Take control

Car insurance should fit into your budget, not the other way around. The key to knowing what policy you should get is in knowing what deductibles and coverages are and how they affect auto insurance.

Doing this make it easy to personalize your coverage to fit your needs.

Make a list of items that are a necessity such as size and safety features

It is important to know your budget — this includes ongoing costs such as maintenance, gas and insurance, how you plan to pay for a vehicle and obtain a pre-approved loan.

If a new car does not fit in your budget, consider buying a used car to save money.

Do your research to understand which brands and models get better reviews and are less likely to be costly to maintain if repair issues arise.

Your agent can explain the types of available coverages.

These typically include options such as:

• Liability
• Uninsured motorist
• Collision
• Comprehensive

When it comes to vehicle insurance, each state sets its own limits on what's required and what's optional.

To get your own auto insurance, you'll need:

• A valid driver's license
• Bank account information
• Vehicle details, including the VIN number, make, model and year
• Loan information