Getting the Cheapest Merrillville Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced auto insurance? Believe me when I say you're not the only one. Big companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive all claim big savings with catchy ads and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

If you have a policy now or need a new policy, you can use these techniques to find the best rates while maximizing coverage. Buying car insurance in Merrillville is not that difficult. Indiana consumers only need to know the tricks to get comparison rates on the web.

Comprehensive Merrillville Auto Insurance Comparison

Getting better auto insurance pricing is surprisingly easy. You just have to invest a little time comparing price quotes online from several insurance companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

The first (and easiest) way to find low rates is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This form saves time by eliminating repetitive form entry for each company you want a rate for. Filling out one form will get you price quotes direct from many companies.

A less efficient way to get quotes online requires a visit to the website of each company to complete a price quote. For examples sake, we'll assume you want to compare rates from , and . To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker.

To view a list of companies in Merrillville, click here.

It's up to you how you get prices quotes, just ensure you are comparing exactly the same coverage limits with each company. If the quotes have differing limits then you won't be able to make an equal comparison in Merrillville.

Tips to Get Lower Merrillville Rates

It's important that you understand the rating factors that play a part in calculating auto insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

Your stress level may be raising your rates - Careers like lawyers, executives and dentists have the highest average rates due to high stress levels and long work days. Other professions such as actors, historians and retirees get better rates.
Don't skimp on liability - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage when a jury decides you are liable for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Liability insurance is quite affordable as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should carry high limits.
Drive a safer car and pay less - Vehicles with high crash test scores tend to have better insurance rates. The safest vehicles protect occupants better and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Claim-free discounts can add up - Companies in Indiana give cheaper rates to insureds who do not file claims often. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Your insurance policy is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
Save money with special equipment - Choosing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are quite a few extra coverages that can waste your money if you aren't careful. Insurance for roadside assistance, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment initially, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.

Save big with these discounts

Companies don't list every discount in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find some of the best known and also the lesser-known ways to save on auto insurance. If you aren't receiving every discount possible, you're just leaving money on the table.

Claim Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially when compared to frequent claim filers.
Club Memberships - Affiliation with a civic or occupational organization could trigger savings when shopping for auto insurance.
Low Mileage Discounts - Low mileage vehicles can earn better rates on cars that stay parked.
Drivers Ed for Students - Require your teen driver to successfully complete driver's ed class if offered at their school.
Safety Course Discount - Successfully completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
Homeowners Discount - Simply owning a home may earn you a small savings because maintaining a house is proof that your finances are in order.
Discount for Swiching Early - Some companies give discounts for signing up before your current policy expires. The savings is around 10%.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

For a list of insurance companies with discount auto insurance rates in Merrillville, click this link.

Even more information can be found at the Indiana Department of Insurance website. Indiana drivers can read industry bulletins, find out which companies have the most complaints, find disaster information, and download brochures.

A tidy conclusion

The cheapest auto insurance is attainable on the web as well as from independent agents in Merrillville, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance providers don't offer online quoting and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, it's not a good idea to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed physical damage coverage only to discover later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your strategy should be to get the best coverage possible at the best price while still protecting your assets.