Changing Car Insurance Firms   

by Jen Jimaya


Changing Car Insurance Firms May be Easier Than you Think!

There are many reasons why you may choose to switch your Car insurance coverage to another firm. Perhaps you've found another firm that offers you the same amount of coverage for considerably less cash. You might have switchd jobs and are eligible for a group discount through another insurer, or maybe you're unhappy with the service that your present firm provides. With the growth of the internet and quote comparison sites, investigating your options has never been easier! Why switch to a new Car insurance company?

You need to regularly review your Car insurance coverage to make sure that you are receiving the best insurance value for your cash. You will discover that it pays to shop around. In some states, premiums for identical policies vary widely among different Car insurance Firms. The reasons for this price variation can be very complicated, but they boil down to a firm's claims experience with policyhpreviousers in a coverage group (e.g. people of similar age, number of accidents, type of vehicle). For example, if a large number of people in a coverage group files claims during a given year, their rates will likely rise. When this happens, better discounts and lower overall premiums may be available at other insurance Firms. When you decide to switch your Car insurance to another firm, you'll find that it's fairly simple to do so. How to get rid of your previous Car Insurance policy

Generally, all you need to do to get rid of your Car insurance policy is to inform your insurance firm in writing, specifying the date you want the policy get rid ofed. In some states, the new agent must notify the previous agent of the policy switch. Some Car insurance Firms ask the policyhpreviouser send back the actual printed policy. The insurance firm will send a get rid oflation request form that will need to be signed and returned. Examine the form carefully to make sure that all information regarding the policy is correct. If the form is not received within two weeks of sending the letter, call the agent or firm immediately to check on the status of the get rid oflation. Don't just walk away from the previous policy without formally get rid ofing it. Each state requires that Car Insurance policies be get rid ofled with notice, thus the insurance firm might assume one wished to continue the coverage, and it might eventually terminate the policy for failure to pay premiums and report the lack of coverage to the state Department of Motor Vehicles. This can hurt your credit rating and ability to get a new policy. Be sure to get a new Car Insurance policy first

Always have a new policy in place before get rid ofing the previous Car insurance coverage. Otherwise you might have a gap in protection for a day or more! Most states require all drivers to carry a minimum level of Car insurance and most insurance Firms require policyhpreviousers to present proof of new coverage before they will get rid of an active policy. The new firm will be able to time the beginning of the new policy to coincide with the get rid oflation of the prior coverage. When to switch Car Insurance policies

At Renewal

Renewal is a convenient time to switch Car insurance policies, as you don't have to wait for a refund from your current company. A renewal notice will be sent to you approximately 30 days before a new policy begins, depending on the regulations in your state. Should you decide to switch Firms, you'll need to have a new policy by the time the current policy renews. Though a firm might say there is 10-30 days to get your payment in before a policy terminates, you do not have coverage until the company receives the payment. If you have an accident during this time period you most likely will have no coverage since the premium wasn't paid!

Anytime:

All Car insurance policies contain a provision allowing you to get rid of your policy with proper notice at any time. In a few states Car insurance Firms "short rate" the policy that means one pays a penalty for get rid ofing before the policy renews. Most insurance Firms pro-rate their policies so there is no penalty. The advantage of switching before the renewal date can save you a lot of cash. For example if you have a policy that runs from Jan 15th to Aug 15th and you have an accident or ticket that will be over 36 months on March 15th. By switching Car insurance Firms on March 16th, you get a discount for having a clean driving record. Your current company won't apply this discount until the policy renews on August 15th! This can save you Hundreds of dollars immediately! How long does it take to switch Car insurance?

When you switch Car insurance Firms, the new agent or insurer can generally switch companys while you wait! Generally they'll just need a copy of your current declaration page, driver's license and down payment to get the policy issued.

About the Author

Jen works for Quote And Save the world's premier insurance resource.