Are you a victim of an underperforming, overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me when I say you’re not alone.
Multiple insurers compete for your insurance dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to get the lowest cost out there.
Smart consumers take time to compare prices periodically because rates tend to go up over time. Even if you think you had the best price a few years ago you can probably find a lower rate today. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about car insurance on the internet, so we’re going to give you a bunch of ideas how to find affordable car insurance.
These discounts can lower your rates
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time you complete a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied in order for you to get them.
- Multiple Policy Discount – If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
- Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy life insurance.
- Senior Discount – Older drivers may receive a small decrease in premiums.
- Federal Employees – Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount depending on your company.
- Organization Discounts – Being a member of a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when shopping for car insurance.
- Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most cut individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any amount of discount will bring down the cost of coverage.
For a list of companies with discount car insurance rates in Pennsylvania, click here.
When should I use an insurance agent?
When choosing the right insurance coverage, there really is not a “best” method to buy coverage. Each situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. For instance, these questions can aid in determining if your insurance needs will benefit from professional help.
- Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
- Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
- Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies.
Car Insurance through a local agent
Some consumers just want to sit down with an agent and that is OK! The best thing about price shopping on the web is you may find better rates and still choose a local agent. And providing support for small agencies is definitely important in Reading.
For easy comparison, once you complete this short form, your insurance data is transmitted to participating agents in Reading who will battle to get your business. There is no need to drive around because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. Now that’s easy! You can find better rates AND a local agent.
If you wish to select a specific agent in Reading, please view this page.
Deciding on a company needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:
- If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
- How long has their agency been open in Reading?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?
- What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
- Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
- Does the agency support the community they serve?
After getting acceptable answers for all questions you ask as well as a affordable price, you’ve probably found a company that is a good match to adequately provide car insurance.
Additional information can be found on the website for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department located here. Visitors are able to report car insurance fraud, read industry bulletins, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.
The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest
Cost effective car insurance is definitely available both online and also from your neighborhood Reading agents, and you need to price shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies may not provide online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.
You just learned many ways to shop for car insurance online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers may even find the most savings is with a small mutual company. They may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive or Geico.