Little Rock Auto Insurance For Less Than You're Paying Now

If price shopping auto insurance online is new to you, it's easy to be confused by the vast number of auto insurance companies competing for business in Little Rock.

It's important to take a look at other company's rates periodically because prices are constantly changing. Even if you got the lowest price a couple years back the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. There is a lot of bad advice regarding auto insurance online but I'm going to show you some great ways to save money.

If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using these methods. This information will familiarize you with the best way to quote coverages. But Arkansas drivers do need to know the way companies price insurance differently because it can help you find the best coverage.

Save big with these discounts

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you can get discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be applied when you purchase, but a few must be asked about before being credited.

Accident Forgiveness - A handful of insurance companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims for a set time period.
Good Student - A discount for being a good student can earn a discount of 20% or more. Earning this discount can benefit you well after school through age 25.
Discount for New Cars - Adding a new car to your policy can be considerably cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
Payment Method - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
Multiple Vehicles - Insuring multiple vehicles on the same auto insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
College Student - Kids in college who are attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out life insurance.
Drivers Ed for Students - Have your child complete a driver education course if it's offered in school.
Memberships - Participating in a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates on auto insurance.

Consumers should know that most discount credits are not given to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way. But all discounts will reduce your overall premium however.

To see a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Little Rock, click here to view.

Little Rock Auto Insurance Comparisons

There are several ways of comparing price quotes from different Little Rock insurance companies. The best method to find competitive insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be done in a couple of different ways.

The best way to get quotes for comparison is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form keeps you from doing a different quote for each company you want a rate for. Just one form gets rate comparisons . It's the fastest way to compare.
A more difficult way to get quotes online is spending the time to visit each individual company website and fill out their own quote form. For example, let's say you want to compare , and . To get each rate you have to visit each site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Little Rock, click here.

It's up to you which method you use, but be sure to compare exactly the same information for each comparison quote. If you have higher or lower deductibles it's impossible to determine the lowest rate in Little Rock. Quoting even small variations in insurance coverages may cause a big price difference. Keep in mind that obtaining a wide range of quotes will increase your chances of finding the best price.

Little Rock Rates are Influenced by These Factors

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

The following are a partial list of the pieces auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Do men or women drive better? - Statistics show women are more cautious behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are worse drivers. Both sexes tend to get into accidents in similar numbers, but the males have costlier accidents. They also receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving. Teenage male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
Careful drivers pay lower rates - Just one citation can boost insurance rates by twenty percent. Careful drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers who have flagrant citations like reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to file a SR-22 with their state DMV in order to keep their license.
Proper usage rating affects rates - Driving more miles each year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use receive lower rates than those used for commuting. Double check that your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Optional equipment can affect rates - Owning a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar can help prevent car theft.

But I don't know anything about car insurance

When choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Everyone's situation is a little different.

These are some specific questions may help highlight if your situation might need an agent's assistance.

Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?
Should I buy only the required Arkansas minimum liability coverage?
Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Little Rock?

If you're not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, take a second and complete this form.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive continually stream ads on TV and radio. They all seem to make an identical promise that you'll save big after switching to their company. How can each company make almost identical claims?

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a desirable insured could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications will get very good rates and most likely will save when they switch companies.

Consumers who fall outside the requirements will have to pay higher prices and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much. That is how companies can advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, drivers must get as many comparisons as possible. It's impossible to know which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Final considerations

Discount auto insurance can be purchased online and also from your neighborhood Little Rock agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some auto insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

You just read some good ideas how you can compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even find the lowest rates come from some of the lesser-known companies.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, someone dropped collision coverage and learned later that the savings was not a smart move. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford.

Additional Arkansas consumer information

Much more information about auto insurance in Arkansas is located on the Arkansas Insurance Department website located here. Arkansas consumers can learn about insurance regulations, file complaints about a company, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.