Finding cheap auto insurance can be hard enough to do. So don’t let misguided information and nonsensical myths pull you away from the list of insurance facts. To help you avoid the path of fabrication and propaganda, consider this article as your automobile policy myth buster.
1. If my vehicle is caught is damaged or stolen, then my policy will cover all me in full.
The truth: The only time your insurer will cover you if you experience car theft or if your car is wrecked is when you bought comprehensive coverage. Otherwise, your agency won’t be able to help you. Majority of US states mandates that a driver must have at least the minimum liability coverage, which only pays for the damage you incur to others. Collision and comprehensive coverage are not legally demanded by most states so a lot of people who want budget-friendly insurance don’t buy these coverage items.
If you include comprehensive coverage in your policy and your car is stolen, damaged, vandalized or even caught into fire, you won’t have to worry because your insurer will be there to protect you.
2. Only new vehicles are being stolen by car thieves.
The truth: This is big misconception. In fact, statistics say it’s the other way around. Car thieves are more prone to steal used cars. One of the reasons behind this is that older cars are easier to steal than brand new ones. Furthermore, the parts of an old vehicle are easier to sell.
3. In the event that my car is declared “totaled,” my insurer will settle the remaining of my car lease or loan.
The truth: Unfortunately, no. Your insurer will compute the actual cash value of your vehicle, reducing the uninsured amount (deductible). The difference will be the amount that you’ll receive from your insurer. When you say “actual cash value” of your vehicle, it means the value of your car before the car crash and not the amount you paid for your car when bought. Depreciation will come into play here. And as such, you still have the legal responsibility to pay off whatever your car’s outstanding balance.
Your car is declared “totaled” by your insurer if the total amount of restoration surpass your vehicle’s value’s specific threshold. This differs by insurance company, but the generally if the cost go beyond 50 to 80% of the vehicle’s value, it will be considered totaled.
4. If your vehicle is red, then you don’t have any chance in getting low-rate auto insurance.
The truth: This is probably one of the most ridiculous misinformation revolving around car insurance. Your vehicle’s color is not a determinant that can affect your car premium. Owning a red car will not cost you more than owning a blue one, or any color for that matter. The color of your vehicle may be of vital importance to you but with your insurer, it’s not. The company is only interested with the age of your car as well as its make and model, and engine size.