Saving money on La Crosse car insurance is nearly impossible for consumers new to shopping for insurance online. Consumers have so many options available that it can quickly become a challenge to find lower rates in La Crosse.
If you have car insurance now, you will be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. Buying affordable coverage in La Crosse is not that difficult. But Wisconsin vehicle owners need to have an understanding of how the larger insurance companies sell insurance online and apply this information to your search.
Do you qualify for a discount?
Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but there could be available discounts to help offset the cost. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you quote, but a few need to be manually applied before being credited.
- Government Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% with select insurance companies.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less than less cautious drivers.
- Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
- Early Signing – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
- Pay Upfront and Save – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save up to 5%.
- Clubs and Organizations – Being a member of a qualifying organization could trigger savings when buying car insurance.
- Passive Restraint Discount – Cars that have air bags can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
- Low Mileage Discounts – Keeping the miles down could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.
It’s important to note that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will bring down the amount you have to pay.
For a list of insurance companies offering car insurance discounts in Wisconsin, click here to view.
Car Insurance Comparison Rates in La Crosse, Wisconsin
All major car insurance companies allow you to get pricing online. Getting quotes doesn’t take much effort as you simply enter the coverage amounts you desire as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, their system requests your driving and credit reports and generates pricing information based on many factors. 
Online price quotes helps simplify price comparisons, but the process of having to visit several different sites and enter the same data into a form can get tiresome after awhile. But it is imperative to have as many quotes as possible in order to find the lowest price.
The better way to compare rates
The preferred way to locate the lowest prices uses one simple form to return rates from more than one company. The form is fast, requires much less work on your part, and makes comparison shopping much simpler. Immediately after submitting the form, it is rated and you can select any or none of the returned quotes.
If the quotes result in lower rates, you can simply submit the application and purchase the new policy. The whole process can be completed in a matter of minutes and may result in a nice savings.
In order to compare rates using this form now, click here and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you enter the coverages identical to your current policy. This guarantees you will be getting a fair comparison for similar coverage.
Understand what determines the rate you pay
It’s important that you understand the rating factors that play a part in calculating car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to better car insurance rates.
- Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates – Driving your car without having proper coverage is a misdemeanor and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage have a gap. Not only will rates go up, but not being able to provide proof of insurance might get you a revoked license or a big fine.
- What type of vehicle do you drive? – The make and model of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a significant difference in the rate you pay. The cheapest insurance rates tend to be for small economy passenger vehicles, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
- Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – The liability section of your policy is the protection if ever you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide you with a defense in court which can cost thousands of dollars. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
- Your job and insurance rates – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Occupations like judges, architects and accountants tend to pay higher rates than average due to job stress and long work hours. On the flip side, occupations like pilots, athletes and performers have the lowest average rates.
- Where you reside plays a part – Choosing to live in less populated areas has it’s advantages when buying car insurance. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents and a lower car theft rate. Drivers in populated Wisconsin areas tend to have congested traffic and much longer commute distances. Longer commute distances means more change of being in an accident.
- Older drivers save more – Youthful drivers in Wisconsin tend to be careless and easily distracted when driving so car insurance rates are higher. Having to add a teen driver onto a policy can be quite pricey. More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, file fewer claims and get fewer tickets.
- Poor driving leads to higher costs – Drivers with clean records have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Only having one moving violation may increase your cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers with flagrant tickets such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
- Rate your vehicle for proper use – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the higher your rate. Most companies charge to insure your cars based on their usage. Cars that are left in the garage can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Verify your car insurance policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
Final considerations
Cost effective car insurance is possible on the web and with local La Crosse insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. Some companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.
People who switch companies do it for many reasons like lack of trust in their agent, extreme rates for teen drivers, delays in paying claims and even policy non-renewal. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching car insurance companies is not as difficult as it may seem.
We just covered some good ideas how you can lower your car insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even find the lowest premiums are with a small local company.
More information is available on the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance website found here. Consumers can download brochures, discover disciplinary actions, and learn about insurance regulations.