Auto Insurance discounts and questions
Pays what you owe other people after a crash, and, if you choose, repairs or replaces your own car. The liability limits you pick decide how much of your own money is exposed; the deductibles decide what a claim costs you on the day.
Discounts carriers commonly offer
- Multi-policy
- Auto and home, renters or umbrella with the same carrier. Usually the largest single discount.
- Multi-vehicle
- Two or more cars on one policy.
- Safe driver and claim-free
- A record with no at-fault accidents or violations over the carrier's look-back period.
- Telematics
- A phone app or plug-in device that scores braking, speed and phone use; the discount tracks the score and can go the other way with some carriers.
- Paid in full and paperless
- Paying the term up front and taking documents electronically.
- Good student and driver training
- For young drivers with a qualifying grade average or a completed course.
Questions people ask
How much liability coverage should I carry?
Enough that a bad crash does not reach your savings, your home equity or your future wages. The state minimum protects the other driver, not you. A common starting point for a household with assets is a limit well above the minimum with an umbrella policy on top; the analysis puts a number on it from what you own and earn.
Should I drop collision on an older car?
Compare what collision costs per year with the car's actual cash value less the deductible. When the coverage would cost a large share of what it could ever pay, dropping it and keeping comprehensive is a reasonable choice. Keep it if you could not replace the car out of pocket tomorrow.
Does my policy cover me in a rental car?
Usually your liability follows you into a rental in the United States, and collision and comprehensive often extend to the rental too, subject to your deductible. Loss-of-use charges from the rental company are the common gap; some carriers cover them and some do not, so check before declining the counter's waiver.
What happens if I let a friend drive my car?
Coverage generally follows the car, so a permitted driver is covered by your policy, and a claim they cause lands on your record. Household members who drive regularly must be listed; an unlisted regular driver is the most common reason a claim is denied.
Why did my premium go up when nothing changed?
Carriers reprice at renewal on their whole book: repair costs, medical costs, litigation and weather losses in your area all move the rate, along with any new tickets or claims and the age of your vehicles. A renewal increase is the moment to compare, because a different carrier's book may have moved less.
Do I need an SR-22?
Only if a court or the state has told you to file one, typically after a suspension, a DUI or driving without insurance. It is a certificate your insurer files to prove you carry the required liability, not a separate policy; we can place a policy that includes the filing.