5 Must-Know Tricks When Buying Muncie, IN Auto Insurance

Shopping for low-cost Muncie auto insurance on the web can be intimidating for people who are new to price shopping online. With a ridiculous number of companies competing online, how can consumers effectively compare the different rates to find the lowest price available?

Cut your auto insurance rates with discounts

Car insurance is not cheap, but there could be available discounts to help bring down the price. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but a few must be asked about before you will receive the discount. If they aren’t giving you every credit you qualify for, you’re paying more than you need to.

• Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
• Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Low mileage vehicles could be rewarded with discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can reduce accidents and will save you 10% or more.
• Drivers Ed for Students – Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to enroll in driver’s education if it’s offered in school.
• Bundle and Save – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same insurance company you may earn approximately 10% to 15%.
• Defensive Driving Course – Taking part in a course in driver safety can save you 5% or more and easily recoup the cost of the course.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So when the math indicates all those discounts means the company will pay you, you’re out of luck. Any qualifying discounts will cut the cost of coverage.

To see a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Muncie, follow this link.

Finding Auto Insurance Deals in Muncie

Finding a lower price on insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. The only requirement is to take a few minutes to get quotes online from several insurance companies. This is very easy and can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

1. The recommended way to find the lowest comparison rates is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This form prevents you from having to do separate quotes to each individual auto insurance company. Just one form will get you rate comparisons from multiple companies. It’s definitely the quickest method.
2. A more difficult way to obtain and compare quotes online is to take the time to go to each company website and request a quote. For sake of this example, we’ll pretend you want to compare State Farm, 21st Century and Farmers. To get rate quotes you would need to go to every website and enter your policy data, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Muncie, click here.
3. The least recommended way of comparing rate quotes to local Muncie insurance agencies. Buying insurance online can eliminate the need for a local agent unless you want the professional advice of a local Muncie agent. It is possible to price shop online but still have the advice of a local agent and you’ll learn how to do that later.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just be sure to compare apples-to-apples deductibles and coverage limits with every price quote. If your comparisons have mixed coverages it will be impossible to determine which rate is truly the best in Muncie.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Muncie

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that come into play when calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to better auto insurance rates.

The list below includes some of the factors that factor into prices.

• Type of vehicle determines base rates – The make and model of the car you are insuring makes a huge difference in how high your rates are. Low performance passenger cars generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
• Your job and insurance rates – Did you know your job can affect your rates? Occupations like real estate brokers, architects and dentists tend to have the highest average rates attributed to high stress and long work days. Other occupations such as scientists, historians and homemakers receive lower rates.
• Safe vehicles cost less to insure – Vehicles with good safety scores tend to have better insurance rates. These vehicles protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity translates into savings for insurance companies and thus lower rates.
• Special features that cut premiums – Owning a car with anti-theft technology or alarm system can help lower your rates. Anti-theft features like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM’s OnStar system can help prevent auto theft.
• How many coverages with the same company – Many insurers give discounts to customers who carry more than one policy. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to five, ten or even twenty percent. If you currently are using one company, it’s in your best interest to shop around to verify if the discount is saving money.

Your coverage should be tailored to you

When choosing coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a “perfect” insurance plan. Each situation is unique.

These are some specific questions may help highlight whether or not you would benefit from professional advice.

• Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
• Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
• Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
• Is my vehicle covered for smoke damage?
• Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
• At what point should I drop full coverage?
• Do I need motorclub coverage?
• What are the financial responsibility laws in Indiana?
• Do I need roadside assistance coverage?

If you’re not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.

But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent

A small number of people would rather buy from a licensed agent and that is OK! Good agents are trained to spot inefficiencies and help you file claims. One of the best bonuses of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find lower rates but also keep your business local. And supporting small agencies is especially important in Muncie.

By using this quick form, the quote information is sent to participating agents in Muncie who will compete for your coverage. There is no reason to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go directly to your email. It doesn’t get any easier!

What type of Muncie insurance agency is right for you?

When researching a local agent, there are two different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Muncie are classified as either captive or independent. Both properly insure your vehicles, but it’s worth mentioning the difference between them because it can influence your selection of an agent.

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent agents are not locked into one company but rather can write business with many different companies enabling the ability to shop coverage around. If your agent finds better pricing, your agent can switch companies without you having to go to a different agency.

When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to include at a minimum one independent agency to have the most options to choose from.Most can insure with lesser-known insurance companies which can be an advantage.

The following is a list of independent insurance agents in Muncie that may be able to provide price quotes.

• Martin Insurance Group – 3409 W Bethel Ave – Muncie, IN 47304 – (765) 282-4967
• Oliver-Dorton Insurance – 610 W Mcgalliard Rd – Muncie, IN 47303 – (765) 289-6655
• Amy R Rose Agency – 3319 N Everbrook Ln – Muncie, IN 47304 – (765) 284-7283
• Walter Hollowell Agency – 3804 N Wheeling Ave – Muncie, IN 47304 – (765) 284-1433

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents are contracted to one company like Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. They generally cannot give you multiple price quotes so always compare other rates. Captive agents receive extensive training on their products and sales techniques which can be an advantage. Consumers sometimes buy from captive agents partially due to high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.

Listed below is a list of captive insurance agents in Muncie who can help you get price quote information.

• Farm Bureau Insurance – 6100 N State Road 67 – Muncie, IN 47303 – (765) 289-3466
• Farmers Insurance Group – 5001 N Wheeling Ave – Muncie, IN 47304 – (765) 289-0907
• American Family Insurance – 3201 E Jackson St – Muncie, IN 47303 – (765) 281-1955
• State Farm Insurance – 3011 W Jackson St – Muncie, IN 47304 – (765) 289-6211
• Allstate Insurance – 804 W White River Blvd – Muncie, IN 47303 – (765) 288-2880
• Shelter Insurance – 3621 N Everbrook Ln # B – Muncie, IN 47304 – (765) 284-6033

For a complete listing of captive agencies in Muncie, click here to link.

Deciding on an auto insurance agent should depend on more than just a low price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
• How are they compensated?
• Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
• Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
• How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
• Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?

Upon getting answers to your satisfaction for all questions you ask and an affordable coverage quote, you’ve probably found an insurance agent that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Consumers in Indiana constantly see and hear ads for cheaper car insurance by companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. They all seem to make an identical promise that you can save if you move to them.

But how can every company claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a desirable insured might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and has a short commute. A customer who meets those qualifications receives the best rates and therefore will cut their rates substantially.

Consumers who don’t meet this ideal profile will be quoted higher prices and ends up with the customer not buying. The ad wording is “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that kind of money. That is how companies can advertise the savings.

This emphasizes why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It’s not possible to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.

Final considerations

Throughout this article, we presented a lot of techniques to compare auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better your comparison will be. You may even find the lowest priced auto insurance comes from an unexpected company.

Discount auto insurance is definitely available both online as well as from independent agents in Muncie, so you should be comparing quotes from both to have the best selection. A few companies don’t offer the ability to get a quote online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.

Insureds change insurance companies for many reasons like policy non-renewal, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, extreme rates for teen drivers or denial of a claim. Whatever your reason, finding a new auto insurance company is pretty simple and you could end up saving a buck or two.

To learn more about auto insurance in Indiana

Additional information can be read on the Indiana Department of Insurance website found here. Consumers can discover disciplinary actions, find disaster information, and learn about insurance regulations.