Are you overwhelmed by the wide range of car insurance company choices in Lewes? You’re not alone. Drivers have so many choices that it can turn into more work than you anticipated to find lower rates.
Why you might pay higher rates in Lewes
It’s important that you understand the rating factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with big savings.
- Equipment add-ons that lower car insurance rates – Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all aid in stopping car theft.
- Do you work long hours in a high stress job? – Did you know your car insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Jobs such as judges, business owners and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average due to stressful work requirements and long work days. On the flip side, jobs such as farmers, athletes and homemakers pay the least.
- Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Driving without insurance is against the law and as a result your rates will increase for letting your insurance lapse. Not only will you pay more, but not being able to provide proof of insurance might get you a revoked license or a big fine.You may need to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Delaware motor vehicle department.
- Lower rates come with age – Teenage drivers in Delaware are known to get distracted easily in a vehicle so they pay higher car insurance rates. Mature drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
- Policy add-ons can waste money – There are quite a few extra coverages you can purchase on your policy. Coverages for personal injury protection, better glass coverage and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. They may seem good at first, but if you don’t need them eliminate them to save money.
- Traffic violations increase rates – Whether or not you get tickets has a big impact on rates. Only having one ticket may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers with clean records tend to pay less for car insurance than their less careful counterparts. Drivers with dangerous tickets such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state DMV in order to prevent a license revocation.
Low Cost Lewes Car Insurance
Getting a cheaper price on insurance is not rocket science. Drivers just need to take a couple of minutes comparing price quotes online with multiple companies. This can be accomplished in just a few minutes using one of these methods.
The first (and easiest) way to find low rates is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This method prevents you from having to do separate quote forms for each company you want a rate for. Just one form will return price quotes from all major companies. Recommended for those who want to invest the least amount of time.
Another way to obtain and compare quotes online is to manually visit the website of each company and request a quote. For examples sake, let’s say you want to compare Allstate, State Farm and Farmers. To find out each rate you need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method. For a list of links to insurance companies in Lewes, click here.
The hardest method to compare rates is to waste gas driving to and from local insurance agencies. Shopping for car insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you require the trained guidance of a licensed agent. It is possible to obtain prices from the web and get advice from an agent in your area.
Whichever method you choose, make darn sure you compare the exact same coverages for every company. If you are comparing different limits and deductibles on each one you can’t possibly make a fair comparison in Lewes.
Don’t overlook these discounts
Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, buy you may qualify for discounts that many people don’t even know exist. Most are applied at the time of purchase, but less common discounts must be asked for before being credited. If you aren’t receiving every discount available, you’re paying more than you need to.
- Multiple Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Driving fewer miles could be rewarded with better rates on cars that stay parked.
- Own a Home – Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
- Early Switch Discount – Select companies give a discount for switching policies before your current expiration date. It’s a savings of about 10%.
- Federal Government Employee – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount with a few car insurance companies.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can avoid accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save up to 5%.
Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most cut individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But any discount will bring down the cost of coverage.
For a list of providers with discount car insurance rates in Delaware, click here to view.
Can’t I compare rates from local Lewes agents?
Some people would rather visit with an insurance agent and there is nothing wrong with that. Good agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and give you someone to call. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain lower rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for local businesses is especially important in Lewes.
After filling out this simple form, the coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents in Lewes who will compete for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to even leave your home since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. How cool is that?!
If you wish to contact a specific insurance agent in Lewes, please view this page.
Deciding on a company should depend on more than just the bottom line cost. These questions are important to ask:
- Is assistance available after office hours?
- Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
- What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
- If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- Is working in the agency their full-time job?
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
After getting positive responses to all your questions and a good coverage price, chances are good that you have found a company that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.
Additional information is located on the Delaware Department of Insurance website through this link. Delaware drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find disaster information, learn about specific coverages, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.
Quote more, save more
People leave their current company for a number of reasons such as lack of trust in their agent, extreme rates for teen drivers, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and being labeled a high risk driver. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch finding a great new company is not as hard as you think.
We just showed you a lot of ways to lower your car insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the best price on car insurance is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.
When buying insurance coverage, don’t be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits only to find out that it was a big error on their part. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.