Best Auto Insurance Companies? We all know that an insurance company’s good reputation is what usually determines whether an insurance buyer will renew his policy with that company. And in choosing one auto insurance company to give your premium dollars to, there are a number of important factors to consider.
A. Pick the best car insurance companies according to your location. The best auto insurance companies for one person may not be the best for someone else. There is such a wide variety of car models on the market today that there is a common pattern among them concerning the best car insurance companies. Top 3 picks for best auto insurance companies by Money Expert panelist Clark Howard include: USAA, AMica Mutual, and NJM Insurance Company.
B. Look for discounts. Different companies offer different types of discounts and finding out which discounts your prospective auto insurer offers will help you save money. Money Expert panelist Clark Howard suggests three easy ways to find out what discounts are available from your prospective best car insurance companies: Get online, call or write.
C. Shop around. People who shop around find the best price and service. This is especially true when it comes to insurance. Experts say that the only way to get the best price is to compare different insurance policies from different companies. Consider how much your vehicle is worth, your financial strength, your level of coverage and any other factors that may affect your decision about which insurance company to go with.
D. Check out the customer service. One of the biggest reasons people drop their insurance plans is because they don’t get timely customer service. Experts say that insurance companies should never stop offering customer service. If you want to make sure you’re getting accurate information about your coverage, and how to get started on the right foot, consider talking to your agent or representative before signing up. You can also shop around for competitive rates and coverage packages, so don’t just assume that a cheap insurance quote means it’s bad customer service.
E. Think safety. Another way to get lower car insurance rates is to increase your deductibles and reduce your overall coverage. If you get into an accident without fully protecting yourself and without putting enough money down, you can wind up paying a lot more.
F. Think health insurance. Most people who have health insurance choose to maintain it through J.D. Powers and Associates. The consumer report’s J.D. ratings are a good indication of whether or not a company provides good overall customer satisfaction.
G. Look for insurers with good track records. Most auto insurance companies will have excellent customer service ratings. However, if a company has a lot of complaints in any given year, you may want to avoid doing business with it. Find an insurer that has consistently high levels of satisfaction. This is a sign of a quality insurer that is willing to take care of its customers and provide consistent, quality service.
H. Find out about the discounts that the insurer offers. Most auto insurance companies will offer discounts for various reasons, such as safe driving records, anti-theft devices in the vehicle, and so on. Compare these discounts to what you’ll get from other companies and select the best car insurance company that has the best discounts for you.
I. Find out what types of coverage the insurance covers. Depending on where you live, some states require you to have certain minimum amounts of insurance coverage. For example, in most states it’s required that you have medical costs coverage in the event of an accident. Car insurance that doesn’t cover this is useless and can put you at risk.
J. Consider the various types of bodily injury protection that the insurance offers. Bodily injury protection pays for the medical costs of anyone who is injured in an accident, as well as property damage due to vandalism or theft. The cost of bodily injury protection varies greatly by insurer. Some offer full coverage, with no limits on the total amount of payments you’ll receive in the event of an accident; others may only pay a portion of the injured’s medical costs. Before you purchase full coverage, weigh the cost of bodily injury protection against the price you’ll pay if you are involved in an accident.
K. Go with the best car insurance company. A lot of insurers only wish to serve their customers and will do little to assist them if they have a claim. If the customer service isn’t up to par, opt for another insurer. Ask customers what they thought of the customer service they received after filing a claim. Find out what they thought the insurer did to help them.