How to Know You're Throwing Money Away for Auto Insurance in Wasco

Are you tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul each month for car insurance? You're in the same situation as the majority of other car owners in California.

With so many choices, it can be hard to find the cheapest provider.

It's important to price shop coverage once or twice a year because prices are constantly changing. Despite the fact that you may have had the best deal a year ago you can probably find a better price now. Starting now, forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you're going to get a crash course in the proper way to lower your annual insurance bill.

Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better auto insurance rates.

The following are some of the factors that factor into your rates.

How many coverages with the same company - Many companies give discounts to insureds who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you still need to comparison shop to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
Car features impact rates - Driving a car with an alarm system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems all hinder your car from being stolen.
With age comes lower rates - Youthful drivers in California are known to be less responsible in a vehicle so auto insurance rates are higher. Mature drivers tend to be more responsible, tend to cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations.
Your spouse saves you money - Being married can get you a discount when buying auto insurance. Marriage usually means you are more responsible and it's proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Safer cars are cheaper to insure - Safer cars are cheaper to insure. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims passed on to you as lower rates.
Do you need the policy add-ons? - There are a ton of extra bells and whistles you can purchase when buying auto insurance. Things like roadside assistance, better glass coverage and membership fees are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment when you first buy your policy, but your needs may have changed so remove them from your policy.
Proper usage rating affects rates - Driving more miles every year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Vehicles that are left in the garage can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Verify your auto insurance coverage properly reflects the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.

Save big with these discounts

Companies don't always publicize every available discount very well, so here is a list both the well known as well as the least known auto insurance savings.

Anti-theft System - Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and will save you 10% or more.
Payment Method - If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you could save 5% or more.
Resident Student - Children who live away from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may qualify for this discount.
Homeowners Pay Less - Being a homeowner may trigger a auto insurance policy discount due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
Low Mileage - Fewer annual miles can qualify you for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Driver's Ed - Cut your cost by having your teen driver take driver's ed class if it's offered in school.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free auto insurance policy, auto insurance companies aren't that generous.

To choose providers who offer auto insurance discounts in California, follow this link.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Companies like Allstate and Progressive continually stream ads on TV and radio. All the ads say the same thing about savings after switching your policy. But how can every company claim to save you money?

Different companies can use profiling for the right customer that makes them money. An example of a preferred risk might be over the age of 40, has no tickets, and has excellent credit. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile will get very good rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Consumers who fall outside this ideal profile will be charged higher rates which usually ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that kind of money. That's why companies can truthfully make those claims. That is why you should get a wide range of price quotes. It's impossible to know the company that will have the lowest rates.

Even more information is available at the California Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, view a list of available companies, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and get help finding coverage.

Other informative sites include BankRate.com's Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this Wasco agent directory.

Do the work, save more money

While you're price shopping online, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. Too many times, an insured dropped liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn't purchase enough coverage. The aim is to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheap auto insurance can be bought both online in addition to many Wasco insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both to get a complete price analysis. Some companies do not provide online price quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.