Top Ways to Save on Phoenix Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced auto insurance? Believe me when I say there are many Phoenix consumers feeling the pinch from expensive auto insurance.

Because you have many companies and agents to choose from, it's nearly impossible to choose the most affordable insurance company.

It's important to price shop coverage at least once a year since insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the lowest rates last year you may be paying too much now. So block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because it's time to teach you the tricks you need to know to lower your annual insurance bill.

Quick Phoenix Auto Insurance Quotes

Most major insurance companies provide coverage price quotes on the web. Getting online quotes doesn't take a lot of time as you just type in the coverage amounts you desire into the quote form. Behind the scenes, their system will obtain credit information and your driving record and returns a price quote determined by many factors. This makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the process of having to visit many different websites and complete many quote forms is not the best way to spend an afternoon. Unfortunately, it is important to do this if you want to find a lower rate.

A less time-consuming method to find better auto insurance pricing requires only one form that gets price quotes from a lot of companies. It's a real time-saver, eliminates form submissions, and makes online shopping much more enjoyable. Immediately after submitting the form, it gets priced and you can select any or none of the returned quotes. If the quotes result in lower rates, you can click and sign and buy the new coverage. The whole process takes less than 15 minutes and you will find out if you're overpaying now.

To quickly find out how much you're overpaying now, click here and begin entering your coverage information. To compare your current rates, we recommend you complete the form with the limits and deductibles as close as possible to your current policy. This way, you will be getting rate quotes based on similar coverages.

Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper

It's important that you understand the rating factors that help determine auto insurance rates. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with big savings.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" that factor into rates.

  • Being married can save on auto insurance - Having a spouse can get you a discount on your auto insurance policy. It usually means you are more responsible and it's statistically proven that being married results in fewer claims.
  • Extra coverages can waste money - There are a ton of extra coverages that you can buy if you aren't careful. Things like personal injury protection, towing coverage and membership fees may be wasting your money. These may sound like a good investment at first, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.
  • Where you live can impact rates - Choosing to live in less populated areas can be a good thing when buying auto insurance. Drivers in populated areas have to deal with much more traffic and longer commute times. Fewer drivers means reduced accidents.
  • Multiple policies with one company can save - Many auto insurance companies will give a discount to people who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you may still want to shop around to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
  • High numbers of claims are not good - Car insurance companies in Arizona give discounts to insureds who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you frequently file small claims, you can expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Insurance coverage is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment - Choosing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
  • Do men or women drive better? - Statistics demonstrate women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean men are WORSE drivers than women. They both cause accidents in similar percentages, but the males have costlier accidents. They also have more aggressive citations like reckless driving and DUI. Youthful male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and thus pay the highest rates.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies that sell car insurance don't always advertise all their discounts very well, so we break down some of the best known and the more hidden ways to save on auto insurance.

  • Sign Online - A handful of insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying your policy online.
  • Driver Safety - Taking part in a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
  • Bundle and Save - When you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you may save approximately 10% to 15%.
  • Theft Prevention System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems are stolen less frequently and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Driver's Ed - Require your teen driver to complete a driver education course if it's offered in school.
  • Payment Method - If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you could save 5% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, many deductions do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you won't be that lucky.

For a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Arizona, click this link.

Even more information can be found at the Arizona Department of Insurance website. Arizona drivers can get help finding coverage, discover disciplinary actions, view agent and company licensing information, and read consumer alerts.

Other useful links include this page for Arizona auto insurance and see this list of insurance agents in Phoenix.

auto insurance in Phoenix

Final considerations

Cheaper auto insurance can be purchased on the web in addition to many Phoenix insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best selection. A few companies do not provide online quoting and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. In many cases, an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that it was a big mistake. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate.