How to Avoid Common Auto Insurance Mistakes

Don’t make the common mistakes that too many people fall victim to on their auto insurance.
Improperly insuring your vehicle can costs you thousands, if not hundreds of thousands in the event of an accident. Here are some common mistakes to keep in mind when you are insuring your vehicle.

Uninsured and Underinsured Coverages

If you ever were to get into an accident with an uninsured driver (which nationwide nearly 10% are uninsured) you will find yourself holding all the bills (repairs, medical, etc...) if you do not carry uninsured motorist coverage. Some states required uninsured motorist insurance, though many do not. It’s important to find out if you are covered or not with your current auto insurance policy and if not what the additional coverage will cost you.

It’s also critical to keep in mind that just because you carry uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, you may not have enough. Carrying the state minimum for these two coverages could end up being a very costly mistake if you were involved in a severe accident that had medical bills in the tens of thousands. Most basic coverages only will compensate you for the first $20,000 or $30,000, leaving you holding the bill for everything beyond that.

Liability Coverage Mistakes

It’s important to make sure you consistently use the same liability coverage amounts across your insurance policies. If you carry $200,000 in liability on your homeowners insurance, but only $50,000 on your auto insurance, you are inconsistent with the amount of liability you are exposing yourself to. For example if you feel that someone tripping and falling inside your home is worth $200,000 in liability protection, than surely if you were to strike another car you would want to be covered for the same amount of protection against lawsuits, damages, medical bills.

Comparison Shopping is More Important than Ever

In these tough economic times saving money is at the top of everyone’s priority list. Shopping around for quotes for auto insurance used to be difficult. However, comparing quotes from different companies is the only way you can save money on insurance and insure that you are getting all the coverages you need. Using a site like Insurance Agents you are able to compare up to five auto insurance quotes online and find yourself a significantly lower rate.
Dangerous Auto Insurance Mistakes
Avoid making these common mistakes on your auto insurance policy.
   By Tom Lustina
Published: 7/7/2009
 
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