5 Ways to Pay Less on Auto Insurance in Rockford

Using the web to shop for Rockford auto insurance can be difficult if you are a beginner to online quoting. But don’t let that discourage you because finding affordable coverage online is easier than you think.

It’s a good habit to do rate comparisons every six months since insurance rates are adjusted regularly by insurance companies. Just because you had the lowest rates last year there may be better deals available now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because you’re about to learn the quickest way to find better coverage at a better price.

This article will familiarize you with how to effectively get price quotes and some tips to save money. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to save some money using this strategy. Illinois drivers just need to understand the proper methods to buy auto insurance over the internet.

Free Quotes for Auto Insurance in Rockford, IL

Lowering your auto insurance rates is surprisingly easy. You just need to spend a little time to compare quotes from different insurance companies. This is very easy and can be done using a couple different methods.

1. The single most time-saving way to find low rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison click here to open form in new window. This easy form keeps you from doing separate quotes for every auto insurance company. One quote request will get you price quotes from auto insurance companies with the best prices. It’s definitely the quickest method.
2. A more difficult way to compare rate quotes requires visiting the website of each company and request a quote. For sake of this example, let’s assume you want to compare State Farm, Safeco and Liberty Mutual. You would have to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, and that’s why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to insurance companies in Rockford, click here.

It’s up to you how you get prices quotes, just ensure you’re using the exact same coverages and limits for every quote you compare. If your comparisons have mixed coverages then you won’t be able to decipher which rate is best in Rockford.

Companies offer discounts so take them!

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may find discounts to help offset the cost. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically in order for you to get them. If you’re not getting every credit you qualify for, you are throwing money away.

• Multi-car Discount – Buying insurance for more than one vehicle on one policy qualifies for this discount.
• Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accident claims.
• Lower Rates for Military – Being on active duty in the military can result in better rates.
• Student Driver Training – Require your teen driver to enroll in driver’s education in school.
• Accident Waiver – Some insurance companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates if you are claim-free for a particular time prior to the accident.

Drivers should understand that some credits don’t apply the the whole policy. Some only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce your overall premium however.

To choose insurers offering auto insurance discounts in Illinois, follow this link.

Do I just need basic coverages?

When it comes to buying coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a “best” method to buy coverage. Everyone’s needs are different.

For example, these questions might help in determining whether you would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
• Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
• Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
• I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
• Which companies will insure high-risk drivers?
• Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form. It’s fast, doesn’t cost anything and can help protect your family.

Coverages available on your policy

Understanding the coverages of your auto insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages for your vehicles. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement.

Medical expense coverage

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for short-term medical expenses like dental work, prosthetic devices, hospital visits, ambulance fees and X-ray expenses. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance plan or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover all vehicle occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

Collision protection

Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage resulting from a collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision can pay for claims like backing into a parked car, colliding with another moving vehicle, scraping a guard rail and sideswiping another vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from lower value vehicles. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

Your UM/UIM coverage protects you and your vehicle from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your vehicle.

Due to the fact that many Illinois drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (20/40/15), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Most of the time your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are set the same as your liablity limits.

Liability auto insurance

Liability coverage provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property that is your fault. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and 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. You might see policy limits of 25/50/25 which stand for $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property. Another option is a combined single limit or CSL which limits claims to one amount without having the split limit caps.

Liability coverage protects against things such as repair costs for stationary objects, pain and suffering and funeral expenses. How much coverage you buy is a decision to put some thought into, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. Illinois state law requires minimum liability limits of 20,000/40,000/15,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more coverage.

Comprehensive protection

Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like damage from a tornado or hurricane, hitting a bird, damage from getting keyed, damage from flooding and hail damage. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Do the work, save more money

In this article, we covered some good ideas how you can reduce auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more quotes you get, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the best price on auto insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies.

As you prepare to switch companies, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, consumers will sacrifice comprehensive coverage or liability limits only to discover later that they should have had better coverage. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

Low-cost auto insurance is attainable both online in addition to many Rockford insurance agents, and you need to comparison shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies do not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

For more Illinois car insurance information

Additional auto insurance information is located on the Illinois Department of Insurance website through this link. Illinois consumers can read consumer alerts, find a variety of consumer forms, read state legal mandates and laws, and discover disciplinary actions.