Top 6 Ways You Can Buy Auto Insurance for Less in North Platte Nebraska

Are you tired of not being able to afford to buy car insurance? You are in the same boat as the majority of other car owners in Nebraska. Many car insurance companies compete for your insurance dollar, so it’s not easy to compare every provider to find the best rates possible.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Lowering your auto insurance rates is a fairly straight forward process. The only requirement is to invest a little time to compare rate quotes online from several insurance companies. This can be done in several different ways.

1. The best way to get quotes for comparison is a comparison rater form click to view form in new window. This form eliminates the need for multiple quote forms for each company you want a rate for. One form submission will return quotes from auto insurance companies with the best prices.
2. A more time consuming way to get comparison quotes requires you to visit the website of each company and complete a new quote form. For examples sake, let’s assume you want comparison quotes from GEICO, Progressive and State Farm. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why most consumers use the first method. To view a list of companies in North Platte, click here.

Which method you use is up to you, but make absolute certain that you use apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles with each company. If your comparisons have mixed coverages then you won’t be able to truly determine the lowest rate in North Platte.

These six discounts can slash auto insurance rates

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, buy you may qualify for discounts to reduce the price significantly. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of quoting, but a few must be requested specifically before you get the savings. If you don’t get every credit available, you’re paying more than you need to.

• Paperless Signup – A handful of insurance companies will give a small break simply for signing online.
• Seat Belt Usage – Requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could save 15% off your medical payments premium.
• Save with a New Car – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% since new cars are generally safer.
• Federal Government Employee – Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
• Good Students Pay Less – Getting good grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
• Driver Safety – Taking a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.

It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So when the math indicates you would end up receiving a 100% discount, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will bring down your overall premium however.

To see a list of insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates in Nebraska, follow this link.

When might I need the advice of an agent?

When choosing proper insurance coverage, there is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s needs are different and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine whether or not you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
• Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
• Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
• Does my policy pay for OEM or aftermarket parts?
• Do all my vehicles need collision coverage?
• Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?

If you can’t answer these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.

More information is located on the website for the Nebraska Department of Insurance through this link. Consumers can file complaints about a company, get help finding coverage, view agent and company licensing information, and read industry bulletins.

Do drivers who switch really save?

Nebraska drivers can’t ignore all the ads for cheaper car insurance by companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all seem to make the same claim that you’ll save big if you change to them.

How can each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver they prefer to insure. An example of a preferred risk could be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no tickets, and has excellent credit. A customer who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will be quoted a higher premium and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “people who quote” save that much. That is how companies can claim big savings.

This emphasizes why it’s extremely important to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

What auto insurance coverages do you need?

Learning about specific coverages of auto insurance can be of help when determining appropriate coverage and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be difficult to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are the usual coverages offered by auto insurance companies.

Comprehensive insurance

Comprehensive insurance coverage covers damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like hitting a bird, vandalism, damage from a tornado or hurricane, damage from getting keyed and damage from flooding. The highest amount you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection from other motorists when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as your vehicle’s damage.

Since many Nebraska drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (which is 25/50/25), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Usually these limits are identical to your policy’s liability coverage.

Collision coverage

This coverage pays for damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another car or object. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.

Collision insurance covers claims such as rolling your car, damaging your car on a curb, crashing into a ditch, hitting a parking meter and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. You can also choose a higher deductible to bring the cost down.

Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)

Med pay and PIP coverage provide coverage for short-term medical expenses such as prosthetic devices, rehabilitation expenses, nursing services, pain medications and funeral costs. They are used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers you and your occupants in addition to if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage

Liability insurance

This coverage can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people. It protects you against claims from other people, and does not provide coverage for damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You commonly see values of 25/50/25 which means a $25,000 limit per person for injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $50,000, and $25,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Alternatively, you may have a combined limit which limits claims to one amount with no separate limits for injury or property damage.

Liability insurance covers things such as bail bonds, attorney fees and repair costs for stationary objects. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but consider buying higher limits if possible. Nebraska requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.

And the best car insurance company is…

Throughout this article, we presented many ways to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with a small local company. They may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like Allstate and Progressive.

The cheapest auto insurance is definitely available from both online companies and also from your neighborhood North Platte agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance providers may not provide online price quotes and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.