Easy Tips to Cut Costs on Tulare Auto Insurance

Are you intimidated by the wide range of auto insurance options in Tulare? You're not alone. Drivers have so many options that it can turn into a challenge to find lower rates.

It's important to compare rates every six months because prices are constantly changing. Just because you had the best rates a year ago a different company probably has better rates today. There is a lot of wrong information about auto insurance online, so I'm going to show you some great ways to find cheap auto insurance.

Finding affordable coverage in Tulare is easy if you know what you're doing. If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using this information. But California consumers do need to know the methods companies use to sell insurance online.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Car insurance companies don't always list all their discounts very well, so the following is a list of both the well known and the more hidden auto insurance savings.

Sign Online - A handful of insurance companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up online.
Homeowners Discount - Owning a house in Tulare may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
Early Signing - A few companies offer discounts for buying a policy prior to your current policy expiring. This can save 10% or more.
Discount for Good Grades - Performing well in school can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last until age 25.
No Charge for an Accident - Some insurance companies permit an accident before your rates go up as long as you don't have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
Discount for Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
Air Bag Discount - Factory air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can receive discounts of more than 20%.
Service Members Pay Less - Having a deployed family member could mean lower rates.
Federal Government Employee - Active or retired federal employment may qualify you for a discount with select insurance companies.
Save with a New Car - Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.

Drivers should understand that most of the big mark downs will not be given to all coverage premiums. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn't make money that way.

You have some control over your rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for some of the elements that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that may reward you with big savings.

Listed below are some of the items auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Marriage pays dividends - Getting married can actually save you money when buying auto insurance. It means you're more mature than a single person and it's statistically proven that being married results in fewer claims.
Do you know your deductibles? - Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply would be colliding with a building, vandalism, or theft. Your deductibles are how much you are willing to pay in the event of a claim. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your auto insurance will be.
What type of vehicle do you drive? - The performance level of the car you own makes a huge difference in determining your rates. The most favorable rates tend to be for low performance passenger vehicles, but the cost you end up paying is determined by many additional factors.
Cautious drivers pay less - Your driving citation history has a big impact on rates. Careful drivers receive lower rates than bad drivers. Just one ticket can boost insurance rates forty percent or more. Drivers who have serious citations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
More miles equals more premium - The more miles you rack up on your car in a year the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most insurance companies charge to insure your cars based on how the vehicle is used. Vehicles not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your auto insurance policy properly reflects how each vehicle is driven.
How credit affects auto insurance rates - Credit score is a large factor in calculating your auto insurance rates. If your credit score is lower than you'd like, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your rating. Drivers who have excellent credit tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims as compared to drivers with poor credit.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with television and radio advertisements. They all seem to say the same thing that you'll save big if you switch to their company. But how can every company claim to save you money?

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that earns them a profit. A good example of a desirable insured might be over the age of 40, has no driving citations, and has excellent credit. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and is almost guaranteed to save a lot of money.

Potential customers who don't qualify for this ideal profile will have to pay higher prices which usually ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "people who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. That's the way companies can make those claims. Because of the profiling, drivers should get as many comparisons as possible. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Learn more about California auto insurance

More detailed California auto insurance information can be read at the California Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to get help finding coverage, report car insurance fraud, and learn about specific coverages.

Also read more on this site for California auto insurance information and see this list of insurance agents in Tulare.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Budget-conscious auto insurance is available both online and also from your neighborhood Tulare agents, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. Some companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

We covered many ways to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest premiums are with a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising.

While you're price shopping online, don't be tempted to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many cases, someone sacrificed collision coverage and discovered at claim time they didn't purchase enough coverage. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate.