Tightwads Tips for Saving on Huntsburg Car Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me, you are not the only one feeling buyer's remorse. There is such a variety of to pick from, and even though it's nice to have multiple companies, so many choices can make it hard to compare rates.

It's important to get comparison quotes at least once a year due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best price six months ago a different company probably has better rates today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because we're going to demonstrate the quickest way to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

Buying car insurance in Huntsburg is quite easy. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these methods. Ohio drivers only need an understanding of the most efficient way to get comparison quotes on the web.

Take advantage of discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don't list every available discount very clearly, so we took the time to find both the well known as well as the least known car insurance savings. If you're not getting every credit possible, you are throwing money away.

  • Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems may earn rate discounts of up to 25% or more.
  • Low Mileage - Low mileage vehicles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
  • Multiple Cars - Insuring all your vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Discount for Life Insurance - Larger companies have a discount if you purchase life insurance.
  • Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may receive a discount up to 10%.
  • Federal Government Employee - Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
  • Military Discounts - Having a deployed family member could be rewarded with lower premiums.
  • Safety Course Discount - Successfully completing a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given the the whole policy. Most cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

Ohio car insurance

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are a few of the "ingredients" that factor into your rates.

  • Bad driving skills means higher rates - Your driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Drivers with clean records have lower premiums than their less careful counterparts. Just one citation may increase your cost forty percent or more. Drivers who get dangerous violations like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to prevent a license revocation.
  • High crash test scores lower rates - Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
  • Adjust deductibles and save - Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, and windstorm damage. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the less your car insurance will be.
  • Where you live is a factor - Choosing to live in small towns and rural areas has it's advantages when talking about car insurance. City drivers tend to have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents.
  • Males pay more for insurance - Statistics demonstrate that women are safer drivers than men. Now that doesn't mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Both sexes tend to get into accidents in similar percentages, but men tend to have more serious accidents. Men also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving.
  • Keep rates low by being claim-free - If you frequently file small claims, you can pretty much guarantee either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Insurance companies in Ohio provide lower rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Your insurance policy is intended for the large, substantial claims.
  • Proper usage rating affects rates - The higher the mileage driven in a year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars determined by how the vehicle is used. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Double check that your car insurance declarations sheet shows the correct usage for each vehicle.

Are car insurance companies telling the truth?

Consumers in Ohio get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings from companies such as State Farm and Allstate. All the ads say the same thing of big savings if you change your policy.

How does each company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a preferred risk might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has a high credit rating. Any driver who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and most likely will save when switching.

Drivers who don't qualify for these standards will be charged higher premiums which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that kind of money. That's the way insurance companies can confidently state the savings. That is why drivers should get as many quotes as possible. You cannot predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Find out more about car insurance

More tips and info about car insurance can be found at the Ohio Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to file complaints about a company, find disaster information, report car insurance fraud, and view agent and company licensing information.

Also read more on NAIC.org's Understanding your Policy and this directory of Huntsburg insurance agents.

car insurance in Huntsburg

In the end, you save

We just presented many ways to reduce car insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from some of the lesser-known companies. Regional companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like .

Cost effective car insurance can be sourced both online in addition to many Huntsburg insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

As you restructure your insurance plan, make sure you don't skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to discover later that they should have had better coverage. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.