Overpriced car insurance can empty your checking account and force you to make sacrifices. Doing a price comparison is a great way to make sure you’re not throwing money away. Numerous car insurance companies battle for your hard-earned dollar, and because of this it can be hard to compare auto insurance companies to find the absolute lowest rate possible.
Comprehensive Car Insurance Comparison in Murray, UT
There are a variety of methods to shop for car insurance, but one way is more efficient than others. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking to local insurance agents in Murray, or you could use online quoting to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.
All the larger companies participate in a marketplace where prospective buyers send in one quote, and every company returns a rated price based on that data. This saves time by eliminating quote requests to each company.
To compare rates using this form now click here (opens in new window).
The only drawback to pricing coverage this way is buyers cannot specifically choose the providers you will receive quotes from. So if you want to select specific insurance companies to compare rates, we have a listing of the cheapest car insurance companies in Utah. Click to view list.
It’s up to you which method you use, but make sure you use identical coverages and limits for every quote you compare. If you are comparing different deductibles it will be impossible to find the best deal in Murray.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always advertise all available discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of some of the more common and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving. If you aren’t receiving every discount you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Sign Early and Save – A few companies offer discounts for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. It can save you around 10%.
- Good Students Pay Less – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
- More Vehicles More Savings – Buying coverage for multiple cars or trucks on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Paperless Signup – A few companies will give a small break for buying your policy online.
- Driver’s Ed – Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver’s ed class in high school.
It’s important to note that most discounts do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
To see a list of companies offering car insurance discounts in Utah, follow this link.
Buying car insurance from a local agent
Some people would prefer to get advice from a local agent and that is a personal choice. Good agents can answer important questions and give you someone to call. One of the great benefits of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find better rates and still have an agent to talk to.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your insurance coverage information gets sent to companies in Murray who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no need to drive around as quotes are delivered to your email. How’s that for easy!
Picking an insurance company requires more thought than just the price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
Two different types of auto insurance agents
When looking for a reliable agent, there are a couple of types of agencies to choose from. Murray agents are categorized either captive or independent (non-captive). Both insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning the difference between them since it may influence the selection process.
Agency Captives
Captive insurance agents can only write with one company and examples are AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance and Allstate. These agents are not able to place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. These agents receive extensive training in insurance sales which can be an advantage.
Below are captive insurance agents in Murray that can give you price quote information.
Farmers Insurance Group – 525 W 5300 S # 125 – Murray, UT 84123 – (801) 262-8651
Allstate Insurance – 625 W 5300 S # G – Murray, UT 84123 – (801) 266-4446
State Farm Insurance – 195 W Winchester St – Murray, UT 84107 – (801) 266-4215
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 756 E Winchester St – Murray, UT 84107 – (801) 685-0515
Independent Insurance Agents
These agents are not locked into one company but rather can write business with lots of companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent. When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from at least one independent agent for the best price selection.
Shown below are Murray independent insurance agencies that are able to give rate quotes.
Alder Insurance Agency – 1035 Bellwood Ln – Murray, UT 84123 – (801) 968-1172
Neal Insurance Bennifits – 5248 Pinemont Dr # C210 – Murray, UT 84123 – (801) 265-1783
Eriksen Agency – 4901 S State St # E – Murray, UT 84107 – (801) 264-9222
Alder Insurance Agency – 1035 Bellwood Ln – Murray, UT 84123 – (801) 968-1172
For a complete listing of licensed insurance agents in Murray, simply jump to this page.
After receiving acceptable answers for all questions you ask and a good coverage price, chances are good that you have found an insurance agent that meets your needs to properly service your car insurance policy.
But I don’t know anything about car insurance
When buying coverage, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For instance, these questions can aid in determining whether you may require specific advice.
- What is covered by UM/UIM coverage?
- Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
- Should I buy additional glass protection?
- How much underlying liability do I need for an umbrella policy?
- Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
- When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
- Do I need rental car coverage?
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
- Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.
Do drivers who switch really save?
Consumers can’t get away from ads that promise big savings from the likes of Geico, State Farm and Progressive. All the companies have a common claim about savings if you move your coverage to them.
How do they all make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.
Different companies can use profiling for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a preferred risk could be a mature driver, owns a home, and has a short commute. A customer who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save quite a bit of money when switching.
Drivers who are not a match for this ideal profile must pay higher prices which leads to business not being written. Company advertisements say “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. This illustrates why you should compare many company’s rates. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.
Car insurance coverage breakdown
Understanding the coverages of your car insurance policy aids in choosing the best coverages at the best deductibles and correct limits. Car insurance terms can be difficult to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. These are the normal coverages found on the average car insurance policy.
Comprehensive auto coverage
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims such as damage from flooding, fire damage, falling objects, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and theft. The highest amount your car insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Medical payments and PIP coverage
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses such as hospital visits, ambulance fees, rehabilitation expenses, prosthetic devices and surgery. They are often utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers both the driver and occupants in addition to being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
This protects you and your vehicle when the “other guys” 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.
Since many Utah drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (25/65/15 in Utah), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Auto collision coverage
Collision coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle caused by collision with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as scraping a guard rail, rolling your car, driving through your garage door and hitting a parking meter. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from lower value vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible to bring the cost down.
Auto liability
This coverage protects you from damage or injury you incur to a person or their property by causing an accident. This insurance protects YOU against claims from other people, and doesn’t cover damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.
Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. You might see values of 50/100/50 that translate to $50,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $100,000 for the entire accident, and $50,000 of coverage for damaged propery.
Liability insurance covers claims like court costs, structural damage and pain and suffering. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. Utah state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/65,000/15,000 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.
Quote often and quote early
You just read some good ideas how you can get a better price on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may discover the most savings is with some of the lesser-known companies. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like Progressive or Geico.
Cost effective car insurance can be bought from both online companies in addition to many Murray insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best selection. Some companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.
More tips and info about car insurance can be read at the Utah Insurance Department website. Consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, read consumer alerts, and get help finding coverage.