Free Guide to Spending Less for Dardanelle Car Insurance Online

Nobody I know looks forward to buying car insurance, particularly when their premiums are too high.

There are many to buy insurance from, and although it's a good thing to have multiple companies, it makes it harder to compare rates.

More discounts equal less premium

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but there are discounts available that many people don't even know exist. Most are applied when you get a quote, but less common discounts must be manually applied before you will receive the discount.

  • Homeowners Savings - Owning a home in Dardanelle may trigger a car insurance policy discount because owning a home shows financial diligence.
  • Early Signing - Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
  • Anti-lock Brake Discount - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Student in College - Children who are attending college and do not have a car may be able to be covered for less.
  • Save with a New Car - Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
  • Good Student - Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will bring down your premiums.

What determines how much you pay?

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that could result in big savings.

Listed below are a partial list of the pieces companies use to determine premiums.

  • What are your deductibles? - Your deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. Physical damage insurance, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims would be colliding with a building, collision with an animal, or theft. The more you're willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.
  • Bad driving skills means higher rates - Good drivers have lower premiums than bad drivers. Just one moving violation can increase rates twenty percent or more. Drivers with serious tickets like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
  • Discounts for multiple policies - Most companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who buy several policies from them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to compare other company rates to make sure you are getting the best deal.
  • Older drivers pay less - Youthful drivers in Arkansas are statistically proven to get distracted easily behind the wheel so they pay higher car insurance rates. If you've ever had to add a teen driver to your policy can be quite pricey. Older drivers are more responsible, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.

It's not one size fits all

When it comes to buying the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight if you could use an agent's help.

  • When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
  • Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
  • Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Arkansas?
  • Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Dardanelle?
  • Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
  • Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Arkansas?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an agent. If you don't have a local agent, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. All the companies say the same thing about savings if you switch to them. How does each company claim to save you money?

All the different companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a profitable customer might be over the age of 40, a clean driving record, and has a short commute. Any driver who fits that profile will get very good rates and therefore will save when switching.

Drivers who do not match these standards must pay higher premiums which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That is how companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings.

This illustrates why drivers should compare many company's rates. You cannot predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

Additional Arkansas consumer information

Additional information is located on the website for the Arkansas Insurance Department located here. Visitors are able to report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, read consumer alerts, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Arkansas car insurance

Final considerations

Cheaper car insurance can be found both online and with local Dardanelle insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We just presented many ways to reduce car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the lowest premiums are with the least-expected company. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as .

As you shop your coverage around, it's very important that you do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped liability coverage limits only to discover later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.