Are you intimidated by the wide range of car insurance options in Strongsville? You have a lot of company. People have so many companies to choose from that it can turn into a challenge to find the lowest price.
Buying car insurance in Strongsville is not rocket science. If you have a current car insurance policy or are looking for a new policy, you will benefit by learning to get lower rates while maximizing coverage. Ohio drivers just need to understand the tricks to get comparison rates online.
Cheap Strongsville Car Insurance Comparisons
All the larger car insurance companies like Geico, State Farm and Progressive give coverage prices directly from their websites. Obtaining pricing is fairly straightforward as you simply enter your personal and coverage information into the quote form. Once entered, the company’s rating system gets your driving record and credit report and returns pricing information based on these and other factors.
This makes it a lot easier to compare rates but having to visit many different websites and enter the same data into a form can be a bit repetitive. But it’s absolutely necessary to do this in order to find the best price on car insurance.
Rate comparisons made easy
A less time-consuming method to find better car insurance pricing makes use of a single form to obtain quotes from several different companies. The form is fast, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes online price comparison a little more enjoyable. Immediately after submitting the form, your coverage is rated and you are able to buy any one of the pricing results. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, it’s easy to complete the application and purchase the new policy. This process just takes a couple of minutes and may result in a nice savings.
If you want to find out how much you can save on car insurance, simply click here to open in new window and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you have a policy now, it’s recommended that you enter coverages and limits just like they are on your policy. Doing this assures you will have rate comparison quotes using the exact same coverages.
Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?
Consumers can’t get away from ads for cheaper car insurance from the likes of Geico, State Farm and Progressive. They all have a common claim that you can save after switching your coverage to them.
How do they all make the same claim?
All companies have a certain “appetite” for the right customer they prefer to insure. An example of a driver they prefer might be over the age of 40, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” receives the best rates and most likely will save when switching.
Drivers who don’t meet this ideal profile will be quoted higher premiums and ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” not “people who quote” save that kind of money. That’s the way companies can truthfully claim big savings. This emphasizes why you need to compare many company’s rates. It’s impossible to know the company that will have the lowest rates.
What determines how much you pay?
Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that help determine car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to better car insurance rates.
- Too many car insurance claims drive up costs – Car insurance companies in Ohio award better rates to people who file claims infrequently. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to higher rates. Car insurance is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Your stress level may be raising your rates – Occupations like doctors, business owners and dentists tend to have the highest average rates due to job stress and long work hours. Other professions such as actors, historians and the unemployed receive lower rates.
- Policy add-ons can waste money – There are many add-on coverages you can purchase when buying car insurance. Insurance for roadside assistance, better glass coverage and membership fees are some examples. These may sound like a good investment initially, but your needs may have changed so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
- Liability coverage protects you – The liability section of your policy will protect you if ever you are found liable for damages from an accident. It will provide legal defense coverage up to the limits shown on your policy. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.
- Rate your vehicle for proper use – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year’s time the more you will pay for car insurance. Most insurance companies apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Autos used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Double check that your car insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven.
- Car features impact rates – Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention features like GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
Be sure to get all your discounts
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always advertise all available discounts very well, so we researched both the well known and the more hidden savings tricks you should be using. If you don’t get every credit possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Vehicles with factory air bags may earn rate discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.
- Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles can earn a substantially lower rate.
- Organization Discounts – Affiliation with certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break when buying car insurance.
- College Student – Any of your kids who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
- Save over 55 – Older drivers may be able to get better car insurance rates.
- Drive Safe and Save – Safe drivers can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accidents.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Save with a New Car – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
- Safety Course Discount – Taking a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when the math indicates adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way.
To choose companies who offer car insurance discounts in Ohio, follow this link.
Your coverage should be tailored to you
When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Every situation is different.
These are some specific questions may help you determine whether or not you might need professional guidance.
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
- Is my vehicle covered by my employer’s policy when using it for work?
- Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
- Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
- Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
- What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
- Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
- Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
- Do I qualify for additional discounts?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form. It’s fast, free and may give you better protection.
But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent
A small number of people just want to buy from a licensed agent and that is OK! Licensed agents can point out coverage gaps and help file insurance claims. The best thing about getting online price quotes is you can get better rates and still have an agent to talk to.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, your information is emailed to local insurance agents who will return price quotes to get your business. There is no need to even leave your home as quotes are delivered to the email address you provide. How cool is that?!
Deciding on an insurer needs to be determined by more than just the premium amount. Here are some questions to ask:
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Ohio?
- Are they full-time agents?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
Different types of insurance agents in Strongsville
When searching for local Strongsville agents, there are a couple of types of insurance agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Strongsville are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive. Both insure your vehicles, but it’s worth learning the differences since it can impact your agent selection.
Captive Insurance Agents
This type of agents write business for a single company and examples are American Family, Liberty Mutual and AAA. These agents are not able to give you multiple price quotes so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agents are well schooled on their products and sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents. Consumers often choose to use a captive agent mostly because of high brand loyalty and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.
Listed below is a short list of captive agents in Strongsville who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Allstate Insurance Co – 13477 Prospect Rd # 103c – Strongsville, OH 44149 – (440) 878-0506
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent agents do not work for one specific company so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, they simply move the coverage in-house and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparison shopping, it’s a good idea to include several independent insurance agents to get the best comparison.Most can insure with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates.
Below are independent insurance agencies in Strongsville that can give you price quotes.
- Lea Ames Agency – 10750 Pearl Rd # E6 – Strongsville, OH 44136 – (440) 268-9744
- Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance – 20495 Drake Rd – Strongsville, OH 44149 – (440) 846-0550
- John Graff Agency – 20888 Royalton Rd – Strongsville, OH 44149 – (440) 234-8333
- John Graff Agency – 18563 Royalton Rd – Strongsville, OH 44136 – (440) 234-8333
- Nationwide Insurance – 20888 Royalton Rd – Strongsville, OH 44149 – (440) 572-4211
For a complete listing of licensed insurance agents in Strongsville, view this link.
Upon getting satisfactory answers to your questions as well as a affordable price, you’ve probably found a car insurance agent that will properly service your car insurance policy.
In Summary
In this article, we covered a lot of information how to lower your car insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the biggest savings come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.
Cheaper car insurance can be bought from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Strongsville, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
As you prepare to switch companies, make sure you don’t skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, consumers will sacrifice liability limits or collision coverage to discover at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The ultimate goal is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.
Additional detailed information is available at the Ohio Department of Insurance website. Consumers can get help finding coverage, read industry bulletins, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.
More related Strongsville car insurance information: