Getting Cheap Golden Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced auto insurance? Believe me when I say you are not the only one feeling buyer's remorse.

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.

It's important to compare prices every six months because insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the lowest rates two years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you're about to learn the tricks you need to know to find lower rates on auto insurance.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Car insurance can cost a lot, but you can get discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for before you get the savings.

  • Discount for Good Grades - A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.
  • Memberships - Participating in a qualifying organization may earn a discount on your policy.
  • Multiple Cars - Buying insurance for all your vehicles on the same auto insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • E-sign - Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy over the internet.
  • Low Mileage - Low mileage vehicles can earn a substantially lower rate.
  • No Charge for an Accident - Certain companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums if you are claim-free prior to the accident.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don't apply to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like it's possible to get free car insurance, auto insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of providers with discount auto insurance rates in Colorado, click here.

Colorado auto insurance

Compare Quotes for Golden Auto Insurance

The are a couple different ways of comparing rate quotes from auto insurance companies in your area. The best method to compare insurance prices consists of shopping online. This can be done using a couple different methods.

  • The best way to compare a lot of rates at once is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This type of form prevents you from having to do multiple quote forms for every auto insurance company. Filling out one form gets you price quotes from multiple low-cost companies.
  • A less efficient way to shop for auto insurance online requires a trip to each company website to complete their respective quote request forms. For examples sake, we'll pretend you want to compare rates from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Golden, click here.
  • The most time-consuming method of getting rate comparisons is to spend your day driving to local Golden insurance agencies. Buying insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the trained guidance of a local Golden agent. It is possible to obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent.

Whichever method you choose, ensure you are comparing identical quote information on every quote you get. If the quotes have mixed coverages it's impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Golden. Slightly different coverages may cause a big price difference. Just remember that obtaining a wide range of quotes helps locate a better price.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.

  • Traffic violations increase rates - Your driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Even a single moving violation can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Careful drivers have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Drivers who get dangerous violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to prevent a license revocation.
  • Liability coverage protects you - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage in the event that a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides for a legal defense starting from day one. Liability is cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so do not skimp.
  • Having a spouse can save you money - Having a spouse helps lower the price on auto insurance. Marriage means you're more responsible and it's proven that being married results in fewer claims.
  • Drive a safer car and pay less - Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. Safer cars reduce injuries and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
  • Big city or small town - Choosing to live in a rural area has it's advantages when insuring your vehicles. Urban drivers have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accidents.
  • Proper usage rating affects rates - The higher the mileage driven in a year the higher your rates will be. Most insurance companies apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars left parked in the garage qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Make sure your auto insurance declarations sheet shows the correct usage for each vehicle.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate consistently run television and radio advertisements. All the ads have a common claim about savings if you change to their company. How does each company make almost identical claims?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no driving citations, and chooses high deductibles. A driver that hits that "sweet spot" will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Drivers who don't qualify for these standards will be charged a higher premium and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. That's the way companies can truthfully state the savings.

That is why drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Do the work, save more money

In this article, we presented a lot of ways to compare auto insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even discover the lowest priced auto insurance comes from some of the lesser-known companies. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like .

Cheap auto insurance can be sourced online and also from your neighborhood Golden agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

When buying insurance coverage, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Additional information can be found on the website for the Colorado DORA Division of Insurance located here. Colorado consumers can file complaints about a company, find out which companies have the most complaints, get help finding coverage, and find disaster information.