Easy Methods to Save Money on Oxford Auto Insurance

Are you intimidated by the wide range of auto insurance options in Oxford? You're not alone. Consumers have so many choices that it can turn into a lot of work to find the lowest price.

The purpose of this article is to help educate you on the most effective way to quote insurance and some tips to save money. If you currently have car insurance, you should be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. Alabama consumers only need to know the proper way to compare rates on the web.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but you may find discounts that you may not know about. Some trigger automatically when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be asked for before you get the savings. If you don't get every credit possible, you are throwing money away.

  • Clubs and Organizations - Being a member of a professional or civic organization could trigger savings when buying auto insurance.
  • Multiple Cars - Buying insurance for all your vehicles on one policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • No Charge for an Accident - Some insurance companies will forgive one accident before your rates go up so long as you haven't had any claims for a certain period of time.
  • Braking Control Discount - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
  • Auto/Home Discount - If you have multiple policies with one company you may save 10% to 20% off each policy.
  • Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of 20% or more.
  • Federal Government Employee - Active or retired federal employment can earn a discount up to 10% depending on your company.

A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Just because you may think 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.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Oxford

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that could result in better auto insurance rates.

Shown below are some of the items companies use to determine premiums.

  • Don't skimp on liability - Your policy's liability coverage provides coverage if you are found liable for damages from an accident. It provides you with a defense in court up to the limits shown on your policy. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap as compared to coverage for physical damage, so drivers should carry high limits.
  • Do you know your deductibles? - Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are willing to pay out-of-pocket in the event of a claim. Insurance for physical damage to your car, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims would be colliding with a building, damage from fire, or theft. The more expense you're willing to pay, the less your auto insurance will be.
  • Males pay more for insurance - Statistics demonstrate women tend to be less risk to insure than men. Now that doesn't mean women are better drivers. Men and women have accidents at a similar rate, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. Men also tend to have more aggressive citations like DUI and reckless driving.
  • Your credit rating is important - A driver's credit score is a important factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. Drivers with excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than those with lower credit ratings. If your credit score is low, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your rating.
  • Where you reside plays a part - Choosing to live in a small town is a positive aspect when talking about auto insurance. Drivers in populated areas tend to have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate.
  • Do you work long hours in a high stress job? - Occupations such as real estate brokers, executives and stock brokers tend to pay the highest rates because of high stress levels and long work hours. On the other hand, occupations like actors, students and retirees have the lowest average rates.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Consumers in Alabama get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings by companies like Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies make the same claim about savings if you change to them.

But how can every company claim to save you money?

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a profitable customer might be between 25 and 40, has no driving citations, and drives newer vehicles. A customer getting a price quote who matches those parameters gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Drivers who don't qualify for this ideal profile must pay a higher premium which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That's the way companies can truthfully claim big savings.

This illustrates why drivers should get as many comparisons as possible. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

Additional information can be read on the Alabama Department of Insurance website located here. Visitors are able to find out which companies have the most complaints, report car insurance fraud, and learn about insurance regulations.

Also read more on this link for Alabama auto insurance quotes and this link which helps you find a Oxford agent.

And the best car insurance company is...

The cheapest auto insurance can be sourced both online and with local Oxford insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. A few companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, someone sacrificed full coverage and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. Your focus should be to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

We covered many ideas to reduce auto insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more rate comparisons you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may even find the most savings is with the least-expected company.