Easy Methods to Pay Less on Blakely Auto Insurance

Using the web to shop for Blakely auto insurance can seem like an uphill battle if you're new to online quotes. Don't let that stop you because there is an easy way to compare rates.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies that sell car insurance don't always advertise all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we break down some of the best known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

Defensive Driving Course - Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of 20% or more.
Pay Upfront and Save - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.
Memberships - Affiliation with certain professional organizations is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance.
Federal Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
Good Student - A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply up to age 25.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

To see a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Blakely, click here to view.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

The are a couple different ways to compare rate quotes from different Blakely insurance companies. The best method to find the lowest rates is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be done using a couple different methods.

The best way to get quotes is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form saves time by eliminating multiple quote forms for every auto insurance company. Just one form will return price quotes from multiple low-cost companies. This is perfect if you don't have a lot of time.
A harder way to shop for auto insurance online consists of visiting the website for every company you want to comare to complete a price quote. For instance, let's assume you want to compare , and . To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular.

For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Blakely, click here.
The least recommended method of comparing rate quotes is driving around to and from local Blakely insurance agencies. The internet has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the trained guidance of a local Blakely agent. However, consumers can obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent and we'll touch on that later.

It's up to you which method you use, but be sure to compare the exact same deductibles and coverage limits with each company. If your comparisons have different values for each quote it's impossible to make an equal comparison in Blakely. Quoting even small variations in coverages can make a big difference in price. Keep in mind that quoting more will enable you to find better pricing.

What determines how much you pay?

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" companies use to determine premiums.

Policy add-ons can waste money - There are a lot of additional coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren't careful. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, accidental death and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but if you don't need them get rid of them and save.
Better credit means lower rates - A driver's credit rating is a important factor in determining your rates. Drivers with high credit ratings tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have lower credit scores. If your credit can use some improvement, you could pay less to insure your by repairing your credit.
Save money with special equipment - Owning a car with an alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft devices like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can help prevent car theft.
Liability coverage is cheap - The liability section of your policy is the coverage that protects you if a jury decides you are liable for damages from an accident. It provides for a legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.

Insurance agents can help

When choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Everyone's situation is a little different.

For example, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent's advice.

Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
Do I qualify for additional discounts?
Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?

If you're not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

Save $429 a year? Really?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the companies make an identical promise about savings if you move to them. How do they all say the same thing?

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a profitable customer might be profiled as between 25 and 40, a clean driving record, and chooses high deductibles. A propective insured who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who don't qualify for the "perfect" profile must pay more money and ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That is how companies can truthfully state the savings. This illustrates why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's not possible to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Cheaper auto insurance is possible on the web and with local Blakely insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

Throughout this article, we presented some good ideas how you can compare auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with some of the lesser-known companies.

People who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as questionable increases in premium, poor customer service, extreme rates for teen drivers or lack of trust in their agent. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is actually quite simple.

Additional Pennsylvania consumer information

Even more information can be found at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website. Pennsylvania drivers can discover disciplinary actions, find out industry alerts, and view a list of available companies.