Searching for the cheapest Reno auto insurance on the web may be problematic for people who are new to shopping for insurance online. With so many insurers to choose from, how can Reno drivers even start to compare the different rates to find the best available rates?
Finding affordable coverage in Reno is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to save some money using these methods. But Nevada car owners can benefit from knowing how the larger insurance companies market insurance on the web and take advantage of how the system works.
Understand what determines the rate you pay
It’s important that you understand the different types of things that play a part in calculating your auto insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.
Shown below are some of the items that factor into prices.
- Do you have enough liability coverage? – Liability coverage is the protection if ever you are found liable for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.
- Mature drivers pay less – Young drivers in Nevada have a tendency to be more careless when driving so they pay higher auto insurance rates. If you’ve ever had to add a young driver to your auto insurance policy can be quite pricey. More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and get fewer tickets.
- Are you male or female? – Statistics have proven women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, don’t assume that men are WORSE drivers than women. They both tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically get cited for more serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving.
- No coverage gaps is important – Driving with no insurance is a misdemeanor and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance lapse. Not only will rates go up, but not being able to provide proof of insurance will get you a steep fine or even jail time.
Take discounts and save
Companies offering auto insurance don’t always list every discount very clearly, so we break down some of the best known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you have multiple policies with one company you may save at least 10% off all policies.
- Drive Less and Save – Driving fewer miles could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- Government Employees – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with a few auto insurance companies.
- Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more than their less cautious counterparts.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
- Homeowners Savings – Being a homeowner can save you money because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies don’t profit that way.
To choose insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Nevada, click here.
Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?
Companies like State Farm and Allstate continually stream ads in print and on television. All the ads say the same thing of big savings after switching your policy. How do they all make the same claim?
Insurance companies can use profiling for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable customer might be between 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. A customer who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.
Consumers who don’t qualify for these standards will be quoted a higher premium and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That is how insurance companies can make the claims of big savings. This emphasizes why you absolutely need to get as many comparisons as possible. It’s impossible to know the company that will give you the biggest savings.
Additional reading for auto insurance information
More tips and info about auto insurance is available at the Nevada Division of Insurance website. Nevada consumers can file complaints about a company, learn about specific coverages, view a list of available companies, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Smart shoppers get results
Drivers switch companies for many reasons like high prices, delays in paying claims, questionable increases in premium or even delays in responding to claim requests. Whatever your reason, switching companies can be pretty painless.
As you prepare to switch companies, you should never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits only to find out that it was a big error on their part. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.
We just covered a lot of ways to save on auto insurance. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the lowest rates come from some of the lesser-known companies.