Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me, there are many Arkadelphia consumers feeling the pinch from expensive car insurance. With consumers having so many companies to choose from, it’s difficult to pick the most affordable car insurance company.
It’s important to check car insurance prices yearly since insurance rates trend upward over time. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price a year ago other companies may now be cheaper. Block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you’re about to learn the things you must know in order to find great coverage at a great price.
The purpose of this post is to introduce you to how to get online quotes and some tips to save money. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. Arkansas drivers only need an understanding of how to compare rates online.
Don’t pay full price with these discounts
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you may find discounts that you may not know about. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of quoting, but less common discounts must be specifically requested before you get the savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re paying more than you need to.
- E-sign – A handful of insurance companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up on their website.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with one insurance company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
- Homeowners Pay Less – Owning a house in Arkadelphia may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
- Government Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
- Clubs and Organizations – Affiliation with certain professional organizations could trigger savings when buying car insurance.
As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don’t apply to your bottom line cost. Most only cut specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way. But all discounts will help reduce your premiums.
To choose insurers with discount car insurance rates in Arkansas, click here to view.
Get Cheaper Rates by Understanding Pricing
An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. Understanding what influences your rates enables informed choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
The following are some of the items car insurance companies consider when setting rates.
- Bundling policies can get discounts – Many car insurance companies provide better rates to insureds who buy several policies from them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even with this discount, it’s in your best interest to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
- Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company and thus lower rates.
- Performance level impacts rates – The performance of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in the rate you pay. Small economy passenger vehicles usually have the lowest rates, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
- Better credit scores mean better rates – Credit score is a huge factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Therefore, if your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could save money insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than those with poor credit.
- More claims means more premium – Insurance companies in Arkansas give better rates to people who do not file claims often. If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – Liability coverage is the coverage that protects you if ever you are found to be at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide legal defense coverage which can be incredibly expensive. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not skimp.
- Extra coverages can waste money – There are quite a few add-on coverages you can purchase if you aren’t careful. Things like vanishing deductibles, better glass coverage and term life insurance may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but if they’re wasting money remove them from your policy.
Comparing rates from local agents
A small number of people would rather visit with an insurance agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Good agents can help determine the best coverages and help submit paperwork. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is you may find the lowest rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting local agencies is definitely important in Arkadelphia.
For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the coverage information is immediately sent to local insurance agents in Arkadelphia who will compete to get your business. You don’t have to drive around because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy!
Arkadelphia insurance agencies come in two flavors
If you’re trying to find a good Arkadelphia insurance agent, you need to know there are two different agency structures that you can select. Agents are either captive or independent (non-captive). Either one can do a good job, but it’s worth learning how they are different because it can influence your agent selection.
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Independent insurance agents are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency.
When comparison shopping, it’s recommended you get quotes from multiple independent agents for maximum quote selection.
The following is a list of independent insurance agencies in Arkadelphia that are able to give price quotes.
Nipper and Nipper Insurance – 203 S 6th St – Arkadelphia, AR 71923 – (870) 246-3311
Federated Insurance Co – 110 Pinnacle Dr – Arkadelphia, AR 71923 – (870) 246-3230
Captive Insurance Agents
These agents write business for a single company like Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. Captives cannot compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. Captive agents are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Listed below are captive agencies in Arkadelphia that can give you comparison quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 620 Pine St – Arkadelphia, AR 71923 – (870) 246-2162
For a complete listing of car insurance agents in Arkadelphia, visit this site.
Choosing a car insurance agent should depend on more than just the price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
- Will your rates increase after a single accident?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Do they make recommendations based only on price?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- Do clients work directly with the agent or are most inquiries handled by a CSR?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
Once you have received good answers and an affordable coverage quote, it’s possible that you found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to service your policy.
Learn more today
Much more information about car insurance in Arkansas is available on the website for the Arkansas Insurance Department found here. Arkansas drivers can file complaints about a company, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and download brochures.
Quote often and quote early
When buying insurance coverage, it’s very important that you do not reduce needed coverages to save money. In many cases, consumers will sacrifice collision coverage and learned later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your strategy should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.
We just covered some good ideas how to reduce car insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more companies you get rates for, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from a lesser-known regional company. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like State Farm, Geico and Nationwide.