How to Know You're Throwing Money Away for Car Insurance in Grantsburg

Are you tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than the majority of other car owners in Illinois. You have so many to pick from, and although it's nice to have multiple companies, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to price shop coverage once or twice a year because rates are constantly changing. If you had the lowest price six months ago a different company probably has better rates today. Don't believe everything you read about car insurance online, so we're going to give you some great ways to find cheap car insurance.

Finding affordable coverage in Grantsburg is quite easy. If you are insured now or are looking for a new policy, you can learn to shop for the lowest rates and still get good coverage. Illinois drivers only need an understanding of the proper methods to compare company rates online.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Car insurance companies don't always publicize every available discount very clearly, so we researched some of the more common as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving. If you're not getting every credit available, you are throwing money away.

Anti-theft Discount - Vehicles with anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
Drivers Education - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver's ed class in high school.
Pay Upfront and Save - By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
Multi-policy Discount - If you have multiple policies with one company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles with factory air bags may earn rate discounts of up to 25% or more.
Military Discounts - Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
No Claims - Claim-free drivers pay much less compared to drivers who are more careless.
Defensive Driving Course - Completing a driver safety course could save 5% or more if you qualify.

Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Most cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

Learn How to Buy Car Insurance Cheaper

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that come into play when calculating your car insurance rates. Knowing what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get lower car insurance prices.

Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? - The majority of insurance companies give discounts to policyholders who have multiple policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, you still need to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. Consumers may find better rates by buying car insurance from a different company.
Frequent car insurance claims increase rates - If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Insurance companies in Illinois generally give lower rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Auto insurance is meant to be used in the event of major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Optional equipment can affect rates - Driving a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder auto theft.
Where you live is a factor - Being located in a rural area has it's advantages when it comes to car insurance. Urban drivers tend to have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
Better credit scores mean better rates - Your credit rating is a important factor in your rate calculation. Consumers who have good credit tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have lower ratings. If your credit rating can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit.
Rates may be lower depending on your job - Occupations like judges, social workers and financial analysts are shown to have higher average rates because of job stress and lengthy work days. Conversely, occupations like farmers, engineers and the unemployed pay the least.
Do you need those extra coverages? - There are a lot of extra bells and whistles you can purchase on your policy. Coverages for vanishing deductibles, better glass coverage and membership fees are some examples. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so eliminate them to save money.

Is there truth in advertising?

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance from companies such as Allstate and Progressive. All the ads have a common claim of big savings if you move your policy.

How does each company make the same claim?

All companies can use profiling for the right customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a preferred risk could be between 30 and 50, has no tickets, and has a high credit rating. A customer that hits that "sweet spot" gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Consumers who don't measure up to these standards will be charged higher prices and this can result in business going elsewhere. The ads say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That's why insurance companies can confidently state the savings. That is why drivers should compare as many rates as you can. Because you never know the company that will have the lowest rates.

More Illinois car insurance information

More tips and info about car insurance is located at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Consumers can read consumer alerts, download brochures, view a list of available companies, and view agent and company licensing information.

Also read more on BankRate.com's Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this Grantsburg agent directory.

Best coverage at the best price

As you restructure your insurance plan, make sure you don't skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, an insured dropped collision coverage and learned later that they should have had better coverage. The aim is to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

We just showed you a lot of techniques to reduce car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. Drivers may discover the best prices are with a small local company. Regional companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like .