Des Plaines Auto Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

Searching for the lowest cost Des Plaines auto insurance on the internet is somewhat difficult for consumers new to comparing rates online. With so many choices of insurance companies available, how can you have a chance to compare the different rates to find the lowest price available?

It's important to get comparison quotes quite often because prices are constantly changing. If you had the best price last year there is a good chance you can find better rates now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you're about to find out the fastest and easiest way to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" that factor into rates.

  • Marriage pays dividends - Having a spouse actually saves money when buying auto insurance. It usually means you are more responsible and it's proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • Men fork out a little more - Statistics have proven women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don't assume that men are WORSE drivers than women. Women and men are in accidents in similar percentages, but the males cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. They also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving.
  • Allowing your policy to lapse raises rates - Driving your car without having proper coverage is against the law and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage lapse. And not only will your rates increase, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance will get you a steep fine or even jail time.
  • Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Jobs such as lawyers, architects and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates because of high stress levels and lengthy work days. Other occupations such as pilots, historians and the unemployed pay the least.
  • Increase deductibles and save - Insurance for physical damage to your car, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be a windshield shattered by a rock, damage caused by hail, and rolling your vehicle. Your deductibles are how much you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the bigger discount you will receive.

Free Quotes for Auto Insurance in Des Plaines, Illinois

All major auto insurance companies provide insurance quotes online. This process doesn't take much effort as you just type in your coverage information as detailed in the form. After the form is submitted, the system will obtain your credit score and driving record and generates a price.

Online quotes makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the time required to go to different websites and complete many quote forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it's very important to perform this step if you want to find better auto insurance pricing.

The preferred way to locate the lowest prices uses one form that gets price quotes from multiple companies. The form is fast, reduces the work, and makes online shopping much simpler. Immediately after submitting the form, it gets priced and you are able to buy your choice of the resulting price quotes. If a lower price is quoted, you can simply submit the application and buy the policy. The whole process takes 15 minutes at the most and you will find out if you're overpaying now.

To find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and submit the form. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you enter coverages and limits as close as possible to your current policy. This makes sure you will be getting an apples-to-apples comparison for the exact same coverage.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies offering auto insurance do not list all their discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find both the well known as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

  • Sign Online - Certain companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy digitally online.
  • Senior Citizens - If you're over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
  • Use Seat Belts - Buckling up and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could save 15% on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
  • No Claims - Drivers who don't have accidents can save substantially as compared to accident-prone drivers.
  • Own a Home - Owning a house in Des Plaines may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Pay Upfront and Save - If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like it's possible to get free car insurance, you won't be that lucky.

To choose companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Des Plaines, follow this link.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive regularly use ads on television and other media. They all seem to say the same thing about savings if you move your policy. How can each company claim to save you money?

All companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that makes them money. For example, a desirable insured might be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile receives the best rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who are not a match for the requirements will have to pay higher prices which usually ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that kind of money. This is how companies can truthfully claim big savings. Because of the profiling, you need to get as many quotes as possible. It's impossible to know which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

Different people need different coverages

When buying the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Everyone's situation is a little different.

For instance, these questions may help you determine whether you would benefit from an agent's advice.

  • Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
  • Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
  • Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
  • Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
  • Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
  • What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
  • Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
  • What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

Even more information can be found at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to get help finding coverage, learn about insurance regulations, and find a variety of consumer forms.

Des Plaines auto insurance comparison

Affordable insurance is out there

Cheaper auto insurance is definitely available both online in addition to many Des Plaines insurance agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. A few companies do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.

Consumers who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as an unsatisfactory settlement offer, denial of a claim, being labeled a high risk driver or even high rates after DUI convictions. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, choosing a new insurance company is easier than you think.