Tightwads Guide to Saving on Elliottsburg Car Insurance

Nobody I know likes having to buy car insurance, particularly when the cost is too high. Since consumers have many companies and agents to choose from, it's nearly impossible to locate the right car insurance company.

The purpose of this post is to introduce you to the most effective way to quote insurance and some money-saving tips. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to reduce your rates substantially using these techniques. Pennsylvania drivers only need an understanding of the proper way to shop their coverage around online.

More discounts equal less premium

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you can get discounts that you may not even be aware of. Some trigger automatically when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied prior to getting the savings. If you don't get every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

Defensive Driver - Taking part in a defensive driving course can save you 5% or more if you qualify.
Anti-lock Brakes - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Early Signing - Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
Life Insurance Discount - Larger companies have a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
Service Members Pay Less - Being deployed with a military unit could mean lower rates.
Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may qualify for better car insurance rates.
Multi-car Discount - Having more than one vehicle on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.

It's important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn't quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce your premiums.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively determines base rates enables informed choices that could result in big savings.

Listed below are some of the items car insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are many additional coverages that you can get tricked into buying when buying car insurance. Things like personal injury protection, accidental death and term life insurance are some examples. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but if they're wasting money remove them from your policy.
Poor credit can mean higher rates - A driver's credit score is a important factor in determining your rates. Therefore, if your credit score is lower than you'd like, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your rating. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers with poor credit.
Poor driving leads to higher costs - Careful drivers have lower premiums than bad drivers. Even a single citation can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Drivers with serious tickets such as 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 continue driving.
Rate your vehicle for proper use - The more miles you rack up on your car each year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies charge to insure your cars determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Ask your agent if your car insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven.

It's not one size fits all

When it comes to buying coverage for your vehicles, there really is no "best" method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that might point out if you would benefit from an agent's advice.

Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
What are the financial responsibility laws in Pennsylvania?
I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?

If you can't answer these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It's fast, doesn't cost anything and can help protect your family.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Consumers in Pennsylvania get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance by 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies have a common claim of big savings if you switch to their company.

But how can every company claim to save you money?

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a profitable customer might be between 25 and 40, owns a home, and has a short commute. Any new insured that hits that "sweet spot" gets the lowest rates and therefore will save a lot of money.

Potential customers who do not match this ideal profile must pay a higher premium and this can result in the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. That is how insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings.

This illustrates why drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It's just too difficult to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

For more Pennsylvania car insurance information

Additional car insurance information can be read on the website for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department located here. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, find out industry alerts, file complaints about a company, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

Also read more on this resource for Pennsylvania car insurance prices and this link which helps you find a Elliottsburg agent.

And the best car insurance company is...

Low-cost car insurance is available both online and also from your neighborhood Elliottsburg agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut full coverage and found out when filing a claim that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

We just covered a lot of techniques to reduce car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. You may even discover the most savings is with the least-expected company. Regional companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas as compared to the big name companies such as .