Tightwads Instructions on Saving on Vicksburg Car Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced car insurance? Trust us, you're not the only one.

Lots of contend for your business, so it can be very hard to choose a to get the lowest price

It's important to price shop coverage every six months because rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal last year the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you're going to learn the only way to lower your annual insurance bill.

Save big with these discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, buy you may qualify for discounts that many people don't even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically when you complete an application, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for before they will apply.

  • Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
  • Multi-car Discount - Insuring more than one vehicle on the same car insurance policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
  • Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems can help prevent theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Homeowners Discount - Owning a house in Vicksburg may trigger a car insurance policy discount because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
  • Passive Restraints - Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can get savings of 20% or more.
  • Student Driver Training - Have your child complete a driver education course in school.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will cut your overall premium however.

To see a list of companies offering car insurance discounts in Vicksburg, follow this link.

Michigan car insurance quotes

How to Compare Car Insurance Quotes in Vicksburg, Michigan

There are several ways to compare quotes from car insurance companies in your area. The best method to find competitive insurance rates consists of shopping online. This can be done using a couple different methods.

  • The best way consumers can make multiple comparisons is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This method keeps you from doing separate quotation requests for every car insurance company. Filling out one form compares rates from car insurance companies with the best prices.
  • Another way to get quotes online is going to the website for each individual company and complete a new quote form. For instance, we'll assume you want to compare rates from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website and enter your information, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in Vicksburg, click here.
  • The least efficient method to compare rates is to drive around to different agent offices. The ability to buy insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you want the trained guidance of a local agent. You can, however, obtain prices from the web and still use a local agent and we'll talk about that later.

Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you are comparing the exact same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote. If you use different liability limits then you won't be able to make a fair comparison in Vicksburg. Just a small difference in coverages may result in large price differences. Just remember that comparing more company's prices will enable you to find the best rates.

Learn How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining your car insurance rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.

  • Where do you drive? - The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the more you will pay for car insurance. The majority of insurers rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles left parked in the garage can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Make sure your car insurance policy is showing how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.
  • Do you know your deductibles? - Physical damage insurance, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered are collision with another vehicle, damage caused by hail, and windstorm damage. Your deductibles are how much you are willing to pay before a claim is paid by your company. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the less your car insurance will be.
  • Multiple policies with one company can save - Most companies will give a discount to policyholders who carry more than one policy. It's known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can be anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you're getting this discount it's still a good idea to compare rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still be able to find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
  • Better credit scores mean better rates - Credit score is a big factor in calculating your car insurance rates. So if your credit rating is lower than you'd like, you could pay less to insure your by repairing your credit. Consumers who have good credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have poor credit.
  • Your job and insurance rates - Did you know your job can affect your rates? Jobs such as doctors, architects and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average due to high stress levels and lengthy work days. On the flip side, professions such as actors, athletes and homemakers pay the least.
  • Extra add-on coverages are wasting money - There are many extra coverages that you can buy on your policy. Coverages like roadside assistance, towing coverage and membership fees are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment initially, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Car insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you switch your policy. How do they all make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

All companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that is profitable for them. An example of a desirable insured could be over the age of 50, has no driving citations, and drives newer vehicles. A customer who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and most likely will cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who fall outside the "perfect" profile will have to pay higher rates which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "people who quote" save that kind of money. That's the way companies can truthfully claim big savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers must compare many company's rates. Because you never know which car insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Shop smart and save

When trying to cut insurance costs, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at the best price.

Cheap car insurance can be found from both online companies in addition to many Vicksburg insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis. A few companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

We just showed you a lot of information how to compare car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate quotes you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from some of the smallest insurance companies. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like .

Additional information is available on the website for the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation found here. Consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, report car insurance fraud, read consumer alerts, and find out industry alerts.