Have you finally had enough of wondering where the money will come from to make your car insurance payment? You have the same problem as many other Illinois consumers. Many insurers vie for your business, so it can be very hard to choose a company and get the definite best rate
You should make it a habit to check car insurance prices every six months because car insurance prices go up and down regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rates two years ago there is a good chance you can find better rate quotes now. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding car insurance online but in this article, you’re going to get some tested techniques to put money back in your pocket.
If you have a current car insurance policy or need new coverage, you can use these techniques to find the best rates and possibly find even better coverage. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Park Ridge is quite easy. Illinois consumers just need to learn the proper methods to compare rates over the internet.
Why your cost might be higher
Part of the car insurance buying process is learning some of the elements that go into determining your car insurance rates. When you understand what influences your rates, this enables informed choices that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.
Listed below are some of the items utilized by car insurance companies to help set your rates.
- Poor driving leads to higher costs – How you drive has a big impact on rates. Careful drivers receive lower rates than bad drivers. Only having one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates to the point where it’s not affordable. Drivers who have received flagrant violations like reckless driving or DUI may find they need to complete a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to legally drive.
- Vocation reflects on premiums – Careers like judges, social workers and financial analysts have higher premiums than the average policyholder in part from intense work situations and extremely grueling work hours. Other jobs like professors, athletes and performers have lower than average premiums.
- Don’t skimp on liability insurance – The liability coverage on your policy is the protection if ever you are found to be at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Your liability coverage provides legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability insurance is pretty cheap when compared to the cost of physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
- Policy add-ons can waste money – There are a ton of optional add-on coverages that may not really be needed if you don’t pay attention. Coverages like replacement cost coverage, towing coverage, and extra equipment coverage are examples of these. The coverages may be enticing when buying your policy, but if you’ve never needed them in the past consider taking them off your policy.
- Mileage impacts rates – The higher the miles on your car annually the higher the price you pay to insure it. A lot of insurance companies apply a rate determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars that are left in the garage get more affordable rates than cars that get driven a lot. Verify your vehicle rating correctly shows the correct usage for each vehicle, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Save money by having multiple policies – Most larger insurers apply a discount to customers who buy several policies from them in the form of a multi-policy discount. The discount can be ten or even fifteen percent. Even though this discount sounds good, it’s still a good idea to shop around to help guarantee you have the best rates.
- Lower comp and collision deductibles cost more – Insurance for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, covers your vehicle from damage. Some examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, hail damage, and rolling your vehicle. The deductibles define the amount you are required to spend in the event of a claim. The higher the amount the insured is willing to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
The method we recommend to compare rate quotes takes advantage of the fact auto insurance companies participate in online systems to provide you with a free rate quote. To begin a comparison, all you need to do is take a few minutes to give details like which vehicles you own, your credit rating estimate, if it has an anti-theft system, and if the vehicle is leased. The rating information is then submitted to multiple companies and they return rate quotes within a short period of time.
To compare rates for your car now, click here and see if a lower rate is available.
Discounts to earn lower Park Ridge car insurance rates
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may find discounts that can help lower your rates. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but a few need to be manually applied before you will receive the discount.
- Safety Course Discount – Taking a course in driver safety could save 5% or more depending on where you live.
- Drive Safe and Save – Insureds who avoid accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates compared to rates paid by drivers with frequent claims.
- Sign Early and Save – A few larger companies allow discounts for buying a new policy prior to the expiration date on your current policy. It can save you around 10%.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars, trucks, and SUVs with ABS braking systems or traction control can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to buckle up can save a little on medical payment and PIP coverage.
- 55 and Retired – Older drivers may be able to get reduced rates.
- Save with a New Car – Adding a new car to your policy can get you a discount because new model year vehicles keep occupants safer.
- One Accident Forgiven – but a handful of insurance companies will turn a blind eye to one accident without getting socked with a rate hike so long as you haven’t had any claims for a certain period of time.
It’s important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Despite the fact that it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. But any discount should definitely cut your policy premiums.
A partial list of companies that may include most of these discounts include:
If you want , ask all the companies what discounts are available to you. Some discounts listed above may not apply to policies in Park Ridge. To view car insurance companies that offer the discounts shown above in Illinois, click here to view.
Should I contact a local insurance agent?
Certain consumers would prefer to buy from a local agent and that is just fine! Good agents are very good at helping people manage risk and help submit paperwork. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is the fact that drivers can get better rates but also keep your business local.
Upon completion of this short form, the quote information is immediately sent to agents in your area who can give free rate quotes for your business. You don’t have to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent instantly to you. If for some reason you want to get a rate quote from a specific company, you just need to navigate to their website to submit a rate quote request.
Finding a good insurer should include more criteria than just the premium amount. The answers to these questions are important, too.
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Illinois?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- Are they able to provide referrals?
- Do they have 24-hour customer assistance?
- Can you contact them at any time?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- How many years of experience in personal auto insurance do they have?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
To contact a specific insurance agent in Park Ridge, view this complete selection of Park Ridge car insurance providers.
After receiving positive feedback to any questions you have in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you’ve probably found an insurance company that is professional and can insure your vehicles.
Additional detailed information can be read at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Illinois drivers can find a variety of consumer forms, learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, and report car insurance fraud.
Find cheaper rates by being thorough
Cost effective car insurance can be sourced on the web in addition to local insurance agencies, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies may not have internet price quotes and most of the time these smaller providers only sell coverage through independent agents.
We just covered some good ideas how you can lower your car insurance premium rates. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get prices for, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest premium rates are with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. These companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like Allstate or State Farm.