How to Know You're Paying Too Much for Auto Insurance in New Albany

I can't think of anyone who looks forward to paying for auto insurance, especially knowing they are paying too much. Companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive all promote huge savings with fancy advertisements and it is difficult to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

If you have insurance now or need new coverage, you will benefit by learning to find the best rates while maximizing coverage. Finding the best rates in New Albany is easy if you know what you're doing. Ohio vehicle owners just need to know the most efficient way to shop for auto insurance online.

Tips to Get Lower New Albany Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

Listed below are a partial list of the pieces used by your company to calculate prices.

Frequent auto insurance claims increase rates - Companies in Ohio provide cheaper rates to people who do not file claims often. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for larger claims.
A clean driving record saves money - Even one citation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don't get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. If you have serious violations like DUI or reckless driving may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
Consolidate policies to earn discounts - Most companies provide better rates to people who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even though this discount sounds good, it's in your best interest to comparison shop to verify if the discount is saving money.
Your job and insurance rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Careers like judges, architects and dentists have the highest average rates in part from stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. Other occupations such as scientists, historians and homemakers get better rates.

These discounts can lower your rates

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, buy you may qualify for discounts that many people don't even know exist. Certain discounts will be applied when you get a quote, but a few must be manually applied before you will receive the discount. If you aren't receiving every discount you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.

Federal Employees - Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
Early Signing - Select companies give a discount for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Drivers Ed for Students - Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver's ed class in school.
Claim Free - Good drivers with no accidents pay much less when compared to accident-prone drivers.
Defensive Driver - Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills can save you 5% or more if your company offers it.
New Vehicle Savings - Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
Low Mileage Discounts - Driving fewer miles could be rewarded with lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Paperwork-free - Certain companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Cars that have air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.

Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn't make money that way. But all discounts will reduce the cost of coverage.

To choose insurance companies offering auto insurance discounts in New Albany, follow this link.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Ohio drivers can't ignore all the ads for cheaper car insurance from the likes of Progressive, Allstate and GEICO. They all say the same thing that you'll save big if you switch your coverage to them.

How can each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of customer that makes them money. For instance, a driver they prefer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Drivers who are not a match for the requirements will be quoted higher premiums which usually ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is "drivers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much money. That is how companies can advertise the way they do.

This emphasizes why you should get quotes from several different companies. It's not possible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Different people need different coverages

When buying the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a single plan that fits everyone. Everyone's situation is unique and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you might need an agent's assistance.

Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It is quick, free and may give you better protection.

Additional Ohio consumer information

Much more information about auto insurance in Ohio is located on the website for the Ohio Department of Insurance. Click here for link. Ohio drivers can download brochures, file complaints about a company, read consumer alerts, and read industry bulletins.

And the best car insurance company is...

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of tips how to save on auto insurance. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from a smaller regional carrier. Some small companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than the large multi-state companies such as .

When shopping online for auto insurance, it's not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are too many instances where someone dropped collision coverage and learned later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.