Hi everyone, so I’m a new driver. I’m 20, female, and just about to buy my first car—a 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse, paying for it in cash. I’m really just looking for basic coverage that won’t break the bank. I’m a broke college student, so I can’t afford anything too pricey. If anyone has some recommendations, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
Your best option is probably to find a local independent insurance agent who can help you out.
Just keep in mind, ‘cheap’ or ‘basic’ insurance could end up costing you a lot more if you’re ever in an accident.
Drew said:
Your best option is probably to find a local independent insurance agent who can help you out.
Just keep in mind, ‘cheap’ or ‘basic’ insurance could end up costing you a lot more if you’re ever in an accident.
Thanks for the advice. My grandma also suggested I just get basic coverage for now since I’m super careful when I drive. She said it’d help me start building an insurance record, and then I could switch to better coverage later. I just want to get the car, but insurance is the only thing holding me back right now.
Drew said:
Your best option is probably to find a local independent insurance agent who can help you out.
Just keep in mind, ‘cheap’ or ‘basic’ insurance could end up costing you a lot more if you’re ever in an accident.
Thanks for the advice. My grandma also suggested I just get basic coverage for now since I’m super careful when I drive. She said it’d help me start building an insurance record, and then I could switch to better coverage later. I just want to get the car, but insurance is the only thing holding me back right now.
Your grandma might mean well, but she’s wrong here. Accidents happen, even when you’re careful.
Would you be able to pay out of pocket if you accidentally totaled a $70,000 car? If not, you need to make sure you have enough coverage. Having insurance is part of owning a car, just like regular maintenance. Skimping now could cost you thousands later.
Kerr said:
Drew said:
Your best option is probably to find a local independent insurance agent who can help you out.
Just keep in mind, ‘cheap’ or ‘basic’ insurance could end up costing you a lot more if you’re ever in an accident.
Thanks for the advice. My grandma also suggested I just get basic coverage for now since I’m super careful when I drive. She said it’d help me start building an insurance record, and then I could switch to better coverage later. I just want to get the car, but insurance is the only thing holding me back right now.
Your grandma might mean well, but she’s wrong here. Accidents happen, even when you’re careful.
Would you be able to pay out of pocket if you accidentally totaled a $70,000 car? If not, you need to make sure you have enough coverage. Having insurance is part of owning a car, just like regular maintenance. Skimping now could cost you thousands later.
Thanks, I’ll definitely think about that.
@Drew It also depends on your financial situation. If your car isn’t worth much, like an older model, you probably don’t need comprehensive or collision.
But if you can afford it, higher liability limits are a good idea. If you can’t afford it now, just keep it in mind for when you have more assets.
If you cause an accident and hurt someone, your bodily injury (BI) limit is all your insurance will cover. Nothing more.
You should consider 250/500 limits or a 500 CSL (combined single limit) policy, with an optional 1 or 2 million-dollar umbrella. Also, increase your personal injury protection (PIP) to $250,000.
Consider getting an older model like a Corolla or Civic. They have lower insurance rates.
Check out Trustedchoice.com.
Ridge said:
If you cause an accident and hurt someone, your bodily injury (BI) limit is all your insurance will cover. Nothing more.
You should consider 250/500 limits or a 500 CSL (combined single limit) policy, with an optional 1 or 2 million-dollar umbrella. Also, increase your personal injury protection (PIP) to $250,000.
Consider getting an older model like a Corolla or Civic. They have lower insurance rates.
Check out Trustedchoice.com.
She’s 20. I highly doubt she needs a million-dollar umbrella policy right now.
Ridge said:
If you cause an accident and hurt someone, your bodily injury (BI) limit is all your insurance will cover. Nothing more.
You should consider 250/500 limits or a 500 CSL (combined single limit) policy, with an optional 1 or 2 million-dollar umbrella. Also, increase your personal injury protection (PIP) to $250,000.
Consider getting an older model like a Corolla or Civic. They have lower insurance rates.
Check out Trustedchoice.com.
She’s 20. I highly doubt she needs a million-dollar umbrella policy right now.
Getting a quote is free, right? I just mentioned it as an option for the future. I didn’t say it was necessary. But hey, the more info, the better.
