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Do you need insurance to register a car?

If your state requires proof of insurance for registration, and you don’t have coverage, the DMV won’t allow you to register the vehicle. In this article, we’ll explain how car insurance affects your vehicle’s registration.

Am I paying too much for car insurance? 

Am I paying too much for car insurance? 

Written by Elizabeth Rivelli

Reviewed by Alyssa DiCrasto

Last updated: January 6, 2023

Almost 60% of drivers believe they’re paying too much for auto insurance, according to a survey from Forbes Advisor. But how do you know if you’re paying too much for car insurance? 

When you apply for a car insurance policy, the insurer looks at many different factors to determine your premium. Rates are personalized based on your location, age, credit score, and driving record, among other things. To figure out if you’re paying the lowest rate possible, it’s important to shop around and compare rates from multiple companies. 

In this guide, we’ll help you understand whether your auto insurance premium is too high and share some tips that may help you stop overpaying for car insurance. 

Am I paying too much for car insurance?

Many drivers have asked themselves, “Am I paying too much for car insurance?” After all, car insurance can be very expensive, especially if you have a poor credit score or a history of accidents or insurance claims. 

However, it can be difficult to determine whether your car insurance rate is appropriate for your personal situation. Rates are personalized to each driver, and insurance companies use special algorithms and formulas to set your rate. You may find that one insurance company charges much higher rates for the same types and amounts of coverage than another. 

Ultimately, the only way to find out if you’re paying too much for car insurance is to get new quotes from other car insurance companies. If a different insurer can offer you a cheaper rate for the same coverages, you’re probably paying too much for auto insurance.

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Why is my car insurance so high?

If you’re wondering why your insurance so high, it could be because of a variety of factors. Here are some of the most common things that contribute to expensive car insurance premiums: 

  • Location: If you live in an area with a high risk of severe weather, like hurricanes, or an area with a high crime rate, you could pay more for auto insurance.  

  • Age: Young drivers who are newly licensed typically pay the highest car insurance rates. Premiums start to decrease as you get older.  

  • Gender: In general, males pay slightly higher car insurance rates than women.  

  • Credit score: Drivers with excellent credit scores are viewed as less risky, and often pay lower rates for auto insurance than drivers with poor credit.  

  • Driving record: If you have any recent traffic violations on your record, like an at-fault accident, speeding ticket, or DUI, you can expect to pay a higher rate for car insurance. After these violations are removed from your record, your premium should return to its previous level. 
  • Vehicle make and model: Your vehicle’s make and model can have an impact on the cost of your policy. New cars tend to be more expensive to insure than used models. If your car has a salvage or rebuilt title, that can also impact your premium.  

  • Policy details: The type and amount of coverage you want, as well as your deductibles, will impact the cost of your car insurance policy.  

How can I lower my car insurance premiums?

If you think you’re paying too much for car insurance, there are many ways to potentially lower your premium. Here are several ways to save money on your auto insurance policy: 

  • Look for discounts: Most car insurance providers offer discounts to help drivers save money on their policies. While every insurer offers different discounts, you can often find savings for smart students, safe drivers, having certain safety features in your vehicle, taking a defensive driving course, and bundling two or more policies. 
  • Raise your deductibles: Some policies, like collision and comprehensive insurance, have a deductible, which gets subtracted from your payout when you have a claim. Raising your deductible will lower your monthly premium. However, before raising it, make sure you can afford to pay a higher deductible out-of-pocket should you ever need to make a claim. 

  • Review your coverages: If you haven’t reviewed your car insurance policy in a while, you might have coverages you no longer need. Check your policy to see if you can drop coverages or lower your policy limits to save money. 

  • Pay your premium in full: Most car insurance providers will give you a small discount on your policy if you pay your annual premium upfront and in full. 

  • Improve your credit score: Drivers with good credit generally pay lower rates for car insurance than drivers with poor credit. To save money on your auto insurance policy, work on improving your credit. 

  • Shop around: It’s a good idea to shop around and get quotes from a few different insurance companies. That’s the most effective way to find the cheapest car insurance premium for your situation. Get new quotes once per year, after a claim, or after a major life event, like adding a teen driver to your policy.  

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How can I switch car insurance providers?

