Tightwads Guide to Saving on Lincoln Auto Insurance

Paying for high-priced auto insurance can take a big chunk out of your bank account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Comparison shopping is a smart way to help make ends meet. Because there are so many companies and agents to choose from, it can be hard to choose the most affordable company.

It's important to get comparison quotes on a regular basis because prices are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal a couple years back you may be paying too much now. So ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the only way to save on auto insurance.

Which Auto Insurance is Cheapest in Lincoln, Illinois?

Most major insurance companies provide insurance quotes on their websites. This process doesn't take much effort as you simply enter the coverages you want into the quote form. Behind the scenes, the system will obtain your driving record and credit report and generates pricing information. This makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the time it takes to visit many different websites and type in the same information can get tiresome after awhile. Unfortunately, it is important to compare as many rates as possible if you want to find a lower rate.

Quote rates the easy way

A less time-consuming method to find lower prices uses one form to return rates from many companies. It's a real time-saver, requires less work, and makes price shopping online much more enjoyable and efficient. Immediately after you send the form, it gets priced and you can select any or none of the returned quotes.

If a lower price is quoted, you simply finish the application and buy the 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 begin entering your coverage information. If you have a policy now, it's recommended you type in deductibles and limits as close as possible to your current policy. This way, you will get a fair comparison based on similar coverages.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

It's important that you understand some of the elements that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that can help you get much lower annual insurance costs.

One company can mean more discounts - Many companies give discounts to insureds who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible.
Marriage brings a discount - Being married can get you a discount when buying auto insurance. Marriage usually means you are more responsible and it's proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Where you live can impact rates - Residing in small towns and rural areas has it's advantages when talking about auto insurance. City drivers have to deal with congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
High deductibles save money - Physical damage coverage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, and burglary. Your deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend in the event of a claim. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the bigger discount you will receive.
Don't get talked into coverage you don't need - There are a ton of add-on coverages you can purchase when buying auto insurance. Things like personal injury protection, better glass coverage and membership fees are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.
Older drivers save more - Youthful drivers in Illinois are known to be less responsible when driving so auto insurance rates are higher. If you've ever had to add a young driver onto your auto insurance can be very expensive. More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and tend to be better behind the wheel.

More discounts equal less premium

Car insurance is not cheap, but companies offer discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you complete an application, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about before they will apply. If you don't get every credit you deserve, you're just leaving money on the table.

Theft Prevention Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
Accident Waiver - Some insurance companies will forgive one accident without raising rates if you are claim-free for a set time period.
Multi-policy Discount - When you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
Own a Home - Being a homeowner may trigger a auto insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
Driver Safety - Successfully completing a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.
E-sign - A few companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy online.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will help reduce 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. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, get help finding coverage, view agent and company licensing information, and report car insurance fraud.

Other useful links include BankRate.com's Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this Lincoln agent directory.

Best coverage at the best price

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The aim is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheaper auto insurance can be purchased both online in addition to many Lincoln insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both to get a complete price analysis. Some auto insurance companies do not provide online quoting and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.