U.S. News Warns Not to Overlook a Costly Car Insurance Mistake

When choosing car insurance everybody wants to save as much money as possible. But only looking at the total cost of the policy doesn't tell the whole story.
Written by Lisa Steuer McArdle
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Shopping for
car insurance
can seem daunting—especially when you consider how many different companies and types of coverage are available.
In fact, car insurance shoppers may often feel like they don’t have the time or resources to make sure they are getting the best deal and coverage.
So where to begin? According to U.S. News, one way to ensure an easier process is to make apples-to-apples comparisons when looking at different
car insurance quotes
.

Compare car insurance quotes to save

When choosing car insurance, it can seem easier to just quickly look at the lowest rate and choose that plan. However, this is a common mistake that may not work in your best interests—in fact, you may end up paying more in the long run if you go with this method, because you aren’t taking deductibles and amount of coverage into consideration.
Instead,
U.S. News
suggests looking at each component of a car insurance policy separately. Compare each of these elements from company to company. This will help ensure that the quotes you are comparing have the _same _deductible and coverage level for each element.

Breaking down a car insurance plan

But what exactly are the elements that you should be comparing?
Car insurance coverage laws do vary by state, but keep in mind all policies should have
property damage liability
, bodily injury liability, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Comprehensive coverage—which covers theft, vandalism fires or accidents with natural disasters—and collision insurance—which covers the cost of repairs to a vehicle involved in collision with another driver—are two other types of coverage that should also be compared under different plans.
There is also medical payments coverage for costs resulting from your passengers’ injuries, and personal injury protection, which covers your expenses.

Two or more car insurance companies

When looking at different car insurance companies and plans, it’s essential to review each of these elements, compare and see how the deductibles and coverage levels match up.
These amounts may vary depending on which car insurance company you are reviewing. That’s why it’s important to carefully compare quotes from two or more companies when choosing a car insurance plan.

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