How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Car Insurance in Germantown

Scraping up a payment for overpriced car insurance can empty your bank account and force you to prioritize other expenses. Doing a price comparison is a smart way to tighten up your finances.

Since consumers have many choices, it's nearly impossible to find the lowest cost car insurance company.

The purpose of this article is to teach you how to get online quotes and some money-saving tips. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these methods. But Illinois car owners do need to know the way companies market on the web and use this information to your advantage.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that will entitle you to better car insurance rates.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" car insurance companies consider when setting prices.

Special features that cut premiums - Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft devices such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
Proper usage rating affects rates - The more you drive in a year's time the higher your rate. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles that are left in the garage qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Verify your car insurance policy properly reflects the correct driver usage.
You might want pay the small claims yourself - If you are a frequent claim filer, you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Companies in Illinois provide discounts to people who are claim-free. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.
What type of vehicle do you drive? - The performance of the vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a big difference in the rate you pay. The lowest rates tend to be for lower performance four cylinder passenger vehicles, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
How's your driving record? - Careful drivers have lower premiums than people who have multiple driving citations. Just one ticket can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. If you have severe violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find they need to file a SR-22 with their state motor vehicle department in order to drive a vehicle legally.

Compare Car Insurance Today

There are several ways to compare quotes from local Germantown car insurance companies. One of the best ways to find the cheapest insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This is very easy and can be done in several different ways.

The fastest way to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This method eliminates the need for repetitive form entry for each company. A single, simple form gets you coverage quotes direct from many companies.
Another way to get quotes online consists of going to the website of each company to complete their respective quote request forms. For example, let's say you want comparison quotes from , and . You would have to visit each site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Germantown, click here.
The least efficient way of comparing rate quotes is to waste gas driving to different Germantown agent offices. Buying insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you require the personal advice of a licensed agent. You can, however, find lower rates online and still use a local agent and we'll talk about that later.

Whichever way you use, make sure you use apples-to-apples coverages on every quote you get. If you compare different limits and deductibles on each one it's impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Germantown. Just a small difference in insurance coverages may cause a big price difference. And when comparing car insurance rates, know that obtaining a wide range of quotes gives you a better chance of getting lower pricing.

Save big with these discounts

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you can get discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Certain discounts will be applied when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied prior to getting the savings.

Pay Upfront and Save - If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
New Car Discount - Adding a new car to your policy can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
Government Employees - Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% with a few car insurance companies.
Sign Early and Save - Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them prior to your current policy expiration. It can save you around 10%.
Good Student Discount - This discount can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply up to age 25.
Own a Home - Simply owning a home may trigger a car insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home is proof that your finances are in order.
No Accidents - Drivers who don't have accidents can save substantially when compared to accident-prone drivers.
More Vehicles More Savings - Insuring multiple cars or trucks with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
Multiple Policy Discount - If you insure your home and vehicles with the same company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.

Consumers should know that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Most cut individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don't profit that way. But all discounts will help reduce your overall premium however.

To choose insurance companies with the best car insurance discounts in Illinois, follow this link.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Car insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO regularly use ads on TV and radio. They all say the same thing that you'll save big if you move to their company. But how can every company make the same claim?

Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that makes them money. For example, a driver they prefer could be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and has a short commute. A customer who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Potential customers who fall outside this ideal profile will be quoted a higher premium which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much. This is how companies can make the claims of big savings.

This emphasizes why you need to get as many comparisons as possible. Because you never know which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no best way to insure your cars. Everyone's situation is a little different so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions can help discover if your situation might need an agent's assistance.

Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
Can I still get insurance after a DUI?
Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Illinois?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Much more information about car insurance in Illinois can be found on the website for the Illinois Department of Insurance located here. Consumers can view a list of available companies, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, download brochures, and learn about specific coverages.

Other informative sites include this page for car insurance prices in Illinois and this list of insurance agents in Germantown, IL.

Shop smart and save

As you shop your coverage around, don't be tempted to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. The proper strategy is to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

We just showed you many ways to compare car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the lowest rates come from some of the lesser-known companies. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like .