If you drive a car, you will need to have auto insurance. Many people set out to find the cheapest rates they can, and purchase a policy. However, in order to have quality coverage at a reasonable price, you need to do a few things before settling on an insurance policy. Here are three things to do before you buy car insurance.
Clean Up Your Credit Score
You may not be aware of this, but your credit score can have a lot to do with the rates you pay for car insurance. Many insurance companies now use your credit score to come up with their quotes, and if you work to improve your credit score, you may very well end up getting lower premiums.
To clean up your credit score, first get a copy of your credit report. Then, after making sure there are no mistakes, start looking at the things listed. Are you paying bills on time? Do you have outstanding balances with companies that you have long forgotten about? Take steps to become familiar with your credit report so that you can work on improving your score, and your diligence will pay off for you when you want to buy auto insurance.
Talk to Your Home Insurance Company
If you own a home, you may not even think about your home insurance when looking for car insurance. However, more and more insurance companies offer all kinds of insurance, from homes to cars and motorcycles. Even better, if you buy multiple policies from a company, you may get lower rates. Call your home insurance company to find out what kind of deal they can offer you.
Be Honest about the Kind of Coverage You Need
Many people only buy the minimum insurance required by their individual state, but keep in mind that you may need more than minimum coverage. Be honest about the amount of driving you do and what kind of coverage you may need.
For instance, if you do a lot of long distance driving, you may very well want to purchase rental car coverage in case your car breaks down or has trouble while you're on a trip. If you don't have good health insurance, you may want to pay a little extra for medical payments and bodily injury liability. While this may bump up your monthly price, if you ever have a car related emergency, you will be glad that you paid for that coverage.
The tips laid out above can help you make smart decisions about the kind of car insurance you buy. Keep them in mind, so that you can have adequate auto insurance coverage at a fair price.
Share9 January 2015
About ten years ago, my auto insurance was cancelled. This took place after one too many accidents. I was now a high risk, and my provider was not willing to keep me on any longer. Since there was no way that I was going to get behind the wheel without coverage, I started checking out plans with high-risk insurers. Some were not all that great, but others offered benefits that were very close to my old plan. I soon found a provider who would accept my application, and I began to be a little more careful with my driving. If you are having trouble buying auto insurance, let me help. I'll tell you what to look for in a high-risk provider, and how to find the best one in your area. In no time at all, you'll be covered and ready to get back on the road again.