Haru said:
Ridge said:
If you cause an accident and hurt someone, your bodily injury (BI) limit is all your insurance will cover. Nothing more.
You should consider 250/500 limits or a 500 CSL (combined single limit) policy, with an optional 1 or 2 million-dollar umbrella. Also, increase your personal injury protection (PIP) to $250,000.
Consider getting an older model like a Corolla or Civic. They have lower insurance rates.
Check out Trustedchoice.com.
She’s 20. I highly doubt she needs a million-dollar umbrella policy right now.
Getting a quote is free, right? I just mentioned it as an option for the future. I didn’t say it was necessary. But hey, the more info, the better.
Fair enough. I just wanted to keep it realistic.
Most 20-year-olds have the state minimum, and many bounce back from accidents without serious consequences. Once you’ve got more assets, then higher limits make sense. But when you’re a student, it’s often not worth it.
@Ridge Thanks for the link! I’m getting this car for a great deal—my friend would sell it to others for $10K but only $2K to me, so I can’t pass it up.
Kerr said:
@Ridge Thanks for the link! I’m getting this car for a great deal—my friend would sell it to others for $10K but only $2K to me, so I can’t pass it up.
Glad you’re asking about insurance before buying the car. A lot of people wait until something goes wrong, so you’re doing the smart thing by getting ahead of it.
Kerr said:
@Ridge Thanks for the link! I’m getting this car for a great deal—my friend would sell it to others for $10K but only $2K to me, so I can’t pass it up.
Glad you’re asking about insurance before buying the car. A lot of people wait until something goes wrong, so you’re doing the smart thing by getting ahead of it.
Thanks! Yeah, I’d rather be prepared than caught off guard later.
Ridge said:
Kerr said:
@Ridge Thanks for the link! I’m getting this car for a great deal—my friend would sell it to others for $10K but only $2K to me, so I can’t pass it up.
Glad you’re asking about insurance before buying the car. A lot of people wait until something goes wrong, so you’re doing the smart thing by getting ahead of it.
Thanks! Yeah, I’d rather be prepared than caught off guard later.
Good thinking! It’s always better to be informed. You seem pretty smart about all this.
@Kerr I’m just glad you’re open to advice. Many people aren’t, and it can lead to bad decisions. Don’t go too low on your BI limits—there are plenty of horror stories of people having to pay out of pocket for damages. Just make sure you’re well covered.
Also, getting quotes from multiple places will help you find a good rate.
Remember, ‘Quotes are free. Regret after an accident is not!’
Ridge said:
@Kerr I’m just glad you’re open to advice. Many people aren’t, and it can lead to bad decisions. Don’t go too low on your BI limits—there are plenty of horror stories of people having to pay out of pocket for damages. Just make sure you’re well covered.
Also, getting quotes from multiple places will help you find a good rate.
Remember, ‘Quotes are free. Regret after an accident is not!’
I didn’t even know what half of those terms meant before I looked them up, but you’re right. I’ll definitely follow your advice. Thanks again!
Ridge said:
@Kerr I’m just glad you’re open to advice. Many people aren’t, and it can lead to bad decisions. Don’t go too low on your BI limits—there are plenty of horror stories of people having to pay out of pocket for damages. Just make sure you’re well covered.
Also, getting quotes from multiple places will help you find a good rate.
Remember, ‘Quotes are free. Regret after an accident is not!’
I didn’t even know what half of those terms meant before I looked them up, but you’re right. I’ll definitely follow your advice. Thanks again!
Sorry if I threw too many insurance terms at you lol.
Kerr said:
Ridge said:
@Kerr I’m just glad you’re open to advice. Many people aren’t, and it can lead to bad decisions. Don’t go too low on your BI limits—there are plenty of horror stories of people having to pay out of pocket for damages. Just make sure you’re well covered.
Also, getting quotes from multiple places will help you find a good rate.
Remember, ‘Quotes are free. Regret after an accident is not!’
I didn’t even know what half of those terms meant before I looked them up, but you’re right. I’ll definitely follow your advice. Thanks again!
Sorry if I threw too many insurance terms at you lol.
You’re all good!
@Kerr Make sure you check your state’s insurance laws. Some terms might be specific to certain states, so double-check what applies to you.
@Kerr If you want, I can send you a basic guide to how car insurance works.