Comparison shopping for cheap East Chicago car insurance may be challenging for drivers who are new to online price comparisons. With so many companies, it can be a big hassle to compare prices in Indiana.
Smart consumers take time to do price comparisons quite often because car insurance prices are variable and change quite frequently. Even if you think you had the lowest rates six months ago you will most likely find a better premium rate today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because you’re about to find out the tricks you need to know to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.
The quickest method to compare rates is to realize most of the larger companies have advanced systems to give free rates quotes. All you need to do is provide details like whether or not you need a SR-22, how much you drive, your job, and whether you have decent credit. The data is sent automatically to multiple companies and they respond with quotes within a short period of time.
To get price quotes for your car now, click here and see if a lower rate is available.
Save with these discounts
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you can get discounts that you may not even know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you complete an application, but a few must be asked for prior to getting the savings.
- Discount for Good Grades – Being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Most companies allow this discount up until you turn 25.
- Professional Organizations – Being in qualifying employment or professional organizations could earn you a nice discount when shopping for car insurance.
- Safe Driver Discounts – Insureds who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Safety Restraint Discount – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to buckle their seat belts can save up to 15% on medical payment and PIP coverage.
- Early Renewal Discounts – Select larger companies give a discount for renewing your policy before your current policy expires. You may see this discount when you get .
- Active Military Service – Having an actively deployed family member could qualify you for better car insurance rates.
- Own a Home and Save – Just being a homeowner may trigger a policy discount on car insurance because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
- Driver’s Ed – Cut your cost by having your teen driver participate in a local driver’s education class as it can save substantially.
- Accident Forgiveness – Not a discount per se, but some insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if your claims history is clear for a specific time period.
- Theft Deterent System – Cars and trucks equipped with tracking devices and advanced anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently so companies will give you a small discount.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So even though you would think you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. But all discounts will definitely reduce your premiums.
If you would like to see a list of car insurance companies that provide some of the discounts listed above in East Chicago, click here to view.
Special considerations
When it comes to choosing the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Every insured’s situation is different.
These are some specific questions can aid in determining if your situation will benefit from professional help.
- Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
- What can I do if my company won’t pay a claim?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
- When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
- Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form.
Seven ways to get car insurance cheaper in East Chicago
One of the most helpful ways to save on car insurance is to to have a grasp of the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. If you have a feel for what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables you to make decisions that can help you get big savings. Many things are part of the equation when you quote your car insurance policy. Most are fairly basic like your driving record, but other factors are less obvious such as your credit history or your financial responsibility.
- Are males or females drivers cheaper? – The statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. The data does not necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. Females and males have auto accidents in similar numbers, but guys cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically get higher numbers of serious violations such as reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore have the most expensive car insurance rates.
- Car insurance rates and your vocation – Do you work in a high-stress field? Jobs such as military personnelair traffic controllers and medical professionals tend to have higher premiums than the average policyholder because of intense work requirements and lengthy work days. Other careers such as farmers, historians and retirees have the lowest average rates.
- File car insurance claims and pay more – If you are a frequent claim filer, you should expect much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Companies in Indiana award the lowest premiums to people who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your insurance policy is intended for claims that pose a financial burden.
- Discounts for GPS tracking and theft deterrents – Choosing to buy a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Theft prevention features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack can help prevent car theft.
- High deductibles reduce costs – Insurance for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and damage from a fallen tree branch. Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are required to pay if the claim is covered. The more you’re willing to pay, the less your car insurance will be.
- Teen drivers pay more – Teen drivers in Indiana are statistically shown to be careless and easily distracted when at the wheel of a vehicle so they pay higher car insurance rates. Having to add a young driver onto your car insurance can be very expensive. Older insureds tend to be more responsible, cause fewer claims and accidents , and usually have better credit.
- Liability limits should be high – The liability section of your policy provides coverage in the event that you are determined to be liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. This coverage provides legal defense coverage to defend your case. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.
Do you really save 40% when you switch?
Companies like Geico, State Farm and Progressive consistently run ads on television and other media. They all seem to advertise claims that you’ll save big if you move your car insurance policy to them. How does every company charge you a lower premium?
All the different companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that will most likely be profitable. For example, a profitable risk profile should be a married male, has no claims, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile gets the lowest auto insurance rates and most likely will save money with a new company.
Potential insureds who may not quite match the “perfect” profile may be forced to pay higher prices which translates to the customer buying from a different company. Company advertisements say “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much money. This is how companies can state the savings.
Each company has different criteria, so you really should quotes from several different companies. Because you never know which company will have the lowest rate quotes.
Compare but don’t skimp
People leave their current company for many reasons like not issuing a premium refund, lack of trust in their agent, an unsatisfactory settlement offer or even questionable increases in premium. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a great new company is not as difficult as it may seem.
When getting , make sure you don’t buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, drivers have reduced liability coverage limits only to regret at claim time that it was a big error on their part. The ultimate goal is to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price.
Some companies do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these regional insurance providers only sell coverage through independent agencies. Cost effective car insurance can be purchased both online as well as from insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection.
To learn even more about car insurance
Additional information is available on the located here. Indiana consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, learn about insurance regulations, and get help finding coverage.