Free Guide to Paying Less for Flint Auto Insurance Online

Paying for high-priced auto insurance can dwindle your savings account and force you to make sacrifices. Comparison shopping is a smart way to help make ends meet.

With so many insurance companies to choose from, it is hard for the average consumer to locate the lowest price company.

How much can you save with discounts?

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but companies offer discounts to help offset the cost. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of quoting, but a few must be manually applied before you will receive the discount.

No Claims - Drivers who don't have accidents pay much less when compared to drivers who are more careless.
Own a Home - Simply owning a home may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
Military Discounts - Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.
Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
Driver's Ed - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver's ed class in high school.
Use Seat Belts - Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to individual premiums such as comp or med pay. So when the math indicates you can get free auto insurance, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces that factor into prices.

Rates may be lower depending on your job - Careers like judges, architects and stock brokers are shown to have the highest rates because of high stress levels and lengthy work days. On the other hand, occupations like pilots, students and the unemployed pay the least.
Marriage brings a discount - Having a wife or husband actually saves money when buying auto insurance. Having a significant other usually means you are more responsible and it's proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Save money with special equipment - Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
Consolidate policies to earn discounts - The majority of companies provide better rates to people who have multiple policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
Too many auto insurance claims drive up costs - Companies in Texas provide discounts to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee higher rates. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.
Always keep insurance in force - Driving without insurance can get your license suspended and your next policy will cost more because you let your coverage lapse. Not only will rates go up, but not being able to provide proof of insurance will get you a steep fine or even jail time.You may need to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Texas motor vehicle department.

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

Auto insurance providers like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO regularly use television and radio advertisements. They all say the same thing about savings if you move your policy. But how can every company say the same thing?

All companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a driver they prefer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A propective insured who fits that profile receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who don't meet this ideal profile will be quoted more money which usually ends up with business not being written. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

This emphasizes why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It's not possible to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Additional information is located on the website for the Texas Department of Insurance located here. Texas drivers can read industry bulletins, get help finding coverage, view a list of available companies, and read consumer alerts.

Also read more on this online resource for auto insurance quotes in Texas and this list of insurance agents in Flint.

Shop smart and save

Cheaper auto insurance is possible on the web in addition to many Flint insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some auto insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

When shopping online for auto insurance, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced collision coverage and learned later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.