In every financial topic, learning before deciding is important, but getting educated in advance, might be the most important in the field of insurance. The terms of insurance policies are written to punish ignorance and take advantage of the disinterested. Learn all you can to get the best insurance deals available to you!
If you are moving, be sure to check with your moving company to see what kind of insurance they carry. Most moving companies just have a “per-pound” policy on all contents. This might be alright if you just have fairly ordinary, large furnishings; however, if you have very expensive furniture, artwork, lots of electronics or other items that may not weigh much but are valuable, you should ask your insurance agent about supplemental moving insurance.
To save money on travel insurance, start by looking at what you may already have covered. Most homeowner and renter policies cover theft of property; many credit cards offer accidental death while traveling if you used the card to pay for the trip. Some even offer car rental insurance and extra baggage protection.
In order to get the best rates on insurance, you should choose the highest deductible you can afford. This can lower your rates by as much as 25%. It is important however that you would be able to cover the deductible amount in the event that something would happen to your home or auto.
Find an insurance broker who works with several major, reputable companies. These professionals, after reviewing your records, can compare different companies’ offers and can choose the best coverage for the best premium. Some of these brokers continue to shop around for you and switch your carrier when another company offers the same coverage for a more reasonable premium.
Your current insurance provider may be willing to offer you significant discounts if you obtain more policies from them. Discover what they will charge you, and compare that to other companies that you research online; shop around to find the best deal.
Many people don’t realize this but you can consolidate your insurance policies, such as your car and homeowner’s insurance to the same company. Most insurance companies will give you a discount on both policies for doing this and you can save anywhere from 5% to 20% on your insurance just by doing this.
Ask questions you feel should be answered. If you aren’t asking the questions you think should be answered, you aren’t really getting the help you need. You could end up getting into a policy that isn’t appropriate to meet your needs, or one that has coverage that isn’t needed by your or your family.
Consult your state’s insurance department and ask if they can provide you with information about the insurance companies you’re considering, prior to making your final choice. They might be able to let you know about complaints that were never addressed, average rates in your area, or might simply give you some basic information that will help you make your decision.
Hopefully, these tips have prepared you a little to make wise insurance decisions. Do not stop here, though. There is an abundance of free information available to teach you more about getting the most out of the money you spend on insurance. More education will protect you even better. Keep learning and keep saving money!