10 Must-Know Methods When Shopping for Janesville Auto Insurance

Have you fallen victim to high-priced auto insurance? Trust us, there are many Janesville consumers feeling the pinch from expensive auto insurance.

Drivers have multiple auto insurance companies to insure vehicles with, and though it is a good thing to have a selection, it makes it harder to find the best rates for your vehicles.

Consumers should take time to take a look at other company’s rates periodically because rates are variable and change quite frequently. Just because you found the best price on your last policy you may be paying too much now. You’ll find quite a bit of inaccurate information about auto insurance online but by reading this article, you’re going to learn the best ways to slash your auto insurance rates.

Cut your premium with discounts

Auto insurance companies do not advertise all their discounts very well, so we researched both well-publicized and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance.

• Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags and/or automatic seat belt systems can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
• Low Mileage – Driving fewer miles could qualify for lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
• Claim Free – Claim-free drivers can earn big discounts as compared to drivers who are more careless.
• Memberships – Affiliation with a professional or civic organization could trigger savings when buying auto insurance.
• Senior Citizens – Mature drivers may receive a discount up to 10%.
• Early Signing – Some companies give discounts for switching to them prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Auto/Home Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you may earn up to 20% off your total premium.
• Seat Belts Save – Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more off the personal injury premium cost.

Keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as medical payments or collision. So when it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies don’t profit that way.

For a list of companies offering auto insurance discounts in Wisconsin, click here to view.

Why you might pay higher rates in Janesville

Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

Shown below are some of the factors companies use to determine premiums.

• Do you need the policy add-ons? – There are many additional coverages that can waste your money when buying auto insurance. Coverages like rental car reimbursement, accident forgiveness and term life insurance are some examples. These coverages may sound good when you first buy your policy, but if they’re wasting money get rid of them and save.
• Don’t let your coverage lapse – Driving with no insurance is illegal and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage have a gap. And not only will your rates increase, failure to provide proof of insurance might get you a hefty fine and possibly a revoked license.
• Don’t sacrifice liability coverage – Liability coverage is the coverage that protects you in the event that a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It will provide legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Liability is cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.
• Proper usage rating affects rates – Driving more miles in a year’s time the more you will pay for auto insurance. Most companies rate vehicles determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars not used for work or commuting get more affordable rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Ask your agent if your auto insurance coverage properly reflects the proper vehicle usage.
• Men fork out a little more – Statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. Now that doesn’t mean men are WORSE drivers than women. Women and men tend to get into accidents at about the same rate, but the male of the species tend to have more serious accidents. Men also tend to have more aggressive citations such as DWI and reckless driving.
• Careful drivers pay lower rates – Just one speeding ticket can bump up the cost forty percent or more. Drivers who don’t get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance than bad drivers. Drivers who have serious citations such as DUI or reckless driving may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to continue driving.
• Type of vehicle determines base rates – The type of vehicle you are buying insurance for makes a substantial difference in your rates. The lowest rates are usually for economy passenger cars, but other factors influence the final cost greatly.
• Safe vehicles cost less to insure – Safer cars get lower rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and any reduction in injury severity means less money paid by your insurance company passed on to you as lower rates.

Neighborhood agents for auto insurance

Certain consumers would rather buy from a licensed agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is the fact that you can find the best rates but still work with a licensed agent.

For easy comparison, once you complete this simple form, your insurance data is instantly submitted to companies in Janesville who will return price quotes for your business. You won’t need to leave your computer because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. How cool is that?! Get lower rates and work with a local agent.

Picking an insurance company requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• Can they give you a list of client referrals?
• Do they make recommendations based only on price?
• Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
• Which company do they place the most coverage with?
• How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?

If you prefer to select a specific agent in Janesville, go to this page.

Upon getting answers to your satisfaction to your questions as well as a affordable price, you may have just found an insurance company that can provide auto insurance coverage.

Even more information is available at the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance website. Visitors are able to learn about insurance regulations, find disaster information, and view agent and company licensing information.

Shop smart and save

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. In too many instances, someone dropped collision coverage only to regret at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

Affordable auto insurance can be sourced online as well as from independent agents in Janesville, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.