No one wants to be “taken” on their insurance premiums. It is hard not to view these payments as money down the drain, so many of us use price quotes as the deciding factor when we select auto, home or household insurance.
This is when we find out what kind of service our premiums have been paying for, and, we shouldn’t be surprised to find that we get what we pay for. That is a choice many consumers come to regret when the time comes to file a claim.
With that said, you can find companies that offer both good service and good prices, and the only way to find out who is who is to compare insurance quotes, policies and companies.
Researching insurance online is the easiest way to start. You’ll find resources to educate yourself about common insurance terms and practices. And, you can gather enough information, most of the time including quotes, cover information and company history, to know if you want to give the company a call for information on specific options. This way, you can avoid high-pressure sales tactics that might cause you to make a decision prematurely.
When you start negotiating with the insurance company, you’ll hear novel terms and listen to consultants who try to pull fast ones on you. You need to know what will happen when you submit a claim, and what the terms of your policy include. Ask any questions that you need to ask to clarify the policy. Any company that wants your business should be willing and able to explain its policy to your satisfaction.
Foregoing all the jargon that can accompany this explanation, it essentially boils down to your risk profile. If you’re a high risk, you’ll pay a higher premium. If you’re a low risk, you’ll pay a lower premium.One thing it is important to understand about insurance is how the companies determine your premium.
Several factors influence your risk profile, including, age, gender, place of residence, the value of the item(s) to be insured, your history of claims, the type and amount of cover you want to buy and the risk the item(s) being insured are exposed to. These factors can influence the various types of insurance in different ways, but some have the same effect on each insurance type.
If they exceed the insurance company’s requirements, will lower home, household and car insurance premiums,if your place of residence is in a high crime area, your home, household and car insurance premiums will reflect the increased risk of possible theft, burglary or hijacking.Increased security measures.
One way to decrease your premium is by increasing the excess amount, this is the amount that you pay when you have a claim.
You can receive a discount if you have a history of claim-free years. First-time insurers will not be eligible for this discount until they have built this history.
Tom Martens is the syndication coordinator Insurance-south-africa.co.za. South Arica’s leading Insurance information portal
Tags: auto insurance, car insurance, cars, Household, Household Insurance, insurance, money, Short Term Insurance