subject: Car Insurance Quotes - Tips For Newbies [print this page] You've purchased your first car and now have to buy an insurance policy to be able to drive legally in most states. In some places you should do this before registering your plates, otherwise it will be impossible. Of course, at this point auto insurance may look complicated and confusing and your main intent will be to purchase the first policy you'll be offered with. However, by doing this common mistake you risk ending up with an expensive policy that will only drain your wallet. Don't worry, it's not as hard as it looks. And if you follow these simple tips buying insurance will be easy and you'll end up with an adequately priced policy.
Determine your needs
All those coverage types and options will certainly look confusing for the uninitiated. However, you don't really need to become an insurance expert in order to get the right policy for your needs. The main factor determining the type of policy to get is how you finance your vehicle. If you've used a loan then you'll have to purchase a fully comprehensive policy, which is more expensive. If you've paid out of own pocket then you can get more affordable third party policies. For the start this should be just enough.
Consider the discounts
Nearly all insurance companies offer various discounts to different types of car owners. Being a new car owner you can consider the following discounts: good student, multiple car and multiple policy discounts. Good student discount will appeal to those who are still in school or college and applies in case you have an average of B and higher. Multiple car discount will certainly interest those who have several cars in their household. As for the multiple policy discount, it is available with companies who provide different insurance services like health, house and car insurance. Buy buying all these policies from the same provider you can get a really good cut in rates.
Adjust the deductible
Deductible is the amount of money you have to pay upfront before the actual coverage kicks in. The lower you set the amount the more expensive your policy will be since your insurance company will be forced to cover even minor damage to your car that you can pay for on your own. Now, when you increase your deductible your rates get lower. Usually the deductible is around $100-$250 and by increasing it to $500 you get 10-15% off your current rates. You can go up to $1000 and higher, however you should always make sure that you can actually pay the deductible if needed. Otherwise you won't be able to get any coverage at all.
Do some comparison shopping
Comparison shopping is a must when buying a new policy. Companies have different methods of calculating their rates and you can get different premiums for the same policy type from two different providers. That's why you should always compare car insurance quotes when buying a policy. There are plenty of sites you can do this online for free instead of dealing with an agent or searching for a company yourself. And by comparing car insurance quotes you will be able to find an affordable policy that will meet all your needs.
by: Haz Duell
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