Choosing the right auto insurance for your family can be confusing. How do you find the best auto insurance for your family’s unique situation? Which companies should you look at? What if you have a teen driver? How much coverage should you carry? Save time and money by following these simple tips and get the best auto insurance for your family.
Comparison Shopping for Auto Insurance
The first step in choosing the best auto insurance for your family is to comparison shop. Before contacting any insurance companies, make a list of what your family needs in an auto insurance policy. Do you have multiple cars to insure? Do you need to insure a teen driver? If you transport your children’s friends, you might want to consider increasing the liability portion of your car insurance. If you have a large number of assets, you may want an umbrella policy. All of your criteria will play an important role in determining your premium price and ultimately which auto insurance company is the best fit for your family. You will also need to know what coverage your state requires. Make a comparison chart of your auto insurance needs and make sure you ask the same questions to all of the auto insurance companies you contact.
Buying Auto Insurance for Teens
When it comes time to insure your teen driver, be prepared to shell out some significant bucks. Teens cost more to insure because they are inexperienced and as a group have a higher incidence of accidents. However, you usually don’t have to insure your teen until they are licensed. Unless you are in a high risk insurance pool, teens with a permit are usually covered by your auto insurance as long as they are driving with a licensed driver. Save some money and hold off on adding them to your policy while they are still learning. However, make sure you get your teen insured as soon as they get their license. You may find yourself paying big bucks if your uninsured teen driver needs to make a claim. Your insurance company can legally charge you back premiums.
Best Auto Insurance Companies for Families
These auto insurance companies usually can’t be beat on affordability, service and available options. However, always shop around. Your local independent agency may be willing to match or better the prices of the bigger companies in order to keep your business. But don’t make the mistake of confusing low prices with the best auto insurance company for your family. Use your comparisons of premiums, coverage and discounts to make your decision. Here are the two best companies offering auto insurance for families, and a few of the runners up.
American Family
American Family is a big company that feels intimate and personal. Most of the credit goes to the company’s superior customer service department that, along with quick claims, make American Family one of the best companies offering auto insurance for families. The regular premium rates are very competitive even if you have a teen driver on your policy and their multiple vehicle discount, good student discount, air bag discount, accident free and good driver discounts can save your family big bucks.
American Family’s online services are convenient and easy to navigate and understand. Their online bill pay is especially quick and easy. Their family custom protection tool is an easy way to evaluate your own insurance needs. American Family offers families with teen drivers a program called the Teen Safe Driver Program in which a camera is mounted inside the vehicle to evaluate how safely the teen is driving. The feedback from the camera is then sent to parents.
If you choose to use an American Family agent instead of their online service, you can rest assured that you will still have immediate access to a representative in the event of an emergency. Agents are backed by a 24 hour care center and an online self-service center. The one downside of American Family is that they are not available in all states. But if you are lucky enough to be in a state they service, you can’t go wrong choosing this great auto insurance company for your family.
Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual certainly has stood the test of time. In business since 1912, this is a company that has a high customer satisfaction rating and is one of the best companies offering auto insurance for families. In fact, 91 percent of Liberty customers renew their auto insurance policy every year. This may be due to the company’s outstanding customer service. Or it could be that Liberty has much better rates than most of the other big companies. They offer all of the standard discounts plus discounts for teen drivers who maintain a B or higher grade point average and savings for members or employees of certain groups, associations, credit unions or alumni associations. The one drawback- Liberty Mutual’s RV insurance is very expensive.
Other Superb Auto Insurance Companies for Families
21st Century Insurance
Esurance
Geico
Progressive
Sources
Insure Log
