Tightwads Tips for Saving on Hickory Hills Car Insurance

Scraping up a payment for overpriced car insurance can drain your savings account and put a big crunch on your finances. Doing a price comparison is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to lower your monthly bill.

Drivers have so many to buy insurance from, and even though it's nice to have multiple companies, too many choices makes it more difficult to compare rates.

It's important to compare prices yearly due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the lowest price last year you will most likely find a better rate today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because we're going to demonstrate how to use online quotes to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.

Shopping for affordable protection in Hickory Hills is easy if you know what you're doing. In a nutshell, anyone who is required by state law to have car insurance stands a good chance to be able to reduce their rates. But Illinois consumers do need to know the way insurance companies sell online because it can help you find the best coverage.

Be sure to get all your discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but discounts can save money and there are some available that you may not know about. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of purchase, but less common discounts must be asked for prior to receiving the credit.

Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
Sign Online - Certain companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up over the internet.
Senior Citizens - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get a small decrease in premiums.
Multiple Vehicles - Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
Drive Less and Save - Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Passive Restraints - Factory air bags or automatic seat belts may earn rate discounts of more than 20%.
Seat Belts Save - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could save 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Government Employees - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.
College Student - Kids in college who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
Accident Waiver - Certain companies allow you one accident before your rates go up as long as you don't have any claims prior to the accident.

Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like collision or personal injury protection. Even though it may seem like it's possible to get free car insurance, companies wouldn't make money that way. But all discounts will bring down the amount you have to pay.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When it comes to buying the best car insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a perfect coverage plan. Every situation is different so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions can help discover whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.

When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
What are the financial responsibility laws in Illinois?
Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Hickory Hills?
Am I covered by my employer's commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
Does my personal policy cover me when driving my company car?

If you're not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.

Is there truth in advertising?

Car insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all seem to make an identical promise that you'll save big after switching your coverage to them. How does each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

All companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For instance, a desirable insured might be a mature driver, has no prior claims, and has great credit. Any driver who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Potential customers who don't measure up to these standards will have to pay higher prices and ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. This is how companies can advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, you should get quotes from several different companies. You cannot predict which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

Much more information about car insurance in Illinois is located on the website for the Illinois Department of Insurance found here. Visitors are able to view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, get help finding coverage, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Final considerations

As you prepare to switch companies, it's very important that you do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price.

Budget-conscious car insurance can be sourced both online as well as from independent agents in Hickory Hills, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.