Tightwads Guide to Saving on Wilson Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us, there are many people just like you.

Having so many online and local companies to choose from, it's difficult to find the cheapest insurance company.

It's important to price shop coverage at least once a year because prices are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the best rates last year there is a good chance you can find better rates now. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding auto insurance on the web, but I'm going to show you some great ways to reduce your auto insurance bill.

Choosing the best insurance company for you in Wilson is not that difficult. If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to reduce your rates substantially using these techniques. Although Louisiana consumers do need to know the way companies compete online.

Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with big savings.

The following are some of the items that factor into rates.

Rate your vehicle for proper use - Driving more miles in a year the more you will pay for auto insurance. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Ask your agent if your auto insurance coverage properly reflects the proper vehicle usage.
Add-on coverages can add up - There are a ton of extra coverages that you can buy when buying auto insurance. Things like personal injury protection, towing coverage and membership fees are some examples. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.
Teen drivers pay high rates - Youthful drivers in Louisiana are known to be more careless when behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher. Older insureds are viewed as being more responsible, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
Multiple policies with one company can save - Many insurance companies will give a discount to insureds who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to comparison shop to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
Being married is a good thing - Getting married can get you a discount on auto insurance. It usually means you are more responsible and it's proven that being married results in fewer claims.
Optional equipment can affect rates - Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart auto theft.
Don't skimp on liability - Liability coverage provides coverage if ever you are found liable for damages caused by your negligence. Liability insurance provides you with a defense in court which can cost thousands of dollars. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not skimp.

Quick Wilson Auto Insurance Quotes

There are multiple methods to compare auto insurance prices and some are more efficient than others. You can spend your afternoon talking about coverages with agents in Wilson, or you could save time and use the web to get the quickest rates.

Most of the larger companies are enrolled in a marketplace that enables customers to submit one quote, and at least one company then returns a price quote determined by their information. This prevents consumers from doing quote requests to each individual auto insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click here to open in new window.

The one disadvantage to getting quotes like this is you can't choose which providers you want to price. So if you want to select specific insurance companies for rate comparison, we put together a list of auto insurance companies in Louisiana. Click to view list.

However you get your quotes, compare apples-to-apples coverage information for each comparison quote. If your comparisons have unequal deductibles or liability limits it's not possible to determine the lowest rate in Wilson. Slightly different coverages may result in large price differences. Just keep in mind that comparing more company's prices provides better odds of finding the best offered rates.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Companies that sell car insurance do not advertise all their discounts very well, so the following is a list of both the well known as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.

Life Insurance Discount - Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
Driver Safety - Taking part in a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
College Student - Youth drivers living away from home attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
Theft Prevention System - Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
Homeowners Discount - Owning a house in Wilson can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
Payment Method - By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
Organization Discounts - Being a member of a professional or civic organization may earn a discount on auto insurance.

A little note about advertised discounts, some of the credits will not apply the the whole policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won't be that lucky.

To choose companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Louisiana, click here.

The auto insurance bait and switch

Auto insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive continually stream ads in print and on television. They all seem to have a common claim about savings after switching your policy. But how can every company claim to save you money?

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that makes them money. A good example of a desirable insured might be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no tickets, and drives newer vehicles. A customer getting a price quote that hits that "sweet spot" receives the best rates and therefore will save a lot of money.

Consumers who don't measure up to this ideal profile will have to pay higher prices and this can result in the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that kind of money. That's the way companies can truthfully claim big savings. Because of the profiling, you need to get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Even more information can be read at the Louisiana Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, discover disciplinary actions, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and read consumer alerts.

Other informative sites include Auto Insurance 101 and this page where you can research Wilson insurance agents.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

When trying to cut insurance costs, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, an insured dropped full coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.

The cheapest auto insurance can be bought both online in addition to many Wilson insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.