How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Car Insurance in Westville

Paying for high-priced car insurance can drain your checking account and make it hard to pay other bills. Comparison shopping is a smart way to lower your monthly bill.

Drivers have so many to buy insurance from, and though it is a good thing to be able to choose, too many choices makes it more difficult to compare rates.

It's important to compare prices quite often because rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best deal last year you can probably find a better price now. So ignore everything you know about car insurance because you're going to learn the only way to find lower rates on car insurance.

How to Lower your Car Insurance Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that go into determining your car insurance rates. Knowing what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that can help you get big savings.

Listed below are some of the factors used by your company to calculate your rates.

How's your driving record? - Drivers who don't get tickets get better rates than bad drivers. Just one moving violation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who get serious violations such as DUI or reckless driving may be required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) with their state motor vehicle department in order to continue driving.
With age comes lower rates - Young drivers in Oklahoma are statistically proven to be less responsible when driving so they pay higher car insurance rates. If you've ever had to add a young driver onto a policy can be quite pricey. More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
Bundling policies can get discounts - Most companies give discounts to policyholders who buy several policies from them in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even if you're getting this discount it's still a good idea to comparison shop to verify if the discount is saving money.
Liability coverage is cheap - Liability insurance is the protection in the event that you are found to be at fault for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides legal defense coverage which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability is cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
Your car's features help determine rates - Purchasing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don't always advertise every available discount very clearly, so here is a list some of the more common and also the lesser-known car insurance savings.

Good Student Discount - This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The discount lasts until age 25.
Resident Student - Children who live away from home and do not have a car may be able to be covered for less.
Anti-lock Brake Discount - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
New Car Discount - Buying coverage on a new vehicle can cost up to 25% less due to better safety requirements for new cars.
Organization Discounts - Belonging to a qualifying organization could qualify you for a break on your policy.
Drivers Education - Cut your cost by having your teen driver take driver's ed class in school.

A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like medical payments or collision. Just because you may think having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won't be that lucky.

To choose providers offering car insurance discounts in Oklahoma, follow this link.

The car insurance bait and switch

Companies like State Farm and Allstate constantly bombard you with ads in print and on television. All the ads say the same thing about savings if you switch your coverage to them. How does each company make the same claim? It's all in the numbers.

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that makes them money. An example of a preferred risk could be over the age of 40, insures multiple vehicles, and has great credit. A customer who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and therefore will save when switching.

Potential customers who don't measure up to these standards will be charged higher prices which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much money. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the savings. That is why you should get as many quotes as possible. Because you never know which insurance companies will give you the biggest savings.

Your personal situation dictates your coverage

When buying proper insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a best way to insure your cars. Every situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won't apply. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether or not you could use an agent's help.

Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Oklahoma?
What are Oklahoma no-fault laws?
Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Oklahoma?
Should I file a claim if it's only slightly more than my deductible?
Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
Are rental cars covered under my policy?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?

If you don't know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you may need to chat with an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.

More sites with car insurance information

Even more information is available at the Oklahoma Insurance Department website. Consumers can file complaints about a company, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, read consumer alerts, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Do the work, save more money

We just showed you a lot of tips how to save on car insurance. The key thing to remember is the more you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the lowest premiums are with some of the smallest insurance companies. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper as compared to the big name companies such as .

As you prepare to switch companies, it's very important that you do not buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where drivers have reduced comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your goal should be to buy enough coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Cheaper car insurance can be found from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Westville, and you need to comparison shop both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who don't offer online price quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.