Car Insurance Calculator: Estimate the Cost of Car Insurance for You

Experts’ Advice About Estimating Car Insurance Costs

Aniruddha Pangarkar, Ph.D., MBA — Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

What’s the best way to estimate my car insurance costs?

First and foremost, if you already have a car, then that’s fine, but if you are in the process of buying a new car, then insurance costs also vary by car type, trim, brand, etc. The second step is to decide the kind of coverage you will need along with your liability limits coverage, which would likely be collision and comprehensive to account for any loss or damage to the vehicle. This is very important if you are taking out a car loan because the lender will require it. Doing your research, calling several insurance companies, and getting quotes are very important. Remember that choosing reputed companies like GEICO, State Farm, All State, Mercury and Progressive guarantees that you will not run into any problems in case you get into an accident and the vehicle is damaged. You could also calculate estimated insurance through the tools that MoneyGeek, Progressive, GEICO, etc. offer through their websites.

How do companies calculate car insurance?

Insurance companies typically look at factors such as age, gender, marital status, driving record, type of coverage you seek, location, credit score, history and car insurance history when coming up with an insurance quote. You could decide what the best deal is based on the various quotes you get. As I mentioned, you could also get quotes through the websites of car insurance companies, but I recommend talking to an actual agent to see how much you can negotiate. This is important because many individuals can qualify for military discounts, educator discounts, student discounts, auto and rental insurance discounts bundling, etc.

Are online car insurance quotes from insurance companies finalized quotes or estimates?

While online quotes are certainly quick, instant and efficient, it is important to understand that the final quote might be different. This is because the online quote is calculated based on the information you provide at that point in time. If this changes later, then the final quote will also change. Second, many individuals can qualify for additional discounts like military discounts, student discounts, safe driver discounts, multi-service/policies bundling discounts, etc., which could likely lower the insurance premium. Third, other factors, like driving history, credit score, etc., can impact your final quote. Thus, online car quotes are good estimates but should not be considered final quotes.

Source: Car Insurance Calculator: Estimate the Cost of Car Insurance for You (April 2024)

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