Free Guide to Spending Less for Peninsula Auto Insurance Online

Are you sick and tired of scraping the payment together each month for car insurance? You are in the same boat as the majority of other car owners in Ohio.

Big-name insurance companies like GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with ad campaigns and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

It's important to price shop coverage before your policy renews because insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best rates a year ago a different company probably has better rates today. You'll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about auto insurance online but I'm going to show you some great ways to find cheap auto insurance.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you should be able to reduce your rates substantially using these techniques. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Peninsula is easy if you know what you're doing. But Ohio drivers do need to know the methods companies use to sell online.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don't list all their discounts in a way that's easy to find, so the following is a list of both well-publicized as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance.

Homeowners Pay Less - Owning a house in Peninsula may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.
No Claims - Claim-free drivers pay less as compared to drivers who are more careless.
Clubs and Organizations - Participating in a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings on auto insurance.
Drive Less and Save - Low mileage vehicles could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.
Seat Belts Save more than Lives - Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts could save 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Discount for New Cars - Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
Pay Now and Pay Less - If paying your policy premium upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
Safety Course Discount - Successfully completing a course in driver safety could save 5% or more if you qualify.
Passive Restraint Discount - Factory air bags can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.

Consumers should know that many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are some of the items that factor into rates.

Bump up deductibles to save - Insurance for physical damage to your car, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, and burglary. Physical damage deductibles are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Do you work long hours in a high stress job? - Jobs such as real estate brokers, executives and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates because of stressful work requirements and long work days. Other jobs such as farmers, historians and retirees pay the least.
Liability coverage is peace of mind - Your policy's liability coverage will protect you if ever a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court which can be incredibly expensive. This coverage is very inexpensive as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should carry high limits.
Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance - Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. These vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates - Driving your car without having proper coverage is a misdemeanor and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage have a gap. And not only will insurance be more expensive, failure to provide proof of insurance may earn you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
Proper usage rating affects rates - The higher the mileage driven every year the more you will pay for auto insurance. The majority of insurers apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Autos used primarily for pleasure use get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Double check that your auto insurance declarations sheet is rated on the correct usage for each vehicle.
Lower rates with optional equipment - Driving a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention devices such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.
Don't get talked into coverage you don't need - There are quite a few extra bells and whistles that you can buy on your auto insurance policy. Insurance for personal injury protection, towing coverage and membership fees may be wasting your money. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

The auto insurance bait and switch

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive consistently run ads in print and on television. They all seem to make the same claim that you'll save big if you change your policy. How can each company make almost identical claims?

Insurance companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a desirable insured could possibly be over the age of 40, is a homeowner, and has excellent credit. A driver who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who don't measure up to the requirements will have to pay more money which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that kind of money. That's why companies can make those claims. Because of the profiling, drivers should get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.

Learn more today

More detailed Ohio auto insurance information can be read at the Ohio Department of Insurance website. Ohio consumers can report car insurance fraud, read industry bulletins, find out which companies have the most complaints, and find disaster information.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Discount auto insurance can be sourced online in addition to many Peninsula insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

While you're price shopping online, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, an accident victim reduced full coverage and found out when filing a claim they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford.