Searching for the cheapest Carol Stream car insurance might seem overwhelming for consumers who are beginners to quoting and comparing prices on the web. Because there are so many online companies available, how can you have a chance to compare every company to locate the cheapest available price?
How to compare free Carol Stream car insurance price quotes
Shopping for lower car insurance rates can take time and effort if you aren’t aware of the best way to get rate quotes. You can waste hours talking about coverages with agents in Carol Stream, or you could use the web to get the quickest rates.
Many insurance companies enroll in a system that enables customers to complete one form, and each participating company then gives them pricing determined by their information. This prevents consumers from doing repetitive form submissions to every company.
To compare rates using this form now click here to open in new window.
The only drawback to comparing rates this way is buyers cannot specifically choose which providers to get quotes from. So if you want to select specific insurance companies to compare prices, we have a page of companies who write car insurance in Illinois. Click to view list.
It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but ensure you are comparing exactly the same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote. If the quotes have different coverage information you will not be able to make a fair rate comparison in Carol Stream.
Lower Carol Stream car insurance costs
Many things are part of the equation when you get a price on insurance. A few of the factors are predictable like a motor vehicle report, but some are less obvious such as your marital status or your commute time. Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that are used to determine the price you pay for car insurance. When you understand what positively or negatively impacts your premiums, this enables informed choices that can earn you lower car insurance prices.
Listed below are some of the factors used by insurance companies to determine rates.
- Insurance companies don’t like frequent insurance claims – If you’re an insured who likes to file claims you can look forward to much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Auto insurance companies in Illinois award cheaper rates to policyholders who are claim-free. Your car insurance is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- High performance equals high rates – The make and model of the car or truck you are insuring makes a substantial difference in your rates. Small economy passenger models receive the most favorable rates, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
- Employer stress can make you pay more – Careers like lawyers, social workers and miners are shown to have higher premiums than the average policyholder in part from intense work situations and extremely grueling work hours. Other jobs such as professors, historians and performers have lower than average premiums.
- Raising physical damage deductibles lowers premiums – Your deductibles state the amount of money you are willing to pay if a covered claim is submitted. Protection for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. Examples of some claims that would be covered could be rearending another vehicle, damage from fire, and damage caused by road hazards. The more damage repair cost you choose to pay out-of-pocket, the less your car insurance will be.
- A good credit rating can save money – Having a good credit rating can be a huge factor in calculating your car insurance rates. If your credit score is lower than you’d like, you could be paying less to insure your vehicle by improving your credit score. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better risks to insure as compared to drivers with bad credit.
- Rural areas have lower rates – Being located in less populated areas of the country may provide you with better prices if you are looking for the lowest rates. City drivers tend to have more auto accidents and longer commute times. Less people living in that area corresponds to lower accident rates in addition to lower liability claims
- Mature drivers are lower risk – Beginning drivers in Illinois are statistically shown to be inattentive and easily distracted with other occupants in the car so car insurance rates are higher. Mature drivers are more cautious drivers, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
Affordable Carol Stream car insurance rates with discounts
Some companies don’t always list every disount available very clearly, so the list below contains some of the more common and also the more inconspicuous credits available to you.
- Club Memberships – Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization in Carol Stream is a simple method to lower premiums when shopping for car insurance.
- Discount for Life Insurance – Insurance companies who offer life insurance give better premium rates if you take out auto and life insurance together.
- Senior Citizen Rates – Mature drivers are able to get a small decrease in premiums.
- Discounts for Multiple Vehicles – Insuring multiple cars or trucks on one policy can reduce the rates for all insured vehicles.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts can save a little off PIP or medical payments premium.
- No Charge for an Accident – This isn’t a discount exactly, but some insurance companies may permit one accident without raising rates so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
- Full Payment Discount – If you can afford to pay the entire bill instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
- Telematics Data Discounts – Carol Stream drivers who agree to allow driving data submission to scrutinize vehicle usage by using a small device installed in their vehicle like Drivewise from Allstate or In-Drive from State Farm could save a few bucks if they have good driving habits.
Don’t be shocked that many deductions do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like medical payments or collision. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you aren’t that lucky.
A list of companies and some of the discounts are included below.
- Progressive offers discounts for continuous coverage, multi-vehicle, good student, multi-policy, online signing, and homeowner.
- Farmers Insurance has discounts for teen driver, alternative fuel, bundle discounts, electronic funds transfer, business and professional, distant student, and pay in full.
