Nobody I know looks forward to buying auto insurance, in particular when the cost is too high.
Insurance companies such as State Farm and Geico continually hit you with ads and it can be hard to see past the corporate glitz and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.
Compare Quotes for Norman Auto Insurance
When shopping for auto insurance there are multiple ways to compare quotes from local in Norman, Oklahomaauto insurance companies. The best method to find the cheapest insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This can be done using a couple different methods.
- Probably the best way to find low rates is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This method keeps you from doing separate quote forms for every auto insurance company. A single form will return price quotes from many national carriers.
- A slightly less efficient method to get comparison quotes consists of visiting each individual company website to request a price quote. For sake of this example, we’ll pretend you want comparison quotes from Geico, Esurance and Farmers. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Norman, click here.
- The most time-consuming way of comparing rate quotes is to spend time driving to and from local Norman insurance agencies. Shopping for auto insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you want the personal advice only provided by licensed Norman agents. However, consumers can get the lowest quotes online and still use a local agent. We’ll cover that shortly.
Which method you use is up to you, but be sure to compare apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles for each comparison quote. If you compare unequal deductibles or liability limits you will not be able to determine which rate is truly the best in Norman. Quoting even small variations in coverages may cause a big price difference. Keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps you find better pricing.
How much can you save with these ten discounts?
Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there are discounts available that you may not even be aware of. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of purchase, but a few must be asked for before being credited.
- Sign Online – Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks just for signing your application over the internet.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Distant Student – Kids in college living away from home attending college and don’t have a car may be able to be covered for less.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you may earn approximately 10% to 15%.
- Military Rewards – Having a family member in the military could mean lower rates.
- Early Switch Discount – Select companies give a discount for switching to them prior to your current policy expiration. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can pay as much as 50% less than drivers with accident claims.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags can get savings of up to 25% or more.
- Accident Waiver – Some insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don’t have any claims prior to the accident.
- Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save up to 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. But all discounts will bring down the cost of coverage.
For a list of insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Oklahoma, follow this link.
Price shop online but buy from a local Norman agent
Some people would rather get advice from a local agent and that is a personal choice. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is you can get lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting local agencies is important particularly in Norman.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your insurance coverage information is submitted to local insurance agents in Norman who will give you bids for your business. There is no reason to drive around since price quotes are sent to your email. It doesn’t get any easier! You can find better rates AND an agent nearby.
If you wish to contact a specific insurance agent in Norman, go to this page.
Deciding on an insurer shouldn’t rely on just the premium amount. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
- Do they have adequate Errors and Ommissions coverage? This protects you if they make a mistake.
Once you have received satisfactory answers to any questions you have as well as a affordable price, it’s possible that you found an insurance company that will provide auto insurance coverage.
Auto insurance coverages 101
Knowing the specifics of your auto insurance policy can be of help when determining appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. Auto insurance terms can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find typical coverages offered by auto insurance companies.
Comprehensive auto coverage
This will pay to fix damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like hail damage, damage from flooding, rock chips in glass, a broken windshield and damage from getting keyed. The most a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.
Coverage for collisions
Collision coverage covers damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with an object or car. A deductible applies then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers claims such as sideswiping another vehicle, colliding with a tree, scraping a guard rail, hitting a parking meter and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Medical payments and PIP coverage
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage pay for expenses for things like funeral costs, nursing services and chiropractic care. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants and will also cover being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal Injury Protection is not an option in every state but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.
Due to the fact that many Oklahoma drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (25/50/25), their limits can quickly be used up. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time these coverages do not exceed the liability coverage limits.
Auto liability insurance
This coverage provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property. It protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.
Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see values of 50/100/50 which means $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability insurance covers claims like bail bonds, repair costs for stationary objects, repair bills for other people’s vehicles and attorney fees. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. Oklahoma requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing higher limits.
More information is available on the website for the Oklahoma Insurance Department found here. Visitors are able to report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, view a list of available companies, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
In conclusion
We just presented quite a bit of information on how to lower your auto insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like Allstate or State Farm.
Cost effective auto insurance is attainable from both online companies and with local Norman insurance agents, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.
When shopping online for auto insurance, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price.