Tightwads Tips for Saving on Pendleton Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced auto insurance? Trust us, you are not the only one feeling buyer's remorse.

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

It's important to take a look at other company's rates at least once a year since insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best rates last year you may be paying too much now. There is a lot of bad information regarding auto insurance online, so we're going to give you some great ways to slash your auto insurance rates.

How to Compare Pendleton Auto Insurance Costs

Most major insurance companies like Allstate and Progressive provide coverage prices online. Getting online quotes is pretty painless as you simply enter the coverage amounts you desire as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, their system will obtain information on your driving record and credit history and provides a quote based on many factors. Quoting online helps simplify price comparisons, but the work required to visit different websites and complete many quote forms can be a bit repetitive. But it's very important to get many rate quotes if you want to find better auto insurance pricing.

A less time-consuming method to find better auto insurance pricing requires only one form to return rates from several companies at one time. The form is fast, requires much less work on your part, and makes online quotes much easier. After sending your information, it gets priced and you can choose any one of the returned quotes.

If a lower price is quoted, you can simply submit the application and buy the new coverage. The whole process can be completed in less than 10 minutes and you'll know if lower rates are available.

To quickly find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and complete the simple form. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you enter the coverages identical to your current policy. This way, you will have an apples-to-apples comparison based on similar coverages.

Pendleton Rates are Influenced by These Factors

It's important that you understand the factors that go into determining auto insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels enables informed choices that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.

Listed below are some of the items auto insurance companies consider when setting your rates.

Bundling policies can get discounts - Most insurance companies give discounts to people who consolidate policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to shop around to ensure the best deal. You may still be able to find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
Do you need those extra coverages? - There are many extra coverages you can purchase if you aren't careful. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, better glass coverage and term life insurance are some examples. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but if they're wasting money eliminate them to save money.
Having a spouse can save you money - Getting married can actually save you money on auto insurance. Marriage means you're more responsible and it's proven that being married results in fewer claims.
Battle of the sexes - Statistics demonstrate that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that men are worse drivers. Women and men are in accidents at a similar rate, but men cause more damage. Men also get more serious tickets like reckless driving and DUI. Youthful male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and thus pay the highest rates.
Your job and insurance rates - Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Occupations like real estate brokers, social workers and financial analysts tend to have higher average rates because of high stress levels and lengthy work days. Conversely, occupations such as actors, engineers and homemakers receive lower rates.
Traffic citations inflate rates - Your driving record has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Even a single ticket can boost insurance rates twenty percent or more. Careful drivers have lower premiums than bad drivers. Drivers who get serious violations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may be required to submit a SR-22 form with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
Big city or small town - Choosing to live in a rural area has it's advantages when buying auto insurance. Urban drivers have to deal with congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Less people living in that area translates into fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate.

These discounts can lower your rates

Car insurance is not cheap, but you can get discounts that many people don't even know exist. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at quote time, but some may not be applied and must be asked for in order for you to get them.

Anti-theft Discount - Vehicles with anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
Defensive Driver - Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
Homeowners Discount - Being a homeowner can save you money because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
Senior Discount - Older drivers may qualify for better auto insurance rates.
No Accidents - Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay less compared to frequent claim filers.
Discount for Good Grades - Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some credits don't apply the the whole policy. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So even though it sounds like it's possible to get free car insurance, auto insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will bring down the cost of coverage.

For a list of providers offering auto insurance discounts in Indiana, click here.

Additional information can be read on the website for the Indiana Department of Insurance located here. Indiana drivers can read consumer alerts, discover disciplinary actions, get help finding coverage, and learn about insurance regulations.

Shop smart and save

As you prepare to switch companies, never reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, an insured dropped full coverage and found out when filing a claim that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The aim is to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheap auto insurance can be found on the web and also from your neighborhood Pendleton agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.