Finding affordable Decatur auto insurance can be challenging for beginners to buying insurance online. There are so many companies to choose from that it can turn into more work than you anticipated to compare prices in Decatur.
It’s a good habit to compare prices occasionally because rates are usually higher with each renewal. If you had the best price last year there may be better deals available now. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re about to learn how to use the internet to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.
Compare Quotes for Decatur Auto Insurance
Finding cheaper auto insurance prices is a fairly straight forward process. You just need to invest a little time comparing price quotes online from several insurance companies. This can be done in several different ways.
The fastest way to compare a lot of rates at once is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This method saves time by eliminating boring form submissions for every auto insurance company. One form submission gets you coverage quotes from all major companies.It’s the quickest way to get rates.
Another way to get quotes online requires a trip to each individual company website and complete a new quote form. For examples sake, let’s assume you want rates from Nationwide, Geico and Allstate. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company’s site to enter your coverage information, which is why most consumers use the first method. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Decatur, click here.
The least recommended way to compare rates is to drive around to and from local Decatur insurance agencies. The internet makes this process obsolete unless you want the professional guidance that only a license agent can provide. You can, however, price shop online but still have the advice of a local agent and we’ll talk about that later.
However you get your quotes, double check that you are using apples-to-apples deductibles and coverage limits for every company. If the quotes have unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be very difficult to make a fair comparison in Decatur.
Don’t be fooled by advertising claims
Consumers can’t ignore all the ads for cheaper car insurance from companies such as 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the ads make the same claim of big savings if you change your policy.
How does each company make the same claim? This is how they do it.
All companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that is profitable for them. A good example of a preferred risk might be profiled as between 25 and 40, a clean driving record, and has excellent credit. A customer who meets those qualifications will get the preferred rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.
Drivers who do not match these standards must pay more money and ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way insurance companies can confidently state the savings.
This illustrates why it is so important to get as many quotes as possible. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.
What determines how much you pay?
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that could result in lower auto insurance prices.
- Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are a ton of additional coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren’t careful. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, accidental death and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so get rid of them and save.
- Your auto insurance rates can be influenced by your job – Careers like judges, executives and accountants tend to pay higher rates than average in part from stressful work requirements and long work hours. On the flip side, occupations such as farmers, athletes and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
- Better crash test results mean better rates – Cars with high safety ratings can get you lower premiums. Safe vehicles have better occupant injury protection and fewer injuries means lower claim amounts passed on to you as lower rates.
- Pay less after the wedding – Having a spouse actually saves money on auto insurance. Having a significant other usually means you are more mature than a single person and it’s statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- Your age impacts your rates – Mature drivers are more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations. Young drivers are known to be more careless in a vehicle and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
Discounts are basically free money
The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at quote time, but some must be inquired about prior to getting the savings. If you’re not getting every credit possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Paperwork-free – Certain companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing online.
- Driver’s Ed – Require your teen driver to enroll in driver’s education if offered at their school.
- Early Signing – A few companies offer discounts for signing up before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
- Life Insurance Discount – Larger companies have a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
- Employee of Federal Government – Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
- Drive Less and Save – Low mileage vehicles can qualify you for better rates on cars that stay parked.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accident claims.
- Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.
Drivers should understand that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don’t profit that way. But all discounts will cut the cost of coverage.
To see a list of insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates in Decatur, follow this link.
How to know if you need help
When choosing the right insurance coverage, there really is no “perfect” insurance plan. Every insured’s situation is different.
Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover if your situation will benefit from professional help.
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
- Is my vehicle covered for flood damage?
- Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
- Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
- Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and you can get the answers you need.
Do I need a local agent?
A small number of people just want to get advice from a local agent and that is OK! Educated insurance agents can point out coverage gaps and help in the event of a claim. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is you can get better rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for local insurance agencies is important especially in Decatur.
Upon completion of this quick form, your coverage information is sent to agents in your area who will give you bids to get your business. You don’t have to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy!
Different types of insurance agencies in Decatur
When looking for a reputable insurance agent or broker, there are two different agency structures to choose from. Decatur agents can either be independent (non-captive) or captive. Both types can insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know how they are different since it can impact the selection process.
Independent Agencies or Brokers
Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company but instead can place your coverage with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, an independent agent can move your coverage without you having to go to a different agency.
When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to contact multiple independent agents to get the best comparison.Many can place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies who may have lower rates.
Below is a list of independent insurance agents in Decatur who may be able to give you competitive price quotes.
- Mark Brown Agency Inc – 1067 W Main St – Decatur, IL 62522 – (217) 422-9669
- David’s Insurance Inc – 3790 E William Street Rd – Decatur, IL 62521 – (217) 425-9916
- Wright Agency – 1375 W Riverview Ave – Decatur, IL 62522 – (217) 428-8003
- Donald E Floyd Agency – 2805 N Jasper St – Decatur, IL 62526 – (217) 423-5020
- Illini Marketing Insurance Svc – 1120 S Jasper St # B1 – Decatur, IL 62521 – (217) 423-4000
Agency Captives
These agents write business for a single company and some examples include Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. These agents are not able to shop your coverage around so they have to upsell other benefits. These agents are usually quite knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers sometimes buy insurance from these agents mostly because of the prominence of the brand and strong financial ratings.
Below are captive agents in Decatur that can give you rate quotes.
- American Family Insurance – 1990 N Water St # A – Decatur, IL 62526 – (217) 423-9737
- Allstate Insurance – 3136 N Water St – Decatur, IL 62526 – (217) 875-4300
- Farmers Insurance Group – 111 N Main St – Decatur, IL 62523 – (217) 935-6722
- State Farm Insurance – 1301 W King St – Decatur, IL 62522 – (217) 422-1441
For a full directory of auto insurance agents in Decatur, please go to this site.
Choosing a car insurance agent requires more thought than just the price. These are valid questions to ask:
- How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
- How often do they review policy coverages?
- Do they specialize in personal lines coverage?
After getting acceptable answers to all your questions and locked in a price quote, you have narrowed it down to a car insurance agent that will adequately provide auto insurance.
One last thing
Consumers switch companies for a variety of reasons including questionable increases in premium, high rates after DUI convictions, unfair underwriting practices and even policy cancellation. It doesn’t matter what your reason, choosing a new insurance company is actually quite simple.
Discount auto insurance can be purchased both online as well as from independent agents in Decatur, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.
You just learned a lot of ways to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more price quotes you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even discover the lowest premiums are with a smaller regional carrier.
More consumer information in Illinois
Much more information about auto insurance in Illinois can be found on the Illinois Department of Insurance website through this link. Visitors are able to find out industry alerts, read industry bulletins, report car insurance fraud, and view agent and company licensing information.
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