How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Auto Insurance in Hillsboro

Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can empty your bank account, especially in this economy. Comparing price quotes is a smart way to make sure you're not throwing money away. Popular companies such as GEICO and Progressive all promote huge savings with catchy ads and it can be hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

If you have insurance now or are looking for a new policy, you can use these techniques to find better prices while maximizing coverage. Finding affordable coverage in Hillsboro is quite easy. Illinois drivers only need an understanding of the proper way to compare rates online.

How to Buy Hillsboro Auto Insurance Online

Getting better auto insurance pricing can be quick and easy. Consumers just need to invest a few minutes comparing rates online with multiple companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

The first (and easiest) way to get quotes for comparison is a comparison rater form (click to open form in new window). This method eliminates the need for separate quote forms for every auto insurance company. One form will return quotes from many national carriers.

A harder way to shop for auto insurance online is to take the time to go to the website for every company you want to comare and request a quote. For examples sake, let's say you want comparison quotes from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, which is why most consumers use the first method.

For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Hillsboro, click here.

Which method you use is up to you, but make darn sure you compare exactly the same coverages and limits with every price quote. If the quotes have different deductibles it will be impossible to find the best deal in Hillsboro.

Hillsboro Rates are Influenced by These Factors

It's important that you understand some of the elements that go into determining auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates enables informed choices that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

Listed below are a partial list of the pieces auto insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are many add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren't careful. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accidental death and term life insurance are examples of these. They may seem good at first, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Older drivers save more - More mature drivers are more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Teenage drivers are statistically proven to get distracted easily when driving and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
Credit scores impact auto insurance rates - A driver's credit score is a large factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. If your credit is lower than you'd like, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your credit score. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers with poor credit.
A lapse in coverage is a bad thing - Letting your insurance expire is a quick way to trigger a rate increase. Not only will rates go up, but not being able to provide proof of insurance will get you a steep fine or even jail time.
Your occupation can affect rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations such as judges, architects and dentists tend to have the highest average rates attributed to job stress and lengthy work days. Other occupations like pilots, historians and homemakers receive lower rates.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Car insurance companies don't always advertise all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we researched some of the best known and the more hidden auto insurance savings. If you aren't receiving every discount you deserve, you're just leaving money on the table.

Defensive Driver - Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.
New Vehicle Savings - Putting insurance coverage on a new car can save up to 30% since new cars are generally safer.
Air Bag Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of up to 25% or more.
Use Seat Belts - Drivers who require all occupants to buckle their seat belts can save 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
Government Employees - Simply working for the federal government can save as much as 8% depending on your company.
Student in College - Children who are attending college and do not have a car can receive lower rates.
Service Members Pay Less - Having a deployed family member could mean lower rates.
Club Memberships - Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

For a list of insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Hillsboro, follow this link.

Insurance agents can help

When it comes to choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a single plan that fits everyone. Everyone's needs are different and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. For example, these questions may help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from an agent's advice.

Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?

If you don't know the answers to these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It's fast, free and can provide invaluable advice.

More tips and info about auto insurance is located at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Illinois drivers can discover disciplinary actions, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, find out industry alerts, and find a variety of consumer forms.

And the best car insurance company is...

Cost effective auto insurance is available on the web and also from your neighborhood Hillsboro agents, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When you buy insurance online, it's a bad idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced liability coverage limits only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of information how to lower your auto insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. You may even find the most savings is with an unexpected company. Smaller companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like .