How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Car Insurance in Linden

Paying for high-priced car insurance can take a big chunk out of your bank account and force you to make sacrifices. Comparison shopping is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to help make ends meet. Insurance companies such as GEICO and Progressive continually bombard you with advertising and it can be hard to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

What determines how much you pay?

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that could result in better car insurance rates.

Do you need those extra coverages? - There are quite a few add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying when buying car insurance. Insurance for roadside assistance, accidental death and motor club memberships may be costing you every month. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but if you don't need them eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
Pleasure use saves money - The higher the mileage driven in a year's time the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most companies charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks that are left in the garage qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Verify your car insurance declarations sheet is rated on the correct usage for each vehicle.
Better crash test results mean better rates - Safer cars can get you lower premiums. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Your stress level may be raising your rates - Occupations such as lawyers, business owners and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates because of high stress levels and long work hours. Other professions such as pilots, historians and retirees have the lowest average rates.
Teen drivers pay high rates - More mature drivers are more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations. Youthful drivers have a tendency to be more careless when driving and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.

Compare Car Insurance Today

Reducing your insurance rates is actually quite simple. You just have to take a couple of minutes to get quotes online with multiple companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

The fastest way to get quotes is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This easy form keeps you from doing boring form submissions for each company. A single, simple form will get you price quotes from all major companies.
A slightly less efficient method to get quotes online requires a visit to the website for every company you want to comare and fill out their own quote form. For instance, let's say you want comparison quotes from , and . You would have to go to every website to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Linden, click here.
The least recommended way of getting rate comparisons is to drive around to insurance agents' offices. The internet eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you require the trained guidance of a licensed agent. However, consumers can find lower rates online and still use a local agent and you'll learn how to do that later.

It's up to you which method you use, but make sure you use exactly the same coverage limits for each comparison quote. If you are comparing differing limits it will be impossible to determine the lowest rate in Linden.

Save big with these discounts

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there are discounts available to help bring down the price. Some discounts apply automatically when you purchase, but a few need to be requested specifically before being credited. If you aren't receiving every discount you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.

Safety Course Discount - Taking a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
Military Rewards - Being on active duty in the military could be rewarded with lower premiums.
Government Employees - Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.
Save with a New Car - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less compared to insuring an older model.
Good Student Discount - This discount can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply up until you turn 25.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will reduce your overall premium however.

To choose insurers with discount car insurance rates in Linden, click here to view.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Consumers in Alabama can't ignore all the ads for car insurance savings by companies like 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies make an identical promise about savings if you change to them.

How can each company claim to save you money?

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a profitable customer might be over the age of 50, has no prior claims, and has a high credit rating. Any driver who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Consumers who fall outside the requirements must pay higher prices and ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save money. This is how companies can truthfully state the savings.

This illustrates why you need to get as many comparisons as possible. You cannot predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When buying the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Everyone's needs are different so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions can help discover if your situation may require specific advice.

Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
Should I buy only the required Alabama minimum liability coverage?
Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?

If you're not sure about those questions but you know they apply to you, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It is quick, free and can help protect your family.

Additional information can be found on the website for the Alabama Department of Insurance located here. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, find disaster information, and read industry bulletins.

And the best car insurance company is...

Cheaper car insurance is attainable both online and with local Linden insurance agents, and you should be comparing both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.