9 Simple Ways to Reduce Car Insurance Costs in Reading

No one in their right mind likes having to buy car insurance, especially when their premiums are too high.

Drivers have multiple to pick from, and although it's a good thing to have a choice, it can be more challenging to compare rates.

Finding the best rates in Reading is easy if you know what you're doing. Just about everyone who is required by state law to have car insurance stands a good chance to be able to lower their premiums. But Pennsylvania car owners do need to know the way insurance companies sell online because it can help you find the best coverage.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Most major insurance companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive give coverage prices directly from their websites. Getting quotes is quite simple as you just enter your personal and coverage information as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, their rating system will obtain your driving and credit reports and returns pricing information based on many factors. This helps simplify price comparisons, but the time it takes to visit different websites and enter the same data into a form can be a bit repetitive. But it's very important to compare as many rates as possible in order to get better car insurance pricing.

The easy way to compare rates

A less time-consuming method to compare rates is to use a quote form to get prices from several different companies. The form is fast, eliminates repetitive work, and makes online quotes much more efficient. After sending the form, your coverage is rated with multiple companies and you can pick any one of the returned quotes. If a lower price is quoted, you simply finish the application and purchase coverage. This process just takes a couple of minutes and you will know how your current rates stack up.

To find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and input your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it's recommended you duplicate the coverage information just like they are on your policy. This way, you will have an apples-to-apples comparison based on similar coverages.

These nine discounts can lower your rates

Car insurance companies don't list all available discounts very clearly, so we researched some of the more common as well as the least known ways to save on car insurance.

  • Homeowners Savings - Owning a home in Reading may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
  • Good Student - Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.
  • Multiple Cars - Buying coverage for all your vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Auto/Home Discount - When you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.
  • Anti-theft System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
  • Paperless Signup - Some insurance companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Low mileage vehicles could be rewarded with better rates on cars that stay parked.
  • Service Members Pay Less - Having a family member in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
  • New Car Discount - Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% compared to insuring an older model.

Drivers should understand that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn't make money that way.

For a list of insurers with discount car insurance rates in Pennsylvania, click this link.

Different people need different coverages

When it comes to choosing the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a "perfect" insurance plan. Everyone's situation is a little different so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you would benefit from professional advice.

  • When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
  • Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
  • Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
  • What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
  • Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
  • Does my personal policy cover me when driving my company car?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

More detailed Pennsylvania car insurance information is located at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website. Consumers can report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, view agent and company licensing information, and get help finding coverage.

Other useful links include this page for Pennsylvania car insurance and this page for help finding agents in Reading, PA.

Pennsylvania car insurance

Do the work, save more money

Budget-conscious car insurance can be sourced from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Reading agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers may not provide online quoting and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

You just learned some good ideas how to lower your car insurance rates. It's most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. Drivers may discover the best price on car insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates than the large multi-state companies such as .

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don't reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped liability coverage limits only to discover later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.