apply depending on where you park the vehicle, average miles you drive, and any safety features.
Soliciting competitive quotes is essential to receiving the best price possible. Each insurance company has their own underwriting rules and rates. Spending time doing the necessary research can save you hundreds of dollars. However, some websites are set up to distribute your information to various insurance companies so you might not receive the instant auto insurance quote you are looking for at the time.
Read over some review of various companies, especially those who give you very low quotes. Some seem like a good choice initially, but have drastic increases when it comes time for renewal. Some companies sell insurance directly to consumers, and others sell through local agents. The more you know the better your decision can be when you receive an instant auto insurance quote if you have any questions, a qualified agent can help you right away.