If you’re searching for cheaper insurance online, are you confused by the crazy number of car insurance companies that you can choose from? Drivers have so many companies to choose from that it can easily become a real hassle to find the best premium rates. Everyone knows Troy is an awesome place to live, but inflated car insurance prices makes it impossible to afford enough coverage.
It’s important to get comparison quotes once or twice a year because car insurance prices are usually higher with each renewal. If you had the best price a year ago you can probably find a better rate quote now. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the fastest and easiest way to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.
Why your premium might be higher
One of the most helpful ways to save on car insurance is to to have a grasp of some of the things that go into determining your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively determines premiums, this enables informed choices that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.
The list below includes some of the most common factors car insurance companies consider when setting your rate level.
- Bump up coverage deductibles to lower rates – Physical damage deductibles state the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket if the claim is covered. Protection for physical damage, also called comprehensive and collision insurance, protects your car from damage. Examples of some claims that would be covered could be collision with another vehicle, damage from fire, or theft of your vehicle. The more expense the insured is willing to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
- Miles driven impacts costs – The higher the mileage driven each year the higher your rate. Most companies calculate rates based on their usage. Cars that have low annual miles get more affordable rates than those that get driven frequently. Make sure your policy reflects the correct driver usage, because it can save money.
- Do you really need the extra coverages? – There are quite a few add-on coverages that may not really be needed if you don’t pay attention. Things like replacement cost coverage, accidental death, and extra equipment coverage are probably not needed. They may seem like a good idea when discussing your needs, but if they’re wasting money think about removing them and cutting costs.
- Younger vs. mature drivers – Teen drivers in Idaho are statistically proven to be less responsible when driving with friends and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher. Older, more experienced drivers are shown to be more cautious, file fewer claims , and are generally more financially stable.
- Save money with GPS tracking and theft deterrents – Selecting a car model that has a built-in theft deterrent system can save you some money. Theft deterrent systems such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart vehicle theft.
- Having a spouse is a good thing – Having a spouse can get you a discount on car insurance. Marriage usually means you are more stable financially and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
- Liability coverage – Liability insurance will provide protection when you are ruled to be at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Your liability coverage provides legal defense to attempt to prove you were not liable. Liability insurance is pretty cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should carry high limits.
Getting a cheaper price on insurance is not a difficult process. All you need to do is take the time to compare rate quotes from some recommended companies. It is quite easy and 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 quick form keeps you from doing separate quotation requests for each company. A single, simple form gets rate comparisons from all major companies. Just one form and you’re done.
- A more difficult way to find better pricing is spending the time to visit the website for every company you want to comare to complete their respective quote request forms. For examples sake, let’s assume you want to compare prices for Nationwide, Geico and Travelers. You would be required to go to each individual site and enter your policy data, which can be really labor intensive. For a list of links to insurance companies in Troy, click here.
You can choose any of those ways to find more affodable coverage, but make sure you compare equivalent coverage information on every price quote you get. If you compare differing limits you will not be able to make an equal comparison in Troy.
Can you really save $421 a year?
Idaho drivers get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price car insurance from companies such as Allstate and Progressive. They all seem to try to convey promises of big savings if you change your car insurance policy to them.
Is it even possible that every company can offer you a better deal? This is how they do it.
All companies have specific criteria for the type of insured that will be a good risk. For instance, a profitable insured could be between the ages of 30 and 45, has a low-risk occupation, and drives a vehicle with a low ISO rating. Anybody that hits that “sweet spot” will get a cheap rate quote and will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Drivers who do not match those criteria will be charged higher premium rates which leads to business not being written. The trick is to say “drivers that switch” but not “everyone who gets a quote” save money. That’s why insurance companies can confidently make those claims.
This illustrates why you need to quotes as often as possible. It is impossible to guess with any certainty which company will fit your personal profile best.
You may qualify for discounts
Companies don’t necessarily list every discount they offer in an easy-to-find place, so below is a list both well-publicized in addition to some of the lesser obvious discounts that may be available.
- 55 and Retired – If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a slight reduction on a .
- Driver Training Discounts – Successfully completing a safe driver class could save 5% or more and easily pay for the cost of the class.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles optioned with advanced anti-theft systems are stolen with less frequency and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle up can save up to 15% off PIP or medical payments premium.
- Professional Memberships – Being in certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break when shopping for car insurance.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- New Vehicle Savings – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can save you some money because newer vehicles keep occupants safer.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts as much as 30%.
Discounts save money, but please remember that many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like you can get free auto insurance, nobody gets a free ride.
Larger car insurance companies and their possible discounts can be found below.
- State Farm has discounts for multiple autos, accident-free, anti-theft, driver’s education, and Drive Safe & Save.
- American Family has savings for TimeAway discount, good driver, defensive driver, air bags, accident-free, and bundled insurance.
- AAA may include discounts for anti-theft, good student, multi-policy, pay-in-full, good driver, education and occupation, and AAA membership discount.
- Geico discounts include emergency military deployment, five-year accident-free, multi-vehicle, anti-theft, daytime running lights, and seat belt use.
- Mercury Insurance may offer discounts for age of vehicle, annual mileage, multi-car, anti-theft, and type of vehicle.
- Farmers Insurance includes discounts for early shopping, mature driver, homeowner, alternative fuel, and youthful driver.
- Progressive offers discounts for multi-policy, homeowner, online signing, online quote discount, and multi-vehicle.
If you want , ask all the companies to apply every possible discount. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be offered in Troy.
More information is available on the found here. Idaho consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, download brochures, report car insurance fraud, and read industry bulletins.
More related Troy car insurance information:
Lower rates by being persistent
Budget-conscious car insurance can be bought both online and from local insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies do not provide the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional carriers sell through local independent agents.
As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, drivers have reduced liability coverage limits only to discover later they didn’t have enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the best cost and still be able to protect your assets.
People who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including delays in paying claims, lack of trust in their agent, high rates after DUI convictions and high prices. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new car insurance company is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.