Quote Palm Desert Auto Insurance Prices With These Tricks

Saving money on Palm Desert auto insurance is nearly impossible for consumers new to shopping for insurance online. You have so many companies to choose from that it can easily become more work than you anticipated to find the best price in Palm Desert.

It's important to compare prices once or twice a year because prices are constantly changing. If you had the best deal a couple years back you will most likely find a better rate today. Starting right now, forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the only way to find lower rates on auto insurance.

Buying the cheapest auto insurance coverage in Palm Desert is simple if you know the tricks. Basically, every vehicle owner who is required by state law to have auto insurance should be able to save money. But California drivers do need to know how big insurance companies determine prices and take advantage of how the system works.

Save big with these discounts

Car insurance is not cheap, but discounts can save money and there are some available to help offset the cost. A few discounts will automatically apply when you get a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about before you will receive the discount.

Anti-theft Discount - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Driver's Ed - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver's ed class in high school.
Lower Rates for Military - Having a family member in the military can result in better rates.
Good Students Pay Less - Performing well in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts up to age 25.
Clubs and Organizations - Participating in a professional or civic organization could trigger savings on your policy.
More Vehicles More Savings - Insuring multiple cars or trucks on one policy qualifies for this discount.
Claim Free - Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts compared to drivers who are more careless.
Low Mileage - Keeping the miles down can qualify you for better rates on cars that stay parked.
One Accident Forgiven - Some insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up if you are claim-free prior to the accident.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to the entire cost. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way. But all discounts will help reduce your overall premium however.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Companies like Allstate and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the ads make the same claim that you'll save big if you move your coverage to them. But how can every company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

All companies can use profiling for the type of customer that earns them a profit. An example of a preferred risk could possibly be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Drivers who fall outside this ideal profile will be charged higher premiums which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. That's why companies can advertise the way they do.

That is why you should get as many comparisons as possible. It's impossible to know the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

More California auto insurance information

Much more information about auto insurance in California is available on the California Department of Insurance website. Click here for link. California consumers can read consumer alerts, download brochures, and find disaster information.

Also read more on BankRate.com's Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this Palm Desert agent directory.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, don't be tempted to buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. Too many times, an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The aim is to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

Insureds who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, extreme rates for teen drivers, unfair underwriting practices and even poor customer service. Whatever your reason, switching auto insurance companies is less work than it seems.

You just read some good ideas how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even find the best prices are with a lesser-known regional company.