How to Buy Car Insurance | Policygenius

If you have a car, you need car insurance. Most U.S. states require drivers to have a minimum sum of car insurance, and it ’ s a good idea to have, anyhow, because it can protect you financially if you get into an accident. ready to shop car policy ? Start calculator You can buy car policy in one of two ways : immediately from an policy company or through an independent policy marketplace like Policygenius. When you shop with Policygenius, you can get quotes from multiple companies at once. You ’ ll besides save time and money in the indemnity buying serve, because person will be there to answer your questions and help you find the best coverage at the lowest price.

The five simple steps to buying car policy :

1. figure out how much coverage you need
2. Fill out an application
3. Compare quotes
4. Pick a car insurance caller and get insure
5. Cancel your erstwhile policy

1. figure out how much coverage you need

Figuring out how much of each type of car policy coverage you need is one of the most authoritative parts of buying car policy. A typical policy includes :

• Liability coverage : Covers the costs if you cause an accident, including when you damage person else ’ s property with your car. Liability indemnity is required in most states, and it ’ south divided into two parts : Bodily injury liability ( BIL ) and property wrong liability ( PDL )
• personal wound protective covering : Covers medical and rehabilitation expenses if you or your passengers are injured in a car accident. besides covers other relate expenses, like lost wages
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage : Covers the costs if you ’ re in an accident caused by a driver who either doesn ’ triiodothyronine have insurance or whose insurance can ’ triiodothyronine pay up for the full extent of the damage
• collision coverage : Covers damage to your own vehicle after an accident, careless of who was at fault
• comprehensive coverage : Covers any damage to your car that can happen when it isn ’ t being driven, including damage from extreme weather, falling objects, deluge, fire, vandalism, and larceny
• Gap indemnity : If your car is totaled, this pays out the remainder between the car ’ s actual cash value ( ACV ), which includes depreciation, and the amount you silent owe on a car loanword or lease therefore you aren ’ metric ton stuck making payments on a car you no longer have

then there are extra coverage options, like wayside aid or modern car substitute coverage that can be added for an extra monetary value. Each state has minimal car insurance coverage requirements. Your state ’ mho minimums are a start detail for determining coverage but often they ’ re besides low to sufficiently cover you in the consequence of a major accident. Genius peak We recommend drivers have at least $ 100,000 per person/ $ 300,000 per accident in bodily injury indebtedness and $ 100,000 in property wrong liability coverage in holy order to be fully protected. Comprehensive and collision coverage are optional, but they can be valuable protection for your cable car.

2. Fill out an lotion

Whether you ’ re buy car indemnity for the inaugural or tenth meter, you ’ ll need the be data on hand :

• Names, birthdays and driver ’ south license numbers for all drivers in the family
• Social Security numbers for all drivers in the family
• VINs ( Vehicle Information Numbers ) or make and model years for all vehicles
• An address for the insured ( where you live and where the car is garaged, which is normally the lapp place )
• Your declarations page from your most late prior car insurance policy, if you have it

As you go through the process, you ’ ll answer questions that can help earn you discounts on your coverage, like whether you have any accidents or violations on your record, whether you ’ re a full time student, and if your car is equipped with certain features like an anti-theft device. You ’ ll besides set your coverage amounts — called limits — when you apply. It ’ s broadly a good idea to have high coverage limits for the necessary coverage types, but the higher your limits are the more you ’ ll give. You ’ ll besides have to choose deductible amounts for your comprehensive examination and collision coverage. When you get a quote, some optional types of coverage may automatically be included that you don ’ t actually want or need, so look cautiously at your options. If you have third-party wayside aid, like AAA for example, you don ’ t need wayside aid on your car insurance policy besides .

3. Compare quotes

You may be tempted to choose the cable car indemnity company that offers you the best price, but be certain to do your research on the different carriers. Carrier A may have quoted you slenderly higher rates than Carrier B, but if it has importantly higher claims satisfaction ratings, that extra price could be worth it. not surely which company to go with ? Check out our number of the best car indemnity companies and our reviews of person carriers to learn more about your options before you sign a policy. Genius tip Setting a higher comprehensive or collision deductible leads to lower premiums, because you ’ ra agreeing to pay more out of pocket in the consequence that you file a claim on your comprehensive examination or collision indemnity .

4. Choose a policy and get insure

once you ’ ve compared your quotes and picked a company that you feel good about, it ’ mho clock to get insured. When you buy a car indemnity policy, you ’ ll set a start date for when your policy will start, and you ’ ll pay your first premium. You ’ ll typically receive proof of coverage and some screen of welcome package from your insurance company, with information about how to access your score and where to see your ID cards or declarations page .

5. Cancel your old policy ( if applicable )

If you ’ ve been shopping for car policy to replace a stream policy, delay until after your fresh coverage is in place before you cancel your previous policy. You want to make certain you don ’ t leave any gaps in your coverage. To do this, set the cancellation date of your old policy and the effective go steady of your new policy on the like day. Insurance policies begin and end at 12:01 AM on a given date, so you don ’ t have to worry about having a full day of overlapping indemnity .

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I buy car insurance for the first time?

If this is your first prison term buy car insurance, an adept can help you determine your coverage needs and set a budget. An autonomous agent, like the ones at Policygenius, can take your data once and use it to get quotes from multiple companies at a time, saving you time. They can besides help you compare your options and choose the best policy for you.

How do I renew my car insurance policy?

many car insurance policies mechanically renew at the end of the policy term. You ’ ll be notified by mail or email if your policy is set to renew, and you may be prompted to confirm that your data is all the same before renewing your policy. If you decide to switch companies, you must have a new cable car policy policy in home before your current policy expires so you can avoid a lapse in coverage .

Should I buy car insurance through a broker or a company?

An mugwump broker international relations and security network ’ t tied to any one caller, their job is to help you shop for insurance and rede you through the serve. They do all the legwork for you, from plugging in your information to customizing your quotes so you can see how much you ’ d be paying for coverage from different carriers. We recommend buying car indemnity through an freelancer broker, like our experts at Policygenius, so you can compare quotes from multiple companies in one run .

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Category : car insurance questions