Tightwads Guide to Saving on West Dundee Auto Insurance

Are you sick and tired of robbing Peter to pay Paul each month for car insurance? You're in the same situation as millions of other consumers.

Because you have many companies and agents to choose from, it can be hard to choose the most affordable provider.

It's important to check auto insurance prices once or twice a year because prices are constantly changing. Even if you got the best price a year ago you may be paying too much now. Forget all the misinformation about auto insurance because you're about to learn the tricks you need to know to find great coverage at a great price.

How to Compare Auto Insurance Costs in West Dundee

Most major insurance companies provide prices for coverage online. This process is fairly straightforward as you simply enter the amount of coverage you want into the quote form. Behind the scenes, the system will obtain your driving record and credit report and provides a quote based on many factors. This makes comparing rates easy, but the work required to visit each company's website and repetitively fill out multiple forms can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. Unfortunately, it is important to compare as many rates as possible if you want to find a lower rate.

Quote rates the easy way

A less time-consuming method to find cheaper rates uses one form to return rates from many companies. It's a real time-saver, requires less work, and makes comparison shopping much easier. After your information is entered, it gets priced and you can select any or none of the returned quotes. If the quotes result in lower rates, you can simply submit the application and purchase the new policy. The whole process takes 15 minutes at the most and you will find out if you're overpaying now.

To find out how much you're overpaying now, click here and enter your information. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you input the limits and deductibles as close as possible to your current policy. This way, you are getting comparison quotes based on similar coverages.

West Dundee auto insurance quote

What determines how much you pay?

It's important that you understand some of the elements that help determine the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get lower auto insurance prices.

  • How many coverages with the same company - Many companies give discounts to insureds who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount you may still want to shop around to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still find better rates by insuring with multiple companies.
  • Car features impact rates - Driving a car that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers all hinder your car from being stolen.
  • Where you live can impact rates - Being located in a rural area has it's advantages when talking about auto insurance. City drivers have to deal with congested traffic and longer commutes to work. Fewer drivers means fewer accidents.
  • Cautious drivers pay less - Your driving record has a big impact on rates. Good drivers receive lower rates compared to drivers with tickets. Just one moving violation can increase rates by twenty percent. Drivers who get flagrant violations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
  • Do men or women drive better? - The statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, this does not mean women are better drivers. Women and men cause accidents in similar percentages, but men have costlier accidents. Men also get cited for more serious violations like DUI and reckless driving. Youthful male drivers are several times more likely to be in an accident and thus pay the highest rates.
  • Better credit means lower rates - Your credit history is a large factor in your rate calculation. Therefore, if your credit score is not that good, you could be paying less to insure your by improving your rating. Drivers with excellent credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have lower credit scores.
  • Do you have a high stress job? - Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for auto insurance? Occupations like lawyers, architects and stock brokers tend to pay the highest rates attributed to high stress levels and lengthy work days. On the other hand, jobs such as farmers, students and performers have the lowest average rates.

More discounts equal less premium

Car insurance companies don't always advertise every available discount very well, so we took the time to find both the well known and the more hidden auto insurance savings.

  • Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
  • Payment Method - If you pay your bill all at once rather than paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
  • Multi-policy Discount - When you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
  • Good Students Pay Less - Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
  • One Accident Forgiven - Some insurance companies permit an accident without raising rates if you are claim-free prior to the accident.
  • Air Bag Discount - Vehicles with factory air bags can receive discounts of 20% or more.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

For a list of providers who offer auto insurance discounts in Illinois, follow this link.

Even more information can be found at the Illinois Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to read consumer alerts, view a list of available companies, view agent and company licensing information, and file complaints about a company.

Other useful links include BankRate.com's Car Insurance: When not to Skimp and this West Dundee agent directory.

compare West Dundee auto insurance rates

Shop smart and save

While you're price shopping online, don't be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. Too many times, an insured dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time they didn't purchase enough coverage. The aim is to buy the best coverage you can find at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

We covered a lot of tips how to lower your auto insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Drivers may discover the biggest savings come from a company that doesn't do a lot of advertising. Smaller companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as .