How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Auto Insurance in Allen

Expensive auto insurance can empty your savings account and put a big crunch on your finances. Comparison shopping is a smart way to lower your monthly bill.

Numerous battle for your business, and because of this it can be hard to compare to get the lowest price

It's important to shop coverage around yearly because insurance rates are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest rates two years ago you may be paying too much now. So just ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you're about to learn the tricks you need to know to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

Where Can I Get Cheap Allen Auto Insurance?

The are a couple different ways of comparing rate quotes from local Allen auto insurance companies. The recommended way to compare insurance prices consists of shopping online. This can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

The first (and easiest) way to find low rates is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This method eliminates the need for multiple quote forms for every auto insurance company. A single, simple form will get you rate comparisons from multiple low-cost companies.

A less efficient way to shop for auto insurance online requires you to visit each company website to complete their respective quote request forms. For examples sake, let's assume you want comparison quotes from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker.

For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Allen, click here.

The least efficient way to get comparison rates is to waste gas driving to local Allen insurance agencies. Shopping for auto insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you want the trained guidance of a local Allen agent. You can, however, compare the best prices online but buy from a local insurance agent.

Whichever way you use, make sure you use the exact same coverage information on every quote you get. If the quotes have unequal deductibles or liability limits then you won't be able to determine which rate is truly the best in Allen. Just a small difference in coverages may result in large price differences. And when comparing auto insurance rates, know that comparing more company's prices will enable you to find the best offered rates.

Tips to Get Lower Allen Rates

It's important that you understand some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" used by your company to calculate your rates.

Traffic violations increase rates - Even a single moving violation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don't get tickets get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who get flagrant violations like DUI or reckless driving may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
Big city or small town - Residing in a rural area has it's advantages when insuring your vehicles. Fewer people means a lower chance of having an accident. City drivers regularly have congested traffic and longer commute times. Higher commute times means higher likelihood of an accident.
Older drivers save more - More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Teen drivers are known to be more careless when driving therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
Liability coverage protects you - Liability coverage is the protection in the event that a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It provides for a legal defense starting from day one. Liability is cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
Drive a safer car and pay less - Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. Safer cars protect occupants better and lower injury rates translates into savings for insurance companies and lower rates for you.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies that sell car insurance don't list every available discount in an easy-to-find place, so we break down both well-publicized and also the lesser-known auto insurance savings.

Good Student Discount - Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give lower rates if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
Save over 55 - Older drivers may be able to get a small decrease in premiums.
Club Memberships - Participating in certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break on your policy.
Low Mileage - Fewer annual miles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Student Driver Training - Require your teen driver to take driver's ed class if it's offered in school.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. So when the math indicates it's possible to get free car insurance, auto insurance companies aren't that generous.

For a list of providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Allen, follow this link.

Insurance agents can help

When it comes to choosing adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no one size fits all plan. Every situation is different so your insurance needs to address that. For example, these questions can help discover whether your personal situation might need an agent's assistance.

Should I buy only the required Kentucky minimum liability coverage?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
Am I covered by my employer's commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
Are rental cars covered under my policy?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
Is my cargo covered for damage or theft?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

Even more information can be found at the Kentucky Department of Insurance website. Kentucky consumers can file complaints about a company, view agent and company licensing information, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Affordable insurance is out there

In this article, we presented many ways to lower your auto insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the lowest rates come from some of the smallest insurance companies. Smaller companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments compared to the large companies like .

When buying insurance coverage, never reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many cases where consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheap auto insurance can be bought online as well as from independent agents in Allen, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies don't offer online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.