There isn’t a single person who likes buying car insurance, especially when they know their premiums are too high. You have multiple insurers to insure vehicles with, and though it is a good thing to have multiple companies, so many choices can make it hard to find the best rates.
Components of your insurance rates
A large part of saving on car insurance is knowing the different types of things that come into play when calculating the price you pay for car insurance. If you understand what impacts premium levels, this helps enable you to make changes that could help you find better car insurance rates. Many factors are used in the calculation when quoting car insurance. A few of the factors are predictable like an MVR report, although others are more transparent such as your credit history or your commute time.
- Save by driving less – The higher the mileage driven in a year the more you’ll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies apply a rate determined by how the vehicle is used. Vehicles not used for work or commuting receive better premium rates than those that get driven frequently. Verify your declarations sheet states the right rating data, because improper ratings can cost you money.
- Cheaper rates using theft deterrents – Choosing to buy a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can save you a little every year. Advanced theft deterrents like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart your car from being stolen.
- Car insurance policy lapses increase car insurance rates – Having a gap between insurance policy dates is a fast way to increase your renewal premiums. Not only will you pay higher rates, getting caught without coverage could result in a fine, jail time, or a revoked license.
- Bundle policies and save – Some insurers provide a discount to insureds who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount consumers should still shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.There is a chance you can find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
- Better drivers pay better premiums – Drivers with clean records have lower premiums as compared to those with violations. Even a single driving citation can bump up the cost by twenty percent. Drivers who have careless tickets like reckless driving or DUI may find that they have to to submit a SR-22 form with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
Ways to get car insurance quotes in Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Shopping for lower car insurance rates is a ton of work if you aren’t aware of the most efficient way to do it. You could waste a few hours talking to agents in Elkhorn, or you can utilize the internet to achieve your goal.
Most car insurance companies belong to a marketplace that allows shoppers to complete one form, and at least one company then returns a price quote for coverage. This eliminates the need for form submissions for each company.
To enter your information into the quoting system, click to open in new window.
The single downside to getting quotes like this is you cannot specify the insurers you want to price. So if you want to select individual companies to compare rates, we have a page of companies who write car insurance in Wisconsin. Click to view list.
It’s up to you which method you use, but ensure you are comparing identical coverages and limits with every price quote. If your comparisons have mixed coverages then you won’t be able to make an equal comparison in Elkhorn.
Advertising myths
Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements that claim the lowest rates from the likes of Progressive, Allstate and Geico. They all tend to make the same promise that you can save just by moving your coverage to them.
How does every company say the same thing? You have to listen carefully.
Insurance providers give the best rates for the right customer that makes them money. An example of this type of insured may be over the age of 50, has never had a claim, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any new insured that fits those parameters gets the lowest prices and will also save a lot of money.
People who may not quite match these standards may receive a higher rate and this results in the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “drivers who switch” not “all people who quote” can save as much as they claim. That is how companies can state the savings. Because of the profiling, you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It is just not possible to predict which car insurance company will give you lower premium rates than your current company.
Cheap Wisconsin car insurance rates with discounts
Some insurance providers do not list all possible discounts very clearly, so the list below gives a summary of a few of the more well known and also the lesser-known discounts that may be available.
- Driver Education Discount – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver’s ed class in high school.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle up before driving could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
- Life Insurance Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a discounted price on car insurance if you buy life insurance from them.
- Resident Student – College-age children who live away from home at college and do not have a car may qualify for this discount.
- Federal Employees – Federal government employees may reduce rates when you with certain companies.
- Defensive Driver – Taking a defensive driver course may get you a small discount and make you a better driver.
- Service Members Pay Less – Being on active duty in the military can result in better car insurance rates.
- Mature Driver Discount – Mature drivers may receive a discount up to 10%.
It’s important to understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Some only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comp or med pay. Despite the appearance that all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.
Some of the insurance companies that possibly offer most of these discounts may include but are not limited to:
If you need lower rates, check with each company how you can save money. Depending on the company, some discounts might not be offered in Elkhorn.
When should I contact an agent?
Certain consumers just want to buy from a licensed agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Professional agents can help you build your policy and give you someone to call. A good thing about price shopping on the web is you can get lower rates and still buy from a local agent.
To find an agent, once you fill out this short form, your insurance coverage information is immediately sent to participating agents in Elkhorn who will give you quotes and help you find cheaper coverage. You don’t have to find an agent on your own since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. If you wish to get a price quote from a specific insurance company, you would need to find their quoting web page and submit a quote form there.
Picking the best insurance company requires you to look at more than just a low price. The questions below may impact your decision as well.
- Can they help ensure a fair claim settlement?
- Do they offer accident forgiveness?
- Is coverage determined by price?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
- How many years of experience in personal auto insurance do they have?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
When narrowing the list to find a local insurance agency, it helps to know the two types of insurance agents and how they differ in how they quote coverages. Agents in Elkhorn are classified as either captive or independent. Either one can sell affordable car insurance policies, but it is important to understand the differences because it can impact which type of agent you select.
Captive Agents
These type of agents can usually just insure with one company such as American Family, State Farm, and Allstate. Captive agencies are unable to give you multiple price quotes so they really need to provide good service. Captive agents are usually quite knowledgeable on sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage.
Shown below are Elkhorn captive agencies willing to provide price quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 5 Ridgway Ct # A – Elkhorn, WI 53121 – (262) 723-2664
American Family Insurance – 7 Ridgway Ct – Elkhorn, WI 53121 – (262) 723-4370
Independent Agents
Independent agencies are not restriced to one company and that allows them to write policies with any number of different companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If they find a lower price, the agent simply finds a different carrier and the insured can keep the same agent. When comparison shopping, you definitely need to get some free quotes from a few independent agents in order to have the best price comparison.
Below are independent insurance agents in Elkhorn that are able to give comparison quotes.
Scheurell Insurance LLC – 20 N Wisconsin St – Elkhorn, WI 53121 – (262) 882-2737
Mike Spragia Agency – 601 E Geneva St – Elkhorn, WI 53121 – (262) 723-3113
Rural Insurance Co – 119 S Broad St – Elkhorn, WI 53121 – (262) 743-2400
To view additional car insurance agents in Elkhorn, visit this full listing of insurance agents in Elkhorn, WI.
More tips and info about car insurance is available at the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance website. Visitors are able to download brochures, find disaster information, discover disciplinary actions, and read industry bulletins.
In conclusion
Some car insurance companies may not offer online price quotes and many times these regional carriers prefer to sell through independent insurance agents. Cheap car insurance can be found online and from local insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best selection.
When searching for , never sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In many cases, an insured dropped full coverage only to regret at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The aim is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price, but do not sacrifice coverage to save money.