In Part 1, we detailed the first five strategies on how to cut your motorized vehicle coverage costs. In Part 2, we show you the second five.
STEP 6 – Review, Change or Cancel No Fault & PIP (personal Injury Protection)
No-Fault Coverage, and its Twin – PIP – started out as great instructions. Your apex rates were actually going to be lowered. Then, your State Politicians got involved (at the urging of Insurance Lobbyists, of course) and mucked it up.
You see, no-fault insurance coverage was originally intended to have each individuals losses, covered by their own car insurance company – no matter who was at fault.
Today, in a couple of States, car insurance companies are making a ton of money on no-fault because the insurance companies convinced State law-makers to make “modifications.”
Today, because of the these changes, car insurance companies have actually used the no-fault laws to reduce payments on a objection plotted out by a customer, instead of reducing car insurance premiums as it was supposed to do.
So, premiums take going up-and-up and insurance companies end up paying less for claims – a fewones attaining rich on that deal….and its not you.
And to make matters worse, some States (with really, really talented Insurance Lobbyists) yet require an additional premium be paid on top of the no-fault premium. This beauty is called Personal Injury Protection (PIP).
PIP is a “wide-blanket” of coverage and can provide Collision Coverage, Hospitalization, Social Security Disability, Workers Comp, Personal Disability Insurance & Life Insurance.
The problem with PIP and what it covers is….
You already gave most, if not all, of these coverages anyway, dont you? So, youre paying twice!
So, you taste to do a couple of things:
Google “minimum levels of required auto insurance” to see if No-Fault Insurance and/or PIP Is required in your State;
Then, check your policy. If its not required by your State to have No-Fault/PIP Coverage and its on your policy – cancel it. If No-Fault/PIP is required by your State….take the absolute minimum. Heres how.
If you must have No-Fault/PIP, ask for and get a deductible from your car insurance company.
STEP 7 – Cancel Medical Coverage.
Medical Coverage, on most car insurance policies, is a promise to pay “reasonable” medical expenses for anyone who is riding in your car should you have an accident…as well as anyone in your car should it get hit by someone also.
Cancel it. You dont need it.
Why is that you state? Well, medical coverage as part of your car insurance policy is a keep a copy of your own:
- Medical Plan; – Any Life Insurance Coverage you might have, as well as; – The liability Sections of almost every car insurance policy written in the U.S.
Think of it this way….Do you have a Health/Medical/Hospitalization Plan thru work or an Association you belong to?
Then why are you paying premiums for Medical/Hospitalization Coverage on your Car Insurance Policy?
Heres whats going to happen when you tell the car insurance company or Agent that you “Dont want the Hospitalization/Medical Coverage.” Youre going to hear very slick “scare tactics” to help change your mind.
The insurance company recruit will say “Well, if youre in an accident, and its your fault, whos going to cover the medical expenses for any injured passengers in your car?”
Heres your answer. Your family is already covered by your Health/Hospitalization Plan. If anybody else is in the car and theyre injured – theyre covered by your Bodily Injury Liability coverage that youre already paying for….and their own Health/Hospitalization Plan.
So go ahead – save some more money and get rid of this coverage.
STEP 8 – Cancel decease, Dismemberment & Loss of Sight.
Do you have any of these coverages on your alive car insurance policy? If so – cancel them.
And if youre a first time car insurance purchaser or, just looking at getting several car insurance quotes, dont let anyone talk you into them!
Why?
Because, these coverages are an absolute waste of money. Most of these discretionary coverages are simply “glorified” life insurance policies with ridiculous provisions and horribly expensive premiums. If you need life insurance, make it a separate Insurance Policy.
STEP 9 – Cancel The Extras
Do you have “Roadside remedy” or “Rental Car Reimbursement” on your policy? If so, cancel them.
And once more, if youre a first time insurance buyer or getting a few car insurance quotes, dont bother with these coverages.
Why? Because theyre severely overpriced, are rarely ever used, and limit what you can and cannot do.
For instance, some rental car reimbursement” coverage is almost $100 a year for each vehicle on your policy. So if you have two cars, youll spend almost $2,000 on rental car coverage in the subsequently 10 years – and such asly never even use it.
And roadside assistance? The piece-of-mind it offers gets trampled by the premiums the car insurance companies want for this coverage. Roadside assistance is a good idea. But use AAA for a cheaper solution.
STEP 10 – bring to a halt Comprehensive & Collision Coverage On Older Cars.
If you have an older car – by that I mean one thats worth less than $2,000 wholesale (the amount a car dealer would give you if you were trading it in) cancel any Comprehensive and Collision Coverage you have or decline that option when getting a car insurance quote.
Heres why. If an 8 year-old car and a brand new car have identical damage, the cost to heal both will be identical as well, even though the 8 year-old car is worth next-to-nothing.
You see the cost of a bumper and fender are the equivalent – whether its for a brand new car, or one that is 8 years-old. Thats why your premiums dont go down as the value of the car works down. Your payments remain almost the same, year-after-year-after-year.
But, the bottom drops-out of what youll be able to collect on that older car. For instance, if your car is “totaled”, your insurance company will competently pay you the wholesale value of your car.
So, lets say your car is worth $1,000, but the total damage is more than $4,000, the insurance company is only going to give you a check for $1,000….minus your deductible, of course.
So you might end up getting $500 back. Sounds like a dreadful deal….but thats how it works.
So, the rule-of-thumb is this – cancel your comp & collision coverage when your vehicles value is less than $2,000….or youll be throwing your money away.
Okay – youve jotted down some notes and are ready to make some changes to your car insurance policy. So pick up the phone and start slashing your premiums!