Car Insurance: Five Things to Do to When Shopping for Car Insurance

Shopping for car insurance can be confusing, frustrating and expensive. But you can save hundreds of dollars annually if you’ll use the strategies listed below.

Remember, folks. I’m an insurance adjuster. I’m the guy that keeps the promises that the insurance company makes. So, I bring a perspective to this topic that comes from years of handling insurance claims, not selling policies.

When I get a claim, it means someone who drives and owns a car bought car insurance. Then, something happened and there was a loss. Then, the policyholder submitted a claim to their insurance company.

But, at that point, the policy is already in place. The contract has been signed. The premium has been paid. This is NOT the time to find out that the coverage YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD is different from the contract.

Unfortunately, this is the most common moment when people find out their car insurance is not going to work like they had hoped. And do you know who it is who gets to break that news to the policyholder MOST OF THE TIME?

The Agent who sold the policy? No.

ME!! The Adjuster!

So, in an effort to help you buy the right car insurance, here are five tips when you are shopping for car insurance.

1. Get at least three quotes. Ask your friends, neighbors, relatives and co-workers who they have chosen for car insurance. Ask them for good and bad experiences. Five quotes would be better. Also, start shopping about three months before your renewal date, so that you have plenty of time to make a smart decision.

2. Choose high deductibles and high liability limits. Choose the highest deductible your budget will allow. Choose higher liability limits than just the minimum limits that state law requires. In today’s world, personal injury is expensive, and jury awards are always high. What happens if you only have $50,000 liability coverage, and a jury awards a claimant you injured $250,000?

3. In your quotes, make sure that all the coverages are as close to identical as possible. Agents are adept at switching around coverages to get the premium lower. Make sure you are comparing “apples with apples.”

4. Try to bundle your coverages with one company. Most insurance companies who write car insurance also write homeowners and renters insurance. They will give you significant discounts if you will place both your car and home insurance with one company. But, let your calculator be your guide.

5. Don’t do business with a company that gets a lot of complaints. Phone the Department of Insurance in your state. Ask them if they have a report that lists the number of complaints that they receive about insurance companies. (I just wrote an article about this recently, so I know that some states do have reports like that.) If the company you want to buy your car insurance from gets lots of complaints, DON”T USE THEM! Go on to another insurance company.

Well, that’s it for now. If you will use these strategies, you’ll buy your car insurance and save money. That will make you smarter than most people.

Remember this. Buying your car insurance wisely is best. However, at claim time, the insurance companies will not tell you the claims process that you should use to collect every dollar you are entitled to collect. But I will.

To find out more about how to take control of your insurance claims, and add hundreds or even thousands more dollars to your claim settlements, check out my website at: www.insurance-claim-secrets.com .