Car buyers often search Edmunds.com to research new and used cars and the read the reviews of the web site’s automotive experts. But the site is also a vast resource for many additional automotive areas, including car insurance.Philip Reed, the site’s senior consumer advice editor, offers a detailed article entitled “10 Steps to Buying Auto Insurance.”
Reed begins the article with the statement: When it comes to auto insurance, you want to be adequately covered if you get in an accident but you don’t want to pay any more than you have to. So how can you navigate your way through this murky subject?”
Reed offers step-by-step guidelines from how much coverage is needed to soliciting competitive quotes and researching online insurance companies for discounts to canceling your old policy.
The author also offers a succinct, comprehensive checklist:
* Determine your state’s insurance requirements.
* Consider your own financial situation in relation to the required car insurance and consider buying more to protect your assets.
* Review the status of your driving record — do you have any outstanding tickets or points on your driver license?
* Check your current coverage to find out how much in premiums you are paying.
* Get competing quotes from an online car insurance Web site such as InsWeb.com, YouDecide.com and InsureOne.com.
* Make follow-up phone calls to insurance companies to get additional information about coverage.
* Inquire about discounts you might qualify for such as a multiple policy discount.
* Evaluate the reliability of the insurance company you’re considering by visiting your state’s insurance Web site.
* If you have chosen a new insurance company, remember to cancel your old policy.
To read the complete article, visit: Edmunds.com/Insurance Advice
Article Last Updated: May 31, 2013.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
I would like to mention cost should not be the determinative factor with auto insurance, as is often advertised on TV. The cheapest insurer may not provide what is most important, good claims service. The car owner should also check out how claims are handled, that is, what the procedures are, will the adjuster come to your home, how many estimates are required, how fast claims are processed, etc. Word of mouth from friends who have had auto claims also is an important resource to use when selecting an auto insurer.