With all the new technology these days, there is simply no reason for anyone to go to a bricks-and-mortar insurance agency and wait for them to try and save you money while trying to maximize the amount of cash that they get on commission. An online comparison site does that all for you.
These sites take a bit of information from you and then match you with some of their partner sites. These partners will send you offers to look over, which saves you time and money. All you have to do is read them thoroughly and pick the one that works the best for you.
Even though it is that easy to get insurance online, there are some key things you will need to understand to help you be an online car insurance-buying pro. Let’s jump right in and discuss five tips to help you buy car insurance online like a pro, so you can get the policies you need into place before something bad happens.
Gather up all your information
The first step you will need to take is to gather all the information you need. This is important to have from the start because once you start filling forms you don’t want to be slowed down. And if you have to constantly get up to find something, you may get locked out of the applications and have to start over. Key details you need before taking a seat are:
- Contact information
- Car details
- Driver’s license
- Current car insurance
- Safety features of the car
- Where the car is parked
- Value of the vehicle
- Driving history
- No claims bonus
- Drivers OF THE CAR
- Use of the vehicle
- Distance the car will be driven
- Vehicle ownership status
- Credit or debit card for payment
Figure out how much car insurance you need
There are many different levels of car insurance available through sites like iSelect, to ensure that you are completely covered, so you need to know how much coverage you need. This minimum amount will be your guidelines to follow when you complete some of the other steps, but for now, you will need to understand the four basic types that are available. Before going into that, though, keep in mind that you need to analyze your specific needs and then decide from there.
- Compulsory third party – The amount required by law that covers any medical bills of the other person in the accident.
- Fire and theft – This covers your vehicle against any acts of theft or vandalism, as well as damage from fires that may occur close by.
- Fire, theft, and property – This covers the same as above, with the addition of covering the expenses of any damage to the third party’s property and vehicles.
- Comprehensive – This is the top coverage plan that you can have. It covers everything listed above except for CTP, which is the only one that covers the medical expenses for third-party people. It will also cover any damage done to your property or vehicle.
Compare all your car insurance policy options
Now that you have all the pertinent information and know what you need, it is time to go online and find the best policy that does not cost you more than you can afford. This is where an online comparison site comes into play. They will take some of your basic information, match you with some of their partner sites, and send you offers. Read through them all and choose the best one. Always compare the cost of the premiums after you have checked over the details. Going with the cheapest is not always guaranteed to get the best for your money.
Always supply honest information
It is imperative to answer all the questions that the insurance companies put in front of you with complete and utter honesty. If you have some tickets or accidents on your record, let them know because they will find out eventually. If you tell the truth from the start, the policies offered to you will be the most accurate, with the prices that the coverage will actually be at. If you are dishonest, when they catch it, your premiums will go up if they do not dump you as a client.
Try various different types of coverage
When you are at a particular company’s website that you are considering, there is no harm in asking for multiple policy offers, depending upon your various options. This means that if you only want fire and theft added to your primary coverage that you should also check the prices of the others. You may be surprised that going less on the coverage may not always be the most affordable route. Plus, it never hurts to see the cost of the other plans, just in case you decide to go for one that looks good.
Final thoughts
Car insurance policies go hand in hand with owning a car. It is not something you can get out of paying, and since not having any can get you thrown in jail, why would you not have a policy in place. However, many people are under-protected because they do not want to pay the extra amount that the other additions can add to the end of the bill.
But, it must be thought about this way: What can you afford to pay out of pocket if you are in an accident? If the answer is not a substantial amount of money, you need to look into some of the other types of car insurance coverage that you can have.
A good way to judge if you need comprehensive is to look at the car being covered. If it is an old beater that barely gets down the road, the base-level coverage may work. On the other hand, if you drive a brand-new Mercedes-Benz, you will have the highest coverage you can get. You get the point, so now you have what you need to get online and get yourself some car insurance today.
