Auto Insurance

Auto Insurance

What’s in your garage? You might be practical when you choose cars — a versatile hatchback or minivan is just the thing.  Perhaps you prefer the rugged image of an SUV, or like to reward yourself with a convertible or luxury sedan. Maybe you also have a classic muscle car or vintage sports car for weekend cruising.

Whatever you drive, you know you need insurance for your car and assets. And Farmers has coverage options that enable you to get the insurance you want.

Here are some of the risks a driver may face:

You cause an accident
You cause an accident
Risk:
You cause a minor collision when glare from the setting sun blinds you in rush hour traffic. Damage is relatively minimal, but the other driver says her neck is in pain.

Coverage:
Liability coverage pays for bodily injury and property damage to another that results from covered losses you cause.

You accidentally damage your own car
You accidentally damage your own car
Risk:
You’re on your way to a ski weekend when you lose traction on an icy road — the impact when you slide into a guardrail damages your SUV’s front fender.

Coverage:

Collision coverage can help repair your vehicle if it’s damaged — or compensate you for its value if it’s a total loss.

A hailstorm dents your car
A hailstorm dents your car
Risk:
A sudden hailstorm cracks your car’s windshield and leaves dozens of dents on the hood, roof and trunk.

Coverage:

Comprehensive coverage can help when your car is damaged by something other than a collision.

An uninsured driver hits you
An uninsured driver hits you
Risk:
You suffer minor injuries when another driver runs a red light and clips your car’s rear fender. On top of it all, the driver doesn’t have auto insurance.

Coverage:

Uninsured motorist coverage covers the costs of your bodily injuries — up to your policy limit – when they are caused by an at-fault driver without any auto insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage picks up the costs of your injuries when an at-fault driver has some insurance, but not enough to cover your all of your damages.

Your son is injured in a single-car wreck
Your son is injured in a single-car wreck
Risk:
Your son and a passenger are both injured when his subcompact hits a tree.

Coverage:
Medical payments coverage can help with medical expenses if they’re caused by a covered accident — regardless of fault.

You can’t work during physical therapy
You can’t work during physical therapy
Risk:
You miss several days of work while receiving physical therapy for injuries sustained in a car accident.

Coverage:
Personal Injury Protection (PIP), where available, can help with medical and rehabilitation expenses, as well as lost wages.

Other insurance options to consider

Find out if you can get more value and convenience from Farmers when you purchase multiple policies. Be sure to ask your Farmers® agent for a quote that includes insurance coverage for risks like these — you might even qualify for multiline discounts.


How Much Does Car Insurance Cost?

How much is car insurance going to cost you? It’s not an easy question to answer. The quote you receive could be painfully high or comfortably low based on a number of different factors. But for what it’s worth, the average amount spent to insure a car in the U.S. was $815 a year in 2012, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

However, as anyone who pays much less — or more — than $815 a year can tell you, there are a lot of variables that affect your car insurance rates.

Some factors, including where you live and what kind of car you drive, can be tough to change. Others, such as your driving habits and the level of coverage you choose, are a bit easier to tweak. I’ll break down these factors and discuss what (if anything) you can do to save

Comparison Shop to Lower Your Car Insurance Cost
Before we get started, it’s important to mention one thing you can always do to save some money: Shop around. It’s easiest to start online. Our quote generator below can help you do that quickly, eliminating the hassle of calling individual insurers and repeating the same information. Just enter your ZIP code and you’re on your way:

Cost Factor No. 1: Basic Demographics
Your age, sex, marital status, and location all weigh heavily on how much you car insurance costs. That’s because your insurance company has an enormous amount of data that tells them how each of these things makes you more or less of a risk for filing claims.

For instance, if you’re younger (typically, age 25 or below), unmarried, and male, you’ll pay more than an older, married female, who is statistically less likely to file a claim.

Location also has a huge impact on your car insurance rates. State laws that regulate car insurance can have a big effect. Michigan, the most expensive state for car insurance premiums according to Insure.com, tops the list because residents get unlimited lifetime personal injury protection for medical expenses resulting from crashes. Montana comes in second, in part because crash fatality rates are very high, and insurers think driver safety laws are too lax.

You’ll also almost always pay more in densely populated areas, where you’re at more risk for an accident. This is likely why Washington, D.C., Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Jersey are all among the top 10 most expensive states. Areas prone to natural disasters can mean car insurance costs a premium, too, which is why Louisiana is fourth on the list.

How to save: Unfortunately, this is the toughest category for eking out some savings. You’re unlikely to move or get married just to save on how much car insurance costs.

Still, it’s worth at least keeping in mind how big an impact where you live can have on what you pay. According to CarInsurance.com, even ZIP codes that aren’t terribly far from one another can vary dramatically on average costs. For more details on how costs vary from state to state, keep reading.