Proven Ways to Save on La Harpe Auto Insurance

Are you sick and tired of paying out the nose each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than millions of other consumers.

There are many to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to have a choice, it makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to check auto insurance prices before your policy renews because prices are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal a year ago you may be paying too much now. So forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the only way to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.

The purpose of this post is to let you in on how car insurance quotes work and some tricks to saving. If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using these techniques. Although Illinois drivers do need to know the way companies price insurance differently and take advantage of how the system works.

How to Compare La Harpe Auto Insurance Rates

Most major insurance companies like State Farm and Allstate provide prices for coverage on the web. This process is fairly straightforward as you simply enter into the quote form. Behind the scenes, the company's rating system will obtain your driving and credit reports and returns pricing information determined by many factors. Being able to quote online makes comparing rates easy, but the time it takes to visit many different websites and fill out multiple forms is repetitive and time-consuming. Unfortunately, it is important to do this if you want to find a lower rate.

A less time-consuming method to lower your auto insurance bill uses one form that analyzes rates from several different companies. It's a real time-saver, eliminates repetitive work, and makes quoting online much more efficient. After your information is entered, it gets priced and you can select any one of the returned quotes.

If a lower price is quoted, you simply finish the application and purchase the new policy. The whole process takes just a few minutes to complete and you will find out if you're overpaying now.

To find out how much you're overpaying now, click here and enter your vehicle and coverage information. If you have a policy now, it's recommended you complete the form with coverages and limits as close as possible to your current policy. This way, you will receive a fair comparison based on similar coverages.

Illinois auto insurance

What determines how much you pay?

It's important that you understand some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get big savings.

The following are some of the factors companies use to determine your rates.

  • Better credit means lower rates - Your credit history is a important factor in your rate calculation. Therefore, if your credit history is not that good, you could be paying less to insure your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have lower credit scores.
  • High numbers of claims are not good - Insurance companies in Illinois provide lower rates to insureds who file claims infrequently. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Insurance coverage is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
  • Where you reside plays a part - Being located in less populated areas has it's advantages when insuring your vehicles. City drivers have to deal with congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
  • Older drivers save more - Teen drivers in Illinois are known to be less responsible in a vehicle so they pay higher auto insurance rates. Mature drivers tend to be more responsible, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
  • Bump up deductibles to save - Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims could be a windshield shattered by a rock, vandalism, and burglary. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend if you file a covered claim. The more money you're willing to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
  • Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations like doctors, architects and financial analysts tend to pay higher average rates because of high stress levels and lots of time spent at work. Conversely, jobs such as farmers, engineers and performers have the lowest average rates.
  • Careful drivers pay lower rates - Your driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Even a single speeding ticket can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Good drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who get flagrant violations such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
  • Marriage pays dividends - Being married can get you a discount when buying auto insurance. Marriage is viewed as being more responsible and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.

More discounts equal less premium

Car insurance can cost a lot, but there are discounts available to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be applied at the time you complete a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be specifically requested prior to getting the savings.

  • Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles with factory air bags may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
  • Employee of Federal Government - Simply working for the federal government may qualify you for a discount with certain companies.
  • Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase auto and life insurance together.
  • Save over 55 - Older drivers may be able to get reduced rates.
  • Homeowners Pay Less - Being a homeowner may trigger a auto insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
  • Accident Free - Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts compared to frequent claim filers.
  • Good Students Pay Less - Getting good grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Some only apply to individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Just because it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will bring down your premiums.

For a list of providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Illinois, follow this link.

Additional information is available on the website for the Illinois Department of Insurance located here. Illinois consumers can find out industry alerts, download brochures, view agent and company licensing information, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Shop smart and save

You just read many ways to lower your auto insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Consumers could even find that the lowest rates come from a small local company. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as .

While you're price shopping online, it's very important that you do not reduce needed coverages to save money. There have been many cases where an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your goal should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.