7 Shopping Tips Guaranteed to Slash the Cost of Car Insurance Costs in Oak Harbor

I can't think of anyone who enjoys paying for car insurance, especially when the cost is way too high.

Because you have many choices, it's nearly impossible to find the lowest cost insurer.

It's important to do rate comparisons periodically since rates are constantly changing. If you had the best price two years ago you can probably find a better price now. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because you're about to learn the fastest and easiest way to buy cheaper car insurance.

Oak Harbor car insurance comparison

Save big with these seven discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don't always advertise all their discounts very well, so we took the time to find some of the more common and the harder-to-find ways to save on car insurance.

  • New Car Discount - Insuring a new car can cost up to 25% less because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts up to 30%.
  • Federal Employees - Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with select insurance companies.
  • Sign Early and Save - Select companies give a discount for switching to them prior to your current policy expiration. It can save you around 10%.
  • Braking Control Discount - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Theft Prevention Discount - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • More Vehicles More Savings - Insuring multiple cars or trucks with the same company qualifies for this discount.

It's important to note that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you're out of luck.

To choose companies with the best car insurance discounts in Ohio, 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 can save if you move to them. But how can every company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a desirable insured could be over the age of 50, a clean driving record, and chooses high deductibles. Any new insured who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Potential customers who fall outside this ideal profile will have to pay a higher premium which leads to business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save money. That is how insurance companies can state the savings. Because of the profiling, you should get a wide range of price quotes. It's just too difficult to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no "perfect" insurance plan. Every insured's situation is different so this has to be addressed. These are some specific questions may help highlight if your situation may require specific advice.

  • Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
  • Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
  • Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
  • Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to an agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Additional Ohio consumer information

Additional detailed information can be found at the Ohio Department of Insurance website. Consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, find out industry alerts, download brochures, and file complaints about a company.

Other informative sites include Auto Insurance 101 and this page where you can research Oak Harbor insurance agents.

Ohio car insurance

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

When buying insurance coverage, don't be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. There are many occasions where someone dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to buy the best coverage you can find for the lowest price.

You just learned some good ideas how to save on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even discover the biggest savings come from a lesser-known regional company. Some small companies often have lower prices on specific markets than their larger competitors like .