Lower Online Glendale Heights Auto Insurance Prices With These Tricks

Finding the lowest price for Glendale Heights auto insurance can be difficult if you're new to quoting online. But relax because online price shopping is actually quite simple.

Finding affordable coverage in Glendale Heights is not that difficult. If you have a current auto insurance policy or need new coverage, you can follow these tips to find the best rates while maximizing coverage. Illinois consumers only need to know the most effective way to compare rates over the internet.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies that sell car insurance do not list every discount very well, so here is a list some of the best known and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance. If you don't get every credit you qualify for, you're paying more than you need to.

Lower Rates for Military - Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
Braking Control Discount - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
Distant Student - Any of your kids who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
Theft Prevention Discount - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Driver's Ed - Have your child successfully complete driver's ed class if it's offered in school.
Driver Safety - Successfully completing a course teaching defensive driving skills can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.
Auto/Life Discount - Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy life insurance.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

To see a list of insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Illinois, click this link.

Automobile Insurance Quotes in Glendale Heights, IL

Finding cheaper auto insurance prices is surprisingly easy. Consumers just need to invest a little time to compare quotes online from several insurance companies. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

The best way to find low rates is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This form keeps you from doing separate quotation requests for each company you want a rate for. A single form will get you rate comparisons from auto insurance companies with the best prices. This is by far the quickest method.
A less efficient way to shop for auto insurance online requires you to visit the website of each company and fill out their own quote form. For examples sake, let's assume you want to compare , and . To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, and that's why the first method is more popular.

For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Glendale Heights, click here.
The hardest method to get comparison rates is driving to and from local Glendale Heights insurance agencies. Shopping for auto insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you have a need for the trained guidance that only a license agent can provide. Drivers can obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent and we'll touch on that later.

It's up to you how you get prices quotes, just make absolute certain that you use apples-to-apples coverage information for each comparison quote. If you use unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be very difficult to determine the lowest rate in Glendale Heights.

Tips to Get Lower Glendale Heights Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that help determine auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

Optional equipment can affect rates - Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system can help prevent your vehicle from being stolen.
Multiple policies with one company can save - Many auto insurance 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 it's in your best interest to compare rates to verify if the discount is saving money.
Mature drivers pay less - Teenage drivers in Illinois are known to be careless and easily distracted behind the wheel so auto insurance rates are higher. If you've ever had to add a young driver onto a policy can be very expensive. Older drivers are more cautious drivers, statistically cause fewer accidents and are safer drivers.
Extra add-on coverages are wasting money - There are a ton of additional coverages that can waste your money if you aren't careful. Things like vanishing deductibles, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so remove them from your policy.

Insurance agents can help

When choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Everyone's situation is unique.

For example, these questions might point out whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.

Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Illinois?
What are Illinois no-fault laws?
Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?

If it's difficult to answer those questions then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form. It only takes a few minutes and may give you better protection.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Illinois drivers can't get away from ads for cheaper car insurance from the likes of State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all make the same claim about savings after switching your coverage to them.

But how can every company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of customer that is profitable for them. An example of a driver they prefer might be profiled as a mature driver, owns a home, and drives newer vehicles. A propective insured who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Consumers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will be quoted higher prices which leads to business not being written. The ads state "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. That is how companies can truthfully claim big savings. This emphasizes why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's not possible to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

And the best car insurance company is...

Insureds change insurance companies for any number of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, policy cancellation, not issuing a premium refund or policy non-renewal. No matter why you want to switch, switching auto insurance companies is actually quite simple.

When trying to cut insurance costs, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an insured cut comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

The cheapest auto insurance can be bought on the web as well as from independent agents in Glendale Heights, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. A few companies don't offer the ability to get a quote online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.

For more Illinois car insurance information

Even more information is available at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Illinois drivers can view a list of available companies, read consumer alerts, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Additional helpful sites include this page for auto insurance prices in Illinois and this page of Glendale Heights insurance agents.