I can’t think of a single person who looks forward to paying for car insurance, particularly when they are paying too much.
Because there are so many choices of insurance companies, it can be impossible to locate the most affordable provider.
The purpose of this post is to tell you how to effectively get price quotes. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to save some money using these techniques. But Arkansas consumers should learn the way companies price insurance differently and apply this information to your search.
Compare Little Rock Car Insurance Costs
When shopping for car insurance there are multiple ways to get quotes from local in Little Rockcar insurance companies. By far the easiest way to find competitive insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.
- The single most time-saving way to find the lowest comparison rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison (click to open form in new window). This type of form keeps you from doing repetitive form submissions to each individual car insurance company. One form submission gets you coverage quotes from all major companies.
- A more difficult way to compare prices consists of visiting each individual company website to complete a price quote. For instance, we’ll pretend you want comparison quotes from Farmers, State Farm and Progressive. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, which is why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to insurance companies in Little Rock, click here.
- The least recommended method of comparing rate quotes is driving to insurance agents’ offices. The ability to buy insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you require the personal advice that only a license agent can provide. You can, however, get prices online but still have the advice of a local agent and we’ll talk about that later.
It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just make sure you use apples-to-apples coverages on every quote you get. If each company quotes different deductibles then you won’t be able to make a fair comparison in Little Rock. Slightly different insurance coverages can result in a big premium difference. Just remember that having more price comparisons will increase your chances of finding the best rates.
Switch companies and save? Really?
Companies like Allstate and Progressive consistently run ads on TV and radio. All the ads say the same thing of big savings if you change to their company. How does each company make the same claim? This is how they do it.
Different companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer that is profitable for them. For instance, a profitable customer might be a mature driver, has no tickets, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” will get the preferred rates and therefore will save a lot of money.
Potential insureds who are not a match for the “perfect” profile must pay a higher premium and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. That’s why companies can claim big savings.
This illustrates why drivers should get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.
Smart Buyers can Save Money
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. Understanding what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.
The following are a partial list of the pieces car insurance companies consider when setting premiums.<img class="alignright" style="padding-top:15px;" src="https://www.carinsurancediy.com/wp-content/uploads/ci175-45.jpg" alt="Arkansas auto insurance“/>
- Special features that cut premiums – Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Theft prevention features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can help prevent car theft.
- Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – Some insurance companies give discounts to insureds who consolidate policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to 10 percent or more. Even with this discount, you may still want to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal.
- High numbers of claims are not good – Insurance companies in Arkansas give cheaper rates to drivers who do not file claims often. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Performance makes a difference – The type of vehicle you own makes a significant difference in the rate you pay. Low performance passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
- Liability coverage is cheap – Liability coverage will protect you if ever a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. It provides you with a defense in court starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
Verify you’re getting all your discounts
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you can get discounts that you may not even be aware of. Some trigger automatically at the time of purchase, but less common discounts must be requested specifically before being credited.
- Bundle and Save – When you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you may earn approximately 10% to 15%.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Good Student Discount – This discount can save 20 to 25%. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
- No Accidents – Good drivers with no accidents can earn big discounts compared to accident-prone drivers.
- Own a Home – Owning a house in Little Rock can help you save on car insurance because of the fact that having a home demonstrates responsibility.
- E-sign – A handful of insurance companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application online.
- Memberships – Being a member of a qualifying organization could trigger savings on your policy.
- New Car Discount – Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less than drivers with accidents.
It’s important to understand that most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you’re out of luck. But any discount will help reduce the amount you have to pay.
To choose insurance companies who offer car insurance discounts in Arkansas, follow this link.
Neighborhood insurance agents
Certain consumers would rather talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is you can get the best rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for local insurance agencies is important particularly in Little Rock.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), the quote information is sent to local insurance agents in Little Rock who will give you bids to get your business. There is no reason to even leave your home as quotes are delivered immediately to your email address. Now that’s easy! It’s the lowest rates and a licensed agent to work with.
The type of auto insurance agent you choose is important
When finding a local agent, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents from which to choose. Little Rock agents are classified as either captive or independent (non-captive).
Independent Agents
Independent agents are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with any number of different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, the business is moved internally and that require little work on your part. When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to get quotes from at least one independent agent to get the best comparison.
Listed below are Little Rock independent agents that are able to give pricing information.
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 200 N Bowman Rd – Little Rock, AR 72211 – (501) 228-5003
Sally Roach Agency – 10201 W Markham St # 203 – Little Rock, AR 72205 – (501) 228-4535
Hatcher Agency – 1300 W 6th St – Little Rock, AR 72201 – (501) 375-3737
American National Insurance Co – 900 S Shackleford Rd – Little Rock, AR 72211 – (501) 978-1155
KANE Agency Inc – 111 Center St # 13 – Little Rock, AR 72201 – (501) 280-9100
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents can only place business with one company and some examples include AAA, State Farm, Farmers Insurance and Allstate. Captives cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have to upsell other benefits. They are usually quite knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage.
Listed below are Little Rock captive agents willing to provide rate quotes.
Farmers Insurance Group – 30 Saxony Cir – Little Rock, AR 72209 – (501) 227-4001
Shelter Insurance – 11015 Arcade Dr # A – Little Rock, AR 72212 – (501) 221-2122
State Farm Insurance – 6701 W 12th St # 7a – Little Rock, AR 72204 – (501) 664-3400
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 200 N Bowman Rd – Little Rock, AR 72211 – (501) 228-5003
Allstate Insurance – 204 Executive Ct – Little Rock, AR 72205 – (501) 225-0069
Arkansas Farm Bureau Insurance – 10720 Kanis Rd – Little Rock, AR 72211 – (501) 224-4400
To view a complete directory of Little Rock captive insurance agencies, please view this page.
Deciding on an insurance agency needs to be determined by more than just the price. These are valid questions to ask:
- What insurance companies do they work with?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Arkansas?
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
After getting positive feedback to any questions you have and an affordable coverage quote, it’s possible that you found a car insurance agent that will provide car insurance coverage.
One last thing about your coverage
The cheapest car insurance is attainable from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Little Rock agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. A few companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.
As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. Too many times, an accident victim reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
Additional information is located on the website for the Arkansas Insurance Department. Click here for link. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, view agent and company licensing information, download brochures, and find a variety of consumer forms.