Buying the most affordable Olathe car insurance on the internet can be challenging for people who are new to buying insurance on the web. Since there are so many insurance companies available, how can anyone possibly compare every one to find the best price?
You should make it a habit to get comparison quotes at least once a year because rates are rarely the same from one policy term to another. Just because you had the best price a year ago there may be better deals available now. Block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you’re about to find out one of the quickest ways to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.
Compare the Market for Car Insurance in Olathe, KS
Performing a rate comparison can be a lot of work if you don’t utilize the easiest way. You could waste a few hours talking to insurance companies in Olathe, or you could use the internet to accomplish the same thing much quicker.
All the larger companies participate in an industry program that enables customers to send in one quote, and every company returns a competitive quote. This eliminates the need for form submissions for each company.
To find out how much you can save on car insurance click here to open in new window.
The only drawback to pricing coverage this way is buyers cannot specifically choose which insurance companies you want pricing from. If you would rather choose individual companies to compare prices, we put together a list of low cost car insurance companies in Kansas. Click to view list.
Which method you use is up to you, but make darn sure you compare identical coverage limits and deductibles for every quote you compare. If the quotes have unequal deductibles or liability limits then you won’t be able to find the best deal in Olathe. Quoting even small variations in coverages may result in large price differences. Just remember that quoting more will increase your chances of finding a lower rate.
Do you qualify for these seven discounts?
Car insurance can cost a lot, but you can get discounts to cut the cost considerably. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you purchase, but some must be asked for in order for you to get them.
- Resident Student – Children who are attending college without a vehicle on campus can be insured at a reduced rate.
- Sign Online – A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing online.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
- Driver Safety – Successfully completing a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- One Accident Forgiven – Some insurance companies will forgive one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
- Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a home in Olathe can save you money because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
- Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accident claims.
It’s important to note that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut individual premiums such as comp or med pay. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will bring down your overall premium however.
To choose insurers offering car insurance discounts in Kansas, click here to view.
Don’t assume everyone needs the same coverage
When choosing proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Every insured’s situation is different.
For example, these questions could help you determine if you would benefit from professional advice.
- Am I getting all the discounts available?
- What are Kansas no-fault laws?
- Does my vehicle need full coverage?
- Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
- Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
- Is a new car covered when I drive it off the dealer lot?
- Is my custom paint covered by insurance?
If you’re not sure about those questions, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form.
The car insurance bait and switch
Companies like Geico, State Farm and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the ads make an identical promise that you can save if you move to their company. How do they all say the same thing? This is how they do it.
All companies can use profiling for the type of driver that earns them a profit. An example of a desirable insured might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has a short commute. Any driver who fits that profile receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.
Potential insureds who are not a match for the requirements will have to pay higher premiums and this can result in business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do.
Because of the profiling, drivers must compare many company’s rates. It’s impossible to know which car insurance company will give you the biggest savings.
Car insurance policy specifics
Knowing the specifics of your car insurance policy helps when choosing the best coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. Car insurance terms can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage – Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered claims include injuries to you and your family as well as damage to your vehicle.
Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (25/50/10), their limits can quickly be used up. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.
Collision coverages – Collision insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You first must pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.
Collision insurance covers claims like colliding with a tree, sustaining damage from a pot hole, hitting a mailbox and sideswiping another vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.
Auto liability insurance – This provides protection from damage that occurs to other people or property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have liability limits of 100/300/100 which stand for $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability coverage protects against things like structural damage, medical expenses and repair costs for stationary objects. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as high a limit as you can afford. Kansas state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/10,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy higher limits.
Medical payments and PIP coverage – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP pay for short-term medical expenses for things like nursing services, surgery and EMT expenses. They are used in conjunction with a health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover getting struck while a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Comprehensive auto coverage – Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You need to pay your deductible first and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like fire damage, falling objects, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hitting a bird and a broken windshield. The most your car insurance company will pay is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal
When you buy insurance online, it’s not a good idea to buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many instances, an accident victim reduced full coverage and discovered at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.
In this article, we presented many ideas to lower your car insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the lowest rates come from the smaller companies.
Insureds change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as denial of a claim, policy non-renewal, high rates after DUI convictions and even delays in paying claims. It doesn’t matter what your reason, finding a great new company can be easy and end up saving you some money.
Additional car insurance information can be found on the Kansas Insurance Department website. Click here for link. Kansas drivers can learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, discover disciplinary actions, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.