Paying for high-priced car insurance can take a big chunk out of your personal savings, especially in this economy. Shopping your coverage around is a smart way to tighten up your finances.
Companies like Allstate and Progressive continually bombard you with advertising and it is challenging if not impossible to see through the deception and do the work needed to find the best deal.
It’s a good habit to do rate comparisons before your policy renews because insurance rates are variable and change quite frequently. Even if you got the lowest price a couple years back there is a good chance you can find better rates now. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about car insurance on the internet, so by reading this article, you’re going to learn some excellent ideas to reduce your car insurance bill.
Make smart decisions and save
Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.
- Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are a lot of extra coverages you can purchase on your car insurance policy. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, better glass coverage and motor club memberships are some examples. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but if you don’t need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
- Do you know your deductibles? – Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. A few examples of covered claims could be running into the backend of another car, damage from fire, and burglary. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay in the event of a claim. The more expense you have to pay, the less your car insurance will be.
- Lower rates with optional equipment – Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system all hinder your car from being stolen.
- Your occupation can affect rates – Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Occupations such as doctors, social workers and financial analysts tend to have higher average rates due to high stress levels and lengthy work days. Conversely, jobs such as scientists, engineers and performers receive lower rates.
- Where you live can impact rates – Residing in less populated areas can save you money when it comes to car insurance. Fewer drivers means reduced accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. City drivers have to deal with traffic congestion and a longer drive to work. More time on the road can result in more accidents.
- Marriage brings a discount – Being married helps lower the price on car insurance. Having a spouse translates into being more responsible and it’s proven that married couples file fewer claims.
- Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – The liability section of your policy is the protection if ever a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides for a legal defense up to the limits shown on your policy. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
- A lapse in coverage is a bad thing – Letting your insurance expire will be a guaranteed way to trigger a rate increase. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but not being able to provide proof of insurance can result in a steep fine or even jail time.You may then be required to submit proof of financial responsibility or a SR-22 with the Kentucky motor vehicle department.
Comparison of Car Insurance in Glasgow
To find the best car insurance prices, there are several ways to get quotes from car insurance companies in your area. The easiest way to find the lowest rates consists of obtaining rate quotes online. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in several different ways.
- One of the simplest ways to get the best comparison quotes is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This type of form keeps you from doing multiple quote forms to each individual car insurance company. One simple form gets rate comparisons from several companies.
- A less efficient way to analyze rates requires you to visit each individual company website and request a quote. For sake of this example, we’ll pretend you want comparison quotes from Liberty Mutual, Allstate and GMAC. To find out each rate you need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your policy data, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Glasgow, click here.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just double check that you are using apples-to-apples coverage limits and deductibles for each price quote. If you have unequal deductibles or liability limits it’s not possible to determine the best price in Glasgow. Slightly different limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. Keep in mind that more quotes will increase your chances of finding the best price.
Are you getting all your discounts?
Car insurance can cost a lot, but you can get discounts to help offset the cost. Most are applied when you get a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically in order for you to get them.
- Good Students Pay Less – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
- Homeowners Savings – Owning a home in Glasgow can help you save on car insurance because maintaining a house requires personal responsibility.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Sign Online – Some insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
- Life Insurance – Some companies give better rates if you take out life insurance.
Drivers should understand that some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce your overall premium however.
Additional car insurance information is available on the website for the Kentucky Department of Insurance located here. Kentucky consumers can read consumer alerts, get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, and learn about insurance regulations.
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A tidy conclusion
We just covered quite a bit of information on how to compare car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even discover the best prices are with the least-expected company. Smaller companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like Progressive and Geico.
Cost effective car insurance can be purchased from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Glasgow, and you should be comparing both to have the best selection. Some car insurance companies don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.