Easy Techniques to Save Money on Sandwich Auto Insurance

Purchasing the lowest cost Sandwich auto insurance on the internet may be intimidating for beginners to online price comaprisons. Since there are so many choices, how can consumers have a chance to compare every one to find the best available price?

If you have a current auto insurance policy or need a new policy, you can learn to shop for the lowest rates and possibly find even better coverage. Finding the lowest cost protection in Sandwich is not that difficult. Illinois vehicle owners just need to know the best way to buy auto insurance over the internet.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies don't necessarily list all available discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we break down both well-publicized and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings. If you aren't receiving every discount you deserve, you are throwing money away.

  • Multiple Vehicles - Buying coverage for multiple vehicles on one policy qualifies for this discount.
  • Discount for Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
  • Own a Home - Owning a home in Sandwich may trigger a auto insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • No Claims - Drivers who don't have accidents can save substantially when compared with drivers who are more careless.
  • Clubs and Organizations - Participating in a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break when buying auto insurance.
  • Payment Method - If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
  • Auto/Home Discount - If you have multiple policies with one insurance company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.
  • Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Vehicles equipped with air bags or automatic seat belts can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
  • Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver's education if it's offered in school.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don't profit that way.

Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that could result in better auto insurance rates.

  • Higher deductibles cost less - Your deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. Coverage for physical damage, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, insures against damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and burglary. The higher the amount the insured has to pay upfront, the bigger discount you will receive.
  • Lower miles equals lower premium - Driving more miles in a year's time the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. The majority of insurers apply a rate based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles that are left in the garage qualify for better rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Verify your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage.
  • Occupation reflects on rates - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Occupations such as lawyers, architects and dentists are shown to have the highest average rates in part from stressful work requirements and long work hours. Other occupations such as pilots, historians and performers pay the least.
  • Your car's features help determine rates - Purchasing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
  • Your location is important - Residing in a small town is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. Lower population means reduced accidents. City drivers regularly have more traffic problems and much longer commute distances. Higher commute times can result in more accidents.

Tailor your coverage to you

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Everyone's situation is unique.

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

  • Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?
  • What are the financial responsibility laws in Illinois?
  • Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
  • Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
  • Am I getting all the discounts available?
  • Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
  • What are the best liability limits?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you don't have a local agent, take a second and complete this form. It's fast, doesn't cost anything and may give you better protection.

How can Allstate, GEICO and Progressive save drivers who switch?

Illinois consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings from companies such as Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. All the companies say the same thing that you'll save big after switching your policy.

How can each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

Different companies have a preferred profile for the right customer that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, has no prior claims, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who are not a match for the requirements must pay higher prices which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say "drivers who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save that kind of money. This is how companies can state the savings. This illustrates why drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It's impossible to know which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

More detailed Illinois auto insurance information can be found at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Illinois consumers can report car insurance fraud, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and read industry bulletins.

Illinois auto insurance quotes

And the best car insurance company is...

Discount auto insurance can be sourced online in addition to many Sandwich insurance agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When buying insurance coverage, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In too many instances, consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your focus should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Consumers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including lack of trust in their agent, delays in paying claims, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and even high rates after DUI convictions. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, switching auto insurance companies is less work than it seems.