Car Insurance Tips and Tricks

Did you get taught at school about liability, collision and comprehensive cover? What about deductibles and all the tips on how to get the cheapest car insurance? Chances are you didn't, but if you're one of the majority of individuals that drives a car, you've either learnt fast, took whatever insurance your relatives or friends suggested or you're going to learn the hard way one day. Take the guess work out of choosing car insurance and read up so you can make an informed choice.

Many drivers pay more on their rates for a low deductible, and yet they take the minimum liability coverage. You could probably afford that $500 deductible if you had an accident, but could you afford being sued for $400,000 in damages? Spend your car insurance budget sensibly to cover yourself and your assets. Consider raising your deductible and using the savings to increase your liability protection. If you're worth more (you have a good job or you're studying for one) or you have significant assets obviously you've got more to protection than someone who doesn't. If you do have a lot of assets an umbrella policy may be worth considering to make sure all your assets are covered.

Check your health insurance policy, if medical bills after an accident are covered you can cut personal injury protection off your car insurance policy.

Maintain a good credit rating, many companies use it to decide how much to charge you and even whether to cover you at all.

If you don't have an extra car make sure your insurance company will pay for a rental car if you have an accident. The expense of renting a car for a week while your car is being repaired could be a lot of.

Shop around for quotes, a great place to start is a comparison website. Compare quotes from several different companies and read the policies to see how they compare. If you do switch policies make sure you notify your previous insurance company immediately and make sure there is no gap in your cover before your new one kicks in.

Car insurance can be costly, fortunately there are significant discounts that you can qualify for. Maintaining a good driving record is the best way to get your premiums down. Other discounts available include; low-mileage, safety features, multi-policy, senior, taking a defensive driving course and paying annually. Take advantage of all the discounts you can to get the cheapest rate.

Teenagers can add significantly to your car insurance rates. Consider having your teenager drive the family's cheapest car and exclude them from other policies. Don't forget if your teen moves out to take them off the policy. Just make sure you don't lend them the car when they come to visit! If you still want your teenager on the policy, find out if your insurer will give you a discount when they're away at school.

If your car has seen better days, and it's not worth much, think about dropping collision coverage. The cost of your collision coverage might not be worth it when your insurance company will only pay out your vehicles worth.

Make sure you understand what will happen if you have an accident and what choices you have. Will your insurer pay for original or only generic parts to repair your car after an accident? Can you select your own mechanic or body shop if you have an accident? Read through your policy and make sure you're happy with it.

Make calling your insurance company your number one priority after an accident. Many insurers have a time limit, generally around 48 hours for making a claim.

If you are unfortunate enough to need to make a claim, get a copy of the accident report, save all your receipts and make sure you record all the details of who you speak to. Make sure you include everything in your loss estimate. You may be entitled to claim sales tax and registration fees if your car has been totaled.

Put a bit of effort into getting your claim processed to speed up the process. Shop around for some estimates and follow up your insurance company regularly to check on progress.

Work with your adjuster to get the best outcome. If you disagree with the amount offered, get the adjusters reasons in writing. If you don't get a satisfactory answer keep your cool and find out what your options are. Speak to the manager of the claims department and request that your case to be reviewed, consider filing a complaint with the state insurance department.