Comparing Low-Cost Pottsville Auto Insurance

Have you had enough of trying to scrape together enough money each month for car insurance? You're in the same situation as the majority of other car owners in Pennsylvania.

Having so many online and local companies to choose from, it can be impossible to choose the most affordable car insurance company.

How to Compare Auto Insurance Costs in Pottsville

There are multiple methods you can shop for auto insurance and some are easier and takes less work. You could spend your day talking to insurance companies in Pottsville, or you could save time and use online quoting to get the quickest rates.

All the larger companies participate in a marketplace that enables customers to submit one quote, and each company provides a quote based on that data. This system prevents you from having to do quote forms to each individual auto insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click here (opens in new window).

One minor caviat to getting quotes like this is you cannot specify which companies to get pricing from. So if you want to select specific insurance companies to compare rates, we put together a list of auto insurance companies in Pennsylvania. Click to view list.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just double check that you are using apples-to-apples information for every quote you compare. If you have higher or lower deductibles it's impossible to determine the best price in Pottsville. Having just a slight variation in coverages could mean much higher rates. It's important to know that having more price comparisons provides better odds of finding the best price.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

It's important that you understand the rating factors that help determine auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that could result in big savings.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" that factor into premiums.

Safer cars are cheaper to insure - Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have better insurance rates. Safe vehicles have better occupant injury protection and better occupant protection translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims passed on to you as lower rates.
Your car's features help determine rates - Driving a car with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your vehicle from being stolen.
Big city or small town - Being located in less populated areas is a positive aspect when buying auto insurance. Drivers in populated areas have to deal with more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents.
More than one policy can earn a discount - Many auto insurance companies will award you with lower prices to people who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
High numbers of claims are not good - Auto insurance companies in Pennsylvania give discounts to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you frequently file small claims, you can expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations such as lawyers, executives and stock brokers are shown to have the highest rates because of high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. On the other hand, jobs such as farmers, students and performers pay the least.
Being married can save on auto insurance - Having a spouse can get you a discount on your auto insurance policy. Having a spouse usually means you are more responsible and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Companies that sell car insurance do not list all available discounts very well, so we took the time to find some of the best known as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance.

Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Fewer annual miles can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
Payment Method - If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.
Auto/Home Discount - When you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you will save approximately 10% to 15%.
Theft Prevention System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
Driver's Ed - Require your teen driver to enroll in driver's education if it's offered in school.
No Claims - Claim-free drivers can save substantially when compared with frequent claim filers.

As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, auto insurance companies aren't that generous.

For a list of insurers who offer auto insurance discounts in Pennsylvania, click this link.

Even more information can be found at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website. Pennsylvania drivers can find disaster information, view a list of available companies, view agent and company licensing information, and read consumer alerts.

Other useful links include this page for auto insurance prices in Pennsylvania and this page of Pottsville insurance agents.

Final considerations

Cheap auto insurance can be purchased on the web in addition to many Pottsville insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who do not provide online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When you buy insurance online, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.