Are all full coverage auto policies the same? When searching for a new policy for auto insurance in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, drivers are faced with a number of options, but not a lot of detail on how they are different. It’s important to choose carefully in order to find the policy that works best with your budget, risk tolerance, daily commute, household, and car. Make sure you’re doing an apples to apples comparison on each policy so that the one you choose never comes up short in the event of a claim.
It’s important to note that “full coverage” isn’t an official insurance term. Typically, when people say “full coverage” they are thinking of a car insurance policy that includes liability, comprehensive, and collision coverage. Insurance companies don’t use this term because there’s an implication that everything is covered, and that’s usually not the case.
Comparing Auto Insurance Policies On Your Own
There are dozens of auto insurance carriers serving the market in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Of course, all the big names that you would recognize from their ads have insurance policies for PA and NJ drivers, but there are several regional carriers as well.
If you’re putting in the effort to identify the best policy for your needs, it’s essential to stay organized. Create a chart or a spreadsheet to keep track of what each policy offers and at what cost. When doing a cost comparison, it’s better to try to talk to an agent on the phone. Online services will certainly deliver a quote, but they are not very interactive. If you notice that there’s an endorsement missing, or the limit is not right, you may have to start all over with that provider.
With each provider, track the availability and cost of every aspect of coverage:
-
Liability coverage limits – not just the minimum, but check into the cost of higher limits
-
Comprehensive and collision coverage limits – make sure you know the deductible at every limit
-
Uninsured motorist coverage – find out how you’re protected in a crash with an uninsured driver
-
Roadside assistance and rental coverage – minimal downtime is key when a car problem does happen
-
Claims processing and customer service reputation – online only services may seem more affordable until you really need to speak to someone, particularly someone who is knowledgeable about insurance in Pennsylvania or New Jersey
-
Deductibles and rate increases – clarity about what you need to pay out of pocket, and what triggers a rate increase, is part of the affordability equation
-
Discounts available – savings for bundling, a clean driving record, and low mileage are usually there if you know what to ask for
Once all of this is loaded into your chart or spreadsheet, you can really dig into what you truly get for the premium cost of each policy. It’s not the fastest process, but determining the most beneficial coverage for your specific needs is always worth it. No one ever wants to be in a situation where their car insurance is needed, but when it is, they are depending on it to work the way they expect it to.
There are also some online comparison tools out there, but they still rely on you, the consumer, to know all the information you need to input and be able to make an accurate comparison. With the complexity of insurance, it can be easy to overlook how some information might impact your policy and rate.
Is There an Easy Way to Compare Full Coverage Auto Insurance Policies?
The easiest way to get a full, comprehensive comparison of multiple auto insurance policies is to work with a local independent insurance agency. Independent agencies represent multiple insurance carriers, which means that they can do all the research more efficiently than an individual consumer. An agent who is local to the Philadelphia region will have a firm understanding of what coverage details are most important for Southeastern PA and Southern NJ drivers.
If the idea of building your comparison chart, entering all your personal information into multiple online forms, and painstakingly comparing every feature is too exhausting to even get started, you don’t need to do it!
At Freedom Insurance Group, one of our goals is to set our clients free from the burden of researching and comparing multiple auto insurance policies. One call to check them all!! Clients make one call to us, and we take it from there. Our experienced agents are local to the region and have been helping drivers in Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Camden, Mercer, and Burlington Counties (along with all of PA and NJ) find the right auto insurance policy for their budget and coverage needs.
With the benefit of our years of experience and local knowledge, Freedom Insurance Group knows exactly what questions to ask before comparing potential full coverage auto policies. We know it’s not just about what’s the cheapest, because that doesn’t always mean it’s the most affordable or what’s best for your unique situation. We identify each client’s priorities, risk tolerance, budget, and state requirements to build each quote. And we don’t just do this once. We try to connect with our clients at least once a year to update their information and see if their current policy is still the right one for their circumstances. We take this opportunity to shop for better rates, discuss other coverages, and find out about life or household changes that may affect their policy needs.
When you work with an independent auto insurance agency that works hard for its clients, you never have to worry if you’re getting the best full coverage auto insurance for your budget.
Learn More About Full Coverage Auto Insurance Options in PA and NJ
If you aren’t quite confident that your car insurance policy really has the coverage you need, don’t wait for something to go wrong to find out. Give our agents a call today to learn more about your options for full coverage auto insurance in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We’ll take the time to learn about what you are really looking for, ask a few questions that maybe you hadn’t considered yet, and zero in on your budget. And of course, if you do find a better policy than what you have currently, we’ll guide you so that you don’t have to pay a penalty for switching auto insurance companies.
We’ll research the vehicle policy options based on your needs and get back to you with a narrowed down list to review. No spreadsheet required! Our agents will patiently review each policy with you so that you have a firm grasp of what your auto insurance provides. Contact us today to find out just how much easier it is to let your trusted local agency do the work of finding you a great full coverage auto insurance policy.
