7 Must-Know Tricks When Shopping for Crowley Auto Insurance

Are you a victim of overpriced auto insurance? Believe me, you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse.

Since consumers have many online and local companies to choose from, it can be diffult for consumers to locate the right car insurance company.

Finding affordable coverage in Crowley is quite easy. If you currently have a car insurance policy, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. But Louisiana car owners must understand how the larger insurance companies price online insurance and use this information to your advantage.

Compare Quotes for Crowley Auto Insurance

When shopping for auto insurance there are multiple ways to compare quotes from local in Crowley, LAauto insurance companies. The fastest way to find competitive insurance rates involves getting comparison quotes online. This is very easy and can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

• The easiest and least time consuming way to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form like this one (opens in new window). This method prevents you from having to do separate quotes for each company. One quote request compares rates from auto insurance companies with the best prices.
• A harder way to get comparison quotes is going to each individual company website and request a quote. For examples sake, let’s say you want to compare USAA, Progressive and Liberty Mutual. You would have to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, which is why most consumers use the first method.

  For a handy list of car insurance company links in Crowley, click here.

• The least efficient method of getting rate comparisons is to drive around to insurance agents’ offices. The ability to buy insurance online eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you require the professional advice that only a license agent can provide. It is possible to find lower rates online but buy from a local insurance agent and we’ll touch on that later.

It’s your choice how you get your quotes, but make darn sure you compare exactly the same coverage limits with every price quote. If the quotes have differing limits it’s not possible to determine which rate is truly the best in Crowley. Having just a slight variation in coverage limits may cause a big price difference. And when price shopping your coverage, getting more free quotes helps locate the best price.

Lower rates by qualifying for discounts

Companies that sell car insurance don’t always list every discount in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of some of the best known and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.

• Multiple Cars – Buying coverage for all your vehicles with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
• Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can pay as much as 50% less than less cautious drivers.
• Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
• Multiple Policy Discount – When you have multiple policies with the same company you could get a discount of at least 10% off all policies.
• Braking Control Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Passive Restraint Discount – Factory air bags may earn rate discounts of 20% or more.
• Anti-theft System – Vehicles with anti-theft systems are stolen less frequently and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• College Student – Any of your kids who attend school more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle on campus can receive lower rates.
• No Claims – Drivers who don’t have accidents can earn big discounts when compared to drivers who are more careless.
• Early Signing – A few companies offer discounts for signing up prior to your current policy expiration. This can save 10% or more.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.

Neighborhood insurance agents

A small number of people just want to visit with an insurance agent. One of the great benefits of price shopping on the web is the fact that you can find the lowest rates and still have an agent to talk to.

After filling out this quick form, your insurance coverage information is emailed to local insurance agents who will compete for your coverage. There is no need to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. Now that’s easy! You can find better rates and an insurance agent to talk to.

Choosing an insurance company needs to be determined by more than just a low price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:

• Do they make recommendations based only on price?
• Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
• Can they give you a list of client referrals?
• Does the agency have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau?
• Does the company allow you to choose your own collision repair facility?
• What insurance companies do they work with?

Two different types of insurance agencies

If you’re trying to find an insurance agent, there are a couple of types of insurance agents that you can select. Agents are categorized either independent or captive.

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive agencies are contracted to one company and examples are Farmers Insurance or State Farm. These agents are unable to give you multiple price quotes so they have no alternatives for high prices. Captive agents are trained well on their company’s products which can be an advantage.

Listed below are Crowley captive agencies who may provide you with price quote information.

Allstate Insurance – 509 N Parkerson Ave – Crowley, LA 70526 – (337) 783-8967
Farm Bureau Insurance – 22130 Crowley Eunice Hwy – Crowley, LA 70526 – (337) 783-6212

Independent Agents

Independent agencies are not locked into one company but instead can place your coverage with many different companies depending on which coverage is best. 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 comparison shopping, it’s recommended you contact multiple independent agents to have the most options to choose from.

Shown below are independent insurance agents in Crowley willing to provide comparison quotes.

Roland S Rojas Insurance Inc – 124 E 15th St – Crowley, LA 70526 – (337) 783-3250
Shelby Comeaux Insurance – 809 N Parkerson Ave – Crowley, LA 70526 – (337) 783-7074

For a complete listing of insurance agents in Crowley, view this link.

Once you have received acceptable answers to these questions and an affordable coverage quote, you have narrowed it down to an auto insurance agent that will insure your vehicles.

When might I need the advice of an agent?

When choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a best way to insure your cars. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs and your policy should reflect that. For example, these questions might help in determining whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.

• Are my friends covered when driving my vehicle?
• Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
• Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?
• Do I need higher deductibles?
• Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
• Why am I be forced to buy a membership to get insurance from some companies?
• When do I need to add a new car to my policy?

If you’re not sure about those questions then you might want to talk to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form or click here for a list of auto insurance companies in your area.

Buy Cheaper Auto Insurance with These Tips

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what determines base rates helps enable you to make changes that will entitle you to much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are a partial list of the pieces that factor into prices.

• Do you know you’re credit rating? – A driver’s credit score is a large factor in your rate calculation. People with good credit tend to be more responsible than those with lower credit ratings. So if your credit rating is low, you could save money insuring your by improving your rating.
• Your age impacts your rates – More mature drivers are viewed as being more responsible, tend to file fewer claims and are safer drivers. Teenage drivers have a tendency to get distracted easily when driving therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
• More claims means more premium – If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either higher rates or even cancellation. Auto insurance companies in Louisiana award better rates to drivers who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. Car insurance is meant to be used in the event of the large, substantial claims.
• Where you reside plays a part – Choosing to live in a small town is a positive aspect when insuring your vehicles. Lower population means fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate. Drivers in populated Louisiana areas regularly have more traffic problems and longer commutes to work. Higher commute times means higher likelihood of an accident.

The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest

Cost effective auto insurance is possible online as well as from independent agents in Crowley, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. There are still a few companies who don’t offer online price quotes and most of the time these small, regional companies sell through independent agents.

When you buy insurance online, do not skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are many occasions where an accident victim reduced collision coverage and discovered at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The ultimate goal is to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford.

More detailed Louisiana auto insurance information can be read at the Louisiana Department of Insurance website. Consumers can learn about specific coverages, view a list of available companies, discover disciplinary actions, and file complaints about a company.