How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Auto Insurance in Sturgis

Paying for high-priced auto insurance can dwindle your savings account and put a big crunch on your finances. Comparison shopping is a smart way to tighten up your finances. Numerous battle for your business, and because of this it can be hard to compare and get the definite lowest rate

It's important to do rate comparisons on a regular basis because prices are constantly changing. Just because you found the best price two years ago the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because I'm going to let you in on the secrets to how to use online quotes to reduce your cost while improving coverage.

How much can you save with discounts?

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you may find discounts that you may not know about. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of quoting, but a few need to be specially asked for before you will receive the discount. If they aren't giving you every credit you deserve, you're paying more than you need to.

Sign Online - Some insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying your policy on their website.
Drive Less and Save - Fewer annual miles can earn lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
Senior Citizens - Mature drivers may be able to get reduced rates.
Payment Method - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.
Accident Waiver - A few companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims for a certain period of time.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won't be that lucky. Any amount of discount will cut the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Sturgis, follow this link.

Which Auto Insurance is Cheapest in Sturgis, Kentucky?

Effectively comparing auto insurance prices can take hours if you aren't aware of the best way to get rate quotes. You can waste a lot of time talking to local insurance agents in Sturgis, or you could save time and use the web to get pricing more quickly.

Many insurance companies take part in a program that allows shoppers to only type in their quote data once, and every company then gives them pricing determined by their information. This eliminates the need for quote forms for each company you want a rate for.

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

The one downside to using this type of form is that consumers can't choose which carriers you want pricing from. So if you want to choose individual companies to request quotes from, we put together a list of auto insurance companies in Kentucky. Click to view list.

Which method you use is up to you, but ensure you are comparing the exact same quote information with each company. If your comparisons have mixed coverages it's impossible to make an equal comparison in Sturgis.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Sturgis

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with better auto insurance rates.

Marriage brings a discount - Having a spouse can get you a discount when buying auto insurance. It is viewed as being more responsible and it's proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.
Do you need the policy add-ons? - There are a ton of add-on coverages that you can buy when buying auto insurance. Coverages like vanishing deductibles, 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 get rid of them and save.
Multi-policy discounts can save money - Many companies will give a discount to insureds who have multiple policies with them. It's known as a multi-policy discount. This can amount to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal.
Women pay lower rates - Statistics have proven that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Men and women have accidents in similar percentages, but the males have costlier accidents. They also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are most likely to cause an accident and therefore have the most expensive auto insurance rates.
Save money with special equipment - Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can save you a little every year. Theft prevention features like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
Where you live can impact rates - Residing in a small town can be a good thing when talking about auto insurance. Less people living in that area means fewer accidents. City drivers have much more traffic to deal with and longer commute times. More time commuting means higher likelihood of an accident.

Save 15 percent in 15 minutes? Is it for real?

Consumers in Kentucky can't get away from ads for car insurance savings by companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. They all seem to say the same thing about savings after switching to them.

How do they all claim to save you money?

Different companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For example, a desirable insured might be between 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and chooses high deductibles. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who don't meet the "perfect" profile will have to pay more money which usually ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. This is how companies can truthfully state the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's impossible to know which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

A tidy conclusion

Cheaper auto insurance can be sourced both online and with local Sturgis insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

When buying insurance coverage, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, drivers have reduced physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.

Additional information can be found on the website for the Kentucky Department of Insurance located here. Visitors are able to get help finding coverage, discover disciplinary actions, read consumer alerts, and learn about insurance regulations.