Are you regretting the purchase of an overpriced car insurance policy? Don’t sweat it because there are many people just like you. Companies like State Farm and Geico continually hit you with catchy ads and it can be hard to avoid their marketing magic and take the time to shop coverage around.
It’s a good idea to compare rates before your next renewal because car insurance prices change regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest price a few years ago you can probably find a better rate now. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because you’re about to find out the only way to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.
If you are paying for car insurance now, you will most likely be able to save some money using this strategy. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Roosevelt is not that difficult. Although Utah vehicle owners do need to learn how insurance companies market on the web and apply this information to your search.
Slash your car insurance rates with discounts
Companies offering auto insurance don’t list the complete list of policy discounts very well, so the list below details both the well known and also the more inconspicuous car insurance savings.
- Military Deployment Discount – Being on active deployment in the military can result in better premium rates.
- Smart Student Discounts – Maintaining excellent grades may save as much as 25% on a . The good student discount can last until age 25.
- Good Drivers – Accident-free drivers can save up to 40% or more on their than their less cautious counterparts.
- Senior Citizen Rates – If you’re over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
- Payment Discounts – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.
- Multi-line Discount – Some insurance companies give a small discount if you purchase some life insurance too.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Driving fewer miles could qualify for lower premium rates on the low mileage vehicles.
- Home Ownership Discount – Simply owning a home can get you a discount because it is proof of financial responsibility.
- Government Employee Discount – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
- Sign Early and Save – A few companies allow discounts for switching policies before your current policy expires. Ten percent is about the average savings.
As a sidenote, many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won’t be that lucky.
To see insurers who offer car insurance discounts in Roosevelt, click this link.
Four things that affect your prices
Multiple criteria are used in the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some factors are common sense like your driving record, but other factors are more transparent such as your marital status or your vehicle rating.
The itemized list below are some of the things used by insurance companies to determine your rates.
- Cheaper premiums using alarms and GPS tracking – Selecting a car model with anti-theft technology or alarm system can save you some money. Anti-theft devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack help track and prevent auto theft.
- A coverage lapse can increase car insurance rates – Having a gap between insurance policy dates will be a quick way to increase your car insurance rates. In addition to paying higher rates, not being able to provide proof of insurance may earn you a steep fine or even jail time. You will then be forced to prove you have insurance by filing a SR-22 with the Utah motor vehicle department to get your license reinstated.
- Premiums are impacted by vehicle performance – The performance level of the vehicle you need to insure makes a significant difference in how high your rates are. Small economy passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but many other things help determine your insurance rates.
- Job and insurance rates – Occupational choices like doctorspolice officers and medical professionals generally have higher rates than the rest of us due to high stress and long work days. Conversely, jobs like actors, historians and homemakers generally pay rates lower than average.
Car insurance can be complex
When it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s needs are different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions can aid in determining if your insurance needs may require specific advice.
- Who is covered by my policy?
- Do I need medical payments coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Is my custom paint covered by insurance?
- Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
- Do I need rental car coverage?
- When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
- Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
- Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.
Car insurance is available from local agents
Many drivers just prefer to buy from a local agent and that is OK! A nice benefit of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that drivers can get cheap car insurance rates and also buy local.
To help locate an agent, after submitting this simple form, your coverage information is immediately sent to local insurance agents in Roosevelt who will gladly provide quotes for your business. You won’t need to search for any insurance agencies because prices are sent immediately to your email address. You can find the lowest rates without requiring a lot of work. If you have a need to compare rates from one company in particular, just go to their quote page and submit a quote form there.
Picking the best company is decision based upon more than just the quoted price. These are valid questions to ask:
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
- Does the agent help file claims?
- How will an accident affect your rates?
- Where would your vehicle be repaired?
- Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
- Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
To make it easy to view insurance agents in your area, see this list of Roosevelt Utah insurance agencies.
Why you might not save $403 a year
Big name companies like Progressive, Geico, Allstate and State Farm continually stream ads on TV and radio. They all have a common claim of big savings if you change your car insurance coverage to their company. How does every car insurance company give you a better price? It’s all in the wording.
Most companies have underwriting criteria for the type of customer they prefer to insure. For example, a driver they prefer could possibly be married and over the age of 30, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer who fits those characteristics will probably get cheap prices and as a result will probably save a lot of money.
Insureds who don’t meet these standards may be required to pay higher premiums which translates to the customer not buying. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “everyone who quotes” can get the lowest rates when switching. That is how insurance companies can confidently make claims that they all have the best auto insurance rates. Because every company is different, you should quote coverage with many companies. Because you never know which insurance companies will be your best fit.
Even more information is available at the Utah Insurance Department website. Utah drivers can read state legal mandates and laws, get help finding coverage, and find out which companies have the most complaints.
Don’t give up on cheaper premiums
Some insurance companies may not offer online rate quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies prefer to sell through independent insurance agencies. Discount car insurance is possible both online and also from your neighborhood Roosevelt agents, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis.
In this article, we presented some good ideas how you can get a better price on car insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the better your chances of lowering your premium rates. Consumers could even find that the best price on car insurance is with the least-expected company. Regional companies can often provide lower premium rates in certain areas as compared to the big name companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive.