Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Hueytown Car Insurance

Expensive car insurance can dwindle your checking account and force you to make sacrifices. Shopping your coverage around is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to help make ends meet. With consumers having so many companies and agents to choose from, it is hard for the average consumer to locate the lowest price company.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies offering auto insurance don't necessarily list all available discounts very well, so we took the time to find some of the more common as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using. If you don't get every credit you deserve, you are throwing money away.

Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Low mileage vehicles can earn discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
Paperless Signup - A few companies will give a small break just for signing your application online.
Safety Course Discount - Successfully completing a driver safety course could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
Anti-lock Brake System - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Good Student Discount - Performing well in school can earn a discount of 20% or more. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.

It's important to note that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you're out of luck.

You have some control over your rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that play a part in calculating your car insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively influences your rates enables informed choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are a few of the "ingredients" car insurance companies consider when setting premiums.

Extra coverages can waste money - There are quite a few add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your policy. Things like personal injury protection, accidental death and term life insurance may be costing you every month. These coverages may sound good when you first buy your policy, but if they're wasting money remove them from your policy.
Pay less if you're married - Having a spouse helps lower the price on your policy. Having a spouse means you're more mature and it's proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
How credit affects car insurance rates - A driver's credit score is a important factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers with lower credit scores. Therefore, if your credit rating is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your rating.
Rural vs Urban Areas - Residing in small towns and rural areas is a positive aspect when it comes to car insurance. Drivers who live in large cities tend to have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accidents.
Pleasure use saves money - The higher the mileage driven in a year's time the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based on their usage. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Double check that your car insurance declarations sheet properly reflects the correct usage for each vehicle.
High deductibles save money - Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply are colliding with a building, damage from fire, and windstorm damage. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the bigger discount you will receive.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings by 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies make an identical promise that you can save if you change to their company.

But how can every company make the same claim?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the driver that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable customer could be between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer who meets those qualifications will get the preferred rates and therefore will save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who do not match this ideal profile must pay more money and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. This is how insurance companies can advertise the way they do. This illustrates why drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

For more Alabama car insurance information

Additional detailed information can be found at the Alabama Department of Insurance website. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, get help finding coverage, find out industry alerts, and view agent and company licensing information.

Also read more on this resource for Alabama car insurance prices and this page of Hueytown insurance agents.

And the best car insurance company is...

Lower-priced car insurance is attainable from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Hueytown agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some car insurance companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to discover later that the savings was not a smart move. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.