Tightwads Tips for Saving on Hainesville Auto Insurance

No one in their right mind likes having to buy auto insurance, in particular when the price is too high. You have multiple to pick from, and though it is a good thing to have a choice, having more makes it harder to compare rates.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

Most major insurance companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive provide pricing online. This process is pretty easy as you just enter your personal and coverage information as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, the company's rating system will obtain your credit score and driving record and gives you a price quote based on these and other factors. This makes comparing rates easy, but the process of having to visit different websites and complete many quote forms is repetitive and time-consuming. But it's very important to have as many quotes as possible if you want to find better auto insurance pricing.

A less time-consuming method to compare rates uses one form to get prices from more than one company. The form is fast, reduces the work, and makes quoting online much easier to do. As soon as the form is sent, it gets priced and you can choose any one of the returned quotes. If you find a better price you can click and sign and purchase coverage. The whole process only takes a few minutes 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 input your coverage information. If you have a policy now, it's recommended you enter the coverage information as close as possible to your current policy. This way, you will receive a price comparison based on similar coverages.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Hainesville

It's important that you understand the rating factors that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

Listed below are some of the factors companies use to determine premiums.

What are your deductibles? - Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. Physical damage coverage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims could be colliding with a building, collision with an animal, and burglary. The more money you're willing to pay, the lower your rates will be.
Careful drivers pay lower rates - Only having one speeding ticket can increase rates forty percent or more. Good drivers get better rates than bad drivers. Drivers with serious tickets such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to continue driving.
Your credit rating is important - A driver's credit score is a big factor in determining your rates. If your credit history is lower than you'd like, you could be paying less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have poor credit.
Please use or commuting - The more miles you rack up on your car each year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most companies apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Autos left parked in the garage can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Make sure your auto insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies do not list all available discounts very clearly, so here is a list both well-publicized and also the lesser-known ways to save on auto insurance. If you're not getting every credit you qualify for, you're just leaving money on the table.

Homeowners Savings - Owning a home in Hainesville may earn you a small savings because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
Early Signing - Some companies give discounts for switching policies before your current policy expires. This can save 10% or more.
Braking Control Discount - Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Auto/Life Discount - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
Multi-car Discount - Buying coverage for more than one vehicle on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
Anti-theft Discount - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like it's possible to get free car insurance, you won't be that lucky.

For a list of insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Illinois, click this link.

Different people need different coverages

When it comes to choosing proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a cookie cutter policy. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's so this has to be addressed. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you might need an agent's assistance.

When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It's fast, free and you can get the answers you need.

Even more information is available at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Illinois consumers can report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, find out industry alerts, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

Other useful links include this page for Illinois auto insurance and this page for help finding agents in Hainesville, IL.

Best coverage at the best price

Cheaper auto insurance can be found online and with local Hainesville insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies do not offer online quoting and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

You just read some good ideas how to lower your auto insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers may even find the lowest rates come from a small mutual company. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as .

When buying insurance coverage, make sure you don't reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.