Tightwads Guide for Saving on Brookfield Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced auto insurance? Believe me when I say there are many Brookfield consumers feeling the pinch from expensive auto insurance.

Online insurance companies like GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with catchy ads and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.

It's important to take a look at other company's rates at least once a year because insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the best deal last year the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you're about to learn the only way to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies don't always advertise every available discount in a way that's easy to find, so here is a list both well-publicized and the more hidden auto insurance savings.

  • Theft Prevention System - Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Low Mileage - Keeping the miles down can qualify you for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
  • Drivers Ed for Students - Have your child take driver's ed class in high school.
  • No Accidents - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can earn big discounts compared to bad drivers.
  • Defensive Driving Course - Taking part in a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
  • Save over 55 - Mature drivers can possibly qualify for better auto insurance rates.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears all those discounts means the company will pay you, auto insurance companies aren't that generous.

To see a list of providers with the best auto insurance discounts in Brookfield, follow this link.

Brookfield auto insurance quote

Quick Brookfield Auto Insurance Quotes

Most companies provide coverage prices on the web. Getting online rates is pretty painless as you simply enter the coverage amounts you desire as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, the company's rating system will obtain your driving record and credit report and gives you a price quote based on these and other factors. Online quotes helps simplify price comparisons, but the process of having to visit many different websites and complete many quote forms gets old quite quickly. But it's very important to have as many quotes as possible if you want to find the best price on auto insurance.

Quote rates the easy way

The preferred way to find better auto insurance pricing uses one simple form to return rates from many companies. The form is fast, requires less work, and makes online price comparison much easier to do. After sending your information, it gets priced and you are able to buy your choice of the price quotes you receive. If the quotes result in lower rates, you can click and sign and buy the new coverage. The whole process takes just a few minutes to complete and you'll know if lower rates are available.

To save time and find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and submit the form. If you have a policy now, it's recommended you complete the form with the limits and deductibles identical to your current policy. This makes sure you're receiving rate quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Brookfield Rates are Influenced by These Factors

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that can help you get big savings.

  • Bundling policies can get discounts - The majority of companies give discounts to customers who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you're getting this discount you may still want to compare rates to ensure the best deal. Consumers may find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
  • Drive a safer car and pay less - Vehicles with good safety scores are cheaper to insure. Safer cars reduce injuries and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
  • High numbers of claims are not good - Insurance companies in Illinois provide cheaper rates to insureds who are claim-free. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can look forward to higher rates. Insurance coverage is designed for the large, substantial claims.
  • Rates may be lower depending on your job - Occupations like doctors, architects and dentists tend to have the highest average rates attributed to high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. Other occupations such as actors, historians and the unemployed receive lower rates.
  • Do you need the policy add-ons? - There are a lot of extra coverages you can purchase on your auto insurance policy. Insurance for rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage and term life insurance are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment at first, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • Sex matters - Statistics demonstrate women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don't assume that men are worse drivers. They both are in accidents at about the same rate, but men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also get cited for more serious violations such as DWI and reckless driving.
  • Car features impact rates - Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft devices like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart your car from being stolen.

How can Allstate and Progressive save drivers who switch?

Companies like Allstate and Progressive regularly use ads on television and other media. All the ads say the same thing about savings if you move to their company. How can each company make almost identical claims?

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that is profitable for them. An example of a preferred risk could possibly be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has great credit. A driver who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Consumers who are not a match for the requirements will be charged higher rates which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "people who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. That's the way companies can truthfully advertise the savings. That is why drivers must compare many company's rates. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Affordable insurance is out there

As you prepare to switch companies, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The aim is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheap auto insurance is possible online and also from your neighborhood Brookfield agents, so compare prices from both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who may not provide the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

auto insurance in Brookfield

Find out more about auto insurance

Even more information is available at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Illinois consumers can read consumer alerts, find disaster information, download brochures, and read industry bulletins.