Auto Insurance and Leasing
When leasing a car, it’s easier to stick with the same
company for your
auto insurance. What you don’t know, however, is that you may
end up
paying too much for your coverage and it’s better to look
elsewhere for
lower rates.
When you lease, the vehicle that you will drive belongs to
the leasing
company. They want to make sure that their investment is
covered in the
event the vehicle gets damaged, totalled or stolen. They
typically want
to get covered for the difference between what your
auto-insurer pays and
your outstanding leasing obligations at the time of the
accident or
damage. This is called GAP, short for Guaranteed Auto
Protection, and is
usually included in the leasing contract.
If your leasing company is called BMW Financial Services,
Chrysler
Financial or any other finance division of an automaker, then
chances are
your GAP insurance will be offered by the same lease
company.
You are under no obligation to accept GAP insurance included
as part of
your lease agreement. Why pay an insurance premium if you could
get the
same coverage for a lower price?
Invest some time shopping by comparing quotes from other
insurance
companies, including your existing one. Ask for discounts that
you already
qualify for and adjust your coverage accordingly.
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