How to Know You're Paying Too Much for Auto Insurance in Coleman

No one in their right mind likes having to buy auto insurance, particularly when their premiums are too high. With so many companies and agents to choose from, it can be challenging to pick the cheapest insurance company.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies that sell car insurance don't always publicize all available discounts very well, so we researched both the well known and also the lesser-known ways to save on auto insurance. If you don't get every credit you qualify for, you're paying more than you need to.

Homeowners Savings - Owning a home in Coleman may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
Good Student - A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
Student in College - Any of your kids who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
Anti-theft System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and earn discounts up to 10%.
Paperless Signup - Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 just for signing your application online.

Keep in mind that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Most only cut specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn't work that way.

To see a list of insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Michigan, click this link.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Most companies allow you to get coverage prices directly from their websites. This process is pretty painless as you just enter your personal and coverage information into the quote form. Once you submit the form, the system will obtain your driving and credit reports and generates pricing information determined by many factors. This helps simplify price comparisons, but the time it takes to visit different websites and complete many quote forms is monotonous and tiresome. Unfortunately, it is important to do this in order to find a lower rate.

The preferred way to compare rates uses one form to get prices from several different companies. It's a real time-saver, eliminates repetitive work, and makes rate comparisons much more enjoyable and efficient. After sending your information, it is rated and you can select any or none of the price quotes you receive. If you find a better price you simply finish the application and purchase coverage. The entire process just takes a couple of minutes and may save quite a bit of money.

To find out how much you're overpaying now, click here and begin entering your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it's recommended you duplicate the coverage information as shown on your current policy. This makes sure you will have a price comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Coleman Rates are Influenced by These Factors

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates enables informed choices that could result in better auto insurance rates.

The following are a partial list of the pieces auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

What are your deductibles? - Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend in the event of a claim. Physical damage insurance, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply would be colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, or theft. The more you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
Cautious drivers pay less - Careful drivers get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Only having one speeding ticket can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Drivers with flagrant tickets like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
Mature drivers pay less - Youthful drivers in Michigan are known to get distracted easily behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher. Adding a teen driver to your auto insurance policy can really hurt. Older drivers are more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel.
Bundling policies can get discounts - Many auto insurance companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, it's still a good idea to compare rates to ensure the best deal.

It's not one size fits all

When choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if you could use an agent's help.

When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Michigan?
What are Michigan no-fault laws?
Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Coleman?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Consumers in Michigan can't get away from ads for cheaper car insurance by Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies make the same claim that you can save after switching to their company.

But how can every company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a profitable customer might be over the age of 40, a clean driving record, and has great credit. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save a lot of money.

Potential customers who do not match this ideal profile must pay a more expensive rate which leads to the customer not buying. The ad wording is "customers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. That is how insurance companies can advertise the savings. This illustrates why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know which company will give you the biggest savings.

A tidy conclusion

Affordable auto insurance can be bought both online and also from your neighborhood Coleman agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who may not provide the ability to get a quote online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We covered some good ideas how to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the lowest premiums are with a small mutual company. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost as compared to the big name companies such as .

As you prepare to switch companies, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, someone dropped liability coverage limits only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your focus should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Additional detailed information is located at the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation website. Visitors are able to report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and read consumer alerts.

Additional helpful sites include this page for Michigan auto insurance and this page for help finding agents in Coleman, MI.