Are you a victim of an overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me, there are lots of people in the same boat.
With consumers having so many insurance providers from which to choose, it can be challenging to locate the lowest price car insurance company.
You should take the time to do rate comparisons before your policy renews because rates tend to go up over time. Even if you got the lowest price two years ago other companies may now be cheaper. There is a lot of bad information regarding auto insurance on the internet, so I’m going to show you some of the best ways to quit paying high auto insurance rates.
Pay less by taking advantage of discounts
Car insurance companies don’t always advertise all their discounts very clearly, so we took the time to find some of the best known and also the lesser-known ways to save on auto insurance.
- Auto/Home Discount – If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to complete a driver education course if it’s offered in school.
- E-sign – A few companies will give a small break simply for signing over the internet.
- Senior Citizens – Older drivers can possibly qualify for better auto insurance rates.
- Own a Home – Owning a house in Fort Smith can help you save on auto insurance because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Larger companies have better rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
- New Car Discount – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
- Club Memberships – Participating in a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates on auto insurance.
- Multiple Vehicles – Having multiple vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
- Federal Government Employee – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, auto insurance companies aren’t that generous.
For a list of insurers with discount auto insurance rates in Fort Smith, click this link.
Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates
Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.
Shown below are a partial list of the pieces that factor into prices.
- The type of vehicle makes a difference – The performance of the car you drive makes a big difference in determining your rates. The lowest base rates are usually for lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
- Liability coverage is cheap – Liability coverage will protect you when a jury decides you are liable for damages caused by your negligence. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court up to the limits shown on your policy. Liability insurance is quite affordable when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Pay less after the wedding – Having a spouse can actually save you money on your auto insurance policy. It usually means you are more mature and responsible and it’s proven that married couples file fewer claims.
- Special features that cut premiums – Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart your car from being stolen.
- How many coverages with the same company – Most insurance companies give discounts to people who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, you may still want to compare other company rates to ensure the best deal. You may still be able to find better rates by buying auto insurance from a different company.
Car Insurance through a local agent
Certain consumers prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is just fine! One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is you may find the best rates and still choose a local agent.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this short form, your insurance data is submitted to companies in Fort Smith who will compete for your coverage. You don’t have to even leave your home due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. How cool is that?! Get lower rates without the usual hassles of price shopping.
Choosing a company needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Some important questions to ask are:
- Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
- If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
- Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
To view licensed agents in Fort Smith, please click here.
After receiving positive responses to all your questions and a good coverage price, you may have just found an insurance company that can properly insure your vehicles.
For more information
More detailed Arkansas auto insurance information can be found at the Arkansas Insurance Department website. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.
In the end, you save
Cheap auto insurance is possible online and with local Fort Smith insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.
You just learned a lot of information how to get a better price on auto insurance. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from a small mutual company. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than the large multi-state companies such as Geico and State Farm.
When shopping online for auto insurance, make sure you don’t buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are many occasions where an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits and discovered at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.