Top Ways to Save on Catasauqua Car Insurance

No one cherishes buying car insurance, particularly when the price is too high. There is such a variety of to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to be able to choose, so many choices can make it hard to compare rates.

It's important to get comparison quotes periodically due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal last year there is a good chance you can find better rates now. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because I'm going to teach you the proper way to save on car insurance.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with big savings.

Listed below are some of the factors that factor into rates.

  • Battle of the sexes - Statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are WORSE drivers than women. They both cause accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage. They also have more aggressive citations like DUI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
  • Bad driving skills means higher rates - Drivers with clean records have lower premiums than bad drivers. Only having one moving violation may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who have serious citations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
  • Bundling policies can get discounts - Most car insurance companies will give a discount to insureds who buy several policies from them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to comparison shop to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
  • Being married can save on car insurance - Being married can actually save you money on your car insurance policy. It usually means you are more responsible and it's proven that married couples file fewer claims.

Catasauqua Car Insurance Comparisons

There are multiple methods to shop for car insurance, but one way is easier and takes less work. You can spend your afternoon driving to agents in Catasauqua, or you could save time and use the web to achieve your goal.

Most of the larger companies participate in a marketplace that enables customers to submit their information once, and each company then gives them pricing determined by their information. This system prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions to each individual car insurance company. To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.

The only downside to comparing rates this way is that you can't choose which providers you want pricing from. So if you prefer to choose specific insurance companies for rate comparison, we put together a list of car insurance companies in Pennsylvania. Click here for list of insurance companies in Pennsylvania.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just be sure to compare identical coverage limits and deductibles on every quote you get. If your comparisons have different liability limits it will be impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Catasauqua.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts that many people don't even know exist. Most are applied when you quote, but some must be asked for prior to getting the savings. If you're not getting every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.

  • Accident Forgiveness - Certain companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge as long as you don't have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
  • Early Signing - Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
  • Theft Prevention System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
  • Sign Online - A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy over the internet.
  • Senior Citizens - If you're over the age of 55, you may qualify for a discount up to 10%.
  • Federal Employees - Employees or retirees of the government may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.

As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will bring down your premiums.

To choose companies offering car insurance discounts in Pennsylvania, click this link.

The car insurance bait and switch

Consumers in Pennsylvania can't ignore all the ads for cheaper car insurance from companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. They all seem to make the same claim about savings if you switch your policy.

How does each company claim to save you money?

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that makes them money. An example of a desirable insured might be over the age of 40, a clean driving record, and has great credit. Any driver who matches those parameters receives the best rates and therefore will save when switching.

Potential customers who don't measure up to these standards will have to pay a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, you need to get as many quotes as possible. You cannot predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

Your personal situation dictates your coverage

When buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a perfect coverage plan. Everyone's needs are different so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight whether or not you could use an agent's help.

  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
  • Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
  • Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
  • Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
  • Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
  • Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It is quick, free and can help protect your family.

Additional information is available on the website for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department located here. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, read consumer alerts, and get help finding coverage.

Pennsylvania car insurance

In the end, you save

Cheap car insurance can be found both online in addition to many Catasauqua insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

We just presented many ideas to compare car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the lowest premiums are with a small local company. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as .

As you prepare to switch companies, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.