4 Tips To Keep In Mind When Changing Your Car Insurance Company
Here are a few tips for drivers who are in the process of changing their car insurance provider. This can seem like a daunting task, but these tips will help alleviate some stress.
Changing car insurance companies can be a real hassle, but sometimes it’s the best way to improve your premiums and your coverage. Knowing your options, doing some research, and being prepared to switch when necessary is an important part of getting a good rate. Although most insurers make switching fairly easy, it’s still helpful to know as much as possible about the process. This allows you to maximize the amount of money you save and hurry the process along.
First of all, consider how your payments are made. Typical month-to-month payment plans won’t give you much of a problem if you start your new policy on the same day that your old policy ends; you simply pay both companies, and you’re done. However, if you’d been paying for your insurance in full, you may have to wait for your first insurer to refund the unused portion of your payment. This can sometimes take several weeks, so as soon as you know when you’re going to switch, you should immediately contact your old insurer so that they can begin processing the change. It’s also helpful to know when your car insurance coverage changes. Typically, your old insurance company will schedule their coverage to end one hour past the time that your new insurance begins. By using a slight overlap, you’re completely protected, and there’s no temporary lapse in coverage. To be safe, it’s a good idea to check the start and end dates of each policy.
Drivers should know that they’re legally allowed to switch their car insurance at any time. Occasionally, an aggressive salesperson will try to prevent you from canceling your policy; just stay resolute, and if they refuse to cancel your coverage for any reason, contact your state’s insurance commission. You always have the right to find a better deal, and that should be reason enough to go out and search for it.
Finally, before you switch your insurance, know that the Internet’s made it incredibly easy to compare several car insurance quotes at the same time. If you’re going to switch, you might as well find the best rate and coverage possible. By using comparison websites, you can find a decent car insurance quote that works for your driving habits and budget. It’s a bad idea to rush into any new policy without doing an appropriate amount of research. Look into a company’s customer satisfaction rates, and compare every aspect of your new policy to offers from other insurers in your state. It may seem like a lot of work, but car insurance is a big cost, and research can help you find a policy that you’ll be happy with.
