Free Guide to Cutting Costs on Opelika Auto Insurance Online

I can't think of a single person who likes paying for auto insurance, especially knowing they are paying too much. Numerous battle for your hard-earned dollar, and it can be difficult to compare rates to get the lowest rate

Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine auto insurance rates. Understanding what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to lower auto insurance prices.

Safer cars cost less to insure - Cars with high safety ratings get lower rates. The safest vehicles have better occupant injury protection and better occupant protection means less money paid by your insurance company and lower rates for you.
A clean driving record saves money - Even one speeding ticket may increase your cost twenty percent or more. Drivers with clean records receive lower rates compared to drivers with tickets. If you have flagrant violations such as hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to keep their license.
Men pay higher rates - Statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Women and men are in accidents at about the same rate, but the men have costlier accidents. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI. Youthful male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
Your auto insurance rates can be influenced by your job - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Careers like doctors, social workers and accountants are shown to have higher rates than average attributed to high stress levels and lengthy work days. On the flip side, occupations such as scientists, athletes and performers pay the least.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies don't list every discount in an easy-to-find place, so here is a list some of the best known and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving. If they aren't giving you every credit you qualify for, you are paying more than you should be.

Military Discounts - Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
Good Student - This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
Senior Discount - If you're over the age of 55, you may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
No Claims - Good drivers with no accidents can earn big discounts when compared to accident-prone drivers.
Low Mileage Discounts - Fewer annual miles can qualify you for a substantially lower rate.
Multiple Policy Discount - If you insure your home and vehicles with one insurance company you may earn up to 20% off your total premium.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don't apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like it's possible to get free car insurance, auto insurance companies aren't that generous.

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

How can State Farm, Allstate and GEICO save drivers who switch?

Alabama drivers can't ignore all the ads for cheaper car insurance from companies such as State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all have a common claim about savings after switching your policy.

How do they all say the same thing?

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the right customer that makes them money. An example of a driver they prefer might be profiled as between 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A propective insured that hits that "sweet spot" is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who are not a match for the "perfect" profile will be quoted more money and this can result in business not being written. Company advertisements say "people who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. This emphasizes why you should compare many company's rates. It's not possible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Tailor your coverage to you

When buying proper insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Each situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions may help highlight whether you might need professional guidance.

Do I have coverage when using my vehicle for my home business?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Alabama?
Should I buy additional glass protection?
Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
What companies insure drivers after a DUI or DWI?
What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?

If you can't answer these questions, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier It is quick, free and can provide invaluable advice.

Even more information is available at the Alabama Department of Insurance website. Alabama drivers can find disaster information, file complaints about a company, learn about insurance regulations, and read industry bulletins.

A tidy conclusion

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of ways to save on auto insurance. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers may even find the best prices are with a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising. Some small companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than the large multi-state companies such as .

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, you should never buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where someone dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.