How do I upgrade car insurance?
Upgrading your car insurance is easy. All you have to do is call your current car insurance company and ask for an upgrade in your car insurance. Additionally, you can often go online and change your insurance coverage.
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Daniel Walker
Licensed Insurance Agent
Daniel Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has run his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for over 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an insurance agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco. To ensure our content is accura...
Licensed Insurance Agent
UPDATED: Dec 27, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Dec 27, 2023
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- If you stick with your present insurer, you just need to give them a call and tell them what you want
- There are several reasons you may wish to upgrade your insurance policy
- Depending on what kind of upgrade you purchase, your rates will increase a little or a lot
- When you’re considering making a change to your policy, make sure you compare the rates of other companies so you ensure you’re getting the best rate for the coverage you need
Why would I need an upgrade for my car insurance?
There are a few reasons why you might want to upgrade your car insurance:
- Your situation has changed, and you feel that you require comprehensive and/or collision insurance on a vehicle that you didn’t have higher coverage on before.
- You want to get more liability coverage in case you have an accident. Many people start out with the minimum liability insurance in their state only to discover that this rarely covers the cost of a moderate to a serious accident, especially one that involves the need for medical services.
- You have purchased a new vehicle with financing, and you are going to be required to carry a full line of coverage on your vehicle. Most insurance companies will allow you to transfer an existing policy to a new car and then upgrade your policy as needed. (read our “How can I add a car to my insurance policy?” for more information)
- You decide to let your teens drive your vehicles. You decide to upgrade because you know that a teen driver has a higher risk of causing an accident.
In the U.S., more accidents are caused by teens than any other age group. In addition, teen drivers are involved in accidents that lead to the death of one or more people involved in the accident than any other age group.
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Do I need to tell my insurance company about my custom modifications?
Yes, you should inform your car insurance company promptly about any modifications you make to your vehicle. Car insurers typically have allowances for the cost of covering damages or loss based on standard repair costs and factory parts. If you have an accident and your high-end custom rims and wheels are damaged, your insurance coverage may not be enough to replace or repair your beauties. In fact, your car insurance company may void your coverage if you’ve made changes to your car outside the factory standards and didn’t tell them in advance about the upgrades.
What will the price difference be when I upgrade my car insurance?
The cost of upgrading your auto insurance will depend on what car insurance company you use. You can expect your car insurance to increase substantially if you are adding comprehensive and/or collision insurance to your policy.If you are only adding something like roadside assistance, the increase will literally be a few dollars.The type of vehicle that you have will greatly impact the increase you see in your insurance if you are adding comprehensive and collision insurance to a policy for the first time.
The more money the insurance company has to fork over for a car that is stolen, damaged or destroyed, the more your insurance is going to cost.
If cost is a serious consideration for you, and for most people it is, you should consider increasing your deductible to lower your overall monthly premiums. Just make sure the deductible doesn’t exceed what you can afford to pay out of pocket.
Can I downgrade my insurance too?
Absolutely! If you have comprehensive and collision coverage or you carry high amounts of liability or medical insurance, and you need to reduce your insurance, it is just as easy as increasing your current insurance policy.However, in both instances, you do need to be aware that the insurance company will run your driving record again before changing your policy.This means that if you have had any accidents or points on your driver’s license during the course of your current policy, then that will have an impact on your insurance rates.Much like when upgrading, if you are certain you want to downgrade your insurance, you should take the time to get car insurance quotes from multiple insurance companies to ensure you get the lowest insurance rate.
Read more: How do you get rid of car insurance points?
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Case Studies: Upgrading Car Insurance for Better Coverage
Case Study 1: Teenage Driver Coverage
Sarah, a 17-year-old driver, recently got her driver’s license. Her parents want to ensure she has adequate coverage in case of an accident. They decide to upgrade their car insurance policy to include higher liability limits and add Sarah as a named driver. This upgrade provides them with peace of mind and better protection in the event of an unfortunate incident involving their teenage driver.
Case Study 2: Custom Modifications and Coverage
John is passionate about cars and recently added custom modifications to his vehicle, including high-end rims and wheels. To protect his investment, he contacts his car insurance company to inform them about the modifications. John upgraded his car insurance to cover the custom modifications, ensuring proper coverage for repairs or replacements.
Case Study 3: Adding Comprehensive and Collision Coverage
Emily has been driving an older car with basic liability insurance coverage. As her financial situation improves, she decides to upgrade her car insurance by adding comprehensive and collision coverage. This upgrade provides her with financial protection against theft, vandalism, accidents, and other unforeseen events that may damage or destroy her vehicle.
Case Study 4: Downgrading Insurance
Mike recently paid off his car loan and no longer needs the same level of coverage he had when he initially purchased the vehicle. He contacts his insurance company to downgrade his insurance, removing comprehensive and collision coverage and opting for a lower liability limit. By doing so, Mike reduces his monthly premiums while still maintaining the required coverage for his state.
Case Study 5: Comparison Shopping and Savings
Lisa realizes she may be paying too much for her car insurance and wants to explore her options. She uses an online quote tool to compare quotes from multiple insurance companies. Through this process, she discovers that she can save a significant amount by switching to a different insurance provider while maintaining the same level of coverage.
The Bottom Line Of Upgrading Your Insurance
Everyone has different circumstances and insurance policies. Your coworker may change their coverage options every three months, but they may only need to review them once a year. There are times when it’s usually a good idea to update or change your auto insurance policy.
Our quote tool is fast and easy to use and allows you to compare the cost of your insurance side by side.Enter your ZIP code now and see how much you can save with FREE online car insurance quotes!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I upgrade car insurance?
Upgrading your car insurance is easy. You can call your current car insurance company and request an upgrade or make changes to your coverage online.
Why would I need an upgrade for my car insurance?
There are several reasons why you might want to upgrade your car insurance. For example, if you want to add comprehensive and collision coverage, increase liability limits, or include additional coverage options like roadside assistance.
Do I need to tell my insurance company about my custom modifications?
Yes, it’s important to inform your car insurance company about any custom modifications you make to your vehicle. Failure to disclose modifications could result in your insurance coverage being voided.
What will the price difference be when I upgrade my car insurance?
The cost of upgrading your car insurance depends on various factors, including the insurance company you use and the type of coverage you’re adding. Adding comprehensive and collision coverage may lead to a substantial increase in premiums, while adding smaller coverage options like roadside assistance may only result in a minor increase.
Can I downgrade my insurance too?
Yes, you can downgrade your car insurance if you no longer need certain coverage options. Keep in mind that your driving record and any previous accidents or points on your license may impact your insurance rates when making changes to your policy.
Free Car Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.
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Daniel Walker
Licensed Insurance Agent
Daniel Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has run his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for over 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an insurance agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco. To ensure our content is accura...
Licensed Insurance Agent
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.