Sick and tired of trying to scrape together enough money to insure your vehicles every month? Your situation is no different than many other drivers in Kentucky. Companies like Allstate, Liberty Mutual and State Farm increase brand awareness with fancy advertisements and it can be hard to see through the deception and take the time to shop coverage around.
It’s important to get comparison quotes at least once a year since insurance rates trend upward over time. If you had the lowest rates two years ago other companies may now be cheaper. There is too much inaccurate information about car insurance on the web, but by reading this article, you’re going to learn some guaranteed methods to find affordable car insurance.
Fast and Easy Shively Car Insurance Quotes
There are multiple methods to shop for car insurance, and some are less time-consuming than others. You can spend countless hours discussing policy coverages with insurance agencies in Shively, or you can utilize the web to achieve your goal.
All the larger companies participate in an industry program where prospective buyers only type in their quote data once, and every company returns a rated price based on that data. This system prevents you from having to do quote requests to each company.
To find out what other companies charge click here (opens in new window).
The one downside to comparing rates this way is that consumers can’t choose which providers you will receive quotes from. So if you want to choose individual companies to request quotes from, we put together a list of the cheapest car insurance companies in Kentucky. Click to view list.
Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you’re using the exact same quote information for each comparison quote. If you have different values for each quote it will be very difficult to decipher which rate is best in Shively.
Pay less by taking advantage of discounts
Car insurance can cost a lot, buy you may qualify for discounts to help bring down the price. Most are applied at the time of quoting, but a few need to be requested specifically before you will receive the discount. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re paying more than you need to.
- No Charge for an Accident – Certain companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
- Discount for New Cars – Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
- Drivers Ed for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver’s ed class in school.
- Auto/Life Discount – Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy life insurance.
- Student in College – Children who are attending college and don’t have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
A little note about advertised discounts, most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, you’re out of luck. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce your premiums.
For a list of providers offering car insurance discounts in Kentucky, click here to view.
Your coverage should be tailored to you
When choosing adequate coverage, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone’s needs are different and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether you would benefit from professional advice.
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- At what point should I drop full coverage?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
- What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
- What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in Kentucky?
- Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
If you can’t answer these questions then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It’s fast, free and can help protect your family.
Make smart decisions and save
It’s important that you understand some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. Understanding what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to big savings.
Shown below are some of the items companies use to determine prices.
- Where you live can impact rates – Living in a small town has it’s advantages when buying car insurance. Urban drivers have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Lower population means a lower chance of having an accident and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
- Marriage pays dividends – Getting married can get you a discount on your policy. Having a significant other means you’re more mature and it’s statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
- Is your vehicle built for speed? – The performance of the vehicle you own makes a substantial difference in the rate you pay. The lowest rates are generally reserved for lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
- Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are quite a few add-on coverages that can waste your money if you aren’t careful. Coverages like roadside assistance, accident forgiveness and membership fees are examples of these. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
- Always keep insurance in force – Driving your car without having proper coverage is illegal and car insurance companies will penalize you for letting your coverage have a gap. Not only will rates go up, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
In the end, you save
We’ve covered some good ideas how to lower your car insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the best prices are with some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like State Farm or Progressive.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, make sure you don’t skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage and discovered at claim time that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The aim is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.
Much more information about car insurance in Kentucky can be found on the website for the Kentucky Department of Insurance. Click here for link. Kentucky consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, learn about specific coverages, and find out industry alerts.