Proven Ways to Save on Lakeside Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an underperforming, overpriced auto insurance policy? Trust us when we tell you you're not the only one.

Big companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive constantly blast consumers with fancy advertisements and it is difficult to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.

It's important to compare prices every six months because prices are constantly changing. Just because you had the best price last year you can probably find a better price now. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you're about to find out the proper way to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.

If you are paying for car insurance now, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. Finding the best rates in Lakeside is not that difficult. Although California consumers do need to know the way insurance companies sell insurance online and apply this information to your search.

Good Decisions Result in Lower Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the rating factors that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that can help you get big savings.

Multiple policies with one company can save - Most auto insurance companies give discounts to insureds who consolidate policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even if you're getting this discount it's still a good idea to comparison shop to ensure the best deal. You may still be able to find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
Do you know your deductibles? - Insurance for physical damage to your car, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. Some instances where coverage would apply would be collision with another vehicle, vandalism, and rolling your vehicle. Physical damage deductibles are the amount of money you are willing to pay before your auto insurance pays a claim. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your auto insurance will be.
Poor credit can mean higher rates - Your credit score is a big factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. If your credit score is lower than you'd like, you could save money insuring your by improving your credit score. Drivers who have good credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have poor credit.
Special features that cut premiums - Choosing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
Discounts for married couples - Having a spouse can actually save you money on your auto insurance policy. Marriage means you're more responsible and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
Extra add-on coverages are wasting money - There are many extra coverages you can purchase when buying auto insurance. Insurance for rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage and term life insurance may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment initially, but if they're wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies that sell car insurance don't necessarily list every available discount in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find both the well known and also the lesser-known ways to save on auto insurance.

Theft Prevention System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Homeowners Discount - Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.
Passive Restraints - Vehicles with factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
Payment Discounts - If paying your policy premium upfront instead of making monthly payments you may reduce your total bill.
E-sign - A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy digitally online.
Defensive Driver - Taking part in a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
Low Mileage - Driving fewer miles can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won't be that lucky.

To choose providers offering auto insurance discounts in Lakeside, click this link.

How can Allstate and Progressive save drivers who switch?

Companies like Allstate and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on television and other media. All the ads make the same claim about savings if you switch to their company. How can each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that makes them money. For example, a preferred risk might be a mature driver, has no driving citations, and drives newer vehicles. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters will qualify for the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who are not a match for the requirements will be charged a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. The ad wording is "customers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that much. That's the way companies can truthfully claim big savings. That is why you should get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Learn more about California auto insurance

Even more information can be found at the California Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, report car insurance fraud, find out industry alerts, and view a list of available companies.

Affordable insurance is out there

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's not a good idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to discover later that it was a big mistake. The aim is to get the best coverage possible at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

The cheapest auto insurance is available both online and also from your neighborhood Lakeside agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. A few companies may not provide online price quotes and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

We covered some good ideas how to save on auto insurance. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than the large multi-state companies such as .