Tightwads Guide to Saving on Cicero Car Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced car insurance policy? Trust us, there are lots of people in the same boat.

With so many insurance companies to choose from, it's nearly impossible to locate the right insurance company.

It's important to price shop coverage every six months since rates are constantly changing. Just because you had the lowest rates last year you will most likely find a better rate today. Starting now, block out anything you think you know about car insurance because we're going to show you the tricks you need to know to lower your annual insurance bill.

How much can you save with discounts?

Companies that sell car insurance don't always publicize all their discounts very well, so we break down some of the more common as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

  • Sign Online - Certain companies will give a small break for buying your policy online.
  • Homeowners Discount - Owning a house in Cicero can help you save on car insurance because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Early Signing - Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
  • Anti-lock Brake System - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
  • Anti-theft Discount - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
  • Payment Discounts - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, you won't be that lucky.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

Car insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all seem to make an identical promise about savings if you switch your policy. But how can every company make the same claim?

All companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a desirable insured could be between 25 and 40, has no driving citations, and has great credit. Any new insured who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Potential customers who don't meet this ideal profile will have to pay a higher premium and ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That's the way companies can truthfully advertise the savings. Because of the profiling, you should get quotes from several different companies. It's just too difficult to predict which car insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Even more information can be found at the New York Department of Financial Services website. Consumers can get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, and find out industry alerts.

Also read more on this site for New York car insurance information and see this list of insurance agents in Cicero.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Cheaper car insurance is available from both online companies in addition to many Cicero insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

You just learned some good ideas how you can reduce car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the most savings is with a small local company. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like .

As you prepare to switch companies, do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many cases, someone sacrificed uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.