Free Guide to Paying Less for Columbia Car Insurance Online

Scraping up a payment for overpriced car insurance can overdraw your checking account and force you to make sacrifices. Doing a price comparison is free and is an excellent way to help make ends meet.

Numerous battle for your business, and because of this it can be hard to compare to find the lowest price

It's important to compare prices yearly due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the lowest rates last year a different company probably has better rates today. So ignore everything you know about car insurance because I'm going to teach you the tricks you need to know to find lower rates on car insurance.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using this information. Finding affordable coverage in Columbia is easy if you know what you're doing. But Pennsylvania consumers do need to know the way companies market insurance on the web and use this information to your advantage.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Car insurance is not cheap, but discounts can save money and there are some available to help bring down the price. Certain discounts will be applied when you get a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for before you will receive the discount.

Braking Control Discount - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
Auto/Life Discount - Select insurance companies reward you with lower rates if you buy life insurance.
Low Mileage - Low mileage vehicles can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
Multiple Cars - Buying insurance for all your vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive a small decrease in premiums.
Clubs and Organizations - Being a member of certain professional organizations could trigger savings on your policy.
Seat Belts Save more than Lives - Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Own a Home - Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
Student Driver Training - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver's ed class if offered at their school.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don't profit that way. But all discounts will cut the amount you have to pay.

How to Lower your Car Insurance Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are a few of the "ingredients" used by your company to calculate your rates.

Do you know you're credit rating? - Your credit score is a important factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. People with excellent credit tend to be more responsible than drivers with lower credit scores. If your credit score is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your by repairing your credit.
Pleasure use saves money - The higher the mileage driven in a year's time the higher your rates will be. Almost all companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Autos used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Double check that your car insurance declarations sheet is showing the correct usage for each vehicle.
Safer cars cost less to insure - Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and lower rates for you.
Higher deductibles cost less - Physical damage insurance, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your car from damage. A few examples of covered claims would be a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, or theft. Physical damage deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. The higher the amount you have to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
Older drivers pay less - More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers. Youthful drivers have a tendency to be careless and easily distracted when driving therefore car insurance rates are much higher.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone's needs are different so this has to be addressed. For example, these questions can help discover whether or not you might need an agent's assistance.

Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
Am I covered by my employer's commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
Are rental cars covered under my policy?
Do I qualify for additional discounts?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.

Is there truth in advertising?

Companies like Allstate and Progressive consistently run television and radio advertisements. All the ads make the same claim that you'll save big if you change your coverage to them. How do they all claim to save you money?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For example, a preferred risk might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who don't measure up to the "perfect" profile will be charged higher premiums which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. This is how companies can claim big savings.

That is why drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. You cannot predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

Learn more about car insurance in Pennsylvania

Much more information about car insurance in Pennsylvania can be found on the website for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department located here. Visitors are able to find out industry alerts, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find disaster information, and report car insurance fraud.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

When trying to cut insurance costs, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that it was a big mistake. The aim is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Discount car insurance is attainable both online as well as from independent agents in Columbia, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. A few companies don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.