Finding lower premiums on Beloit auto insurance can seem to be difficult for consumers not familiar with comparing rates online. You have so many companies to choose from that it can turn into a ton of work to find the best price in Beloit.
If you have a policy now or are looking for a new policy, you can learn to cut your premiums while maintaining coverages. Pricing more affordable coverage in Beloit can be fairly easy. Wisconsin drivers just need to know the most efficient way to shop over the internet.
Don’t miss these six discounts
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but there could be available discounts to help bring down the price. Some trigger automatically at the time of quoting, but lesser-known reductions have to be inquired about in order for you to get them. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a home in Beloit may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
- Sign Early and Save – Select companies give a discount for switching to them prior to your current policy expiration. It can save you around 10%.
- Life Insurance Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy life insurance from them.
- Paperless Signup – A few companies will give a small break for buying your policy digitally online.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Organization Discounts – Being a member of a civic or occupational organization may earn a discount on your policy.
Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like it’s possible to get free car insurance, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous. But all discounts will cut your overall premium however.
But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent
Certain consumers would rather buy from a licensed agent and that is OK! Licensed agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and give you someone to call. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain the best rates and still have an agent to talk to. And providing support for local businesses is definitely important in Beloit.
After completing this quick form, your insurance coverage information is emailed to agents in your area who will compete for your insurance coverage. You don’t have to drive around since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox.
Independent or Captive: It’s your choice
When finding a reliable agent, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agents are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both write coverage properly, but it’s worth learning the difference between them because it can influence your agent selection.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agents are not locked into one company but rather can write business with any number of different companies depending on which coverage is best. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When comparison shopping, you should always include price quotes from at least one independent agent for the best price selection.Many can place coverage with smaller regional carriers which can be an advantage.
Below is a short list of independent agencies in Beloit that can give you rate quotes.
- Craig Wiemeri Agency – 2043 Liberty Ave – Beloit, WI 53511 – (608) 365-2600
- Tri Cor Insurance and Financial – 520 W Grand Ave – Beloit, WI 53511 – (608) 365-5551
- Carroll Agency – 816 4th St – Beloit, WI 53511 – (608) 362-4800
- Wright Insurance Group – 3144 Prairie Ave – Beloit, WI 53511 – (608) 365-6649
- Boutelle Agency – 136 W Grand Ave – Beloit, WI 53511 – (608) 313-0703
Captive Agents
This type of agents can only place business with one company such as Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. Captives cannot place coverage with different providers so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agents are well schooled on their company’s products which can be an advantage. Consumers frequently buy from captive agents primarily because of the prominence of the brand and strong financial ratings.
Shown below is a list of captive agents in Beloit willing to provide comparison quotes.
- American Family Insurance – 2225 Cranston Rd – Beloit, WI 53511 – (608) 362-1074
- State Farm Insurance – 2797 Prairie Ave – Beloit, WI 53511 – (608) 362-3646
To view a complete directory of auto insurance agents in Beloit, go to this page.
Selecting a car insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- How are claims handled?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- Is their price quote a firm figure or are their hidden costs?
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
Once you have received reasonable responses to all your questions and a low price estimate, it’s possible that you found a car insurance agent that will insure your vehicles. Just keep in mind you can always cancel your policy at any time so don’t feel that you’re stuck with any specific agency for the full term.
Do auto insurance companies bend the truth?
Wisconsin consumers can’t ignore all the ads for car insurance savings by Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm. All the ads make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you move to their company.
How do they all make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.
Insurance companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of customer that makes them money. For instance, a preferred risk might be profiled as over the age of 50, has no prior claims, and has great credit. A customer who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and most likely will save quite a bit of money when switching.
Drivers who do not match this ideal profile will have to pay more money and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. That’s the way companies can state the savings.
Because of the profiling, drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.
Auto insurance policy coverages
Having a good grasp of auto insurance can be of help when determining which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Medical payments coverage and PIP
Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP kick in for short-term medical expenses like surgery, funeral costs, hospital visits, chiropractic care and dental work. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. They cover you and your occupants and also covers getting struck while a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Liability coverages
Liability insurance protects you from damages or injuries you inflict on other’s property or people by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You might see limits of 100/300/100 which means a limit of $100,000 per injured person, $300,000 for the entire accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000. Alternatively, you may have one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which limits claims to one amount rather than limiting it on a per person basis.
Liability coverage protects against things such as legal defense fees, funeral expenses and loss of income. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as large an amount as possible. Wisconsin requires drivers to carry at least 50,000/100,000/55,000 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and damage to your vehicle.
Due to the fact that many Wisconsin drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 50/100/55), their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Collision protection
This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision insurance covers claims like hitting a mailbox, sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter, crashing into a ditch and colliding with a tree. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. You can also bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance coverage pays for damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims such as rock chips in glass, falling objects, vandalism, hail damage and a broken windshield. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Consumer auto insurance information in Wisconsin
More information is available on the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance website located here. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, find out which companies have the most complaints, read consumer alerts, and find disaster information.
Quote often and quote early
People leave their current company for many reasons like unfair underwriting practices, lack of trust in their agent, policy non-renewal and even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. Whatever your reason, switching auto insurance companies can be easier than you think.
We just showed you many ways to save on auto insurance. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from a small mutual company.
As you shop your coverage around, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage and discovered at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.