Finding lower premiums on Ashland auto insurance can be nearly impossible for beginners to comparing rates online. Consumers have so many options that it can turn into a lot of work to find the best price in Ashland.
Consumers should take time to check auto insurance prices at least once a year because insurance rates are usually higher with each renewal. Just because you found the lowest price a year ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the best way to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.
Locating the lowest cost auto insurance in Ashland is simple if you know the tricks. Just about every vehicle owner who is required by state law to have auto insurance will more than likely be able to cut their insurance bill. Nevertheless, Kentucky consumers must comprehend how insurance companies price online insurance and apply this information to your search.
Auto Insurance Comparison Rates in Ashland, KY
When shopping for auto insurance there are multiple ways of comparing price quotes and find the best price. The quickest method to compare insurance prices is to get quotes online. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.
- The single most time-saving way consumers can make multiple comparisons is an all-inclusive rate comparison (click to open form in new window). This method saves time by eliminating repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. Filling out one form gets you price quotes from auto insurance companies with the best prices. This is perfect if you don’t have a lot of time.
- A more difficult way to get quotes online consists of going to each company website and fill out their own quote form. For instance, let’s assume you want rates from Nationwide, 21st Century and Liberty Mutual. You would have to spend time on each company’s site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Ashland, click here.
- The least efficient method to compare rates is to spend your day driving to different Ashland agent offices. The internet eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you want the professional advice of a licensed agent. It is possible to compare the best prices online but buy from a local insurance agent and you’ll learn how to do that later.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but make darn sure you compare the exact same information on every quote. If you enter higher or lower deductibles it’s impossible to make a fair comparison in Ashland. Having just a slight variation in limits may result in large price differences. And when price shopping your coverage, comparing a large number of companies will increase your chances of finding a better price.
Drivers who switch save $409 a year? Really?
State Farm, Allstate and Geico continually stream ads in print and on television. All the companies say the same thing that you’ll save big after switching your coverage to them. How can each company make almost identical claims? It’s all in the numbers.
Different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver they prefer to insure. A good example of a driver they prefer might be over the age of 40, has no prior claims, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer that hits that “sweet spot” will get the preferred rates and therefore will save a lot of money.
Drivers who are not a match for these standards will have to pay higher premiums and this can result in business not being written. The ad wording is “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings.
Because of the profiling, drivers should get as many comparisons as possible. It’s not possible to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.
Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates
It’s important that you understand the factors that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with big savings.
- Consolidate policies to earn discounts – Many insurers will give a discount to insureds who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, you may still want to comparison shop to verify if the discount is saving money. You may still find better rates by splitting coverages up.
- Being married can save on auto insurance – Having a spouse helps lower the price on your policy. Marriage translates into being more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – Liability insurance provides coverage when a jury decides you are liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
- Small claims can cost you – Car insurance companies in Kentucky award discounts to insureds who are claim-free. If you file claims often, you can look forward to either higher rates or even cancellation. Your insurance policy is designed for the large, substantial claims.
- Policy add-ons can waste money – There are quite a few add-on coverages you can purchase when buying auto insurance. Coverages like personal injury protection, better glass coverage and term life insurance are examples of these. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but if they’re wasting money get rid of them and save.
- Type of vehicle determines base rates – The performance of the car you own makes a significant difference in your rates. Lower performance four cylinder passenger vehicles generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
- Poor driving leads to higher costs – Even one moving violation can increase rates forty percent or more. Good drivers receive lower rates than their less careful counterparts. If you have dangerous violations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to prevent a license revocation.
Companies offer discounts so take them!
Car insurance is not cheap, but there are discounts available to help bring down the price. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be specifically requested in order for you to get them.
- Accident Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less when compared with accident-prone drivers.
- Use Seat Belts – Drivers who require all occupants to use a seat belt could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- Senior Citizens – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you can possibly qualify for better auto insurance rates.
- Safe Driver Discount – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more than their less cautious counterparts.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy life insurance from them.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you could get a discount of up to 20% off your total premium.
- Multi-car Discount – Buying coverage for more than one vehicle on the same auto insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Braking Control Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems prevent accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But any discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.
Buying car insurance locally
Some consumers would prefer to buy from a licensed agent. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is you may find better rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for local insurance agencies is especially important in Ashland.
After filling out this quick form, your coverage information is emailed to agents in your area who will battle for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to even leave your home as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. Now that’s easy! You can find better rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.
Choose an insurance agent wisely
When finding a reputable insurance agent or broker, you must know there are a couple different types of agents to choose from. Agencies in Ashland are either captive or independent.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agents are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency. When searching for an agent, we recommend you get quotes from at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from. Many write coverage with different regional companies which may provide better rates.
Listed below is a list of independent insurance agencies in Ashland who may be able to give you rate quotes.
- Harold D Miller Insurance – 2017 29th St – Ashland, KY 41101 – (606) 324-1295
- Dan Click Agency – 708 26th St – Ashland, KY 41101 – (606) 329-9975
- Hanni Insurance Svc – 1536 Winchester Ave # 2 – Ashland, KY 41101 – (606) 325-6368
- Putnam Agency Inc – 1557 Winchester Ave – Ashland, KY 41101 – (606) 329-2200
- Richard Dowdy Agency – 2401 Carter Ave – Ashland, KY 41101 – (606) 324-6574
Agency Captives
Captive agents write business for a single company and some examples include AAA, Allstate and State Farm. Captives cannot compare other company’s rates so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agents are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers often buy insurance from these agents partially due to the brand legacy and the convenience of having a single billing for all their coverages.
Below is a short list of captive agencies in Ashland who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Allstate Insurance – 4332 13th St # 1 – Ashland, KY 41102 – (606) 325-7700
- Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance – 905 Bob Mccullough Dr – Ashland, KY 41102 – (606) 928-9561
- Robert P Wages State Farm Ins – 7351 Us Route 60 – Ashland, KY 41102 – (606) 928-9516
To view a full list of Ashland captive insurance agencies, click here to link.
Deciding on an insurance agency should depend on more than just a low price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Can glass repairs be made at your home?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- How long has their agency been open in Ashland?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
After getting acceptable answers to your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, most likely you have located an auto insurance agent that is a good match to adequately provide auto insurance.
Final thoughts
Throughout this article, we presented many ways to save on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more rate quotes you have, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with an unexpected company.
Affordable auto insurance can be purchased both online and with local Ashland insurance agents, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance providers do not offer the ability to get a quote online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.
As you prepare to switch companies, don’t be tempted to sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped physical damage coverage and found out when filing a claim that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your strategy should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
Learn more about Kentucky auto insurance
Additional auto insurance information is located on the Kentucky Department of Insurance website found here. Visitors are able to find disaster information, find out industry alerts, and file complaints about a company.