Tightwads Instructions on Saving on Bridgeport Auto Insurance

Expensive auto insurance can dwindle your personal savings, especially in this economy. Shopping your coverage around is a great way to cut your insurance bill.

Lots of contend for your business, and because of this it can be hard to compare and uncover the absolute lowest rate

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies don't always list every discount in an easy-to-find place, so we researched some of the best known and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving.

  • Payment Discounts - By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
  • Accident Waiver - A few companies allow you one accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • Passive Restraints - Cars that have air bags or automatic seat belts can get savings up to 30%.
  • Low Mileage Discounts - Driving fewer miles could be rewarded with a substantially lower rate.
  • Paperwork-free - A handful of insurance companies give back up to $50 just for signing your application on their website.

It's important to note that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you're out of luck.

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Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that go into determining auto insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates enables informed choices that will entitle you to big savings.

Listed below are a partial list of the pieces auto insurance companies consider when setting prices.

  • Save money with special equipment - Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping auto theft.
  • Are you male or female? - Statistics have proven that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. They both have accidents in similar numbers, but the men cause more damage. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI. Young males are the most expensive to insure and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
  • Traffic citations inflate rates - Even one citation can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Careful drivers get better rates than bad drivers. If you have serious violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find they need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
  • Better crash test results mean better rates - Vehicles with good safety scores get lower rates. The safest vehicles reduce injuries and better occupant protection translates into savings for insurance companies and lower rates for you.
  • Being married is a good thing - Having a wife or husband can actually save you money on auto insurance. Having a significant other means you're more mature and statistics show married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • More claims means more premium - Companies in Ohio generally give better rates to drivers who are claim-free. If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all have a common claim that you can save if you switch to their company. How do they all say the same thing? It's all in the numbers.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a driver they prefer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. A propective insured that hits that "sweet spot" gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who don't qualify for the "perfect" profile will be quoted more money and this can result in business not being written. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. This is how insurance companies can claim big savings. This emphasizes why drivers should compare many company's rates. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

For more Ohio auto insurance information

Additional detailed information is located at the Ohio Department of Insurance website. Ohio drivers can view a list of available companies, learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, and find disaster information.

Final considerations

Lower-priced auto insurance is available on the web and also from your neighborhood Bridgeport agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

In this article, we covered a lot of techniques to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a small mutual company. Regional companies often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like .