If you find a cheaper car insurance policy from another provider, you should consider switching companies. You can typically switch car insurance companies at any time, even in the middle of your policy period. However, it’s a good idea to contact your current car insurance company to ask about potential cancellation fees you might have to pay. 

The process of switching car insurance companies is usually pretty easy. Purchase the new policy first, then contact your current provider and let them know you’d like to cancel. Buying a new policy first ensures you won’t have a gap in coverage between your new policy’s start date and the old policy’s end date. 

Learn more about switching car insurance companies >

How do I know if I am overpaying for car insurance?

To answer the question, “Am I overpaying for car insurance,” you should compare auto insurance quotes from several different companies. That way, you can easily see which company can offer you the lowest rate for your situation and the type of coverage you want.  

To simplify the process, you can use Rate Retriever to compare car insurance. Fill out the online questionnaire and get matched with top-rated companies in your area.  

About Rate Retriever

At Rate Retriever, our mission is to make the way you shop for insurance transparent and fair through user-friendly tools that respect your privacy and deliver reliable, comprehensive results 

So we took everything we hated about comparing insurance quotes online – the spam, the long questionnaires, the limited choices, the inaccuracy of quote prices – and threw it out the window, favoring a short form that more accurately estimates what you’ll pay at each of the top insurance providers near you. 

Rate Retriever is an independent company that is not owned by an insurance provider, nor do we provide insurance ourselves. This independence allows us to be your free and impartial insurance research tool, helping you make the best decisions for your insurance needs.  

We may earn a commission when you click one of the links or call one of the providers listed on our site; however, we do not allow our partnerships to influence which information we provide. 

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Do I Need a Final Expense Policy?

Do I Need a Final Expense Policy?

What is Final Expense?

Final expense is a type of permanent life insurance that is meant to cover expenses associated with the end of life such as funeral and burial costs, final medical bills, and sometimes costs associated with settling an estate. Final expense is also commonly known as burial insurance or funeral insurance.

Your final expense policy can give your beneficiaries peace of mind upon your passing and ensure you get the funeral and burial you want.

Why would I need a final expense policy?

Most commonly, people get a final expense policy for one of the following reasons:

  • They want to make sure their family can pay final medical bills and funeral/burial costs

  • They want to pay for or plan their own funeral and burial services – this can be accomplished with a traditional final expense policy or a pre-need policy through a specific funeral home

  • They want to leave their family some money for end-of-life expenses but they do not want to have the results of a medical exam impact their life insurance policy – most final expense policies do not require a medical exam

Do I need final expense if I already have a term life policy?

If you have term life insurance, the death benefit can be used to cover any funeral or medical bills. However, term life policies are usually intended to cover your loss of income in the event of your passing. If you are a primary wage-earner in your family, you may decide that you would like to reserve your entire term life death benefit for your family’s day-to-day expenses.

You can supplement your term life policy with final expense insurance to allow your family to use the entire term life benefit to cover their living expenses while using the separate final expense funds to cover any pricey, unexpected end-of-life costs.

Ultimately, the decision of if you need a final expense policy or a term life policy – or both – depends on your personal goals for your life insurance.

Read more about term life vs final expense >

Do I need final expense if I already have a whole life policy?

Again, the answer to this question is: it depends. The primary purposes of a whole life insurance policy include wealth transfer, preservation, and tax-deferred wealth accumulation. Your beneficiaries can use the death benefit to cover your loss of income, their living expenses, any outstanding debt, their school tuition and more, or you can leave the death benefit to a charity of your choice.

Your beneficiaries can use your whole life policy death benefit to cover funeral and medical expenses. However, if you have a specific desire for how they use your death benefit, like if you want it to cover your child’s college tuition, for example, you may want a separate final expense policy that is dedicated to your end-of-life costs.

How to get the right life insurance policy

Your life insurance is highly personal decision. To make sure you have a life insurance policy – or a combination of policies – that will meet your goals and the needs of your beneficiaries, it’s often best to talk to a professional.

Learn more about life insurance and find an agent >

About Rate Retriever

At Rate Retriever, our mission is to make the way you shop for insurance transparent and fair through user-friendly tools that respect your privacy and deliver reliable, comprehensive results 

So we took everything we hated about comparing insurance quotes online – the spam, the long questionnaires, the limited choices, the inaccuracy of quote prices – and threw it out the window, favoring a short form that more accurately estimates what you’ll pay at each of the top insurance providers near you. 

