How to Know You're Throwing Money Away for Car Insurance in Latrobe

Have you had enough of being strong-armed each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other drivers in Pennsylvania.

You have multiple to buy insurance from, and although it's a good thing to be able to choose, having more makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to do rate comparisons before your policy renews due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the best rates last year you can probably find a better price now. There is too much inaccurate information about car insurance on the internet, so I'm going to show you some great ways to quit paying high car insurance rates.

This article will let you in on the most effective way to quote insurance and some tips to save money. If you have car insurance now, you should be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. But Pennsylvania consumers do need to know the way companies determine prices.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Latrobe

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.

The list below includes some of the items companies use to determine rates.

  • Sex matters - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. However, don't assume that women are better drivers. Women and men tend to get into accidents at a similar rate, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also have more aggressive citations like DUI and reckless driving.
  • Rates may be lower depending on your job - Jobs such as real estate brokers, executives and financial analysts tend to pay higher average rates because of stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. Conversely, professions such as farmers, engineers and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
  • Special features that cut premiums - Driving a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft devices such as GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.
  • With age comes lower rates - Youthful drivers in Pennsylvania tend to be more careless in a vehicle so they pay higher car insurance rates. Mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
  • Multiple policies with one company can save - The majority of car insurance companies will give a discount to insureds who carry more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, you still need to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. Consumers may find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
  • Extra add-on coverages are wasting money - There are a lot of extra bells and whistles that you can buy when buying car insurance. Coverages for roadside assistance, towing coverage and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but if you don't need them eliminate them to save money.
  • Safer occupants lowers premiums - Cars with high safety ratings tend to have better insurance rates. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.
  • Bad driving skills means higher rates - Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Good drivers have lower premiums than people who have multiple driving citations. Only having one ticket can increase rates by twenty percent. Drivers who have severe citations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to drive a vehicle legally.

Latrobe car insurance comparison

Save big with these discounts

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may find discounts to help offset the cost. Certain discounts will be applied when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be asked for prior to getting the savings.

  • Senior Citizens - If you're over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for reduced rates.
  • Accident Free - Claim-free drivers pay less as compared to accident-prone drivers.
  • Pay Upfront and Save - If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
  • College Student - Any of your kids living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
  • Anti-theft Discount - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
  • Drivers Education - Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course in high school.
  • Drive Less and Save - Keeping the miles down could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.
  • Homeowners Pay Less - Owning a house in Latrobe may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home demonstrates responsibility.
  • Defensive Driving Course - Completing a defensive driving course could save 5% or more if your company offers it.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, companies don't profit that way. But all discounts will bring down your overall premium however.

To choose companies with the best car insurance discounts in Pennsylvania, click this link.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Car insurance companies such as Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm regularly use ads on TV and radio. They all seem to make the same claim that you'll save big if you move to them. How does each company claim to save you money?

All companies can use profiling for the type of driver that makes them money. A good example of a desirable insured might be between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and drives newer vehicles. Any driver who matches those parameters receives the best rates and most likely will save when switching.

Potential customers who fall outside these standards will have to pay a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save money. That's why companies can claim big savings.

Because of the profiling, you should get as many comparisons as possible. You cannot predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

Much more information about car insurance in Pennsylvania can be read on the website for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department located here. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, read industry bulletins, view a list of available companies, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Final considerations

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's very important that you do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.

Discount car insurance is possible both online and with local Latrobe insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. A few companies do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.