General Shopping Tips

• No matter what type of insurance you're shopping for, these general guidelines will help you along the way.



• Check with several insurance companies and agents before making a final decision. There are even insurance services available via the web or with toll-free numbers that provide comparison shopping.



• Make sure you provide the same information to each company or agent that you call, including extra coverages you might want or need.



• Ask about claims handling procedures, how long they've been in business, and, if it's a company, ask about its financial stability and ratings.



• Ask friends and family members for agent or company recommendations.



• If you've been satisfied with your insurance carrier's service in the past, it's not always a wise to jump to another provider just to save a few dollars.

Get The Most Value For Your Insurance Purchase

1. Comparison Shop: Consumers should shop for insurance like they do any other consumer product. The insurer you select should offer both competitive prices and excellent service. Quality personal service may cost a bit more, but provides added conveniences, so talk to a number of insurers to get a feeling for the quality of their service. Ask them what they would do to lower your costs.

2. Ask for Higher Deductibles: By requesting higher deductibles on collision and comprehensive coverage, you can lower your premium costs substantially. For example, by increasing your deductible from $200 to $500 could reduce your collision and comprehensive costs by 15 to 30%.

3. Consider Dropping Collision and/or Comprehensive Coverage on Older Vehicles: It may not be cost effective to have collision or comprehensive coverage on older vehicles because any claim you make would not substantially exceed the value of your vehicle. Auto dealers and banks can tell you the worth of your vehicle.

4. Buy a "Low Profile" Vehicle: Before you by a new or used vehicle, check into insurance costs. Vehicles that are favorite targets for thieves have much higher comprehensive coverage costs.

5. Buy a Vehicle That Can Sustain a 5 mph Collision: Incredibly, some
vehicles sustain over $5000 in damages in a 5 mph collision. Your agent or
company can tell you which vehicles are less expensive to repair and which provide the greatest amount of protection for drivers and passengers