No one in their right mind enjoys paying for car insurance, especially when the cost is too high.
You have multiple insurers to insure vehicles with, and although it’s nice to have a choice, lots of choices makes it harder to find the best rates for your vehicles.
It’s a great practice to compare rates periodically since insurance rates change quite often. Even if you think you had the best price six months ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. You can find a lot of wrong information about car insurance online, so we’re going to give you some of the best ways to stop overpaying for insurance.
Free Baker Car Insurance Quotes
To find the best car insurance prices, there are several ways to compare rate quotes from different in Baker, Louisianainsurance companies. The recommended way to find the cheapest insurance rates is simply to get online rate quotes. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
- The first (and easiest) way to find low rates would be an industry-wide quote request form click to view form in new window. This type of form eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions to each individual car insurance company. Taking the time to complete one form will return price quotes from multiple low-cost companies.
- A slightly less efficient method to shop for car insurance online requires a trip to the website of each company to complete a price quote. For sake of this example, we’ll pretend you want comparison quotes from USAA, Farmers and Progressive. To get each rate you have to go to every website to enter your coverage information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Baker, click here.
- The least recommended method to compare rates is to drive around to different Baker agent offices. Buying insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you prefer the professional advice only provided by licensed Baker agents. Drivers can price shop your coverage online but still have the advice of a local agent and we’ll touch on that later.
Which method you use is up to you, but make absolute certain that you use apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles for each comparison quote. If you use mixed coverages then you won’t be able to find the best deal in Baker. Just a small difference in limits may cause a big price difference. And when quoting car insurance, remember that more quotes helps locate better pricing.
Policy discounts you shouldn’t miss
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but discounts can save money and there are some available to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be inquired about before you will receive the discount.
- Government Employees – Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with a few car insurance companies.
- Organization Discounts – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization could trigger savings when shopping for car insurance.
- Braking Control Discount – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Good Student – Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
- 55 and Retired – Older drivers may qualify for better car insurance rates.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
It’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free car insurance policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any amount of discount will cut your premiums.
To choose insurance companies with the best car insurance discounts in Baker, click this link.
Smart Consumers Save More
Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.
- Credit scores impact car insurance rates – Your credit score is a big factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have poor credit. If your credit history is low, you could be paying less to insure your by repairing your credit.
- Having a spouse can save you money – Having a wife or husband can actually save you money when buying car insurance. It is viewed as being more mature it has been statistically shown that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – The liability section of your policy will protect you if a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Liability provides legal defense coverage which can cost thousands of dollars. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
- Where you reside plays a part – Residing in less populated areas can be a good thing when insuring your vehicles. Drivers who live in large cities regularly have much more traffic and longer commute times. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
- Older drivers save more – Older drivers are more cautious drivers, file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Teenage drivers tend to be more careless behind the wheel therefore car insurance rates are much higher.
- Performance level impacts rates – The performance of the car you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in your rates. Small economy passenger vehicles generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
- Frequent car insurance claims increase rates – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Auto insurance companies in Louisiana provide cheaper rates to people who are claim-free. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Women pay lower rates – Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. That doesn’t necessarily mean that women are better drivers. Both sexes cause accidents at about the same rate, but men cause more damage. Men also receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI. Youthful male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
What about my local Baker agents?
Certain consumers just want to get advice from a local agent and that is just fine! The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you can get lower rates but also keep your business local. And supporting local businesses is especially important in Baker.
Once you complete this simple form, your coverage information is emailed to companies in Baker who will compete for your business. You never need to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent to your email. How cool is that?! You can find better rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.
Multiple types of car insurance agents in Baker
When finding a reputable insurance agent or broker, you need to know there are two types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Baker are categorized either captive or independent.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent agencies are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies and you won’t have to switch agencies.
When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to include price quotes from at least one independent agent to ensure the widest selection of prices.
Shown below are Baker independent agents who can help you get pricing information.
Ozark Insurance – 3040 Ray Weiland Dr – Baker, LA 70714 – (225) 775-7614
General Automobile Insurance – 1352 Main St – Baker, LA 70714 – (225) 775-5217
Agency Captives
Captive agents work for only one company and some examples include Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They are unable to compare other company’s rates so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agencies are very knowledgeable on their company’s products and that can be a competitive advantage.
Shown below are Baker captive insurance agencies that can give you price quotes.
Shelter Insurance – 4686 Groom Rd # B – Baker, LA 70714 – (225) 774-3119
State Farm Insurance – 5260 Groom Rd # A – Baker, LA 70714 – (225) 775-6381
Allstate Insurance – 3201 Lavey Ln – Baker, LA 70714 – (225) 775-9834
For a full directory of captive agents in Baker, visit this site.
Choosing an auto insurance agent should depend on more than just a low price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Are they full-time agents?
- How much can you save by raising your physical damage deductibles?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- How are they compensated?
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
Once you have received reasonable responses to your questions and locked in a price quote, it’s possible that you found an insurance agency that can provide car insurance coverage.
When might I need an agent?
When it comes to buying coverage, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
- Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
- If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
- Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
- Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
- Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.
Much more information about car insurance in Louisiana can be found on the website for the Louisiana Department of Insurance. Click here for link. Louisiana consumers can discover disciplinary actions, find disaster information, and read consumer alerts.
The following information may also be useful.
- Quick Guide to Researching a Bakersfield, CA Auto Insurance Agent
- Tightwads Guide to Saving on Bakersfield California Car Insurance
Beware of misleading car insurance ads
Car insurance companies such as Geico, State Farm and Progressive consistently run ads on television and other media. They all seem to make the same claim that you can save if you change to them. But how can every company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.
Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured could be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.
Consumers who don’t qualify for this ideal profile must pay a more expensive rate and ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save money. That is how companies can make those claims.
This illustrates why drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. It is impossible to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.
Keep this in mind
We’ve covered some good ideas how you can lower your car insurance rates. It’s most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with a lesser-known regional company. These smaller insurers may only write in your state and offer lower rates than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
As you restructure your insurance plan, make sure you don’t sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are a lot of situations where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits and learned later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.