Auto
insurance rates vary by company, so be consistent in the coverages
you specify when requesting rates from different agents, brokers,
or companies.
The
quotes should be free, but will ask details about your car, driving
record & insurance history, so if you have a policy, find it,
then begin. DO NOT GUESS AT YOUR COVERAGES!
Print
copies of the quotes for a side-by-side comparison to see if the
coverages match, and if not, ask for an explanation.
NEVER
CANCEL A POLICY BEFORE SECURING ANOTHER ONE IF THAT IS YOUR
INTENTION. The worst thing you can do aside from not paying the
bill is to cancel out of anger only to find higher rates later.
There are times where you will find that your rate is not all that
bad when compared with your (fill in the blank)- who of course
pays less than you for her brand new car(usually incorrect info by
the way).
Seek
professional advice: do not rely on your cousin the plumber as to
whether you are covered properly or not, because he will not be
the one paying the claim- the insurance company will.
Never
buy a car before you know what the insurance rates for that
vehicle are! This may sound silly, but there are people who buy on
impulse only to find that they cannot possibly afford $4200 for
insurance on that 2000 BMW Convertible that had a terrific lease.
Do not accept ballpark guesses and do not ask your agent to
provide them.
If you
own a home, never take minimum liability! I cannot stress this
enough. To place one's home in jeopardy for the sake of saving $40
per year is ridiculous- eat one less pizza every two months,
clip coupons, but don't take minimum liability unless instructed
to by your attorney(you do have one... right?).
