Easy Ways to Pay Less on Ponchatoula Auto Insurance

Finding lower rates for Ponchatoula auto insurance is challenging for beginners to shopping for insurance online. You have so many options available that it can be a big hassle to find lower rates in Ponchatoula.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Car insurance companies don't always list all available discounts very well, so the following is a list of some of the best known and also the lesser-known discounts you could be receiving. If you don't get every credit available, you're paying more than you need to.

Memberships - Affiliation with a professional or civic organization may earn a discount when buying auto insurance.
Accident Free - Claim-free drivers pay less when compared with bad drivers.
One Accident Forgiven - Some insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven't had any claims prior to the accident.
Passive Restraints - Vehicles equipped with air bags can receive discounts up to 30%.
Military Rewards - Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.

Keep in mind that some credits don't apply to the entire cost. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn't work that way.

To see a list of insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Louisiana, click here.

How to Compare Ponchatoula Auto Insurance Rates

There are multiple methods you can shop for auto insurance but some are less time-consuming than others. You can waste a lot of time talking about coverages with agents in Ponchatoula, or you could use online quotes for quick rates.

Many insurance companies take part in a program that enables customers to complete one form, and every company returns a rated price determined by their information. This prevents consumers from doing quote requests to each individual auto insurance company.

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

The one disadvantage to using this type of form is that you can't choose which carriers you want pricing from. So if you prefer to pick specific providers for rate comparison, we have assembled a list of companies who write auto insurance in Louisiana. Click to view list.

Whichever method you choose, ensure you're using apples-to-apples quote information for every company. If your comparisons have mixed coverages you can't possibly decipher which rate is best in Ponchatoula.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Ponchatoula

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that help determine auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

The following are some of the items companies use to determine premiums.

Do you have enough liability coverage? - Liability coverage will protect you if a jury decides you are liable for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not skimp.
Occupation reflects on rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations such as real estate brokers, social workers and stock brokers tend to pay the highest rates due to high stress and lengthy work days. On the other hand, jobs such as farmers, students and performers have the lowest average rates.
Women pay lower rates - The statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Women and men cause accidents at a similar rate, but the male of the species have costlier accidents. Men also tend to get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI. Young males are the most expensive to insure and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
Your credit rating is important - A driver's credit history is a big factor in your rate calculation. Therefore, if your credit is not that good, you could pay less to insure your by improving your rating. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with lower credit scores.
Lower rates with optional equipment - Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features such as GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder auto theft.
Traffic citations inflate rates - Whether or not you get tickets has a big impact on rates. Only having one ticket can increase rates twenty percent or more. Good drivers get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers with flagrant tickets such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with the DMV in their state in order to keep their license.
What type of vehicle do you drive? - The make and model of the vehicle you are insuring makes a significant difference in your rates. The lowest base rates are usually for small economy passenger cars, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Having a spouse can save you money - Getting married can get you a discount on auto insurance. Having a spouse is viewed as being more mature and statistics show drivers who are married are more cautious.

The auto insurance bait and switch

Louisiana drivers can't get away from ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies have a common claim that you can save after switching to them.

But how can every company say the same thing? It's all in the numbers.

All companies can use profiling for the type of driver that is profitable for them. A good example of a profitable customer might be profiled as over the age of 40, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A propective insured that hits that "sweet spot" receives the best rates and therefore will save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who don't measure up to this ideal profile must pay more money and this can result in business not being written. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That's why insurance companies can advertise the way they do. This illustrates why drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. It's not possible to predict the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Best coverage at the best price

Affordable auto insurance can be sourced on the web and with local Ponchatoula insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some auto insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

Drivers change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including questionable increases in premium, high rates after DUI convictions, denial of a claim or poor customer service. Regardless of your reason, finding a new auto insurance company is actually quite simple.

In this article, we covered a lot of ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest premiums are with a small mutual company.

Additional detailed information can be read at the Louisiana Department of Insurance website. Louisiana drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, read industry bulletins, and learn about insurance regulations.

Additional helpful sites include this link for Louisiana auto insurance quotes and this link which helps you find a Ponchatoula agent.