Proven Techniques to Save on Lindenhurst Auto Insurance

Tired of not being able to afford each month for car insurance? You are in the same boat as many other drivers in Illinois.

Big-name insurance companies like GEICO and Progressive all promote huge savings with fancy advertisements and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using these techniques. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Lindenhurst is easy if you know what you're doing. But Illinois vehicle owners do need to know the way companies market on the web and take advantage of how the system works.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies don't always advertise every discount in a way that's easy to find, so here is a list some of the best known as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver's ed class in high school.
Use Seat Belts - Buckling up and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Employee of Federal Government - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with a few auto insurance companies.
Accident Free - Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts when compared to drivers who are more careless.
Homeowners Pay Less - Simply owning a home may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because of the fact that having a home requires personal responsibility.
Pay Upfront and Save - If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can actually save on your bill.
One Accident Forgiven - A handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.
Low Mileage Discounts - Keeping the miles down can qualify you for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Lindenhurst

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

The list below includes some of the factors companies use to determine prices.

Frequent auto insurance claims increase rates - Companies in Illinois provide cheaper rates to people who file claims infrequently. If you frequently file small claims, you can look forward to higher rates. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Never go without insurance - Driving your car without having proper coverage can get your license suspended and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage have a gap. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage will get you a steep fine or even jail time.
Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? - The majority of companies provide better rates to people who buy several policies from them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even though this discount sounds good, you still need to compare other company rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. Consumers may find better rates by buying insurance from more than one company.
Bump up deductibles to save - Your deductibles define the amount you are required to spend out-of-pocket before your auto insurance pays a claim. Physical damage coverage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, insures against damage to your car. Examples of covered claims are running into the backend of another car, vandalism, and rolling your vehicle. The more money you're willing to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
Rates may be higher depending on your occupation - Careers like doctors, architects and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates because of stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. Other jobs such as farmers, historians and the unemployed have the lowest average rates.
Your spouse saves you money - Being married actually saves money when buying auto insurance. Having a significant other is viewed as being more mature than a single person and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Special features that cut premiums - Driving a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft devices such as GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder your car from being stolen.
Men fork out a little more - The statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, don't assume that women are better drivers. Women and men cause accidents at about the same rate, but the men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also statistically get cited for more serious violations like reckless driving and DUI.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Auto insurance providers like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO regularly use ads in print and on television. They all say the same thing that you'll save big if you move to them. How can each company say the same thing?

All companies can use profiling for the type of driver that earns them a profit. An example of a driver they prefer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and has a high credit rating. A propective insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who do not match the requirements will be quoted a higher premium which usually ends up with business not being written. The ad wording is "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That's why companies can state the savings. This emphasizes why drivers should compare many company's rates. It's not possible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.

Learn more today

More detailed Illinois auto insurance information is available at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Illinois drivers can download brochures, find a variety of consumer forms, read consumer alerts, and report car insurance fraud.

Shop smart and save

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

Discount auto insurance is definitely available on the web and with local Lindenhurst insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and these smaller companies work with independent agents.