There are various factors that play into car insurance estimates and rates you pay, with age, driving record and location among them. Furthermore, your type of vehicle also plays a role, with certain models costing more to insure than others. When purchasing optional coverage types such as collision and comprehensive, their cost will impact your total rate; to get an approximate idea of this, online car calculators provide useful estimates; just remember to enter accurate data to avoid false estimates!

Car insurance calculators require that you enter the minimum liability coverage requirements for your state as this is required by law in most. But that should just be used as a starting point; more coverage than minimums is likely to protect your assets better and should also consider adding PIP/UM coverage, which can cover medical bills in case of an accident.

Location can also have an effect on rates; cities typically experience higher accident and theft rates than rural areas. Furthermore, it’s wise to consider whether roadside assistance and gap coverage will increase overall rates as optional coverages.

Other factors that can have a substantial effect on rates include your credit score, prior accident history and type of vehicle you drive. You can decrease your premiums by avoiding accidents and traffic violations as well as bundling car and home insurance together to get discounts; additionally you could save money by paying down debts or credit card balances early.