Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced car insurance? Believe me, many Avon consumers are in the same pinch. You have so many auto insurance companies to buy insurance from, and although it’s a good thing to be able to choose, it makes it harder to find a good deal.
Finding affordable coverage in Avon is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you are insured now or need new coverage, you will benefit by learning to shop for the lowest rates while maximizing coverage. Colorado consumers just need to learn the proper methods to compare price quotes online.
You may qualify for discounts
Car insurance companies don’t list their entire list of discounts very clearly, so we break down both well-publicized as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving when you .
- ABS Brakes – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes have fewer accidents so you can save 10 percent or more.
- Discounts for Cautious Drivers – Drivers without accidents can save up to 40% or more on their than their less cautious counterparts.
- Government Employees – Federal government employees could provide a small rate reduction with a few car insurance companies.
- Professional Memberships – Affiliation with a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates on your policy.
- Payment Method – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you may have a lower total premium amount.
Don’t be shocked that some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, that’s just not realistic.
To see insurers that offer many of these discounts in Colorado, click here.
Choices you make can reduce your rates
When buying car insurance it’s important to understand a few of the rating criteria that help calculate your policy premiums. If you have some idea of what determines base rates, this helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to better car insurance rates. Many things are used in the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some are pretty understandable such as your driving history, but others are less apparent such as your marital status or your financial responsibility.
- Miles impacts rates – The more miles you rack up on your car annually the higher your rate. A lot of companies calculate prices based upon how much you drive. Cars left parked in the garage get more affordable rates than those that get driven frequently. It’s a good idea to make sure your vehicle rating shows the correct driver usage, because it can save money.
- Being married can save on car insurance – Having a spouse may earn you lower rates on car insurance. Marriage is viewed as being more financially stable it has been statistically shown that married drivers tend to file fewer claims.
- Liability – The liability coverage on your policy is the protection in the event that you are determined to be liable for an accident. Liability provides you with a defense in court starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should buy more than the minimum limits required by law.
- Prices also based on gender – Over the last 30 years, statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that males are worse at driving than females. Both sexes have fender benders in similar numbers, but men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also tend to get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI. Male teenagers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore have the most expensive car insurance rates.
- Cut premiums and deter theft – Choosing a vehicle that has a built-in theft deterrent system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
- How many coverages with the same company – Most larger insurers apply a discount to clients who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. The discount can add up to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you already get this discount, you may still want to comparison shop to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
- Certain jobs raise prices – Jobs such as military personnel, architects and accountants tend to pay higher rates than average attributed to intense work requirements and long work days. On the other hand, careers such as scientists, students and the unemployed pay lower than average rates.
- Extra policy coverages that may not be needed – There are a lot of extra bells and whistles that you can buy if you don’t pay attention. Things like vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness, and term life insurance may not be needed and are just wasting money. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
More information about car insurance
Even more information can be found at the Colorado DORA Division of Insurance website. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, find disaster information, get help finding coverage, and find out industry alerts.
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Don’t give up on lower rates
A few companies do not provide price quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents. Cheaper car insurance is available from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Avon, and you should compare rates from both so you have a total pricing picture.
While you’re price shopping online, do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are too many instances where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that the savings was not a smart move. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price and still be able to protect your assets.