How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Auto Insurance in Montevallo

Having to pay for overpriced auto insurance can dwindle your checking account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Comparing price quotes is a great way to cut your insurance bill. Big companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive promote their brand names with ads and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and take the time to shop coverage around.

If you have a current auto insurance policy or are shopping for new coverage, you will benefit by learning to shop for the lowest rates and possibly find even better coverage. Finding the best rates in Montevallo is quite easy. Alabama drivers only need an understanding of the most efficient way to buy auto insurance over the internet.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to big savings.

The following are some of the items that factor into prices.

Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Careers like real estate brokers, social workers and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates due to job stress and lots of time spent at work. Other occupations such as pilots, historians and performers pay the least.
Teen drivers pay high rates - More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, file fewer claims and get fewer tickets. Teen drivers are known to get distracted easily when driving and because of this, their auto insurance rates are much higher.
Please use or commuting - Driving more miles in a year's time the higher your rate. The majority of insurers apply a rate determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Ask your agent if your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage.
Save money with special equipment - Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all aid in stopping auto theft.
Safer occupants lowers premiums - Vehicles with good safety scores get lower rates. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates translates into savings for insurance companies and more competitive rates for policyholders.

Free Montevallo Auto Insurance Quotes

All major auto insurance companies quote insurance quotes on the web. Getting online rates doesn't take much effort as you simply type in your coverage information as detailed in the form. After the form is submitted, the company's rating system will obtain information on your driving record and credit history and generates a price based on these factors. Online quotes makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the time required to go to different websites and fill out multiple forms is repetitive and time-consuming. But it's very important to perform this step if you are searching for the best price on auto insurance.

The preferred way to locate the lowest prices uses one simple form to obtain quotes from a bunch of companies at once. The form is fast, requires much less work on your part, and makes quoting online much simpler. Once the form is submitted, it is quoted and you can select your choice of the resulting price quotes.

If you find a better price you can simply submit the application and buy the policy. It can be completed in less than 10 minutes and can result in significant savings.

To save time and find out if lower rates are available, click here to open in new window and submit your coverage information. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you complete the form with your coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. This makes sure you will receive a price comparison for the exact same coverage.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Properly insuring your vehicles can get expensive, but companies offer discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be requested specifically before you will receive the discount. If you aren't receiving every discount you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.

Government Employees - Employees or retirees of the government may qualify you for a discount with a few auto insurance companies.
Distant Student - Youth drivers living away from home attending college and do not have access to a covered vehicle can be insured at a reduced rate.
Discount for New Cars - Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for new cars.
Drivers Ed for Students - Cut your cost by having your teen driver successfully complete driver's ed class if it's offered in school.
Military Discounts - Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
Save over 55 - If you're over the age of 55, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
Multiple Vehicles - Buying coverage for multiple vehicles with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.

It's important to understand that some of the credits will not apply to the overall cost of the policy. A few only apply to specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. Just because you may think all those discounts means the company will pay you, it doesn't quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will reduce the cost of coverage.

To choose insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Montevallo, click here.

How can Progressive, Allstate and GEICO save drivers who switch?

Alabama consumers can't ignore all the ads for car insurance savings from companies such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO. They all have a common claim of big savings after switching your policy.

How can each company make almost identical claims? It's all in the numbers.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that makes them money. A good example of a driver they prefer could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and has a high credit rating. A driver that hits that "sweet spot" receives the best rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who are not a match for the requirements will be quoted more money and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that kind of money. This is how insurance companies can confidently state the savings.

This emphasizes why you need to get a wide range of price quotes. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will have the lowest rates.

Tailor your coverage to you

When buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a one size fits all plan. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions may help you determine whether you might need an agent's assistance.

Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
Should I buy additional glass protection?
Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?

If you can't answer these questions, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It is quick, free and you can get the answers you need.

Additional auto insurance information can be read on the website for the Alabama Department of Insurance found here. Alabama consumers can read industry bulletins, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and view a list of available companies.

A tidy conclusion

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where drivers have reduced full coverage and found out when filing a claim that they should have had better coverage. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage at the best price while still protecting your assets.

Low-cost auto insurance can be purchased online in addition to many Montevallo insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not provide online price quotes and these small insurance companies work with independent agents.