Belle Chasse Car Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

Are you intimidated by the number of car insurance options in Belle Chasse? Many other consumers are too. Consumers have so many options that it can turn into a big hassle to compare prices.

It's important to check car insurance prices every six months since rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the best deal a year ago you can probably find a better price now. Starting now, block out anything you think you know about car insurance because we're going to show you the proper way to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.

What determines how much you pay?

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that go into determining your car insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with better car insurance rates.

Listed below are some of the factors companies use to determine rates.

Being married is a good thing - Being married can actually save you money on car insurance. It is viewed as being more responsible and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
Do you know your deductibles? - Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are collision with another vehicle, collision with an animal, or theft. The deductibles are how much you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more money you're willing to pay, the less your car insurance will be.
Tickets mean higher rates - Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Good drivers get better rates than bad drivers. Even a single moving violation can increase rates forty percent or more. Drivers who have serious citations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
Big city or small town - Choosing to live in a small town can be a good thing when it comes to car insurance. Urban drivers regularly have much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer people means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
Better credit means lower rates - Credit score is a big factor in calculating your car insurance rates. If your credit rating is lower than you'd like, you could save money insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have poor credit.
Optional equipment can affect rates - Choosing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft features like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart auto theft.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies offering auto insurance do not advertise all their discounts very clearly, so here is a list some of the more common and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving.

Sign Online - Some insurance companies will give a small break for buying your policy over the internet.
Homeowners Discount - Owning a house in Belle Chasse can save you money because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
Discount for Good Grades - This discount can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
Bundle and Save - If you insure your home and vehicles with one company you may save 10% to 20% off each policy.
Anti-lock Brakes - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
Passive Restraints - Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, car insurance companies aren't that generous.

To choose companies offering car insurance discounts in Louisiana, click here.

Is there truth in advertising?

Car insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all seem to have a common claim about savings if you switch to them. How does each company make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that makes them money. An example of a desirable insured could be a mature driver, has no driving citations, and has excellent credit. Any new insured that hits that "sweet spot" gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Consumers who don't measure up to these standards will have to pay higher prices and this can result in business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That's the way companies can truthfully make those claims. Because of the profiling, you should get a wide range of price quotes. It's just too difficult to predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Even more information is available at the Louisiana Department of Insurance website. Consumers can get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, and file complaints about a company.

Other informative sites include this site for Louisiana car insurance information and see this list of insurance agents in Belle Chasse.

Affordable insurance is out there

Cheap car insurance is available from both online companies and with local Belle Chasse insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

You just learned a lot of techniques to save on car insurance. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even discover the best price on car insurance is with a small mutual company.

While you're price shopping online, make sure you don't buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price.