Top Ways to Save on Washburn Car Insurance

Are you sick and tired of scraping the payment together each month for car insurance? You are in the same boat as millions of other consumers.

Popular companies such as GEICO and Progressive continually bombard you with catchy ads and it is challenging if not impossible to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

It's important to check car insurance prices once or twice a year due to the fact that insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best price last year you can probably find a better price now. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you're about to find out the tricks you need to know to buy cheaper car insurance.

If you have car insurance now, you will be able to lower your premiums substantially using this information. Finding affordable coverage in Washburn is quite easy. Nevertheless, Illinois consumers do need to know how companies price insurance differently and apply this information to your search.

What determines how much you pay?

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" companies use to determine rates.

Being married is a good thing - Having a spouse can get you a discount on car insurance. It is viewed as being more mature and responsible it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Optional equipment can affect rates - Driving a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder auto theft.
Drive less and save money - Driving more miles every year the more you will pay for car insurance. Most companies charge to insure your cars determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars left parked in the garage qualify for better rates compared to those used for work or business. Make sure your car insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage.
Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Jobs such as lawyers, social workers and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates in part from job stress and lengthy work days. Other occupations like farmers, historians and performers have the lowest average rates.
With age comes lower rates - Mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Youthful drivers are known to get distracted easily in a vehicle and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher.
Bad driving skills means higher rates - Your driving citation history has a huge affect on how much you pay. Good drivers tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Even a single citation can increase rates by twenty percent. Drivers who have flagrant citations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
Protect your assets with liability insurance - Liability coverage will protect you if ever you are found liable for damages from an accident. It provides for a legal defense starting from day one. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not skimp.

Be sure to get all your discounts

Companies offering auto insurance do not list all their discounts in a way that's easy to find, so we took the time to find both the well known and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving.

Homeowners Pay Less - Owning a house in Washburn can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
Payment Method - By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
Save with a New Car - Putting insurance coverage on a new car can cost up to 25% less since new cars are generally safer.
Employee of Federal Government - Employees or retirees of the government can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.
Good Students Pay Less - This discount can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
Sign Online - Certain companies may give you up to $50 simply for signing digitally online.
Military Rewards - Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
Accident Free - Claim-free drivers can save substantially as compared to accident-prone drivers.

Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think it's possible to get free car insurance, companies don't profit that way.

To choose companies who offer car insurance discounts in Washburn, click here.

Is there truth in advertising?

Car insurance companies such as State Farm, GEICO and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all seem to have a common claim of big savings after switching to them. How can each company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

All companies can use profiling for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a desirable insured might be between 25 and 40, has no tickets, and has great credit. Any driver that hits that "sweet spot" will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Consumers who don't measure up to the requirements will have to pay higher prices and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads state "drivers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That's why insurance companies can confidently advertise the savings. Because of the profiling, you should get a wide range of price quotes. You cannot predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

More tips and info about car insurance can be found at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to get help finding coverage, view a list of available companies, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and read industry bulletins.

The best insurance company isn't always the cheapest

Cost effective car insurance can be purchased both online and with local Washburn insurance agents, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

As you prepare to switch companies, it's a bad idea to buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your aim should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price.