How to Get Cheap Pleasant Hill Auto Insurance

Searching for low-cost Pleasant Hill auto insurance online can be challenging for consumers not familiar with online price comaprisons. With dozens of companies competing online, how can consumers possibly compare every company to locate the best pricing?

It's important to compare rates yearly because insurance rates are constantly changing. If you had the best price last year you may be paying too much now. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because we're going to demonstrate one of the easiest ways to find the best coverage while lowering your premiums.

Where Can I Get Cheap Pleasant Hill Auto Insurance?

There are several ways of comparing rate quotes from local Pleasant Hill auto insurance companies. The recommended way to find competitive insurance rates involves getting comparison quotes online. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.

The first (and easiest) way to find the lowest comparison rates is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This type of form keeps you from doing separate forms for each company you want a rate for. A single, simple form will return price quotes from several companies. Recommended for those who want to invest the least amount of time.

A less efficient way to compare rate quotes consists of visiting the website for each individual company and complete a new quote form. For instance, let's say you want comparison quotes from , and . To get each rate you have to go to every website to enter your coverage information, and that's why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Pleasant Hill, click here.

However you get your quotes, make sure you use identical deductibles and coverage limits on every quote. If you use different values for each quote it will be very difficult to make a fair comparison in Pleasant Hill. Slightly different limits may result in a large different in cost. And when comparing auto insurance rates, know that getting more free quotes helps locate better pricing.

You have some control over your rates

It's important that you understand the factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what influences your rates enables informed choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Rural vs Urban Areas - Residing in small towns and rural areas can be a good thing when insuring your vehicles. Urban drivers have to deal with much more traffic and longer commute times. Lower population translates into fewer accidents.
Lower miles equals lower premium - The more you drive in a year's time the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies apply a rate based on their usage. Cars used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. Double check that your auto insurance policy shows the correct driver usage.
Car features impact rates - Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft devices such as tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping auto theft.
Being married is a good thing - Having a spouse actually saves money on auto insurance. It means you're more mature it has been statistically shown that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Extra add-on coverages are wasting money - There are a lot of add-on coverages that you can buy on your auto insurance policy. Coverages for roadside assistance, towing coverage and term life insurance are some examples. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but if they're wasting money eliminate them to save money.

Take advantage of discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there could be available discounts to help offset the cost. Most are applied when you complete an application, but less common discounts must be asked for before they will apply.

Life Insurance Discount - Some companies give a discount if you purchase life insurance.
Discount for New Cars - Insuring a new car can save up to 30% because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
Pay Upfront and Save - By paying your policy upfront rather than paying monthly you may reduce your total bill.
Sign Online - A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks just for signing your application over the internet.
Defensive Driving Course - Successfully completing a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.

It's important to note that some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So when the math indicates adding up those discounts means a free policy, you're out of luck. But any discount will bring down your overall premium however.

For a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Illinois, click here.

How to know if you need help

When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a one size fits all plan. Everyone's situation is unique.

These are some specific questions can help discover whether your personal situation could use an agent's help.

When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
Who is covered when they drive my vehicle?
What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
Does my personal policy cover me when driving my company car?
Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
What happens if I owe more than my vehicle is worth?
Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?

If you can't answer these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, complete this form.

More information can be found on the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Click here for link. Illinois consumers can view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and view a list of available companies.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

As you prepare to switch companies, never reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, consumers will sacrifice physical damage coverage only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price.

Drivers who switch companies do it for any number of reasons including delays in paying claims, unfair underwriting practices, delays in responding to claim requests and lack of trust in their agent. No matter why you want to switch, switching auto insurance companies is not as hard as you think.

Lower-priced auto insurance is possible online and also from your neighborhood Pleasant Hill agents, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis. There are still a few companies who may not provide online quoting and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.