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

Expensive car insurance can overdraw your personal savings and make it hard to pay other bills. Comparison shopping is free and is an excellent way to make sure you're not throwing money away.

Drivers have multiple to buy insurance from, and although it's a good thing to have multiple companies, it can be more challenging to compare rates.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you can get discounts that many people don't even know exist. A few discounts will automatically apply when you get a quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically before you will receive the discount.

  • Defensive Driver - Taking part in a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
  • Student in College - Any of your kids who live away from home and do not have a car may be able to be covered for less.
  • Theft Prevention System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Paperless Signup - A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy over the internet.
  • Own a Home - Owning a home in Midfield may earn you a small savings because owning a home requires personal responsibility.
  • No Accidents - Drivers who don't have accidents can earn big discounts when compared with drivers who are more careless.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will bring down your premiums.

car insurance in Midfield

Midfield Rates are Influenced by These Factors

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that could result in big savings.

  • Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are many add-on coverages that you can get tricked into buying when buying car insurance. Coverages for personal injury protection, accidental death and term life insurance may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment at first, but if they're wasting money eliminate them to save money.
  • Older drivers pay less - Youthful drivers in Alabama are statistically proven to get distracted easily when driving so they pay higher car insurance rates. If you've ever had to add a young driver to your car insurance policy can be quite pricey. More mature drivers are more responsible, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
  • Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? - Most car insurance companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who buy several policies from them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you may still want to compare other company rates to ensure the best deal.
  • Discounts for married couples - Being married can actually save you money on your car insurance policy. Having a spouse means you're more responsible and it's statistically proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
  • More claims means more premium - If you tend to file frequent claims, you can expect higher rates. Auto insurance companies in Alabama give lower rates to insureds who are claim-free. Insurance coverage is intended for the bigger claims that can't be paid out-of-pocket.

Your personal situation dictates your coverage

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a perfect coverage plan. Everyone's needs are different so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether or not you might need professional guidance.

  • Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
  • What are Alabama no-fault laws?
  • Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
  • Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
  • Why does it cost so much to insure a teen driver in Midfield?
  • Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
  • Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
  • Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

The car insurance bait and switch

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. All the companies make the same claim about savings if you switch to their company. How does each company claim to save you money?

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that earns them a profit. An example of a profitable customer might be between 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has a high credit rating. Any driver who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and therefore will save when switching.

Drivers who don't measure up to these standards must pay higher premiums which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "people who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. This is how companies can truthfully state the savings.

This illustrates why drivers should compare many company's rates. You cannot predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

More sites with car insurance information

Additional information is available on the website for the Alabama Department of Insurance through this link. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, read consumer alerts, and get help finding coverage.

Midfield car insurance comparison

Final considerations

Cheap car insurance can be found both online and also from your neighborhood Midfield agents, so compare prices from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you restructure your insurance plan, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.