9 Must-Know Methods When Shopping for Delaware City Delaware Auto Insurance

No one cherishes buying auto insurance, especially when their premiums are too high.

There are many car insurance companies to choose from, and though it is a good thing to have a selection, so many choices can make it hard to find the lowest rates.

The purpose of this post is to familiarize you with the most effective way to quote insurance and some money-saving tips. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. But Delaware drivers do need to know the way companies determine prices and apply this information to your search.

How to Compare Auto Insurance Costs in Delaware City, DE

Most major insurance companies provide coverage price quotes directly from their websites. Getting quotes doesn’t take much effort as you just type in your coverage preferences into the quote form. Upon sending the form, the system will obtain reports for credit and driving violations and returns a price quote based on many factors. Being able to quote online makes it a lot easier to compare rates but the time it takes to visit each company’s website and repetitively enter the same data into a form gets old quite quickly. But it’s very important to do this if you are searching for the lowest auto insurance rates.

The smarter way to lower your auto insurance bill makes use of a single form to obtain quotes from more than one company. This type of form saves time, requires much less work on your part, and makes comparison shopping much easier to do. Immediately after submitting the form, it is quoted and you can choose any or none of the price quotes you receive.

If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can simply submit the application and purchase the new policy. This process can be completed in a matter of minutes and you will know how your current rates stack up.

To compare rates using this form now, click here to open in new window and submit the form. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you enter coverages and limits identical to your current policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you are getting a price comparison based on identical coverages.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you can get discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically when you quote, but a few need to be specifically requested before you will receive the discount.

Low Mileage – Keeping the miles down could be rewarded with lower rates on the low mileage vehicles.
Theft Prevention System – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
New Vehicle Savings – Insuring a new car can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for new cars.
Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for multiple vehicles on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
Driver’s Ed – Cut your cost by having your teen driver complete a driver education course in high school.
Military Discounts – Having a family member in the military can result in better rates.
Anti-lock Brake System – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and earn discounts up to 10%.
Claim Free – Good drivers with no accidents pay much less compared to frequent claim filers.
Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up until you turn 25.
Pay Upfront and Save – By paying your policy upfront instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.

It’s important to note that most of the big mark downs will not be given to your bottom line cost. Some only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn’t work that way. Any qualifying discounts will help reduce your premiums.

To choose companies offering auto insurance discounts in Delaware, click this link.

Buy Cheaper Auto Insurance with These Tips

It’s important that you understand the rating factors that play a part in calculating the rates you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.

Shown below are a partial list of the pieces auto insurance companies consider when setting rates.

Your location affects your rates – Living in small towns and rural areas is a positive aspect when buying auto insurance. Urban drivers regularly have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Fewer people means a lower chance of having an accident as well as less vandalism and auto theft.
Little extras can really add up – There are quite a few extra bells and whistles that can waste your money on your policy. Insurance for personal injury protection, accident forgiveness and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. They may seem like a good idea initially, but now you might not need them so eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
More claims means more premium – If you are a frequent claim filer, you can expect either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance companies in Delaware award cheaper rates to insureds who do not file claims often. Auto insurance is intended for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
Liability coverage is peace of mind – The liability section of your policy will protect you in the event that you are found liable for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. It provides for a legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. Liability is cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
Multiple policies with one company can save – The majority of auto insurance companies provide better rates to customers who carry more than one policy, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, you may still want to compare rates to ensure the best deal.

What if I want to buy from a local Delaware City agent?

A small number of people just want to visit with an insurance agent. One of the great benefits of getting online price quotes is you may find lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. Buying from small agencies is especially important in Delaware City.

Once you complete this simple form, the coverage information is emailed to agents in your area who will battle for your business. There is no need to visit any agencies since price quotes are sent to the email address you provide. How cool is that?! You’ll get the best rates and a licensed agent to work with.

Two different types of insurance agents

When looking for a reliable agent, there are two types of insurance agents from which to choose. Delaware City agents are either independent or captive.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agents do not work for one specific company so they can insure your vehicles with lots of companies depending on which coverage is best. If you are not satisfied with one company, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency. When comparing rates, we recommend you contact at least one independent agent for maximum quote selection.

Listed below is a list of independent insurance agents in Delaware City that may be able to provide price quote information.

Nickle Insurance Inc – 119 Washington St – Delaware City, DE 19706 – (302) 834-9700

Captive Agents

This type of agents work for only one company and examples are State Farm, Allstate and AAA. These agents are not able to compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. Captive agencies receive extensive training on the products they sell which can be an advantage.

Picking an insurance agent requires more thought than just the bottom line cost. