Tightwads Lessons for Saving on Jeffersontown, KY Car Insurance

Have you had enough of scraping the payment together to buy car insurance? You’re in the same situation as the majority of other car owners in Kentucky.

Because you have many companies and agents to choose from, it is very difficult to pick the most cost effective insurer.

Get Cheaper Rates by Understanding Pricing

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that come into play when calculating the price you pay for car insurance. Understanding what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower car insurance prices.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine premiums.

  • How’s your driving record? – Even one ticket can bump up the cost by twenty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets get better rates than people who have multiple driving citations. If you have severe violations such as DUI or reckless driving may find they need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to drive a vehicle legally.
  • Liability coverage is cheap – Your policy’s liability coverage is the protection if ever you are found liable for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide legal defense coverage up to the limits shown on your policy. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should carry high limits.
  • Where you live – Living in small towns and rural areas is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. Fewer drivers means a lower chance of having an accident and a lower car theft rate. Urban drivers regularly have more traffic problems and much longer commute distances. Higher commute times translates into higher accident risk.
  • How your age affects price – Young drivers in Kentucky are known to be careless and easily distracted when behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher. Older insureds are more cautious drivers, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
  • Battle of the sexes – Statistics demonstrate women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn’t necessarily mean that men are WORSE drivers than women. Men and women have accidents in similar percentages, but men cause more damage. Men also get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI. Teenage male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
  • Pay less if you’re married – Having a wife or husband actually saves money on car insurance. Having a spouse translates into being more mature and it’s statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • The type of vehicle makes a difference – The performance of the vehicle you own makes a significant difference in your rates. Lower performance four cylinder passenger vehicles usually have the lowest rates, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.

Cut your premium with discounts

Companies do not list all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so here is a list some of the more common and the harder-to-find ways to save on car insurance.

  • E-sign – Some insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying a policy and signing up on their website.
  • Anti-lock Brakes – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes prevent accidents and will save you 10% or more.
  • 55 and Retired – Older drivers can possibly qualify for better car insurance rates.
  • Discount for New Cars – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper compared to insuring an older model.
  • Accident Forgiveness – A handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims prior to the accident.
  • Early Signing – Select companies give a discount for switching policies before your current policy expires. This can save 10% or more.
  • Discount for Good Grades – This discount can earn a discount of 20% or more. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
  • Safety Course Discount – Taking a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more depending on where you live.
  • Service Members Pay Less – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
  • Memberships – Belonging to a professional or civic organization could trigger savings on your policy.

Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply the the whole policy. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won’t be that lucky.

To see a list of companies who offer car insurance discounts in Jeffersontown, click this link.

Compare online but buy from a local Jeffersontown agent

Some consumers prefer to get advice from a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is you may find better rates but also keep your business local.

After filling out this simple form, the quote information is instantly submitted to insurance agents in Jeffersontown who will battle for your business. There is no reason to visit any agencies because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. How’s that for easy! You can find the lowest rates and work with a local agent.

Deciding on an insurer should depend on more than just the bottom line cost. Here are some questions to ask:

  • How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
  • Are glass claims handled on-site or do you have to take your vehicle to a repair shop?
  • Which company do they place the most coverage with?
  • Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
  • Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
  • Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
  • What insurance companies do they work with?

Jeffersontown insurance agents come in two flavors

When finding a good insurance agency, there are two different agency structures to choose from. Agencies in Jeffersontown are either captive or independent.

Agency Captives

Captive insurance agents can only write with one company and examples are State Farm or Allstate. They generally cannot provide prices from multiple companies so they have to upsell other benefits. Captives receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents.

Shown below are captive agencies in Jeffersontown that can give you price quotes.

Farm Bureau Insurance – 3271 Ruckriegel Pkwy – Jeffersontown, KY 40299 – (502) 266-6100
Allstate Insurance – 9322 Taylorsville Rd # 1a – Jeffersontown, KY 40299 – (502) 267-6657
State Farm Insurance – 10511 Watterson Trl – Jeffersontown, KY 40299 – (502) 266-7069

Independent Agents

Independent insurance agents are not required to write business for one company but rather can write business with multiple insurance companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply move the coverage in-house and that require little work on your part. When comparing rates, we recommend you contact at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from.

The following is a list of independent agencies in Jeffersontown who can help you get rate quotes.

Bob Mayhugh Insurance – 10116 Taylorsville Rd – Jeffersontown, KY 40299 – (502) 267-8274
Farm Bureau Insurance – 3271 Ruckriegel Pkwy – Jeffersontown, KY 40299 – (502) 266-6100
Aubrey Beatty Agency – 9322 Taylorsville Rd # 1b – Jeffersontown, KY 40299 – (502) 267-9195

To view a full list of insurance agents in Jeffersontown, please click here.

After getting good answers to any questions you have in addition to an acceptable price estimate, it’s possible that you found an auto insurance agent that is a good match to adequately provide car insurance.

Jeffersontown Kentucky insurance ad

Do car insurance companies bend the truth?

Car insurance companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you switch to their company. But how can every company say the same thing?

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver they prefer to insure. An example of a desirable insured could be over the age of 40, has no prior claims, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A propective insured who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and therefore will save quite a bit of money when switching.

Consumers who don’t qualify for the “perfect” profile must pay more money and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. That is how insurance companies can make the claims of big savings. This illustrates why you absolutely need to get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict which company will have the lowest rates.

More Kentucky car insurance information

More detailed Kentucky car insurance information can be read at the Kentucky Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, learn about specific coverages, and read consumer alerts.

Other informative sites include BankRate.com’s Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this page of insurance agents in Jeffersontown.

Do the work, save more money

Cheap car insurance is attainable from both online companies and with local Jeffersontown insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, do not buy less coverage just to save a little money. In too many instances, drivers have reduced liability coverage limits only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your goal should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while still protecting your assets.