How to Get Cheap Sheldon Auto Insurance

Are you intimidated by the wide range of auto insurance choices in Sheldon? Lot's of other consumers are too. There are so many companies to choose from that it can turn into more work than you anticipated to find better rates.

It's important to price shop coverage every six months because insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best rates a few years ago you can probably find a better price now. Don't believe everything you read about auto insurance online but I'm going to show you some great ways to quit paying high auto insurance rates.

This information will help educate you on the most effective way to quote insurance and some money-saving tips. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you will most likely be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. Although Illinois drivers do need to know the way companies price online insurance.

Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper

Consumers need to have an understanding of the different types of things that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Listed below are some of the items that factor into rates.

  • Pay less if you're married - Getting married can actually save you money on your policy. It usually means you are more responsible and it's proven that being married results in fewer claims.
  • Do you know your deductibles? - Coverage for physical damage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some examples of claims that would be covered could be a windshield shattered by a rock, damage from fire, and windstorm damage. Deductibles for physical damage are how much you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more expense the insured has to pay upfront, the less your auto insurance will be.
  • Better credit scores mean better rates - Credit score is a important factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. So if your credit history is lower than you'd like, you could save money insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit. Consumers who have high credit scores tend to be less risk to insure than drivers who have poor credit.
  • Rate your vehicle for proper use - The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the more you will pay for auto insurance. The majority of insurers apply a rate based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use get more affordable rates than those used for commuting. Double check that your auto insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven.
  • Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance - Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. These vehicles have better occupant injury protection and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment - Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Anti-theft features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart car theft.

Take advantage of discounts

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, buy you may qualify for discounts that many people don't even know exist. Certain discounts will be applied at quote time, but some may not be applied and must be manually applied in order for you to get them.

  • Sign Online - A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks for buying your policy over the internet.
  • Multi-car Discount - Insuring more than one vehicle with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Anti-lock Brake System - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
  • Life Insurance - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance.
  • Drive Less and Save - Driving fewer miles could qualify for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
  • Payment Discounts - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
  • Theft Prevention Discount - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will bring down your overall premium however.

To choose companies offering auto insurance discounts in Illinois, click here to view.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. They all seem to make an identical promise about savings if you switch your policy. How does each company make almost identical claims?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that makes them money. A good example of a desirable insured could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no driving citations, and has a short commute. A driver who meets those qualifications is entitled to the best price and most likely will save when switching.

Potential insureds who don't qualify for these standards will have to pay more money and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that kind of money. That's the way companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings.

Because of the profiling, you should get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict which auto insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

Learn more about Illinois auto insurance

Additional information can be read on the Illinois Department of Insurance website located here. Illinois consumers can get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, and find out industry alerts.

Other informative sites include this site for Illinois auto insurance information and see this list of insurance agents in Sheldon.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

The cheapest auto insurance can be found online in addition to many Sheldon insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers do not provide online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, make sure you don't buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, someone sacrificed full coverage and found out when filing a claim that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford.

People switch companies for a number of reasons such as an unsatisfactory settlement offer, lack of trust in their agent, policy cancellation or even delays in paying claims. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company is easier than you think.