No one wants surprises when they go to file their car insurance claim. Although it is tempting for many to just get enough car insurance to get on the road, it is not worth the surprises that may come when one has to file a claim. Lets take a look at the top reasons why getting a bare bones care insurance policy may not be the best choice.
1. A Bare Bones Cheap Car Insurance Policy is Simply Not Enough Coverage: Yes, legally it gets one driving. But what happens after an accident? Take for instance a legal car insurance policy that only had $20,000 available in property damage coverage per accident. What if the car that was hit by the bare bones cheap car insurance driver had a brand new car worth over $20,000 or if someone's property was damaged and the repairs were over $20,000? It is easy to see how these legal car insurance minimum limits could be exhausted quickly and the bare bones cheap car insurance driver is the one who would have to pick up the tab for the rest.
2. Lawsuits: It is no secret that lawsuits are much more common than in the past, especially when dealing with car accidents. Car insurance policies do have coverage that will pay for legal disputes but only up to the limit specified in the car insurance policy. Who wants a "bare bones legal team" when being sued?
3. Bare Bones Cheap Car Insurance is Not Always Cheaper: A lot of people just call the simple 800 number to a car insurance company that says they will keep one legal for less money. Quick, done. Well, sometimes the minimum policy is actually more expensive than insurance from other companies. Shopping around is what everyone should do when shopping for car insurance. Often, one can find a great policy with higher limits than the minimum for the same price as the bare bones car insurance policy just by making a few phone calls.
4. Beware of Rising Rates: It is a advertising tactic that has been around for generations: Get them in cheap and they will stick around as the price gradually increases. Yes, sometimes the bare bones insurance companies will save the policy holder a substantial amount of money in the beginning but every time the policy is renewed a little more is added and before long, the bare bones policy is costing as much as a policy with better coverage from another insurance company.
5. Customer Service: This alone can be worth a few extra dollars. When it is time to file a claim no one wants the run around and a lousy customer service team. Yes, lousy customer service can be found everywhere but generally when one has a personal and local insurance agent, the customer service is much better than trying to deal with a different person on the phone hundreds of miles away.
