No one in their right mind likes having to buy car insurance, especially when they are paying too much.
Companies like Allstate, Progressive and Geico continually bombard you with fancy advertisements and consumers find it hard to separate fact from fiction and do the work needed to find the best deal.
It’s a great practice to do rate comparisons quite often because insurance rates change frequently. If you had the best rates last year there may be better deals available now. Don’t believe everything you read about car insurance on the internet, so I’m going to show you a lot of great tips on how to slash your car insurance rates.
If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. Buying car insurance in Elgin is easy if you know what you’re doing. But Illinois drivers must know how insurance companies price online insurance.
Automobile Insurance Quotes in Elgin, Illinois
Performing a rate comparison can be a lot of work if you aren’t aware of the most efficient way to do it. You could spend the better part of a day talking about coverages with insurance companies in Elgin, or you could use the web to maximize your effort.
Most major companies take part in a program that enables customers to only type in their quote data once, and each company provides a quote based on the submitted data. This eliminates the need for quotation requests for each company you want a rate for.
To fill out one form to compare multiple rates now click here to open in new window.
The only drawback to pricing coverage this way is you don’t know exactly the companies to receive prices from. So if you prefer to pick individual companies to request quotes from, we put together a list of car insurance companies in Illinois. Click here to view list.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just make absolute certain that you use the exact same coverage information for each price quote. If each company quotes different deductibles you can’t possibly determine the best price in Elgin. Just a small difference in coverage limits could mean much higher rates. Just keep in mind that getting more free quotes will increase your chances of finding the best offered rates.
Can you really save that much by switching?
Companies like Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm continually stream television and radio advertisements. All the ads make the same claim that you can save after switching your coverage to them. But how can every company claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.
All the different companies can use profiling for the right customer that makes them money. A good example of a profitable customer could be between 30 and 50, owns a home, and has excellent credit. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save a lot of money.
Consumers who fall outside the requirements will have to pay more money and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save money. That is how companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings. Because of the profiling, you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It’s impossible to know which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Do you qualify for discounts?
Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise all available discounts very well, so we researched some of the more common and also the lesser-known car insurance savings.
- Senior Citizens – Older drivers may receive a small decrease in premiums.
- Memberships – Participating in a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break when buying car insurance.
- Good Student – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
- Multi-policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you may save at least 10% off all policies.
- Lower Rates for Military – Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
- Defensive Driving Course – Completing a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
- Accident Forgiveness – Some insurance companies permit an accident without raising rates so long as you haven’t had any claims for a certain period of time.
A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way.
To choose insurers with discount car insurance rates in Illinois, click here.
Are insurance agents a thing of the past?
Some people just want to sit down with an agent and that is just fine! The best thing about comparing rates online is that you can obtain lower rates but still work with a licensed agent.
After completing this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is instantly submitted to insurance agents in Elgin who will battle for your coverage. You don’t have to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go to your email. How cool is that?! Get lower rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.
Picking a company should depend on more than just a low price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
- Can they provide you with a list of referrals?
Two different types of auto insurance agents
When searching for a reputable insurance agent or broker, you need to know there are two types of agencies to choose from. Agencies in Elgin are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive agents have only one company to place business with like Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. They generally cannot give you multiple price quotes so they have to upsell other benefits. Captives are very knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them compete with independent agents.
Shown below are captive insurance agencies in Elgin willing to provide comparison quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 310 S Mclean Blvd # B – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 741-5733
American Family Insurance – 860 Summit St # 233 – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 841-1444
Farmers Insurance Group – 339 W River Rd # 202 – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 697-9800
Allstate Insurance – 1130 Dundee Ave – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 697-5900
Independent Agents
These agents are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When searching for an agent, you should always include at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from.
The following are Elgin independent insurance agents who can help you get comparison quotes.
Laehn Ron Insurance – 214 N Mclean Blvd – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 741-4176
Menner Reinsurance Agency Inc – 1275 Davis Rd – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 697-1705
Mitchell Agency Inc – 693 Dundee Ave – Elgin, IL 60120 – (847) 742-9696
Robert Lindemann Agency – 744 Diane Ave – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 742-5351
Auto-Owners Insurance Co – 600 Tollgate Rd # D – Elgin, IL 60123 – (847) 531-5417
To view a full list of Elgin insurance agents, go to this page.
Once you have positive feedback to your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you’ve probably found an insurance agency that meets your needs to service your policy.
Additional detailed information can be found at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Illinois drivers can view agent and company licensing information, read industry bulletins, discover disciplinary actions, and report car insurance fraud.
These articles may also be worth reading.
- Little Known Tips to Paying Less for Elgin Illinois Car Insurance
- Guide to Finding an Insurance Agent in Elgin
- New Strategies for Spending Less for on Elgin Illinois Auto Insurance
Cheaper insurance is a realistic goal
Cost effective car insurance is possible on the web in addition to many Elgin insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers do not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
We just showed you a lot of tips how to save on car insurance. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even find the lowest rates come from the least-expected company. They may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate and Progressive.