Car Insurance in Portland Indiana - 6 Tricks to Save Money

Beginners to buying insurance online might discover finding low-cost Portland car insurance to be a formidable task.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but there are discounts available to reduce the price significantly. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you purchase, but less common discounts must be asked for before being credited. If you're not getting every credit you qualify for, you're paying more than you need to.

Military Rewards - Having a deployed family member may qualify for rate reductions.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
Discount for Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase a life insurance policy as well.
Distant Student - Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
Good Student - A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
Paperwork-free - Certain companies will give a small break for buying your policy over the internet.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of insurance companies who offer car insurance discounts in Indiana, follow this link.

Automobile Insurance Quotes in Portland, IN

Finding cheaper car insurance prices is actually quite simple. Consumers just need to take time to compare quotes online from several insurance companies. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

The best way to get quotes is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This method keeps you from doing separate quotation requests for every car insurance company. A single form gets rate comparisons from car insurance companies with the best prices. Recommended for those who want to invest the least amount of time.
A different way to shop for car insurance online is spending the time to visit the website of each company and fill out their own quote form. For sake of this example, let's say you want to compare , and . To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company's site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Portland, click here.

Whichever way you use, make absolute certain that you use identical information for each comparison quote. If each company quotes higher or lower deductibles it will be impossible to determine the lowest rate in Portland.

Insurance agents can help

When choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a "perfect" insurance plan. Everyone's needs are different.

For example, these questions might point out whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.

Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
What are Indiana no-fault laws?
Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Indiana?
Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Consumers can't get away from ads for cheaper car insurance by companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all say the same thing about savings after switching to them.

How does each company make the same claim?

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a driver they prefer could be a mature driver, owns a home, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when switching.

Consumers who don't qualify for these standards will be quoted higher prices which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ad wording is "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That is how companies can truthfully claim big savings.

This emphasizes why drivers must compare as many rates as you can. It's just too difficult to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

A tidy conclusion

Consumers change insurance companies for a number of reasons such as unfair underwriting practices, policy cancellation, delays in paying claims or not issuing a premium refund. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is actually quite simple.

When trying to cut insurance costs, it's very important that you do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an insured cut physical damage coverage only to discover later that it was a big mistake. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

You just learned many ways to compare car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more providers you compare, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Drivers may discover the best price on car insurance is with a small local company.

For more Indiana car insurance information

Additional information can be found on the Indiana Department of Insurance website located here. Consumers can view a list of available companies, find out industry alerts, and view agent and company licensing information.