Tightwads Guide to Saving on Lagrange Car Insurance

Have you had enough of being strong-armed each month for car insurance? You're in the same situation as many other drivers in Ohio.

With consumers having so many options when it comes to car insurance, it can be diffult for consumers to pick the lowest cost car insurance company.

It's important to do rate comparisons before your policy renews because rates are constantly changing. If you had the lowest rates on your last policy the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Starting right now, forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you're going to learn the tricks you need to know to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

Are you getting all your discounts?

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may find discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at quote time, but lesser-known reductions have to be inquired about in order for you to get them.

  • 55 and Retired - Mature drivers can possibly qualify for reduced rates.
  • Seat Belts Save - Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Being employed by or retired from a federal job may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
  • Sign Early and Save - A few companies offer discounts for switching to them before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
  • Theft Prevention System - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Drive Less and Save - Keeping the miles down can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will help reduce the cost of coverage.

To see a list of companies with the best car insurance discounts in Ohio, click here to view.

Lagrange car insurance comparison

Comparison of Car Insurance in Lagrange

Most companies provide pricing on the web. The process is pretty easy as you just type in as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, their rating system will obtain information on your driving record and credit history and returns a price quote based on many factors. This makes comparing rates easy, but the process of having to visit each company's website and repetitively enter the same data into a form can be a bit repetitive. But it's very important to compare as many rates as possible if you want to find the best price on car insurance.

The preferred way to lower your car insurance bill utilizes a single form that gets price quotes from several companies at one time. The form is fast, requires much less work on your part, and makes online quotes much more enjoyable. After sending your information, it gets priced and you are able to buy any or none of the price quotes you receive.

If the quotes result in lower rates, you can click and sign and purchase the new policy. The whole process takes less than 15 minutes and you'll know if lower rates are available.

If you want to find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and enter your information. To compare your current rates, we recommend you complete the form with identical to your current policy. This makes sure you will have comparison quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Lagrange

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with big savings.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" companies use to determine rates.

  • Men fork out a little more - The statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, don't assume that women are better drivers. They both are in accidents in similar percentages, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also receive more costly citations such as reckless driving.
  • Never allow your policy to lapse - Driving without insurance is illegal and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage have a gap. And not only will your rates increase, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance might get you a revoked license or a big fine.Then you may be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Ohio DMV.
  • High numbers of claims are not good - If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Car insurance companies in Ohio award discounts to insureds who file claims infrequently. Insurance coverage is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • What type of vehicle do you drive? - The make and model of the vehicle you own makes a big difference in how high your rates are. The most favorable rates are generally reserved for small economy passenger cars, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
  • How's your driving record? - Your driving citation history has a big impact on rates. Good drivers receive lower rates than people who have multiple driving citations. Even one moving violation can increase rates by twenty percent. Drivers who have severe citations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to drive a vehicle legally.
  • More than one policy can earn a discount - The majority of insurers will give a discount to policyholders who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you may still want to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. Consumers may find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment - Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft devices like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder car theft.
  • Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are a lot of extra bells and whistles that you can buy on your policy. Things like rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. These may sound like a good investment at first, but if you don't need them remove them from your policy.

How can Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm save drivers who switch?

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm regularly use ads on television and other media. They all seem to make an identical promise about savings if you move to them. But how can every company make the same claim?

All the different companies can use profiling for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a desirable insured could be a mature driver, is a homeowner, and has great credit. A customer who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who are not a match for this ideal profile will have to pay more money and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state "people who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save money. That's why companies can truthfully advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers must compare as many rates as you can. Because you never know the company that will fit your personal profile best.

Affordable insurance is out there

When you buy insurance online, don't be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate.

We just showed you many tips how you can compare car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the best price on car insurance is with a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as .

Learn more today

Additional information can be found on the website for the Ohio Department of Insurance through this link. Consumers can learn about insurance regulations, find a variety of consumer forms, download brochures, and learn about specific coverages.

Additional helpful sites include this Car Insurance FAQ and this page of insurance agents in Lagrange.