The Upside and Downside of Staying with the Same Auto Insurance Plan for Years

There are plenty of benefits of continuing the same insurance plan at the time of renewal. But there are various drawbacks associated with motor insurance loyalty. In this article, you’ll get know about upside as well as the downside of staying with the same auto insurance plan for years.

The Upside of Automobile Insurance Loyalty

Insurance companies offer benefits and perks so that the policyholders continue to stay with them for the long run. Commonly, these rewards are offered when the policyholder has stayed for a certain time-period with the insurance provider. These perks can increase if the customers stay for a longer time-period.

• No Claim Bonus- A discount is offered on insurance premium as a reward in the form of a No Claim Bonus from your insurance provider. This discount is applicable only if you keep your policy active and don’t file any claims for a year.

• The Decrease in Deductibles- There are some insurance companies that reduce your deductibles for being loyal to them. Although, this usually depends on various factors such as the number of claim-free years on your plan.
  
  In various cases, your deductible can be waived off. In such situations, you don’t have to pay any deductible if you meet with an accident. Having said that, it does not help you to save any premium. When you file a claim, you will enjoy this benefit.

• Accident Forgiveness Option- This option in your insurance plan allows you to enjoy the benefit of no increment in premiums even after an at-fault accident. In such cases, it’s great to stick to the same insurance plan until your accident isn’t listed in the records.
  
  It is because of the fact that accident forgiveness can’t be transferred at the time of switching to a new insurance plan. If you want to enjoy the coverage, you have to pay an additional premium.

• No Hidden Costs- Keeping aside the perks that you give up at the time of switching to a new car insurance provider, you’ll have to pay the expenses related to starting a new plan such as fresh policy fees along with the down payments. These hidden expenses can make the process of shifting plans quite expensive from what you would initially expect.

The Downside of Automobile Insurance Loyalty

Every coin has two sides. Let’s explore the negative side of being loyal to your insurance provider.

• You End Up Paying More-In most of the cases, policyholders stick with the same insurance plan because of the comfort level that they share with their insurance provider. The mere fact that the insurance premium hasn’t changed, gives them a feeling that they have obtained the most economic policy. It isn’t necessary that this is always true. Before the time of renewal, you must get premium quotes from various insurance companies so that you get an idea of the best premium insurance.

• The Offered Insurance Coverage Might Not Suffice- Every year when you renew your car insurance, you should read the policy wording very carefully and analyze whether the existing insurance cover is suits your current insurance expectations.
  
  Do check out the yearly premiums and the offered coverage so that there is no room for any discrepancies. Keep in mind, that your insurance company might slightly modify the policies on an annual basis and you might not be completely satisfied with that. If you’re not satisfied, you might need to change your insurance plan.

• You are Missing out on Discounts- Due to the cut-throat competition in the insurance sector, insurance buyers can avail of a broad range of attractive discounts on their insurance plan. All you have to do is go through the wide insurance options of various insurance providers to figure out the plan that fulfills your insurance plans.

The No Claim Bonus is something that hinders various policyholders from porting into other insurance providers. It’s extremely crucial to comprehend that the No Claim Bonus can be transferred to your plan with the fresh insurance company. So, there isn’t any reason to stress about missing on this benefit.

Is it worth it to stay loyal?

In two words, the answer is- it depends. Your financial situation and insurance expectations majorly affect this decision. Having said that, it’s a recommended by insurance experts to get quotes from different insurance providers to analyze the competitiveness of your insurance.

At the time of comparison, you should pay attention to the discounts that will you’ll have to give up the expenses related to porting. Also, you must consider the credibility of your new insurance providers’ customer support as well as the claims handling process. It’s beneficial to understand that loyalty pays off at times, but it might not be the best preference in all the situations.

Convenience Vs. Comfort

It’s super convenient to carry-on with your current insurance plan when the customer support executive inquire about the renewal. All you need is to give your approval. The insurance premiums wouldn’t change that much and you don’t have to go through an entire process of selecting a new insurance plan.

What if the same insurance coverage is offered at a cheaper premium? There could be some insurance providers offering the same coverage at a lower insurance premium.

It is completely your call if you want to pick convenience over comfort or comfort over convenience.

Loyalty Doesn’t Always Pay

It’s very easy for your insurance plan to retain you as an existing policyholder as compared to acquiring a fresh policyholder. When you continue with your current insurance benefits, a fresh policyholder will be offered a better deal.

History Doesn’t Always Repeat Itself

When it comes to insurance renewal, your insurance provider has earned your trust. After all, the insurance provider offered you the cheapest insurance plan previous year.

Don’t you want to get such a great deal with your insurance plan this year as well? The chances are low that you will get such deal from your current insurance provider.

Pay Attention to the Clues

It’s best to compare premiums of various other insurance providers; however, you could also ask your current insurance provider if you’re eligible for any perks for your loyalty. For instance, if you renew your insurance policy with the same insurance providers for years, your insurance provider might enhance your insurance premiums.

Change the Plan

It is very simple to carry on with the current insurer since it saves you from paperwork, documentation process and bargaining.

Do you remember the last time you went through your policy documents to review your plan? Your insurance company can make modifications to your existing coverage that you may not even pay attention to.

In case you don’t like any of the clauses, it’s time to make some changes in the coverage.

Add-Ons

The tough competition is driving the insurance providers to re-invent their insurance plans. This is a good thing as it allows the customers to select from a wide range of discounts and offers.

When you don’t keep yourself updated with the new plans, you might miss out on so many good deals.

When you renew your insurance plan from another insurance provider, it comes with various useful add-on covers such as courtesy car service, windscreen breakdown cover, vehicle breakdown rescue service etc. without paying anything extra.

The Bottom Line

In case you are having second thoughts about your NCB, relax. Don’t let the fear of losing your No Claims Bonus stop you from porting your insurance plan. It can be easily transferred your new plan to a different insurance provider. You can make a smooth switch to another insurance company if you feel that’s the smarter option.

As per law, it’s compulsory to buy third-party insurance coverage for your vehicle plying on Indian roads. Buy online third party insurance for car, and fulfill your liability. In case your car meets with an accident, you’ll have to pay for the damage repair expenses which can burn a hole in your pocket.

Compare pros and cons of staying with the same auto insurance plan for years and weigh which side is heavier and make your insurance preference accordingly.