I can’t think of a single person who likes having to buy car insurance, particularly when they are paying too much. Drivers have multiple insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and although it’s nice to have a selection, lots of choices makes it harder to find the lowest cost provider.
How to Compare Car Insurance Costs in Wright
Finding cheaper car insurance prices is not rocket science. All that’s required is to take a couple of minutes getting comparison quotes online from several insurance companies. This can be done in several different ways.
- The most efficient way to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This form keeps you from doing separate quotation requests for every car insurance company. Completing one form will return quotes from multiple companies.
- A slightly less efficient method to compare prices is to take the time to go to each company’s website and complete a new quote form. For example, let’s say you want rates from State Farm, Esurance and Farmers. To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is quicker.
For a list of links to insurance companies in Wright, click here.
It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just be sure to compare the exact same coverages and limits with each company. If you enter different liability limits then you won’t be able to make an equal comparison in Wright.
Discounts are basically free money
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always publicize all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of some of the more common as well as the least known car insurance savings. If you aren’t receiving every discount possible, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Student in College – Any of your kids who are attending college without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
- Sign Early and Save – Some insurance companies reward drivers for signing up before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
- Lower Rates for Military – Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.
- Clubs and Organizations – Belonging to a professional or civic organization could qualify you for a break on car insurance.
- Drivers Education – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to complete a driver education course in high school.
Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So when it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
Factors that affect insurance rates
Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates enables informed choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
The following are some of the items car insurance companies consider when setting rates.
- Liability coverage protects you – The liability section of your policy is the coverage that protects you if a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. Liability provides for a legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
- Clean credit earns discounts – Credit score is a big factor in calculating your car insurance rates. Drivers with excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have lower credit ratings. Therefore, if your credit score is low, you could pay less to insure your by repairing your credit.
- Is your vehicle built for speed? – The make and model of the vehicle you own makes a significant difference in your rates. Small economy passenger cars receive the most favorable rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
- Careful drivers pay lower rates – A bad driving record impacts your car insurance rates tremendously. Drivers who don’t get tickets get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Only having one ticket can bump up the cost by twenty percent. If you have flagrant violations like DUI or reckless driving may find they need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
- Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are a lot of additional coverages that you can buy on your policy. Coverages for personal injury protection, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
- How your age affects price – Older drivers are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel. Youthful drivers are known to get distracted easily behind the wheel and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.
- Being married is a good thing – Having a wife or husband helps lower the price on car insurance. Having a spouse means you’re more responsible and it’s statistically proven that being married results in fewer claims.
- An active claims history can cost you – If you tend to file frequent claims, you can look forward to higher rates. Companies in Wyoming award lower rates to policyholders who do not file claims often. Insurance coverage is intended for larger claims.
Which insurance is the “right” coverage?
When it comes to choosing adequate coverage, there really is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if your insurance needs may require specific advice.
- Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
- Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
- Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Wyoming?
- Is pleasure use cheaper than using my vehicle to commute?
- What is high-risk coverage and where do I buy it?
- Do I need higher deductibles?
- Should I sign the liability waiver when renting a car?
If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.
More tips and info about car insurance is located at the Wyoming Insurance Department website. Wyoming consumers can view agent and company licensing information, read industry bulletins, and learn about insurance regulations.
Other useful links include this online resource for free quotes in Wyoming and this link where you can make Wright car insurance comparisons.
Beware of misleading car insurance ads
Wyoming drivers can’t get away from ads for car insurance savings by companies like Allstate and Progressive. All the ads make an identical promise that you can save if you switch to them.
How does each company say the same thing?
All companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that makes them money. An example of a profitable customer could be between 25 and 40, owns a home, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.
Consumers who don’t qualify for this ideal profile will have to pay higher rates and ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “customers that switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much. That is how insurance companies can advertise the savings. Because of the profiling, you absolutely need to get quotes from several different companies. It’s impossible to know which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.
In conclusion
Cheap car insurance is available both online in addition to many Wright insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers do not provide online price quotes and many times these small, regional companies only sell through independent insurance agents.
As you prepare to switch companies, don’t be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to discover later they didn’t have enough coverage. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.
In this article, we covered a lot of ways to shop for car insurance online. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. You may even discover the most savings is with the least-expected company. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates as compared to the big name companies such as Geico and State Farm.