Easy Methods to Spend Less on Roanoke Auto Insurance

Buying affordable Roanoke auto insurance on the internet is challenging for beginners to comparison shopping online. With dozens of insurance companies available, how can consumers have a chance to compare every one to find the cheapest rates?

It's important to check auto insurance prices yearly because insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the lowest price on your last policy you may be paying too much now. Ignore everything you know about auto insurance because you're about to learn the only way to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.

Where Can I Get Cheap Roanoke Auto Insurance?

Most major insurance companies provide prices for coverage on their websites. Getting online rates is fairly straightforward as you just type in your required coverages as detailed in the form. Behind the scenes, the company's rating system will obtain credit information and your driving record and returns a price quote based on these and other factors.

This makes comparing rates easy, but the process of having to visit a lot of sites and enter the same data into a form can be a bit repetitive. But it's very important to have as many quotes as possible if you want to find better auto insurance pricing.

Quote rates the easy way

A less time-consuming method to compare auto insurance pricing uses one simple form that gets price quotes from several different companies. The form is fast, eliminates form submissions, and makes online quotes much more enjoyable. After sending your information, it gets priced and you can choose any or none of the returned quotes. If a lower price is quoted, you can click and sign and buy the policy. The whole process just takes a couple of minutes and you will find out if you're overpaying now.

To save time and find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and enter your information. If you have coverage now, it's recommended you input coverages and limits as close as possible to your current policy. This way, you will have a fair comparison based on similar coverages.

What determines how much you pay?

It's important that you understand some of the elements that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Older drivers save more - Teen drivers in Indiana are statistically proven to be more careless when driving so auto insurance rates are higher. If you've ever had to add a teen driver to your policy can be very expensive. More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, statistically cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets.
Where you live can impact rates - Residing in small towns and rural areas can be a good thing when insuring your vehicles. City drivers have to deal with much more traffic and longer commute times. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
Better credit means lower rates - Credit score is a important factor in determining what you pay for auto insurance. If your credit history is lower than you'd like, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your rating. Drivers with high credit scores tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have poor credit.
Traffic violations increase rates - Just one citation can increase rates by as much as thirty percent. Good drivers have lower premiums than bad drivers. Drivers who have serious citations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to submit a SR-22 form with their state DMV in order to continue driving.
Add-on coverages can add up - There are many add-on coverages that you can buy on your auto insurance policy. Things like rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and motor club memberships are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but if you don't need them remove them from your policy.

These discounts can lower your rates

Companies don't always list all their discounts very well, so we researched both well-publicized as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

College Student - Children who are attending college and do not have a car can be insured at a reduced rate.
Bundle and Save - When you have multiple policies with one insurance company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Passive Restraint Discount - Factory air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of 20% or more.
Defensive Driver - Successfully completing a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill depending on where you live.
Good Student Discount - Getting good grades can earn a discount of 20% or more. Earning this discount can benefit you until age 25.

A little note about advertised discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

For a list of companies offering auto insurance discounts in Indiana, follow this link.

Different people need different coverages

When it comes to choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is no one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

For instance, these questions can help discover whether you would benefit from professional advice.

Do I pay less if my vehicle is kept in my garage?
What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
Should I have combined single limit or split liability limits?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Indiana?
Does my policy cover me when driving someone else's vehicle?

If you don't know the answers to these questions then you might want to talk to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.

Even more information is located at the Indiana Department of Insurance website. Indiana consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, view agent and company licensing information, and find out industry alerts.

Other useful links include this Car Insurance FAQ and this page of insurance agents in Roanoke.

Final considerations

When you buy insurance online, don't be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. There are many occasions where consumers will sacrifice liability coverage limits only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford.

In this article, we presented many ways to lower your auto insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers may even find the best price on auto insurance is with the least-expected company.

Cheaper auto insurance can be found online and with local Roanoke insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. There are still a few companies who do not offer online quoting and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.