5 Guaranteed Ways to Lower Car Insurance Costs in Hailey

Finding the cheapest Hailey car insurance online is impossible for people who are new to price shopping online. With such a large number of companies in the marketplace, how can you even start to compare them all to find the best price?

It’s smart to compare rates at least once a year since rates fluctuate regularly. Just because you found the best price last year a different company probably has better rates today. Forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you’re about to find out the fastest and easiest way to find great coverage at a great price.

Pricing more affordable car insurance in Hailey is not that difficult. In a nutshell, anyone who has to buy car insurance will more than likely be able to cut their insurance bill. But Idaho car owners need to learn the methods companies use to price online insurance and apply this information to your search.

Save big with these 5 discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but you may find discounts that many people don’t even know exist. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time of quoting, but some may not be applied and must be asked about before being credited.

• Seat Belts Save – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle their seat belts can save up to 15% off your medical payments premium.
• Federal Government Employee – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with a few car insurance companies.
• Senior Citizens – Mature drivers may qualify for reduced rates.
• Service Members Pay Less – Having a family member in the military could mean lower rates.
• Sign Early and Save – A few companies offer discounts for switching to them before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.

It’s important to note that many deductions do not apply to your bottom line cost. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears you could get a free car insurance policy, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will cut your premiums.

To choose insurers offering car insurance discounts in Hailey, click here.

Hailey Car Insurance Comparisons

To find the best car insurance prices, there are several ways of comparing rate quotes from local in Hailey, IDcar insurance companies. The recommended way to find the cheapest insurance rates is to get quotes online. This can be done using a couple different methods.

1. The first (and easiest) way consumers can analyze rates is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This type of form prevents you from having to do repetitive form submissions for each company. One quote request gets you coverage quotes from many national carriers. It’s definitely the quickest method.
2. A more time consuming way to compare rate quotes is going to the website for every company you want to comare and fill out their own quote form. For examples sake, we’ll assume you want comparison quotes from Farmers, Safeco and GMAC. To get each rate you have to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, which is why most consumers use the first method. For a handy list of car insurance company links in Hailey, click here.
3. The most time-consuming way to compare rates is to spend time driving to different Hailey agent offices. Shopping for car insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you have a need for the professional guidance that only a license agent can provide. It is possible to comparison shop online and still use a local agent and you’ll learn how to do that later.

It’s up to you which method you use, but double check that you are using exactly the same quote information on every quote. If your comparisons have mixed coverages you will not be able to make an equal comparison in Hailey. Just a small difference in coverages could mean much higher rates. And when comparison shopping, comparing a large number of companies helps locate better pricing.

Quote online but work with a neighborhood agent

A small number of people prefer to talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the great benefits of comparing insurance prices online is you can get lower rates but still work with a licensed agent. Buying from local insurance agencies is especially important in Hailey.

Upon completion of this quick form, your insurance data is instantly submitted to agents in your area who will compete for your coverage. There is no need to leave your house since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. You’ll get the best rates and a licensed agent to work with.

What types of insurance agencies are in Hailey?

When searching for an insurance agent, you need to know there are two types of insurance agents to choose from. Agents are classified as either captive or independent.

Independent Agents

These agents are not employed by any specific company but rather can write business with lots of companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, an independent agent can move your coverage and you don’t have to find a new agent. When comparing rates, it’s recommended you include multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. They often place coverage with different regional companies which can be an advantage.

Below are Hailey independent agents who can help you get price quotes.

• Kendall Kinghorn Insurance – 104 N Main St – Hailey, ID 83333 – (208) 788-6318
• Harrison Insurance – 215 N Main St – Hailey, ID 83333 – (208) 788-3255

Captive Agents

This type of agents are contracted to one company like State Farm or Allstate. Captives cannot give you multiple price quotes so they have to upsell other benefits. Captive agents are trained well on the products they sell which can be an advantage. Some people will only buy insurance from these agents partially due to high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.

Listed below are Hailey captive insurance agents who can help you get comparison quotes.

• State Farm Insurance – 216 N Main St – Hailey, ID 83333 – (208) 788-3292
• Farmers Insurance Group – 104 N Main St – Hailey, ID 83333 – (208) 788-4577

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

Deciding on an insurance agent should depend on more than just a cheap price. These are valid questions to ask:

• Will you be dealing directly with the agent or with a Custom Service Representative (CSR)?
• Are there any discounts that you might be missing?
• Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
• Are they properly licensed to sell insurance in Idaho?
• Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
• If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?

Once you have positive feedback for all questions you ask and a low price estimate, you’ve probably found an insurance agent that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles. But keep in mind policyholders can cancel your coverage at any time so don’t think that you are obligated to your new company for the entire policy term.

Car insurance coverage specifics

Having a good grasp of your policy helps when choosing which coverages you need for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and nobody wants to actually read their policy.

Liability car insurance

Liability coverage protects you from damage that occurs to other people or property. Liability coverage has three limits: bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 100/300/100 which means a $100,000 limit per person for injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $100,000 paid for damaged property. Alternatively, you may have one limit called combined single limit (CSL) which provides one coverage limit rather than limiting it on a per person basis.

Liability coverage pays for things like repair costs for stationary objects, emergency aid, legal defense fees and medical expenses. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is a personal decision, but you should buy higher limits if possible. Idaho requires drivers to carry at least 20,000/50,000/15,000 but you should think about purchasing higher limits.

Medical payments and PIP coverage

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for immediate expenses for hospital visits, prosthetic devices and funeral costs. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance plan or if you do not have health coverage. Coverage applies to both the driver and occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage

This gives you protection from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your vehicle.

Because many people only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (20/50/15 in Idaho), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked. Frequently these coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.

Auto collision coverage

This covers damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision can pay for claims such as backing into a parked car, sideswiping another vehicle and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. It’s also possible to raise the deductible to bring the cost down.

Comprehensive auto coverage

This will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims such as vandalism, a broken windshield, theft, fire damage and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum amount a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Better coverage you can count on

Drivers switch companies for many reasons like not issuing a premium refund, policy cancellation, delays in paying claims or even poor customer service. No matter why you want to switch, finding a new car insurance company is not as difficult as it may seem.

The cheapest car insurance is possible from both online companies as well as from independent agents in Hailey, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies don’t offer online price quotes and many times these smaller companies only sell through independent insurance agents.

As you shop your coverage around, don’t be tempted to buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many situations where an insured cut liability limits or collision coverage and learned later that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at the best price, not the least amount of coverage.

Some additional reading

Additional information is located on the Idaho Department of Insurance website. Click here for link. Idaho drivers can view a list of available companies, get help finding coverage, download brochures, and discover disciplinary actions.