Tightwads Guide for Saving on Peoria Heights Car Insurance

Nobody I know looks forward to paying for car insurance, especially when their premiums are through the roof. Big-name insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate, GEICO and Progressive persitently shower you with ad campaigns and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and do the work needed to find the best deal.

If you have insurance now or need a new policy, you can learn to find the best rates and still get good coverage. Finding affordable coverage in Peoria Heights is easy if you know what you're doing. Illinois vehicle owners just need to know the most effective way to compare rates online.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Companies don't always advertise all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we break down some of the more common as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using. If you aren't receiving every discount you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

Defensive Driver - Successfully completing a driver safety course can save you 5% or more if you qualify.
Anti-lock Brake System - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and will save you 10% or more.
Passive Restraint Discount - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
Lower Rates for Military - Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
Theft Prevention Discount - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.
Federal Employees - Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver's education in school.
Claim Free - Good drivers with no accidents can save substantially when compared with drivers who are more careless.
Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out life insurance.

Consumers should know that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like adding up those discounts means a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

Tips to Get Lower Peoria Heights Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that go into determining your car insurance rates. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are many additional coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your policy. Insurance for vanishing deductibles, accidental death and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea when you first buy your policy, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
High credit ratings translate to low rates - A driver's credit score is a important factor in determining your rates. If your credit rating is lower than you'd like, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your credit score. People with high credit scores tend to be more responsible as compared to drivers with poor credit.
Lower rates with optional equipment - Owning a car with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Anti-theft features such as LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system can help prevent car theft.
Tickets mean higher rates - Drivers who don't get tickets have lower premiums than bad drivers. Even one ticket can bump up the cost twenty percent or more. Drivers with serious tickets like DUI or reckless driving are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.

Insurance agents can help

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a "perfect" insurance plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions might point out whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.

Do I really need UM/UIM coverage?
Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
Does my personal auto insurance policy cover using my vehicle for business use?
Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?

If you're not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It's fast, doesn't cost anything and can help protect your family.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for cheaper car insurance from the likes of 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies make an identical promise that you'll save big if you switch your coverage to them.

How can each company make the same claim?

Insurance companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable customer could be a mature driver, owns a home, and has great credit. Any new insured who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who don't qualify for the requirements must pay more money and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much money. That is how companies can advertise the savings. This illustrates why drivers should compare many company's rates. It's just too difficult to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

For more Illinois car insurance information

More detailed Illinois car insurance information can be found at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, find out industry alerts, view a list of available companies, and file complaints about a company.

In the end, you save

Discount car insurance is available from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Peoria Heights, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. There are still a few companies who don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, it's not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The proper strategy is to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

You just learned many tips how you can reduce car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more companies you get rates for, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the best price on car insurance is with the least-expected company. Regional companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates compared to the large companies like .