Tightwads Tips for Saving on Darby Car Insurance

Expensive car insurance can overdraw your savings account and make it hard to pay other bills. Comparison shopping is a smart way to lower your monthly bill.

Drivers have multiple to buy insurance from, and even though it's nice to have a selection, it can be more challenging to compare rates.

These discounts can lower your rates

Auto insurance companies don't list every discount very clearly, so we researched some of the more common and also the lesser-known car insurance savings.

Government Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount with a few car insurance companies.
Multiple Policy Discount - When you combine your home and auto insurance with one insurance company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
New Car Discount - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can be considerably cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
Good Student Discount - A discount for being a good student can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.
55 and Retired - Mature drivers may qualify for better car insurance rates.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So when it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, car insurance companies aren't that generous.

To see a list of insurance companies offering car insurance discounts in Pennsylvania, follow this link.

How to Get Cheap Car Insurance in Darby, PA

Most companies like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO provide coverage prices on the web. The process is pretty painless as you simply type in your required coverages as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, their rating system will obtain reports for credit and driving violations and returns pricing information based on many factors. Being able to quote online helps simplify price comparisons, but the time it takes to visit multiple sites and enter the same data into a form is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it's very important to get many rate quotes if you want to find better car insurance pricing.

The preferred way to compare car insurance pricing utilizes a single form to obtain quotes from a bunch of companies at once. The form is fast, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes online shopping much more efficient. After sending your information, it gets priced and you can choose any one of the price quotes you receive. If you find a better price you simply finish the application and buy the policy. The whole process can be completed in a matter of minutes and you'll know if lower rates are available.

If you want to find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you have coverage now, it's recommended you complete the form with coverages and limits identical to your current policy. This makes sure you will be getting a rate comparison based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Darby Rates are Influenced by These Factors

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining your car insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that will entitle you to big savings.

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

High numbers of claims are not good - If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect higher rates. Companies in Pennsylvania provide lower rates to insureds who are claim-free. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.
Big city or small town - Residing in less populated areas can save you money when it comes to car insurance. City drivers have traffic congestion and much longer commute distances. Fewer people translates into fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
More than one policy can earn a discount - Most companies provide better rates to policyholders who consolidate policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount it's still a good idea to compare rates to ensure the best deal.
Mature drivers pay less - Young drivers in Pennsylvania are statistically proven to be careless and easily distracted when driving so they pay higher car insurance rates. If you've ever had to add a teen driver to your car insurance policy can be quite pricey. More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, file fewer claims and get fewer tickets.
How's your driving record? - Careful drivers get better rates than bad drivers. Just one moving violation can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. 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 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.

Different people need different coverages

When choosing the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a best way to insure your cars. Every situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions can help discover whether you would benefit from an agent's advice.

Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Pennsylvania?
Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Pennsylvania?
Should I buy additional glass protection?
Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Car insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO constantly bombard you with ads on television and other media. They all say the same thing about savings if you switch to their company. How does each company make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a driver they prefer could be between 25 and 40, has no prior claims, and has great credit. A customer who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when switching.

Drivers who are not a match for these standards will be quoted higher premiums which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ad wording is "customers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings. This emphasizes why drivers must quote coverage with many companies. Because you never know which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

Affordable insurance is out there

When you buy insurance online, it's very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where consumers will sacrifice collision coverage and learned later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price while still protecting your assets.

We just showed you many ways to compare car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the most savings is with some of the smallest insurance companies. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as .

Learn more about car insurance in Pennsylvania

Even more information is located at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website. Consumers can download brochures, view agent and company licensing information, read consumer alerts, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.