9 Methods to Save on Car Insurance in Grand Haven, MI

Paying for high-priced car insurance can overdraw your checking account and put a big crunch on your finances. Comparison shopping is a smart way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket.

Insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive persitently shower you with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

How to Buy Grand Haven Car Insurance Online

The are a couple different ways to compare rate quotes from local Grand Haven car insurance companies. One of the best ways to find the lowest rates is to perform an online rate comparison. This is very easy and can be done in a couple of different ways.

The fastest way consumers can make multiple comparisons is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This method prevents you from having to do separate forms for each company you want a rate for. One form will get you rate comparisons from several companies.
A different way to shop for car insurance online requires you to visit each individual company website to request a price quote. For examples sake, we'll pretend you want comparison quotes from , and . To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method.

For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Grand Haven, click here.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just make darn sure you compare exactly the same coverage information for each price quote. If you use unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be next to impossible to truly determine the lowest rate in Grand Haven. Just a small difference in coverages may result in large price differences. And when comparison shopping, comparing more company's prices will increase your chances of finding the best offered rates.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies offering auto insurance don't always advertise all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the more common and the more hidden car insurance savings.

Multiple Vehicles - Buying insurance for multiple vehicles with the same company could earn a price break for each car.
Student in College - Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
55 and Retired - If you're over the age of 55, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
Military Discounts - Having a deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
Theft Prevention Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Payment Method - If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
Organization Discounts - Belonging to a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break when buying car insurance.
Driver Safety - Successfully completing a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
Paperless Signup - A few companies will give a small break for buying your policy digitally online.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

To choose insurers who offer car insurance discounts in Grand Haven, follow this link.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. All the companies say the same thing about savings after switching your policy. How can each company make the same claim?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer could be between the ages of 40 and 55, insures multiple vehicles, and has great credit. Any new insured who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Drivers who don't qualify for the requirements must pay higher premiums which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state "people who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings. This illustrates why you need to get as many quotes as possible. It's just too difficult to predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

Insurance agents can help

When buying the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a "perfect" insurance plan. Each situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. For example, these questions may help you determine whether your personal situation will benefit from professional help.

Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Grand Haven?
Should I buy additional glass protection?
Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
Am I getting all the discounts available?
Are rental cars covered under my policy?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Even more information can be found at the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation website. Consumers can report car insurance fraud, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, learn about insurance regulations, and view a list of available companies.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Cheaper car insurance can be bought from both online companies in addition to many Grand Haven insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who do not provide online price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your focus should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.