Proven Ways to Save on East Stroudsburg Car Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me when I say there are many people just like you. Drivers have so many to buy insurance from, and although it's a good thing to have multiple companies, too many choices makes it more difficult to compare rates.

It's important to compare prices every six months because rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal last year a different company probably has better rates today. So block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you're going to learn the only way to find lower rates on car insurance.

This article will help educate you on how car insurance quotes work and some tips to save money. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using these techniques. Pennsylvania vehicle owners just need to know the most efficient way to find the lowest price online.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, but discounts can save money and there are some available that many people don't even know exist. Certain discounts will be applied when you complete an application, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for before they will apply. If you're not getting every credit possible, you are throwing money away.

  • Discount for Good Grades - Performing well in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
  • Multi-car Discount - Having more than one vehicle on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
  • No Charge for an Accident - Certain companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up if you are claim-free prior to the accident.
  • Resident Student - Children who live away from home and do not have a car may be able to be covered for less.
  • Federal Government Employee - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with certain companies.
  • 55 and Retired - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
  • Payment Discounts - If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save up to 5%.
  • Clubs and Organizations - Belonging to a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break on your policy.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way. But all discounts will bring down your premiums.

Pennsylvania car insurance

How to Lower your Car Insurance Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that go into determining your car insurance rates. Knowing what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get lower car insurance prices.

Listed below are some of the factors used by your company to calculate your rates.

  • How's your driving record? - Your driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Drivers who don't get tickets have lower premiums than bad drivers. Just one ticket can bump up the cost forty percent or more. Drivers who get serious violations such as DUI or reckless driving may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
  • Do you know your deductibles? - Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. A few examples of covered claims are a windshield shattered by a rock, damage caused by hail, and burglary. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more money you have to pay, the less your car insurance will be.
  • Bundling policies can get discounts - Most companies give discounts to policyholders who buy several policies from them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, you still need to compare other company rates to verify if the discount is saving money. You may still be able to find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.
  • Battle of the sexes - Statistics demonstrate that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. Women and men cause accidents at about the same rate, but men cause more damage. Men also get cited for more serious violations such as reckless driving. Teenage male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
  • Older drivers pay less - Young drivers in Pennsylvania are statistically proven to be less responsible when behind the wheel so they pay higher car insurance rates. Older insureds tend to be more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
  • Your job and insurance rates - Did you know your job can affect your rates? Occupations like doctors, architects and financial analysts have higher average rates because of stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. Conversely, jobs such as actors, engineers and homemakers get better rates.

The car insurance bait and switch

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings from the likes of State Farm and Allstate. All the ads say the same thing that you'll save big if you switch your coverage to them.

How does each company make the same claim?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer that earns them a profit. An example of a preferred risk could be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has great credit. A customer who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and therefore will save when switching.

Consumers who don't measure up to these standards will be charged higher rates which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much money. That's the way companies can advertise the savings.

That is why drivers should get as many comparisons as possible. Because you never know which car insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Learn more about Pennsylvania car insurance

Much more information about car insurance in Pennsylvania is available on the website for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department located here. Consumers can file complaints about a company, report car insurance fraud, read consumer alerts, and learn about insurance regulations.

A tidy conclusion

We just showed you a lot of information how to reduce car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the lowest rates come from the least-expected company. Regional companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates as compared to the big name companies such as .

Discount car insurance can be found from both online companies as well as from independent agents in East Stroudsburg, and you should compare price quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.