If you are a novice to online auto insurance shopping, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the vast number of companies offering coverage in Chicago.
It is always a good idea to do rate comparisons before your policy renews since insurance rates go up and down regularly. Even if you got the lowest price a couple years back there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because we’re going to demonstrate the right way to find better coverage at a better price.
If you have insurance now or are just looking to switch companies, you can use these tips to find the best rates while maximizing coverage. Locating the cheapest auto insurance in Chicago can be fairly easy. Illinois vehicle owners just need to know how to shop for auto insurance over the internet.
More discounts equal less premium
Car insurance companies do not advertise all available discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find some of the best known and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.
- Discount for Good Grades – A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.
- Federal Employees – Simply working for the federal government can earn a discount up to 10% with a few auto insurance companies.
- Organization Discounts – Affiliation with a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance.
- College Student – Any of your kids living away from home attending college and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
- Life Insurance – Larger companies have a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
It’s important to note that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don’t profit that way.
For a list of insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Illinois, follow this link.
Don’t assume everyone needs the same coverage
When buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s.
For example, these questions could help you determine if your situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
- Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
- Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
- Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Illinois?
- Should I buy additional glass protection?
- Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.
Online quotes with a local Chicago insurance agent
Certain consumers would rather visit with an insurance agent and that is just fine! Good agents can help determine the best coverages and help in the event of a claim. The biggest benefit of comparing rates online is you may find the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to.
By using this quick form, the coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Chicago who will battle for your coverage. There is no reason to leave your house since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox.
Selecting a company requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- What insurance company do they write the most business with?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
Shown below is a list of insurers in Chicago that may be willing to give comparison quotes.
- Corona Insurance – 4245 W 26th St, Chicago, IL 60623 – (773) 277-7777
- Alton Williams State Farm Ins – 3406 W Irving Park Rd, Chicago, IL 60618 – (773) 463-4343
- Chancellor Insurance Group – 70 W Madison St # 1400, Chicago, IL 60602 – (312) 214-2400
- Carmen Miuccio Agency – 8513 S Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60652 – (773) 582-1200
- Farmers Insurance Group – 3543 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 – (773) 279-1007
- Allstate Insurance – 3052 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659 – (773) 973-3100
For a complete listing of licensed insurance agents in Chicago, visit this link.
Once you have received positive responses to these questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you may have just found a company that is a good match to adequately provide auto insurance. Just keep in mind policyholders can cancel your policy at any time so never assume you are locked into a policy with no way to switch.
To learn more about auto insurance in Illinois
More detailed Illinois auto insurance information is available at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Consumers can report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, and read consumer alerts.
Additional helpful sites include this page for Illinois auto insurance and this page where you can also get Chicago auto insurance quotes.
Auto insurance coverages explained
Learning about specific coverages of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Auto insurance terms can be difficult to understand and reading a policy is terribly boring.
Liability
This provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to people or other property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. As an example, you may have liability limits of 100/300/100 that means you have a limit of $100,000 per injured person, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $100,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability insurance covers claims such as court costs, medical expenses and emergency aid. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase as large an amount as possible. Illinois requires minimum liability limits of 20,000/40,000/15,000 but you should consider buying more coverage.
Collision insurance
This pays for damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another car or object. A deductible applies and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision insurance covers claims like driving through your garage door, damaging your car on a curb and backing into a parked car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. You can also increase the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
UM/UIM Coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when the “other guys” either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many Illinois drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (which is 20/40/15), their limits can quickly be used up. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.
Comprehensive or Other Than Collision
Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. You first must pay your deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive insurance covers things like vandalism, theft, falling objects and hitting a bird. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Medical costs insurance
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for chiropractic care, dental work, surgery and EMT expenses. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Coverage applies to you and your occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
In the end, you save
We just presented a lot of ways to reduce auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the lowest premiums are with the least-expected company.
Insureds change insurance companies for any number of reasons including lack of trust in their agent, extreme rates for teen drivers, being labeled a high risk driver or poor customer service. It doesn’t matter what your reason, choosing a new company is actually quite simple.
Affordable auto insurance is possible from both online companies in addition to many Chicago insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis. Some insurance companies do not provide online price quotes and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.