Tightwads Tips for Saving on Warrendale Car Insurance

Are you tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other drivers in Pennsylvania. You have multiple to pick from, and although it's nice to be able to choose, having more makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to do rate comparisons once or twice a year due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal a year ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. So forget all the misinformation about car insurance because I'm going to teach you the proper way to remove unneeded coverages and save money.

Finding affordable coverage in Warrendale is easy if you know what you're doing. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using this information. Pennsylvania vehicle owners just need to know the most efficient way to compare rates online.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Warrendale

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get lower car insurance prices.

Listed below are some of the factors companies use to determine your rates.

How many coverages with the same company - Most companies give discounts to insureds who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it's still a good idea to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still be able to find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
Your car's features help determine rates - Driving a car with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft features such as GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder your car from being stolen.
Your credit rating is important - Your credit score is a big factor in your rate calculation. If your credit score is lower than you'd like, you could save money insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records as compared to drivers with poor credit.
Your location is important - Being located in a rural area has it's advantages when talking about car insurance. City drivers regularly have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Fewer people means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
Teen drivers pay high rates - Youthful drivers in Pennsylvania are statistically proven to be less responsible in a vehicle so they pay higher car insurance rates. Mature drivers tend to be more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers.
Battle of the sexes - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that women are better drivers. Women and men have accidents at about the same rate, but men cause more damage. Men also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Teenage male drivers are the most expensive to insure and are penalized with high car insurance rates.
Low deductibles can be expensive - Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims would be collision with another vehicle, damage caused by hail, or theft. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more money you're willing to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.

Compare the Market for Car Insurance in Warrendale

Reducing your insurance rates is a fairly straight forward process. Consumers just need to take a couple of minutes comparing rate quotes from different insurance companies. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The fastest way to get the best comparison quotes is a comparison rater form click to view form in new window. This method eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions for every car insurance company. Taking the time to complete one form compares rates from multiple companies.
A slightly less efficient method to shop for car insurance online is going to the website for each individual company and fill out their own quote form. For sake of this example, we'll pretend you want rates from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company's site and enter your information, which is why the first method is quicker.

For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Warrendale, click here.
The least efficient way to compare rates is to waste gas driving to insurance agents' offices. The internet eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you want the personal advice of a local agent. You can, however, find lower rates online but buy from a local insurance agent and you'll learn how to do that later.

Whichever way you use, double check that you are using identical coverage limits and deductibles for every quote you compare. If each company quotes different liability limits then you won't be able to determine the best price in Warrendale.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies offering auto insurance don't always advertise every available discount very clearly, so here is a list both the well known and also the lesser-known car insurance savings. If you're not getting every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.

Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Military Rewards - Having a deployed family member could mean lower rates.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
Discount for Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
Resident Student - Children who live away from home and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
Senior Citizens - If you're over the age of 55, you may qualify for reduced rates.
Homeowners Pay Less - Being a homeowner may trigger a car insurance policy discount because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
Passive Restraints - Vehicles with factory air bags may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
Payment Discounts - If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

To choose providers offering car insurance discounts in Pennsylvania, follow this link.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Consumers in Pennsylvania can't ignore all the ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like Allstate and Progressive. All the ads say the same thing that you'll save big if you switch to them.

How does each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

All companies can use profiling for the type of driver that makes them money. An example of a preferred risk might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has excellent credit. Any driver who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who don't qualify for these standards will be charged higher prices which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That's why companies can make those claims. That is why you need to get as many quotes as possible. You cannot predict the company that will have the lowest rates.

More detailed Pennsylvania car insurance information is available at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, view a list of available companies, find out industry alerts, and view agent and company licensing information.

Other informative sites include BankRate.com's Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this Warrendale agent directory.

A tidy conclusion

While you're price shopping online, make sure you don't reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn't purchase enough coverage. The aim is to get the best coverage possible at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Discount car insurance can be found both online and with local Warrendale insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies do not offer online price quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.