Easy Methods to Save Money on Westwego Auto Insurance

If online auto insurance comparisons are new to you, you may be overwhelmed by the large number of auto insurance companies all offering big savings in Westwego.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies offering auto insurance don't necessarily list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of both well-publicized as well as the least known ways to save on auto insurance. If they aren't giving you every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

Homeowners Savings - Owning a home in Westwego may earn you a small savings because of the fact that having a home demonstrates responsibility.
Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can get savings of 20% or more.
No Claims - Good drivers with no accidents pay less when compared with drivers who are more careless.
Clubs and Organizations - Participating in certain professional organizations could trigger savings when buying auto insurance.
Federal Employees - Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.
Student in College - Any of your kids living away from home attending college without a vehicle on campus can be insured at a reduced rate.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won't be that lucky.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that could result in better auto insurance rates.

What are your deductibles? - Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. Insurance for physical damage to your car, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be colliding with a building, vandalism, and burglary. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be.
Clean credit earns discounts - A driver's credit rating is a important factor in determining your rates. Consumers who have excellent credit tend to be less risk to insure than those with lower credit ratings. If your credit history can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your by repairing your credit.
Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Occupations such as real estate brokers, executives and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average because of high stress levels and long work hours. On the flip side, occupations such as scientists, athletes and the unemployed pay the least.
Liability coverage is cheap - The liability section of your policy is the coverage that protects you if a court rules you are at fault for damages caused by your negligence. Liability provides you with a defense in court up to the limits shown on your policy. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so drivers should carry high limits.

Different people need different coverages

When it comes to buying coverage for your vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you might need professional guidance.

When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
Are rental cars covered under my policy?
Do I qualify for additional discounts?
Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It's fast, doesn't cost anything and can help protect your family.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Louisiana consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance from companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies make the same claim about savings if you move your policy.

How do they all make almost identical claims?

Different companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a profitable customer could possibly be between 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and drives newer vehicles. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and as a result will probably cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who are not a match for the "perfect" profile must pay higher rates which leads to the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully claim big savings. This illustrates why drivers should get as many quotes as possible. It's impossible to know which company will give you the biggest savings.

Even more information can be read at the Louisiana Department of Insurance website. Louisiana consumers can report car insurance fraud, find out industry alerts, and read industry bulletins.

And the best car insurance company is...

Cheaper auto insurance is definitely available online in addition to many Westwego insurance agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. A few companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

You just read some good ideas how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with the least-expected company.

Insureds who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as lack of trust in their agent, poor customer service, high rates after DUI convictions and even questionable increases in premium. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new insurance company is less work than it seems.