Car Lease Insurance

Some things you need to know about insurance before you lease

Most auto lease companies require you to maintain insurance coverage as follows:

• Liability coverage: $100,000 per person / $300,000 per occurrence
• Property liability coverage: $50,000
• Comprehensive and collision for actual value with no more than $500 deductible.

In Canada, $1,000,000 in liability coverage is required for car insurance when leasing.

This may be more coverage than you would normally buy, which could mean an additional leasing expense — unless you know how to get better rates. Most people are already paying too much for insurance, before they lease.

What's the deal with car insurance when leasing?

When you lease, your vehicle belongs to the lease company. They want to make sure that their investment is covered should you have an accident that damages or destroys the vehicle, or if the vehicle is stolen. They may also want you to have sufficient liability coverage in case you are at fault in causing an accident. This not only protects you from financial disaster, but it also protects the lease company if they should be held partly responsible.

Of course, having sufficient car insurance coverage is smart whether you are leasing or not. Many people attempt to get by with minimum coverage required by law but it's a big risk since there's so much to lose. Accidents do happen. Large lawsuits are common. If you have insufficient car insurance coverage, you can be personally sued for additional money after your insurance has been paid. Many smart consumers add additional coverage with "umbrella" policies.

How to minimize insurance costs

What most people don't know is that they are probably already paying too much for their car insurance. It's too easy just to stick with the same company you've been with for years, even though rates are lower elsewhere. Rates change frequently. One company can have the best rates one year, another the next year.

So, if you intend to lease and the insurance coverage requirements are higher than you currently have, you can nearly always get the higher level of insurance at about the same rate as you are currently paying by simply investing a little time shopping by comparing quotes from a few other insurance companies, asking for discounts that you already qualify for, and adjusting your coverage.

Insurance companies offer a variety of discounts based on driving records, other policies with the same company, having multiple cars, safety equipment, and such. Of course, vehicle make/model, repair costs, claim history, driving record, and driver age also affect insurance costs. Even your credit score can affect your insurance rates with many companies.

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The vehicle you buy or lease can have a huge effect on your insurance rates, regardless of which company you choose. A Honda Accord will cost you less to insure than a Cadillac Escalade, not so much because the Honda is a less expensive vehicle, but because the Escalade is one of the top most-stolen vehicles in the country.

Is it possible to find dirt-cheap car insurance? No, but you can mimimize what you pay by shopping smart and asking for discounts. Rates between different insurance companies vary greatly.

Here are some of the possible discounts you should ask about. Be aware that all auto insurance companies may not offer all of these discounts.

[ ] $500 deductible
[ ] $1,000 deductible
[ ] More than one car
[ ] No accidents in 3 Years
[ ] No moving violations in 3 years
[ ] Driver training courses
[ ] Defensive driving courses
[ ] Anti-theft devices
[ ] Good credit score
[ ] Low annual mileage
[ ] Air bags
[ ] Anti-lock brakes
[ ] Traction and stability control systems
[ ] Daytime running lights
[ ] Student drivers with good grades
[ ] Auto and homeowners coverage with the same company
[ ] College students away from home
[ ] Long-time customer
[ ] Other discounts

The key to car insurance savings is not the number of discounts, but the final premium cost. A company that offers few discounts may still have lower overall prices.

Car insurance companies are all different

It's important to re-examine your car insurance at least once a year and every time you acquire a new car. Insurance companies frequently change their rate structures. A company that offers the best rates today may be the highest cost company after they raise their rates.

Furthermore, a company that offers the best rates for minimum-coverage, high-deductible insurance may not offer the best rates for the higher level coverage you need for leasing. Actually, you may be able to find a car insurance company that offers high level coverage for about the same rate as another company's low level coverage.

Recommendations

Before the Internet came along, it was quite a chore to shop for auto insurance. Now, it's a breeze because most companies have web sites. Insurance brokers are also online, making it extremely easy to get multiple instant quotes from different companies from a single source. They save you the trouble of contacting individual insurance companies because they do it for you. The services of these online brokers are free to consumers. They make their money from the insurance companies.

You are under no obligation to accept any quote offered by these companies. There are no fees or costs involved to get quotes from them. It's a no-lose deal. If you don't get rates you like, you can shop elsewhere.

When asking for a quote, you'll get the most accurate quote if you provide all the information requested, including your social security number. If you choose to withhold some of this information, you can still get a "ballpark" quote.

Because some companies base rates partially on credit scores, providing your social security number allows the company to access your credit records for a more accurate quote. These credit inquiries are considered "soft" inquiries and do not count against your score.

Here are the online car insurance companies and brokers that we recommend.

NetQuote.com is a car insurance shopping service that allows you to compare rates from multiple national companies such as Progressive, Allstate, SafeCo, and many more by simply filling out one online form. By matching your profile with over 100 different insurance companies, you will receive only quotes that best fit your particular situation. They are the largest and oldest insurance brokerage company on the web. It's well worth a visit, and their service is free.

GEICO is one of the well-known top four car insurance companies in the country with low prices and the top-ranked customer service web site of all. You not only get free quotes from their site but, you can also file claims, view estimates and photographs, contact your adjuster, and get payment status. Not only that, but they also explain exactly how they process a claim, what to do if you're in an accident, and where to find a repair shop near you. What a great web site!

Esurance is a relatively new company, established in 1998, but have since become one of the fastest growing insurance companies in the country due to their innovative approach to providing good customer service and a good product. Get a quote from them. It's fast and easy.

InsureMe is an established and popular car insurance broker, having been around since 1993. They have a network of thousands of participating insurance agents and companies across the United States, including in your area. Once you complete their online form, they match your profile to as many as five companies, who will provide you free rate quotes that you can compare and choose from. Remember, you are not obligated to accept any of the offers. The chances of your finding a rate that beats your current insurance company is high.

Kanetix allows Canadian automotive consumers to compare free car insurance quotes from over 30 Canadian insurers. They also provide quotes for many other types of insurance, such as homeowners insurance and life insurance.

For more about selecting an insurance company when you lease or buy, see the following articles: Auto Insurance for Beginners, Auto Insurance Companies - Best and Worse, Cheap Car Insurance, and Buying Auto Insurance - Agent or Direct?

For more, see LeaseGuide.com