Tightwads Guide to Saving on Oakdale Auto Insurance

Nobody I know enjoys paying for auto insurance, particularly when they are paying too much.

Having so many different company options, it's difficult to locate the most affordable company.

It's important to get comparison quotes occasionally because prices are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal a couple years back a different company probably has better rates today. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the only way to save on auto insurance.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Car insurance can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts to reduce the price significantly. Most are applied when you purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked about before being credited.

Early Switch Discount - Some insurance companies reward drivers for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. It's a savings of about 10%.
Anti-lock Brakes - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
Multi-policy Discount - If you have multiple policies with one company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.
Good Student - Performing well in school can save 20 to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
Homeowners Savings - Being a homeowner can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
Seat Belt Usage - Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts can save up to 15% off your PIP or medical payments premium.

A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don't apply to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. So even though it sounds like you could get a free auto insurance policy, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will help reduce the amount you have to pay.

Understand what determines the rate you pay

Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better auto insurance rates.

The following are some of the factors that factor into your rates.

Cautious drivers pay less - Drivers with clean records have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Even a single moving violation may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers who get flagrant violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may be required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
Clean credit earns discounts - Your credit history is a important factor in determining your rates. If your credit score is not that good, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your rating. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have lower credit scores.
Where you live can impact rates - Living in a small town has it's advantages when talking about auto insurance. Urban drivers tend to have congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
Lower deductibles cost more - Physical damage coverage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, protects your car from damage. Some examples of claims that would be covered would be a windshield shattered by a rock, collision with an animal, or theft. The deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend in the event of a claim. The more money the insured has to pay upfront, the lower your rates will be.

Insurance agents can help

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions might point out whether your personal situation could use an agent's help.

Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
What are the best liability limits?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in California?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?

If you can't answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you don't have a local agent, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Companies like State Farm and Allstate continually stream television and radio advertisements. All the ads have a common claim about savings after switching your policy. But how can every company claim to save you money?

Different companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that earns them a profit. An example of a preferred risk might be over the age of 40, owns a home, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote that hits that "sweet spot" will get very good rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Consumers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will be charged higher prices and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

That is why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Additional information is available on the website for the California Department of Insurance located here. Visitors are able to file complaints about a company, find out industry alerts, view agent and company licensing information, and report car insurance fraud.

Also read more on III.org's auto insurance page and this directory of insurance agents in Oakdale California.

Shop smart and save

We covered a lot of ways to reduce auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more you quote, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest premiums are with the least-expected company. Regional companies may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like .

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, don't be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many cases where an insured cut comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your goal should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheaper auto insurance can be purchased both online in addition to many Oakdale insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some auto insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.