5 Ways to Save Money on Auto Insurance in Shepherdsville

Purchasing the most affordable Shepherdsville auto insurance on the web can be rather challenging for consumers new to buying insurance online. Since there are so many online companies, how can you even start to compare every company to locate the cheapest rates?

If you have car insurance now, you should be able to save some money using these tips. The purpose of this post is to teach you the most effective way to quote insurance and some tips to save money. Nevertheless, Kentucky consumers can benefit by having an understanding of the way companies sell insurance online and take advantage of how the system works.

How much can you save with these 5 discounts?

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but you may find discounts that you may not know about. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you purchase, but less common discounts must be inquired about before they will apply.

• Defensive Driver – Completing a course in driver safety could possibly earn you a 5% discount if your company offers it.
• Air Bag Discount – Vehicles equipped with air bags can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
• Anti-lock Brake Discount – Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than less cautious drivers.
• Multiple Vehicles – Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on one policy qualifies for this discount.

Consumers should know that some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you’re out of luck. But all discounts will cut the amount you have to pay.

To choose companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Shepherdsville, click here.

What is the best insurance coverage?

When buying the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there is no single plan that fits everyone. Every insured’s situation is different.

These are some specific questions might help in determining if your insurance needs would benefit from professional advice.

• Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
• I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
• Is my vehicle covered for smoke damage?
• Are there companies who specialize in insuring high-risk drivers?
• Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Kentucky?
• How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Kentucky?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form.

What about using a local agent?

A small number of people would rather talk to a local agent and that is just fine! One of the best bonuses of comparing rates online is the fact that you can find better rates and still choose a local agent. Supporting local insurance agencies is important particularly in Shepherdsville.

After filling out this simple form, your information is immediately sent to insurance agents in Shepherdsville who will return price quotes for your coverage. You won’t need to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. Now that’s easy! You can find the lowest rates and an insurance agent to talk to.

Independent or Captive: It’s your choice

When looking for a reliable agent, there are two types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Shepherdsville are categorized either captive or independent.

Independent Agents

These agents are not locked into one company so they have the ability to put coverage with lots of companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency. When shopping rates, it’s a good idea to include at least one independent agent to have the most options to choose from. Many write coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which can save you money.

Listed below is a short list of independent agencies in Shepherdsville willing to provide price quote information.

• American National Insurance Co – 1257 Highway 44 E – Shepherdsville, KY 40165 – (502) 955-1743
• Hatfield Realty and Insurance – Highway 245 – Shepherdsville, KY 40165 – (502) 543-7567

Captive Insurance Agents

These agents can only write with one company and examples are Allstate, AAA, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. They usually cannot provide prices from multiple companies so it’s a take it or leave it situation. Captive agencies are trained well on their company’s products which can be an advantage. Consumers sometimes choose to use a captive agent mainly due to loyalty to the company and the convenience of having all coverages with one company.

Shown below is a list of captive agencies in Shepherdsville that can give you rate quotes.

• Allstate Insurance – 1257 Highway 44 E – Shepherdsville, KY 40165 – (502) 955-7703
• State Farm Insurance – 1729 Highway 44 E – Shepherdsville, KY 40165 – (502) 955-6065
• Kentucky Farm Bureau – 217 S Buckman St – Shepherdsville, KY 40165 – (502) 543-2320

To view a complete directory of auto insurance agents in Shepherdsville, click here to link.

Selecting an insurance agency requires more thought than just a cheap price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• If they are an independent agency, which companies do they recommend?
• Do they make recommendations based only on price?
• Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
• Is the agency involved in supporting local community causes?
• Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
• Is working in the agency their full-time job?
• Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
• If you have an accident, are you able to get your vehicle repaired at the shop of your choice?

Upon getting positive feedback and a low price estimate, you may have just found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles.

Slick advertising tricks that work

Auto insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate and GEICO regularly use ads in print and on television. They all seem to make the same claim that you can save if you move your policy. How does each company make the same claim?

Insurance companies are able to cherry pick for the type of customer they prefer to insure. A good example of a driver they prefer might be profiled as between the ages of 30 and 50, is a homeowner, and has a high credit rating. Any new insured that hits that “sweet spot” is entitled to the best price and most likely will save a lot of money.

Consumers who are not a match for this ideal profile must pay higher rates and this can result in business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “customers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. That is how insurance companies can confidently make the claims of big savings.

This illustrates why it is so important to get as many comparisons as possible. It’s impossible to know which company will have the lowest rates.

Much more information about auto insurance in Kentucky can be found on the Kentucky Department of Insurance website. Click here for link. Kentucky drivers can get help finding coverage, view a list of available companies, and read consumer alerts.

Specific coverages

Understanding the coverages of auto insurance can help you determine the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be difficult to understand and coverage can change by endorsement.

Liability auto insurance

Liability insurance will cover damages or injuries you inflict on people or other property. This insurance protects YOU against other people’s claims, and does not provide coverage for damage sustained by your vehicle in an accident.

Liability coverage has three limits: per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. As an example, you may have limits of 50/100/50 that translate to a $50,000 limit per person for injuries, a total of $100,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Another option is one number which is a combined single limit which limits claims to one amount and claims can be made without the split limit restrictions.

Liability coverage pays for things such as bail bonds, loss of income and funeral expenses. How much coverage you buy is up to you, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Kentucky state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/50,000/10,000 but drivers should carry more coverage.

Comprehensive protection

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. A deductible will apply and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things like damage from a tornado or hurricane, damage from flooding, hail damage, a tree branch falling on your vehicle and vandalism. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider dropping full coverage.

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and damage to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (which is 25/50/10), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family. Usually these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Medical expense coverage

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for immediate expenses for things like nursing services, surgery, rehabilitation expenses, EMT expenses and prosthetic devices. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage

Collision coverage

This coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle resulting from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision insurance covers things like hitting a parking meter, hitting a mailbox and rolling your car. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so consider removing coverage from lower value vehicles. You can also choose a higher deductible to save money on collision insurance.

A little work can save a LOT of money

We’ve covered some good ideas how to lower your auto insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more price quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers could even find that the most savings is with a small mutual company.

Consumers switch companies for a number of reasons such as being labeled a high risk driver, delays in paying claims, not issuing a premium refund and even policy cancellation. Whatever your reason, switching auto insurance companies can be easy and end up saving you some money.

As you restructure your insurance plan, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many situations where an accident victim reduced liability coverage limits and discovered at claim time they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.