Be Sure Your Auto Insurance Meets Your Road Trip Needs
It took months, but you've finally nailed down all the details for your road trip to San Diego. You got the time off from work, found someone to lease your house for the time you'd be away, and made a sweet deal on a beach bungalow there. You still have to clean your place and pack and get supplies for the car and maybe buy a new pair of swim trunks, not to mention drop that last 5 pounds, but when the time comes, you'll be ready to roll.
Speaking of all the details, remember to take a fresh look at your car insurance before you go. You should review your coverage at least yearly for two reasons. One is to make sure your policy still meets your needs. Do you still need collision coverage, for example? You might not if you've got an older car, you've paid off your loan and the value isn't much higher than your deductible. The other reason to review your coverage is to make sure you're not paying too much.In regards to that second reason, it might be a good time to shop your policy with multiple top-rated providers to make sure you're getting the best deal. If that sounds like a lot of trouble to save a few bucks, it doesn't have to be. Websites such as autoinsurance. US allow you to shop your coverage with multiple providers at once.
The best deal should include discounts on your premiums. Discounts vary widely by state and provider, so you'll have to make sure you ask about them. Here are some common ones:
• Homeowners: Many providers offer discounts to policyholders who own a home.
• Auto/home bundle: In addition to getting a price break for owning a home, you can get up to 20% off if you insure your automobile and home with the same provider.
• Multiple cars: Insure more than one vehicle with the same provider and you could get a discount. This also can work if you insure your boat, RV or motorcycle with that provider.
• Good student: If you have a teen driver who is a good student, you could be eligible for a price break.
• Safety courses: Motorists who pass an approved safety course could also get reductions on their premiums.
There is another reason you should review your auto insurance before you drive to San Diego. If you plan to drive to Mexico, including Tijuana, you'll need to know whether your policy will be in effect while you're out of the country. One certainty – your liability protection – the part of your policy that protects you if you cause an accident – will not be in force while you're over the border. You'll definitely need to purchase a Mexican liability insurance policy if you want to drive in that country. This is true as well if you plan to drive a rental car.
What happens if you don't purchase Mexican liability insurance? Authorities will make sure you can pay for any damage, and they could jail you until they're satisfied. That means you could be on the hook, during your vacation, for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. That's certainly not what you want from a road trip. The time to investigate your auto insurance needs is before you back out of the driveway. Otherwise, that dream vacation could turn into a real nightmare.
Author Bio
This article was written by Arthur Casey, who is the primary writer for http://www.autoinsurance.us.