The general perception surrounding car insurance shopping is that it is daunting, time-consuming, and quite a hassle. This was my perspective too until the day I was compelled to negotiate it myself.
A couple of months back, I had a car mishap involving my house which, quite predictably, emerged victorious. The collision was indeed a foolish act on my part, which promptly led to an augmentation in my car insurance cost. A steep amount of $4,000 was charged by the body shop to mend the damages.
Anticipating an inevitable escalation in the car insurance, I was dumbfounded when it reached an astounding $600 increment annually. This came about owing to a singular accident in all of my driving history, leading me to the brink of an outburst. So, I decided to bring my assertiveness into play and made several calls.
Interacting with Car Insurance Representatives
Initially, I reached out to an accident lawyer to understand if the augmentation was standard, considering my collision was with a house and not another vehicle. I received no substantial assistance there. Subsequently, I dialed up our car insurance company, and after a brief hold, I was connected with an operator. It was simpler to discuss things over a call than navigate the insurance changes online. Even though they encourage customers to self-service online, talking to an insurance agent often yields better results as they have a thorough understanding of the savings tricks to offer an optimal quote.
When asked, they managed to slash about $40 from our bill by making a few modifications like changing the deductible, but this was still far off from our initial costs.
Exploring Other Insurance Providers
Unsatisfied with the current insurance rates, I decided to consult other providers. Reaching out to acquaintances for their choice of providers and doing my own research, I was amazed at how rapid and straightforward the quote retrieval process was. Calling the dedicated quote number provided by the companies online led to prompt assistance. Comparing quotes through an auto insurance comparison engine is another effective alternative.
I provided my current coverage details to ensure a fair comparison of the plans. To my astonishment, the new provider quoted a rate $150 less than my existing one. An added bonus was an even more significant discount if I considered having my renter’s insurance with them, making it almost cost-free. The best part – this entire process took a few quick minutes over a call.
Switching Car Insurance is Acceptable
My husband had been loyal to his insurance provider for an impressive 13 years, which initially made him skeptical about switching insurers. However, the significant price differential led me to reinforce our decision to our older insurance provider. Their lack of action even upon intimating our plan to cancel the service reaffirmed our decision.
Saving over $300 annually led me to comfortably switch our car insurance. There is no obligation to remain loyal to your insurer, as to them you’re simply a client. It’s vital to vigilantly manage your financial affairs and ensure you’re availing the best deal in the market.
