How to Know You're Paying Too Much for Auto Insurance in Annville

I can't think of anyone who likes paying for auto insurance, in particular when their premiums are through the roof.

Numerous battle for your hard-earned dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to find the absolute lowest rate

It's important to check auto insurance prices periodically because prices are constantly changing. Just because you found the lowest rates a couple years back the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the tricks you need to know to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but there are discounts available that you may not know about. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about before you will receive the discount.

  • Accident Forgiveness - A few companies will allow you to have one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims prior to the accident.
  • Good Student - A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
  • Sign Online - Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks just for signing your application on their website.
  • Drive Less and Save - Fewer annual miles can earn a substantially lower rate.
  • Homeowners Savings - Owning a house in Annville can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.

It's important to note that some credits don't apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you're out of luck. But any discount will cut the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Annville, click here.

Annville Auto Insurance Comparisons

The are a couple different ways of comparing price quotes from different Annville insurance companies. The best method to find competitive insurance rates involves getting comparison quotes online. This can be done using a couple different methods.

  • The best way to get quotes is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This type of form saves time by eliminating a different quote for every auto insurance company. Just one form gets you price quotes .
  • A more difficult way to shop for auto insurance online requires visiting each individual company website to complete a price quote. For examples sake, we'll pretend you want to compare , and . To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, and that's why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Annville, click here.
  • The most time-consuming method to get comparison rates is driving to local Annville insurance agencies. The internet has reduced the need for local agents unless you have a need for the professional advice of a local Annville agent. It is possible to obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent. We'll cover that shortly.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to compare the exact same quote information with each company. If you use mixed coverages you will not be able to make an equal comparison in Annville. Slightly different limits can make a big difference in price. Keep in mind that quoting more will increase your chances of finding the best offered rates.

What determines how much you pay?

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" companies use to determine rates.

  • Women pay lower rates - Statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Women and men have accidents in similar percentages, but the males have costlier accidents. They also get more serious tickets such as DWI and reckless driving. Young males tend to get in the most accidents and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
  • Careful drivers pay lower rates - Just one moving violation can increase rates twenty percent or more. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who have flagrant citations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
  • Having a spouse can save you money - Having a spouse can get you a discount on auto insurance. It is viewed as being more mature it has been statistically shown that married couples file fewer claims.
  • Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance - Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. These vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you.

Insurance agents can help

When choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Every insured's situation is different and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions may help highlight whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.

  • Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
  • Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Kentucky?
  • Does my personal policy cover me when driving my company car?
  • Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
  • When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
  • Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?

If you can't answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all seem to have a common claim that you can save after switching to them. How do they all make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a desirable insured could possibly be a mature driver, a clean driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote that hits that "sweet spot" is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who don't qualify for the "perfect" profile will have to pay more money and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That is how insurance companies can advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, drivers must get as many quotes as possible. It's impossible to know which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Lower-priced auto insurance can be sourced online and with local Annville insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

You just read a lot of ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with a lesser-known regional company. These smaller insurers often have lower prices on specific markets compared to the large companies like .

Kentucky auto insurance

Additional Kentucky consumer information

More information can be found on the website for the Kentucky Department of Insurance. Click here for link. Kentucky consumers can learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, get help finding coverage, and find disaster information.