Trying to come up with a payment for overpriced car insurance can consume your personal savings and maybe even restrict other spending. Doing a rate comparison is a smart way to ensure you are getting the best deal.
Consumers have multiple car insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and even though it’s nice to have multiple companies, more options can take longer to find the lowest rates.
Smart consumers take time to shop coverage around at least once a year because insurance rates tend to go up over time. Even if you got the lowest rate two years ago there is a good chance you can find better prices now. There is a lot of bad advice regarding car insurance out there, but you can learn some great ideas on how to find cheap car insurance.
Affordable Collinsville car insurance quotes online
Comparing car insurance rates can take hours if you don’t know the easiest way. You could spend your day discussing policy coverages with local insurance agents in Collinsville, or you could use the web to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.
All the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace that allows shoppers to only type in their quote data once, and each participating company can provide price quotes based on the submitted data. This eliminates the need for form submissions for each company you want a rate for.
To compare pricing click to open in new window.
One minor caviat to getting quotes like this is buyers cannot specifically choose which carriers you want to price. So if you want to select from a list of companies to compare prices, we have a page of the cheapest car insurance companies in Oklahoma. Click here to view list.
You can use whichever method you prefer to find lower rates, just ensure you are comparing the same coverage data with every price quote. If you have unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be nearly impossible to determine the best price in Collinsville.
Car insurance companies offer many discounts
Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you might be missing out on some discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. A few discounts will automatically apply when you complete an application, but some discounts are required to be asked for before you will receive the discount.
- Membership in Organizations – Being in certain professional organizations is a simple method to lower premiums on your next renewal.
- Discounts for Government Workers – Simply working for the federal government could qualify for a slight premium decrease with some car insurance companies.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can reduce accidents so companies give up to a 10% discount.
- Full Payment Discount – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time rather than spreading payments over time you can avoid monthly service charges.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts may be able to save a few bucks on medical payment and PIP coverage.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies wouldn’t make money that way. Any amount of discount will bring down your policy premiums.
Popular car insurance companies and some of their more popular discounts are detailed below.
- Progressive policyholders can earn discounts including online quote discount, multi-policy, continuous coverage, homeowner, and good student.
- MetLife offers discounts for good driver, good student, multi-policy, accident-free, and claim-free.
- Mercury Insurance offers discounts including good driver, age of vehicle, ease of repair, multi-policy, low natural disaster claims, and type of vehicle.
- Nationwide discounts include business or organization, Farm Bureau membership, easy pay, accident-free, family plan, multi-policy, and defensive driving.
- Geico may include discounts for air bags, seat belt use, five-year accident-free, anti-theft, daytime running lights, and good student.
- AAA may offer discounts for pay-in-full, multi-policy, multi-car, AAA membership discount, education and occupation, good student, and anti-theft.
If you are trying to find , ask every company which discounts can lower your rates. A few discounts might not be offered in Collinsville.
Why informed drivers get better rates in Collinsville
Lots of factors are taken into consideration when pricing auto insurance. Most are fairly basic like your driving record, although some other factors are more transparent such as your credit history or your commute time. When buying car insurance it’s important to understand some of the elements that help determine your premiums. If you know what controls the rates you pay, this allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to lower rates.
The following are some of the most common factors car insurance companies consider when setting your rates.
- Expect high rates for teens – Drivers with little experience are proven to be less responsible when behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher. Older insureds have been proven to be more responsible, cost insurance companies less in claims , and are generally more financially stable.
- When should you not file a insurance claims? – If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance companies in Oklahoma generally give the lowest premiums to drivers who are not frequent claim filers. Your insurance policy is designed for claims that pose a financial burden.
- Poor credit can mean higher costs – A driver’s credit rating can be an important factor in determining your rates. People that have high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers with poor credit. If your credit rating is not that good, you could potentially save money when insuring your vehicle by spending a little time repairing your credit.
- Single drivers take more risk – Having a wife or husband actually saves money when shopping for car insurance. Having a spouse is viewed as being less irresponsible and insurance companies reward insureds because drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Do thieves like your car? – Selecting a car model that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft features like vehicle immobilizer systems, OnStar, and tracking devices like LoJack can thwart vehicle theft.
- Safeguard your assets with liability insurance – Your policy’s liability coverage is the coverage that protects you when you are ruled to be at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Liability provides you with a defense in court starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared to the cost of physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
Do I just need basic coverages?
When it comes to buying adequate coverage, there isn’t really a “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions could help you determine if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.
- Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
- Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
- Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
- Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
- Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
- Do I have coverage if my license is suspended?
- Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- What are the best liability limits?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
- Does liability extend to a camper or trailer?
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.
More tips and info about car insurance is located at the Oklahoma Insurance Department website. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, discover disciplinary actions, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and view a list of available companies.
Cheaper car insurance is a realistic goal
When buying insurance coverage, it’s very important that you do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. In many cases, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate.
Cost effective car insurance can be found online in addition to many Collinsville insurance agents, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and usually these smaller companies sell through independent agents.