How to Know You're Wasting Money for Auto Insurance in Windsor

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced auto insurance? Trust us, many Windsor consumers feel financially strained by their auto insurance policy.

Companies like GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with advertising and it is difficult to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

Compare the Market for Auto Insurance in Windsor

Shopping for lower auto insurance rates can be challenging if you don't know the most efficient way. You could spend your day talking about coverages with insurance agencies in Windsor, or you can stay home and use the web to get rate comparisons in just a few minutes.

All the larger companies participate in an industry program that allows shoppers to submit one quote, and each participating company returns a rated price. This system prevents you from having to do quote requests to each individual auto insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click here (opens in new window).

The one disadvantage to comparing rates this way is you are unable to specify which companies you want pricing from. So if you want to select individual companies to compare, we have assembled a list of the cheapest auto insurance companies in California. View list of California insurance companies.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just compare exactly the same deductibles and coverage limits on every quote you get. If you are comparing different values for each quote it will be very difficult to determine which rate is truly the best in Windsor. Having just a slight variation in limits can make a big difference in price. Just keep in mind that quoting more will improve the odds of getting better pricing.

What determines how much you pay?

It's important that you understand the rating factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in better auto insurance rates.

  • Do you have enough liability coverage? - The liability section of your policy provides coverage if a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. It 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.
  • Better crash test results mean better rates - Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
  • You might want pay the small claims yourself - Auto insurance companies in California give cheaper rates to drivers who file claims infrequently. If you file claims often, you can definitely plan on higher rates. Car insurance is designed for the large, substantial claims.
  • Rates may be lower depending on your job - Occupations such as real estate brokers, executives and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates in part from high stress and long work hours. Other occupations like actors, historians and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
  • Add-on coverages can add up - There are a lot of extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your auto insurance policy. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accidental death and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but if you don't need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • Traffic violations increase rates - Whether or not you get tickets has a huge affect on how much you pay. Only having one ticket can increase rates forty percent or more. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance than people who have multiple driving citations. Drivers with severe tickets such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to drive a vehicle legally.
  • Better credit means lower rates - A driver's credit rating is a huge factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. Drivers with excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with lower credit ratings. If your credit history can use some improvement, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your credit score.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there are discounts available to help offset the cost. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for before you get the savings.

  • Club Memberships - Participating in a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings when buying auto insurance.
  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Keeping the miles down could qualify for better rates on cars that stay parked.
  • Drivers Ed for Students - Require your teen driver to enroll in driver's education in high school.
  • Accident Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay less when compared with frequent claim filers.
  • Defensive Driving Course - Taking a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.

Keep in mind that many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. The majority will only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, it just doesn't work that way. But any discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

For a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Windsor, click this link.

More information can be read on the website for the California Department of Insurance. Click here for link. California consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, find disaster information, download brochures, and read industry bulletins.

auto insurance in Windsor

Do the work, save more money

Affordable auto insurance is possible online and with local Windsor insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies do not offer online quoting and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

In this article, we presented many ideas to lower your auto insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with a smaller regional carrier. Smaller companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost compared to the large companies like .