Hopkinsville Auto Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of auto insurance company choices in Hopkinsville? Many other drivers are as well. There are so many choices that it can turn into a lot of work to find the perfect company for you.

It's important to take a look at other company's rates at least once a year since insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the lowest rates last year you may be paying too much now. So block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because it's time to teach you the tricks you need to know to reduce your cost while increasing coverage.

Finding the best rates in Hopkinsville is easy if you know what you're doing. If you have car insurance now, you will most likely be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. But Kentucky vehicle owners do need to know how companies price online insurance and use this information to your advantage.

How to Compare Hopkinsville Auto Insurance Costs

Most major insurance companies give coverage prices online. Getting online quotes is pretty painless as you simply enter the coverage amounts you desire as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, their system will obtain your credit score and driving record and returns a price quote based on these and other factors.

This helps simplify price comparisons, but the process of having to visit a lot of sites and complete many quote forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. But it's very important to have as many quotes as possible in order to get better auto insurance pricing.

A less time-consuming method to find better auto insurance pricing requires only one form that analyzes rates from multiple companies. The form is fast, reduces the work, and makes online shopping much more enjoyable. After sending your information, your coverage is rated and you can choose any or none of the returned quotes. If a lower price is quoted, you can click and sign and buy the new coverage. This process takes less than 15 minutes and you will know how your current rates stack up.

To quickly find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and enter your information. To compare your current rates, we recommend you input just like they are on your policy. This way, you will be getting a fair comparison based on similar coverages.

Hopkinsville Rates are Influenced by These Factors

It's important that you understand the different types of things that go into determining auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.

Listed below are a few of the "ingredients" auto insurance companies consider when setting your rates.

A clean driving record saves money - Your driving record has a big impact on rates. Even a single moving violation can boost insurance rates by twenty percent. Careful drivers have lower premiums than bad drivers. Drivers who get serious violations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are many extra coverages you can purchase if you aren't careful. Things like rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage and term life insurance may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but if they're wasting money remove them from your policy.
Credit scores impact auto insurance rates - Your credit score is a important factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. If your credit is lower than you'd like, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your rating. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit.
Your job and insurance rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations like lawyers, business owners and stock brokers tend to have the highest rates because of stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. On the other hand, occupations such as actors, students and homemakers receive lower rates.
Frequent auto insurance claims increase rates - Insurance companies in Kentucky award discounts to people who are claim-free. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
Your location affects your rates - Choosing to live in a rural area has it's advantages when buying auto insurance. Drivers who live in large cities have to deal with congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accidents.
Battle of the sexes - Statistics demonstrate women tend to be less risk to insure than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. Women and men are in accidents in similar percentages, but men cause more damage. Men also receive more costly citations like reckless driving and DUI. Teenage male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and thus pay the highest rates.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies don't always advertise every available discount very well, so we break down some of the best known as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of more than 20%.
Defensive Driver - Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
Anti-lock Brake System - Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Federal Government Employee - Simply working for the federal government can save as much as 8% with certain companies.
Multi-policy Discount - When you have multiple policies with one insurance company you may save up to 20% off your total premium.
Senior Discount - Older drivers may qualify for better auto insurance rates.
Seat Belts Save - Drivers who require all occupants to buckle their seat belts can save up to 15% off your medical payments premium.
No Accidents - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially compared to frequent claim filers.
No Charge for an Accident - Some insurance companies will forgive one accident without raising rates if you are claim-free prior to the accident.
New Vehicle Savings - Adding a new car to your policy can save up to 30% since new cars are generally safer.

Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn't make money that way.

For a list of providers offering auto insurance discounts in Kentucky, click here to view.

More detailed Kentucky auto insurance information can be found at the Kentucky Department of Insurance website. Kentucky drivers can file complaints about a company, discover disciplinary actions, and find out industry alerts.

Other useful links include NAIC.org's Understanding your Policy and this directory of Hopkinsville insurance agents.

Shop smart and save

Throughout this article, we presented many tips how you can lower your auto insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the most savings is with the least-expected company.

Budget-conscious auto insurance can be found on the web and also from your neighborhood Hopkinsville agents, so you should compare both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, don't be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many cases where an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your goal should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.