Top Ways to Save on Somerset Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy overpriced auto insurance? Believe me, you're not the only one.

You have so many to buy insurance from, and although it's nice to have a choice, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to shop coverage around at least once a year because prices are constantly changing. Just because you had the best deal two years ago you may be paying too much now. So block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the only way to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

How to Compare Somerset Auto Insurance Costs

There are several ways of comparing rates from auto insurance companies in your area. The recommended way to find competitive insurance rates consists of shopping online. This can be accomplished using a couple different methods.

The first (and easiest) way to find low rates is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This method eliminates the need for multiple quote forms for every auto insurance company. Completing one form will return quotes from multiple low-cost companies.

A slightly less efficient method to compare rate quotes is to take the time to go to each company's website to complete their respective quote request forms. For example, let's assume you want to compare rates from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to visit each site and enter your information, which is why the first method is quicker. To view a list of companies in Somerset, click here.

The least efficient method to compare rates is driving to insurance agents' offices. Shopping for auto insurance online makes this process obsolete unless you want the trained guidance of a local agent. You can, however, compare the best prices online and still use a local agent. We'll cover that shortly.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just compare identical coverages and limits on every quote you get. If you compare different deductibles then you won't be able to determine which rate is truly the best in Somerset. Just a small difference in coverages may result in large price differences. Just keep in mind that comparing more company's prices helps locate a lower rate.

Tips to Get Lower Somerset Rates

It's important that you understand some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with lower auto insurance prices.

Listed below are some of the factors used by your company to calculate rates.

Are you male or female? - Statistics demonstrate that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that women are BETTER drivers than men. Women and men tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but the males cause more damage. They also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are the most expensive to insure and thus pay the highest rates.
Do you need the policy add-ons? - There are many extra coverages that you can buy when buying auto insurance. Coverages for roadside assistance, towing coverage and additional equipment coverage are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment initially, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.
Cautious drivers pay less - Your driving citation history has a lot to do with how much you pay for insurance. Drivers who don't get tickets get better rates than bad drivers. Just one moving violation can bump up the cost forty percent or more. Drivers who have serious citations such as DUI or reckless driving may need to file a SR-22 to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
Your spouse saves you money - Being married can actually save you money when buying auto insurance. It translates into being more responsible and statistics show being married results in fewer claims.
High crash test scores lower rates - Cars with high safety ratings are cheaper to insure. These vehicles protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.
More performance means more cost - The performance level of the car you own makes a huge difference in the rate you pay. The lowest base rates are generally reserved for low performance passenger vehicles, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.
Where do you drive? - The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Almost all companies charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles left parked in the garage can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Make sure your auto insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven, because it can save money.

Take advantage of discounts

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, buy you may qualify for discounts that you may not even be aware of. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but lesser-known reductions have to be specially asked for prior to getting the savings.

Senior Citizens - Older drivers may qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
Defensive Driver - Completing a defensive driving course could possibly earn you a 5% discount depending on where you live.
Discount for Good Grades - Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
Sign Online - Certain companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy over the internet.
Lower Rates for Military - Having a deployed family member could mean lower rates.
No Charge for an Accident - Certain companies allow you one accident without raising rates as long as you don't have any claims prior to the accident.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most cut specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, auto insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will bring down your overall premium however.

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

Additional information is available on the website for the Indiana Department of Insurance found here. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about a company, and get help finding coverage.

Shop smart and save

When buying insurance coverage, never reduce needed coverages to save money. There are many occasions where an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price.

Cheap auto insurance is available both online as well as from independent agents in Somerset, and you need to price shop both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies don't offer online quoting and most of the time these smaller companies sell through independent agents.

We covered a lot of tips how to lower your auto insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may be surprised to find that the best price on auto insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies. Smaller companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like .