If you live in Washington State, you must have at least the minimum amount of liability insurance on your car. By law, you must do this. After that, you can choose the kinds of coverage you really need. This gives you some say over how much your own car insurance costs. You can choose not to have the following types of coverage:
- Roadside help in an emergency. Many people don't know that a portion of their premium goes toward this coverage. If you don't need roadside assistance or if you already have this benefit from another source, this should be taken away.
- Medical coverage. This coverage protects you from having to pay for medical bills or a funeral if you are in an accident. You should ask about the different levels of coverage. You'll probably save a lot of money if you lower the amount of coverage or get rid of this part of your policy.
- Car rental. Some car insurance policies will pay for a rental car if your car is damaged in an accident and can't be driven. Getting rid of this option from your policy can also save you some money.
- Collision. Most of the time, this coverage is suggested for newer cars. If your car is older, you might want to think about not getting collision coverage. By doing this, you can be sure that your annual premiums will go down.
It's easy to see why it's so important to look over your car insurance policy after you get it or when it's time to renew it. If you don't want certain options, talk to your agent about getting rid of them. If you can't do this, you might want to look for a policy that lets you choose the options you want. You're the customer, so you shouldn't pay for things you don't want or need.
