Easy Techniques to Save Money on Fennville Auto Insurance

Are you intimidated by the dozens of auto insurance choices in Fennville? Lot's of other consumers are too. You have so many options that it can turn into a ton of work to find lower rates.

If you currently have car insurance, you will be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. Shopping for affordable protection in Fennville is easy if you know what you're doing. But Michigan vehicle owners do need to know how insurance companies compete online because it can help you find the best coverage.

Save big with these discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don't list every discount in a way that's easy to find, so we researched some of the best known and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving.

  • No Accidents - Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay much less when compared to drivers who are more careless.
  • Multiple Vehicles - Insuring multiple vehicles on one policy qualifies for this discount.
  • Senior Discount - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get better auto insurance rates.
  • Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver's ed class if it's offered in school.
  • Payment Method - By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
  • Paperwork-free - Some insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
  • Homeowners Discount - Simply owning a home can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home shows financial diligence.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Cars that have air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
  • Seat Belt Usage - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.

Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So even though it sounds like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don't profit that way.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that help determine auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.

  • Your auto insurance rates can be influenced by your job - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Careers like judges, social workers and dentists tend to have the highest average rates in part from stressful work requirements and long work hours. Other professions such as actors, historians and performers receive lower rates.
  • Do you know your deductibles? - The deductibles define the amount you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, insures against damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are running into the backend of another car, damage caused by hail, and rolling your vehicle. The more you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your auto insurance will be.
  • Men pay higher rates - Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Men and women tend to get into accidents in similar numbers, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI. Teenage male drivers tend to get in the most accidents and therefore are the most expensive to insure.
  • You might want pay the small claims yourself - Companies in Michigan generally give cheaper rates to people who are claim-free. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment - Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart auto theft.
  • Being married is a good thing - Having a wife or husband can get you a discount on auto insurance. Having a significant other means you're more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Auto insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO continually stream ads on TV and radio. They all have a common claim that you'll save big after switching to their company. How can each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a driver they prefer might be profiled as over the age of 50, has no driving citations, and has a high credit rating. A propective insured that hits that "sweet spot" will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who fall outside the requirements will be quoted more money and this can result in business not being written. The ad wording is "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That's the way companies can state the savings. This emphasizes why drivers should get as many quotes as possible. It's not possible to predict which auto insurance company will have the lowest rates.

More detailed Michigan auto insurance information is located at the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation website. Michigan drivers can read industry bulletins, report car insurance fraud, and learn about insurance regulations.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Drivers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including high rates after DUI convictions, lack of trust in their agent, denial of a claim and even extreme rates for teen drivers. Whatever your reason, switching auto insurance companies is less work than it seems.

Discount auto insurance can be bought on the web and also from your neighborhood Fennville agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed collision coverage and learned later that they should have had better coverage. Your strategy should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.