Compare Medford Auto Insurance Prices With These Methods

Are you overwhelmed by the crazy number of auto insurance options in Medford? You're not the only one! Drivers have so many companies to choose from that it can turn into a lot of work to find better rates.

How to Compare Medford Auto Insurance Costs

There are several ways to compare auto insurance prices but some are easier and takes less work. You could spend your day talking to insurance companies in Medford, or you can utilize online quoting to get rates in a matter of minutes.

All the larger companies belong to a marketplace that allows shoppers to submit one quote, and each company returns a rated price for coverage. This saves time by eliminating quote forms for each company you want a rate for. To submit your quote information now, click here (opens in new window).

The one downside to pricing coverage this way is you cannot specify which companies you want pricing from. So if you want to select specific providers to compare rates, we have assembled a list of low cost auto insurance companies in Wisconsin. Click here for list of insurance companies in Wisconsin.

It's up to you which method you use, but compare exactly the same coverage limits and deductibles with every price quote. If you use different liability limits it will be next to impossible to find the best deal in Medford. Quoting even small variations in limits can result in a big premium difference. Just keep in mind that comparing a large number of companies will increase your chances of finding the best rates.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

It's important that you understand the different types of things that go into determining auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

Listed below are a few of the "ingredients" used by your company to calculate premiums.

  • Liability insurance protects assets - Liability insurance provides coverage if a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. It provides for a legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
  • Little extras can really add up - There are many extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying if you aren't careful. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accidental death and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. These coverages may sound good at first, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
  • More than one policy can earn a discount - Most insurers will award you with lower prices to people who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. This can amount to five, ten or even twenty percent. Even with this discount, you may still want to shop around to verify if the discount is saving money. You may still be able to find a better deal by splitting coverages up.
  • Frequent auto insurance claims increase rates - Auto insurance companies in Wisconsin award cheaper rates to drivers who do not file claims often. If you file claims often, you can expect either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
  • Your job and insurance rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations such as lawyers, business owners and dentists have the highest average rates attributed to high stress and lengthy work days. Other occupations like actors, historians and homemakers get better rates.
  • Adjust deductibles and save - Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are willing to pay before your auto insurance pays a claim. Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. A few examples of covered claims are colliding with a building, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. The higher the amount you have to pay, the less your auto insurance will be.
  • A clean driving record saves money - Whether or not you get tickets has a huge affect on how much you pay. Only having one moving violation can bump up the cost by twenty percent. Drivers who don't get tickets receive lower rates than bad drivers. Drivers with serious tickets like DUI or reckless driving are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.

How much can you save with discounts?

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but discounts can save money and there are some available that many people don't even know exist. Some trigger automatically at the time you complete a quote, but a few need to be inquired about prior to getting the savings.

  • Club Memberships - Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance.
  • Defensive Driver - Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
  • Anti-theft Discount - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Drivers Ed for Students - Require your teen driver to enroll in driver's education in school.
  • Claim Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially when compared with frequent claim filers.

It's important to note that most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you're out of luck. But any discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

For a list of insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Medford, click here to view.

More information can be found on the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance website through this link. Wisconsin drivers can find out which companies have the most complaints, discover disciplinary actions, and read consumer alerts.

auto insurance in Medford

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Lower-priced auto insurance can be found on the web as well as from independent agents in Medford, so you should compare both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who don't offer online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When you buy insurance online, it's not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.

People switch companies for many reasons like questionable increases in premium, policy non-renewal, high rates after DUI convictions and lack of trust in their agent. It doesn't matter what your reason, finding the right auto insurance provider is not as hard as you think.