8 Tricks Shown to Save Money on Car Insurance Costs in Pittsburgh, PA

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced car insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you there are lots of people in the same boat.

You have multiple to pick 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 every six months since rates are constantly changing. If you had the lowest rates six months ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Starting now, block out anything you think you know about car insurance because we're going to show you the tricks you need to know to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

Pennsylvania car insurance

Comprehensive Pittsburgh Car Insurance Comparison

There are several ways to compare car insurance prices but some are easier and takes less work. You can spend your afternoon talking to insurance companies in Pittsburgh, or you could save time and use the internet to get prices fast.

Most of the larger companies take part in a program that allows shoppers to send in one quote, and each company can provide price quotes based on the submitted data. This system prevents you from having to do form submissions to each individual car insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.

The only drawback to getting quotes like this is you cannot specify which providers you will receive quotes from. If you prefer to choose from a list of companies to compare rates, we put together a list of car insurance companies in Pennsylvania. View list of Pennsylvania insurance companies.

It's up to you how you get prices quotes, just ensure you are comparing identical coverages for every quote you compare. If you enter different limits and deductibles on each one it will be impossible to determine the best price in Pittsburgh. Having just a slight variation in coverages can mean a large discrepancy in price. Just remember that more quotes helps you find lower pricing.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Car insurance companies do not advertise every available discount very clearly, so we break down some of the more common as well as the least known ways to save on car insurance.

  • Discount for Good Grades - This discount can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply up to age 25.
  • Organization Discounts - Belonging to a qualifying organization could trigger savings on your policy.
  • Federal Government Employee - Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
  • Multi-policy Discount - If you insure your home and vehicles with one company you may save at least 10% off all policies.
  • Braking Control Discount - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and will save you 10% or more.
  • Accident Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially compared to accident-prone drivers.
  • More Vehicles More Savings - Buying insurance for multiple cars or trucks with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • No Charge for an Accident - Certain companies will forgive one accident before hitting you with a surcharge if you are claim-free for a set time period.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, car insurance companies aren't that generous.

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

Is there truth in advertising?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the ads make the same claim about savings if you move to them. How does each company make the same claim?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a preferred risk could be between 25 and 40, has no driving citations, and has a high credit rating. Any new insured who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who don't measure up to these standards will be charged higher prices which leads to business going elsewhere. The ad wording is "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That's the way companies can truthfully state the savings. That is why you need to get as many comparisons as possible. It's just too difficult to predict which car insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Even more information can be found at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website. Consumers can file complaints about a company, find out which companies have the most complaints, download brochures, and view agent and company licensing information.

Other informative sites include NAIC.org's Understanding your Policy and this directory of insurance agents in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

Shop smart and save

You just learned some good ideas how to compare car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. You may even find the most savings is with a small local company. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like .

Cheap car insurance is definitely available from both online companies and with local Pittsburgh insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.