- Farm Bureau may have discounts that include multi-policy, multi-vehicle, good student, safe driver, and driver training.
- State Farm offers premium reductions for student away at school, Drive Safe & Save, defensive driving training, good student, good driver, driver’s education, and safe vehicle.
- Geico has savings for driver training, good student, military active duty, anti-theft, emergency military deployment, multi-policy, and seat belt use.
- SAFECO discounts include safe driver, multi-car, accident prevention training, anti-theft, and homeowner.
- Liberty Mutual offers discounts including new move discount, new vehicle discount, newly retired, preferred payment discount, exclusive group savings, hybrid vehicle, and teen driver discount.
When quoting, ask every insurance company which discounts you may be entitled to. Discounts might not apply in Carol Stream. For a list of companies with significant discounts in Carol Stream, click here to view.
When should I discuss my situation with an agent?
When buying adequate coverage, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different.
Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine whether you might need an agent’s assistance.
- Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
- How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Illinois?
- Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
- Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
- Can I drive in Mexico and have coverage?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
- Am I getting all the discounts available?
- Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
- Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.
Can’t I compare prices from local Carol Stream insurance agents?
Many drivers would rather talk to an insurance agent and we recommend doing that Agents can answer important questions and will help you if you have claims. The best thing about getting online price quotes is that you can find the best rates but also keep your business local. Buying from and supporting local agencies is important particularly in Carol Stream.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your information is immediately sent to agents in your area who will give you bids for your coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to contact an agency since rate quotes are delivered immediately to you. If you wish to compare prices for a specific company, just find their quoting web page and submit a quote form there.
If you want a local Carol Stream insurance agency, it can be helpful to understand the different types of agents from which to choose. Carol Stream agents can be described as either captive or independent (non-captive). Either type can insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning the differences since it can affect your selection of an agent.
Independent Car Insurance Agencies or Brokers
Agents that choose to be independent are not employed by any specific company so they can write business through many different car insurance companies and get the cheapest rates. If they quote lower rates, the business is moved internally and you don’t have to do anything. If you are comparing car insurance prices, you need to check rates from independent agents so that you have a good selection of quotes to compare. Many can place coverage with mutual insurance companies that may have much lower rates than larger companies.
Below is a short list of independent agents in Carol Stream who may provide price quote information.
- All State Insurance Co – 168 N Gary Ave – Carol Stream, IL 60188 – (630) 665-7770
- Country Insurance – 245 S Gary Ave – Carol Stream, IL 60188 – (630) 668-4150
- Cliff Fullhart Agency – 131 Hiawatha Dr – Carol Stream, IL 60188 – (630) 668-0111
Captive Insurance Agents
These type of agents can only provide one company’s prices and examples are Farmers Insurance, Allstate, or State Farm. Captive agents are unable to shop your coverage around so if the price isn’t competitive there isn’t much they can do. These agents are usually quite knowledgeable on their company’s products which can be an advantage. Many people buy from captive agents partially due to loyalty to the company and solid financial strength.
The following are Carol Stream captive agents who can help you get comparison quotes.
- Allstate Insurance – 720 W Army Trail Rd – Carol Stream, IL 60188 – (630) 372-0650
- American Family Insurance – 970 W Army Trail Rd – Carol Stream, IL 60188 – (630) 830-0400
To view agents near you, view this list of Carol Stream Illinois insurance agencies.
Choosing an insurance agency is decision based upon more than just the quoted price. The questions below may impact your decision as well.
- What company do they have the most business with?
- How long has their agency been in business in Carol Stream?
- Are they able to provide referrals?
- Does their agency support local causes in Carol Stream?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies in Carol Stream?
- Are they full-time agents?
After talking to the agent and getting satisfactory answers to any questions you have and an affordable coverage quote, you may have just found a car insurance agent that meets your needs to service your policy.
Smart consumers save more
Lower-priced car insurance can be bought both online and from local insurance agents, so you need to with both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies may not offer online rate quotes and these smaller providers work with independent insurance agencies.
We’ve covered many ideas to compare car insurance premium rates online. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get prices for, the higher your chance of finding . You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from a small local company.
Drivers change insurance companies for many reasons like policy non-renewal, denial of a claim, high prices or questionable increases in premium. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new company is not as difficult as it may seem.
Additional information is located on the Illinois Department of Insurance website found here. Consumers can get help finding coverage, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, file complaints about a company, and view a list of available companies.