Easy Techniques to Spend Less on St Clair Shores Car Insurance

Purchasing affordable St Clair Shores car insurance online is intimidating for consumers not familiar with online price comaprisons. Since there are so many companies competing online, how can consumers even start to compare every company to locate the best available rates?

How much can you save with discounts?

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but you can get discounts to cut the cost considerably. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time of purchase, but some may not be applied and must be inquired about prior to receiving the credit.

  • Government Employees - Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off with a few car insurance companies.
  • Distant Student - Youth drivers living away from home attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
  • New Car Discount - Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
  • Early Switch Discount - Select companies give a discount for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. It's a savings of about 10%.
  • Good Student Discount - Performing well in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. The good student discount can last well after school through age 25.
  • 55 and Retired - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get better car insurance rates.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comp or med pay. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

St Clair Shores Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that help determine your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels enables informed choices that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

  • Your car insurance rates can be influenced by your job - Did you know your job can affect your rates? Careers like real estate brokers, social workers and stock brokers tend to have the highest rates in part from high stress levels and long work days. On the other hand, occupations like pilots, students and performers receive lower rates.
  • Older drivers pay less - Young drivers in Michigan are known to be careless and easily distracted when driving so car insurance rates are higher. If you've ever had to add a teenage driver to your car insurance policy can be very expensive. More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
  • What type of vehicle do you drive? - The performance of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in determining your rates. The cheapest insurance rates are generally reserved for lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
  • Increase deductibles and save - The deductibles define the amount you are required to spend in the event of a claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are running into the backend of another car, damage caused by hail, and windstorm damage. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.
  • Your car's features help determine rates - Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping auto theft.

How much car insurance do I need?

When it comes to buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone's situation is unique.

For example, these questions may help you determine if your insurance needs will benefit from professional help.

  • Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
  • Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in St Clair Shores?
  • Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
  • Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
  • Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Michigan?
  • Am I covered by my employer's commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
  • When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?

If you can't answer these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

Car insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all have a common claim about savings after switching to their company. But how can every company make the same claim? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a driver they prefer could be between the ages of 40 and 55, insures multiple vehicles, and has great credit. A customer that hits that "sweet spot" receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Potential customers who don't meet this ideal profile will be quoted higher prices and this can result in business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings.

This emphasizes why drivers should get as many quotes as possible. Because you never know which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

More sites with car insurance information

Additional information can be read on the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation website. Click here for link. Consumers can read industry bulletins, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and learn about specific coverages.

Also read more on this online resource for car insurance quotes in Michigan and this list of insurance agents in St Clair Shores.

St Clair Shores car insurance comparison

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Drivers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including high rates after DUI convictions, not issuing a premium refund, high prices and even lack of trust in their agent. It doesn't matter what your reason, switching car insurance companies is less work than it seems.

When you buy insurance online, don't be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

We just showed you a lot of techniques to reduce car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more price quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced car insurance comes from a smaller regional carrier.