Rate Retriever is an independent company that is not owned by an insurance provider, nor do we provide insurance ourselves. This independence allows us to be your free and impartial insurance research tool, helping you make the best decisions for your insurance needs.  

We may earn a commission when you click one of the links or call one of the providers listed on our site; however, we do not allow our partnerships to influence which information we provide. 

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Final Expense vs Term Life Insurance

Final Expense vs Term Life Insurance

Final expense insurance vs term life insurance

Life insurance can be confusing. With multiple policy types and purposes, it can be difficult to know what you need. Two of the most common life insurance policies are a final expense life insurance policy and a term life insurance policy.

Final expense is a permanent life insurance policy – a policy that covers your whole life and will not expire – specifically purchased to cover costs associated with the end of life, such as final medical bills and funeral and burial expenses.

Term life insurance is a life insurance policy that covers you for a set period of time, usually during your working years. Typically set for 10, 20 or 30 years, term life insurance offers a guaranteed death benefit if you pass away during the time you are insured. Its primary purpose is to replace your loss of income and cover your dependents’ living expenses.

The difference between final expense and term life insurance

Both final expense and whole life insurance provide your beneficiaries some peace of mind in the event of your passing. However, these policies differ in a few ways:

  • Purpose – One of the primary reasons for a term life policy is to cover loss of income while final expense policies are meant to specifically cover end-of-life costs.
  • Death benefit – Term life policies typically have a significant death benefit while the average final expense policy usually maxes out at around $20,000.
  • Policy length – Under a term life insurance policy, you are only insured during the term length of your policy, usually 10-30 years. With a final expense policy, your death benefit is guaranteed and does not expire as long as your premium payments are up-to-date.
  • Premium cost – Since final expense insurance has a lower death benefit, its premiums are often less expensive than term life policy premiums. However, some employers offer term life policies to their employees which makes them more affordable.
  • Medical exam requirement – Final expense policies do not require a medical exam, making them accessible to a wider range of people than certain term life policies.

Final expense or term life insurance: which do I need?

Unlike most term life insurance policies, a final expense insurance policy does not typically require you to pass a medical exam to purchase a policy. It also features a smaller death benefit.

However, you may find that you want to leave more to your beneficiaries than your final expense plan will cover. If you have family members that depend on your income for living expenses, a term life policy would leave them a more significant sum. However, a term life policy only covers its term, usually either 10, 20, or 30 years, whereas a final expense policy never expires.

Some people find that having both a term life and final expense insurance policy gives them the coverage they need for both loss of income and funeral expenses.

Does term life cover funeral costs?

The primary purpose of a term life insurance policy is to cover your loss of income so your family has time to adjust to a new level of income. Technically, your family can use your term life benefit however they need, including to pay for your funeral.

However, if your family will need to rely on your term life coverage to cover their everyday needs, you may find that you want to supplement your term life plan with a final expense plan to have dedicated funds available specifically for your end-of-life costs.

About Rate Retriever

At Rate Retriever, our mission is to make the way you shop for insurance transparent and fair through user-friendly tools that respect your privacy and deliver reliable, comprehensive results 

So we took everything we hated about comparing insurance quotes online – the spam, the long questionnaires, the limited choices, the inaccuracy of quote prices – and threw it out the window, favoring a short form that more accurately estimates what you’ll pay at each of the top insurance providers near you. 

Rate Retriever is an independent company that is not owned by an insurance provider, nor do we provide insurance ourselves. This independence allows us to be your free and impartial insurance research tool, helping you make the best decisions for your insurance needs.  

We may earn a commission when you click one of the links or call one of the providers listed on our site; however, we do not allow our partnerships to influence which information we provide. 

Share this article

What is Gap Insurance on a Car?

If you’ve ever leased a car or taken out an auto loan, you may have been offered gap insurance. But what is gap insurance on a car, and how does it work to protect you financially?

When Does Car Insurance Go Down?

Age plays a significant factor in the price of auto insurance in most states. However, other factors can lower the cost of your insurance too. Keep reading to learn when you can expect the cost of car insurance to drop and how you can speed up the process.