5 Ways to Save on Car Insurance in Rochester

Beginners to buying insurance online will discover buying affordable Rochester car insurance to be a formidable task.

It's important to check car insurance prices periodically since rates are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the lowest rates last year the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because we're going to show you the tricks you need to know to save money, get proper coverage and the best rates.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don't always advertise every available discount very well, so we break down some of the more common as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving. If you don't get every credit you qualify for, you're paying more than you need to.

  • Anti-lock Brakes - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
  • Good Student - A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
  • Resident Student - Youth drivers who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle can receive lower rates.
  • Multi-policy Discount - When you combine your home and auto insurance with one company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.
  • Accident Forgiveness - Some insurance companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums if you are claim-free for a certain period of time.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. Even though it may seem like you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren't that generous.

To see a list of providers who offer car insurance discounts in Illinois, click here.

Rochester car insurance quote

How to Get Rochester Car Insurance Comparison Quotes

Effectively comparing car insurance prices can be exhausting if you aren't aware of the fastest way to get free quotes. You can waste a lot of time talking to insurance agencies in Rochester, or you could save time and use the web to get the quickest rates.

Many insurance companies participate in an industry program that allows shoppers to submit their information once, and every company can give them a price based on the submitted data. This prevents consumers from doing form submissions to each individual car insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.

The only drawback to using this type of form is you are unable to specify which carriers you want to price. So if you prefer to choose individual companies to compare, we put together a list of car insurance companies in Illinois. Click to view list.

However you get your quotes, be sure to compare apples-to-apples coverage information for every company. If you enter unequal deductibles or liability limits it's impossible to decipher which rate is best in Rochester.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is no "perfect" insurance plan. Everyone's situation is a little different.

For example, these questions may help highlight whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.

  • Does my insurance cover a custom paint job?
  • Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Illinois?
  • What are Illinois no-fault laws?
  • Can I get a multi-policy discount for packaging my home and auto coverage?
  • Should I buy only the required Illinois minimum liability coverage?
  • Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?

If you can't answer these questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to 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.

Is there truth in advertising?

Consumers can't get away from ads for cheaper car insurance by companies like Allstate and Progressive. All the ads have a common claim about savings after switching to them.

But how can every company make the same claim?

Different companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk could be a mature driver, a clean driving record, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured that hits that "sweet spot" will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Potential insureds who don't measure up to this ideal profile will be charged more money and this can result in 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. That is why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's just too difficult to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

And the best car insurance company is...

When trying to cut insurance costs, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that it was a big mistake. The aim is to purchase a proper amount of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

You just learned a lot of techniques to compare car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the best price on car insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies.

Cheap car insurance can be bought from both online companies and with local Rochester insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these regional insurance providers only sell through independent insurance agents.

Illinois car insurance

Even more information can be found at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Consumers can find out industry alerts, file complaints about a company, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Additional helpful sites include NAIC.org's Understanding your Policy and this directory of Rochester insurance agents.