How To Buy Auto Insurance Like A Pro

As a first-time auto insurance buyer, you might not know which plan to get. While it sounds way easier to just stay on mom and dad’s policy and cut them a check for your portion of the premium payment every month, if you don’t live with them, you aren’t technically qualified to be part of the household or family auto insurance plan. And if your family’s auto insurer finds out that you’ve been using their plan and you live in another city or state, they have the right to not only remove you, but to cancel the entire policy. Don’t do this to your parents! There are a lot of benefits to getting your own insurance policy, you just have to know where to look.

If you’ve been wondering [how to buy an auto insurance policy](https://coverhound.com/auto-insurance), read on, CoverHound will give you the details!

**The Insurance How-To**
Uninsured motorist insurance claims came to a total of $2.6 billion in 2012 (the most recent data available). According to the [Pew Charitable Trusts](http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2015/2/20/states-look-to-reduce-ranks-of-uninsured-drivers), that’s a 75 percent increase from the last decade. On average, [one in seven](http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-09-11/uninsured-drivers/50363390/1) motorists don’t have auto insurance coverage. These numbers show that you are at greater risk of being involved in auto accident with an uninsured motorist. This is why (and also because it’s required by law) getting an auto insurance policy only serves to benefit you: it will protect you when you need it most.

It’s understandable that you would rather not pay a hefty insurance premium for a service you may not use, but to be fair, that’s what uninsured motorists thought too, and they ended up costing *everybody* money.

**Comparison Shop Online**
You can find an affordable auto insurance plan by comparing free quotes online. All you have to do is enter a few details about yourself and your car (your age and gender, the vehicle’s make, model and year) and CoverHound’s comparison tool will match you up with insurance vendors that meet your needs. From there, you’ll be asked to share some more details about yourself, including your career, how often you drive and what your accident history looks like. The comparison tool will automatically add discounts too, such as good driver and senior discounts.

**Ask Questions!**
If you think you have found a good policy, but still aren’t sure that it’s the best one, call the insurance agency and ask them questions including:

− What amount of coverage do I need?
− Can I omit certain parts of the plan that do not apply to me?
− What discounts do you offer, and how can I qualify?
− If I pay a higher deductible, will my premium cost decrease?
− Will my live-in partner have coverage under my policy?

**Do Your Research**
If you think you have found an agency you would like to take out an insurance policy with, make sure they will be able to cover you after an accident by looking into customer reviews and their [revenue](http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2010/12/20/115803.htm). If the company has a low amount of revenue, beware—the chances of them approving a claim are lower than for insurance companies with a high amount of revenue.

Auto insurance isn’t just another bill to pay for, it’s a safety net for when the unexpected happens. [Find](https://coverhound.com/auto-insurance) your new auto insurance plan with CoverHound today.