Wish you could get out of an expensive auto insurance policy? It’s a common feeling and there are a lot of people in Vidalia just like you who feel imprisoned by their auto insurance policy. Because there are so many different company options, it can be challenging to locate a more affordable company.
Finding affordable coverage in Vidalia is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to save some money using this information. Louisiana vehicle owners only need to know the tricks to compare price quotes online.
Take policy discounts and save
Some providers don’t always advertise the entire discount list very well, so the list below contains both well-publicized in addition to some of the lesser obvious credits available to you.
- Paper-free Discount – Certain auto insurance companies will give a small break for completing your application digitally online.
- Discount for Swiching Early – A few larger companies allow discounts for switching to them prior to your current policy expiration. The savings is around 10%.
- Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to use their safety belts can save up to 10 percent (depending on the company) off the personal injury premium cost.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accidents.
- Organization Discounts – Having an affiliation with qualifying clubs or civic groups may earn a discount on auto insurance.
Don’t be shocked that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you aren’t that lucky. Any qualifying discounts will reduce the cost of your policy.
To view companies that provide some of the discounts listed above in Louisiana, click this link.
There are multiple methods to compare auto insurance prices but there is one way that is less time-consuming than others. You can waste a few hours (or days) talking about coverages with agents in Vidalia, or you can stay home and use online quotes to get rates in a matter of minutes.
Many of the larger companies take part in a program that allows shoppers to enter their policy data once, and at least one company provides a quote for coverage. This prevents consumers from doing form submissions for every auto insurance company.
To find out how much you’re overpaying now click to open in new window.
The one downside to using this type of system is you don’t know exactly which insurance companies to get quotes from. So if you want to choose individual companies for rate comparison, we put together a list of auto insurance companies in Louisiana. Click here to view list.
Whichever way you use, ensure you’re using nearly identical deductibles and coverage limits for every quote you compare. If you use different coverage information it’s not possible to determine which company has the best rates in Vidalia.
What determines the cost of auto insurance?
Many things are used in the calculation when pricing auto insurance. Some factors are common sense such as your driving history, although some other factors are less apparent like where you live and annual miles driven. When buying auto insurance it’s important to understand the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. If you have some idea of what influences your rates, this helps enable you to make changes that could result in lower auto insurance prices.
- Safer cars means better rates – Cars with high safety ratings tend to be cheaper to insure. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and lower rates for you. If your vehicle is rated at a minimum an “acceptable” rating on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety website you may qualify for a discount.
- Commute or pleasure use – The more you drive your car in a year the higher the price you pay to insure it. A lot of companies apply a rate partially by how you use the vehicle. Cars left parked in the garage can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. It’s always a good idea to double check that your vehicle rating reflects the correct usage for each vehicle.
- A good credit history can save money – Your credit score factor in determining premium rates. People that have excellent credit scores tend to be better risks to insure as compared to drivers with bad credit. If your credit history could use some work, you could pay less to insure your vehicle by repairing your credit.
- Male costs may be higher – Over time, data shows females are less aggressive when driving. That doesn’t necessarily mean that females are better at driving than males. Men and women have at-fault accidents at a similar rate, but the males have accidents that have higher claims. Men also statistically get cited for more serious violations such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving recklessly.
When to have guidance from an agent
Many people would prefer to sit down with an agent and that is a smart decision Agents can make sure you are properly covered and will help you if you have claims. One of the benefits of comparing rates online is that drivers can save money and get lower rates but still work with a licensed agent.
After filling out this simple form, your insurance data is sent to local insurance agents in Vidalia who will gladly provide quotes for your auto insurance coverage. It simplifies rate comparisons since you won’t have to find an agent on your own as quotes are delivered instantly to you. If you wish to quote rates from a specific insurance company, just navigate to their website and submit a quote form there.
Picking the best company is decision based upon more than just the price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- How are they compensated?
- Which members of your family are coverage by the policy?
- Is insurance their full-time profession?
- Does the company have a local claim office in Vidalia?
- Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
- How much training do they have in personal risk management?
Different types of auto insurance agents in Vidalia
If you want local Vidalia agents, it helps to know the two different types of agents and how they can write your policy. Agencies in Vidalia can be categorized as either independent agents or captive agents depending on their employer. Both can handle auto insurance, but it’s good to learn the difference in how they write coverage since it could factor into your selection of an agent.
Captive Insurance Agencies
Captive agents can only quote rates from one company like State Farm or Allstate. They generally cannot compare rates from other companies so you might not find the best rates. These agents are usually quite knowledgeable in insurance sales which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums.
Below are Vidalia captive agencies who may provide you with comparison quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 1700 Carter St – Vidalia, LA 71373 – (318) 336-5819
Shelter Insurance – 1636 Carter St – Vidalia, LA 71373 – (318) 336-9625
Independent Insurance Agents
These type of agents are appointed with more than one company and that enables them to quote your coverage amongst many companies and get the cheapest rates. To move your coverage to a new company, your policy is moved internally which makes it simple for you.
When searching for an agent, you will definitely want to include price quotes from a few independent agents in order to compare the most rates.
Shown below are Vidalia independent insurance agencies who can help you get rate quotes.
Jerry Lipsey Insurance – 401 Lynn St – Vidalia, LA 71373 – (318) 336-7272
Cottonland Insurance Inc – 207 Carter St – Vidalia, LA 71373 – (318) 336-2626
To choose from more auto insurance agents in Vidalia, view this complete selection of Vidalia Louisiana insurance agencies.
Don’t give up on lower rates
Low-cost auto insurance is available both online and from local insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some companies don’t offer online rate quotes and these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agencies.
We covered many ways to save on auto insurance. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher your chance of finding . Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company. Regional companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than their larger competitors like State Farm and Allstate.
Additional detailed information is available at the Louisiana Department of Insurance website. Louisiana consumers can file complaints about a company, view a list of available companies, learn about insurance regulations, and download brochures.
Other useful links include FindNewCarInsurance.com and this link where you can get more info about Vidalia coverage.