10 Simple Tips to Slash Car Insurance Costs in Midvale, UT

Are you tired of paying out the nose to buy car insurance? You are in the same boat as the majority of other car owners in Utah. Drivers have multiple auto insurance companies to buy insurance from, and although it’s nice to have multiple companies, it can be more challenging to find the lowest cost provider.

It’s a great practice to do rate comparisons before your policy renews because insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best price a couple years back you may be paying too much now. Starting now, forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because you’re going to get a crash course in the only way to find better rates and still maintain coverage.

The purpose of this article is to familiarize you with how to get online quotes and some money-saving tips. If you currently have car insurance, you will most likely be able to cut costs considerably using these techniques. Utah consumers only need an understanding of the proper way to compare prices on the web.

Finding Car Insurance in Midvale

All the larger car insurance companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO give prices on the web. The process is pretty painless as you simply type in as detailed in the form. When the form is submitted, their rating system gets your credit score and driving record and gives you a price quote based on these factors. This makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the process of having to visit many different websites and complete many quote forms can be a bit repetitive. But it’s very important to do this if you want to find the best price on car insurance.

The smarter way to compare car insurance pricing makes use of a single form that obtains quotes from several different companies. The form is fast, eliminates repetitive work, and makes quoting online a little more enjoyable. Immediately after submitting the form, your coverage is rated and you are able to buy any of the quote results.

If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, it’s easy to complete the application and buy the policy. It can be completed in a matter of minutes and you will know how your current rates stack up.

If you want to find out what other companies charge, simply click here to open in new window and begin entering your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you duplicate deductibles and limits as close as possible to your current policy. This way, you will receive rate comparison quotes for exact coverage.

Save big with these ten discounts

Car insurance is not cheap, but companies offer discounts that you may not even be aware of. Some trigger automatically at quote time, but a few must be asked for before you will receive the discount. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.

• Drivers Education – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver’s ed class if it’s offered in school.
• Anti-theft Discount – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Braking Control Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control prevent accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Senior Citizens – If you’re over the age of 55, you can possibly qualify for reduced rates.
• Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
• No Charge for an Accident – A handful of insurance companies permit an accident without raising rates as long as you don’t have any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
• Federal Government Employee – Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with select insurance companies.
• Life Insurance – Some companies give a break if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
• Pay Upfront and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
• Safety Course Discount – Successfully completing a driver safety course can save you 5% or more depending on where you live.

It’s important to understand that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So when it seems like all those discounts means the company will pay you, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce your premiums.

To choose insurers with discount car insurance rates in Midvale, click this link.

Your insurance agent down the street

Some consumers prefer to buy from a licensed agent and that is OK! Professional agents can help determine the best coverages and help you file claims. The best thing about comparing rates online is you can get the best rates but still work with a licensed agent. And supporting small agencies is important especially in Midvale.

By using this short form, your insurance data is immediately sent to companies in Midvale who will compete for your coverage. You won’t need to leave your house since price quotes are sent to your email. Now that’s easy!

The type of auto insurance agent you choose is important

When looking for a good Midvale insurance agent, you must know there are a couple types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Midvale are categorized either captive or independent. While both can properly insure your vehicles, but it’s important to know how they differ because it can influence your selection of an agent.

Independent Agents (or Brokers)

These agents are not locked into one company but instead can place your coverage with many different companies and potentially find a lower price. To move your coverage to a new company, your agent can switch companies and you don’t have to find a new agent.

When searching for an agent, it’s a good idea to contact at a minimum one independent agency to ensure the widest selection of prices.

The following is a list of independent agencies in Midvale that may be able to provide rate quotes.

Michael D Brown Insurance – 7065 S State St – Midvale, UT 84047 – (801) 816-1675
Ron Clark Insurance Svc – 6909 S State St # 3 – Midvale, UT 84047 – (801) 562-2000

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies write business for a single company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance, State Farm and AAA. These agents are unable to place coverage with different providers so keep that in mind. Captive agencies are well schooled on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage.

Listed below are captive agents in Midvale that are able to give price quote information.

State Farm Insurance – 7026 S 900 E # A – Midvale, UT 84047 – (801) 566-7263
Allstate Insurance – 8282 S State St # 11 – Midvale, UT 84047 – (801) 569-8560
Farmers Insurance Group – 7444 S State St – Midvale, UT 84047 – (801) 255-7137

For a full directory of captive agents in Midvale, visit this site.

Deciding on a car insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the price. Some important questions to ask are:

• Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
• How long has their agency been in business in Midvale?
• How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
• Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
• What are the financial ratings for the companies they represent?
• Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
• Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?

Once you have received positive feedback to your questions as well as a affordable price, most likely you have located a car insurance agent that will properly insure your vehicles.

Additional car insurance information is available on the website for the Utah Insurance Department through this link. Utah drivers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, read industry bulletins, read state legal mandates and laws, and find out which companies have the most complaints.

Additional helpful sites include Auto Insurance 101 and this page where you can research Midvale insurance agents.

Learn about car insurance coverages

Knowing the specifics of your policy can help you determine the right coverages and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. Shown next are typical coverages found on most car insurance policies.

UM/UIM Coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants when other motorists either have no liability insurance or not enough. Covered losses include injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (25/65/15), their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages should not be overlooked. Most of the time the UM/UIM limits do not exceed the liability coverage limits.

Collision coverage protection

This coverage pays for damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.

Collision can pay for things like hitting a mailbox, hitting a parking meter, colliding with a tree and colliding with another moving vehicle. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Comprehensive or Other Than Collision

This covers damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hitting a deer, a broken windshield and damage from getting keyed. The most your car insurance company will pay is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle is not worth much consider dropping full coverage.

Liability car insurance

Liability coverage provides protection from injuries or damage you cause to other people or property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others. Liability doesn’t cover damage to your own property or vehicle.

Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show policy limits of 50/100/50 that translate to a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $50,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is a combined single limit or CSL which combines the three limits into one amount without having the split limit caps.

Liability can pay for claims such as court costs, medical services, funeral expenses, bail bonds and medical expenses. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but you should buy as large an amount as possible. Utah state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/65,000/15,000 but drivers should carry higher limits.

Medical costs insurance

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for short-term medical expenses for things like X-ray expenses, doctor visits, hospital visits and dental work. They are often used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if you lack health insurance entirely. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

What is YOUR best insurance company?

The cheapest car insurance is attainable online and also from your neighborhood Midvale agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best rate selection. Some car insurance companies may not provide online quoting and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

When shopping online for car insurance, it’s very important that you do not reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, drivers have reduced collision coverage only to regret that it was a big error on their part. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price.