How To Change Car Insurance Providers Without Assessing Penalties
There are numerous reasons why consumers choose to switch car insurance providers. While some consumers find a better deal, there are others who choose to leave the existing insurance company due to bad customer service. While a new insurance company may keep you happy, you can't afford to ignore the penalty assessment that goes with the cancellation of a car insurance policy.
Typically, insurance policies offer car insurance coverage for a certain period of time. As long as you pay the premium, car insurance providers will offer you protection against potential losses, depending upon the insurance plan chosen by you. The policy period could last for anywhere between six months to two years. Consumers who choose to cancel the policy in between have to bear the cancellation fees for early termination of the policy. The terminology used by car insurance providers for the cancellation fees is known as penalty assessment charges.
Penalty assessment charges levied by insurance providers help them deal with the expenses involved in early termination of the policy. The best way to avoid penalty assessment charges is to allow the policy to reach its expiry date. You should make sure not to renew the policy on its expiry date. In this manner, you will be able to change car insurance providers without assessing penalties.
The fact that car insurance policy is a necessity in most states, one should seek a new insurance policy before terminating the old one. Because you will be allowing the policy to lapse on purpose, you will have to procure a new policy before canceling the old policy itself to ensure that you are not charged higher premium on your new policy. Consumers who have been continuously insured gain better deals in comparison to those who have an irregular history of insurance coverage.
You should also make sure that the old insurance policy is properly canceled so that you don't have to bear any additional liability. You can verify the cancellation status of your policy by calling the old insurance company. This is a must because some car insurance providers may automatically renew your policy upon expiry. If the policy is not properly cancelled, the insurance company may charge you extra fees, in addition to the premium amount.
Before you choose to switch car insurance provider, you must do proper research to determine whether the switch is beneficial or not. You must read all the fine prints of the new policy to avoid unexpected surprises in the near future because some insurance providers choose to hide certain facts, which may drive customers away from them. Your decision to switch insurance provider should be beneficial for you overall.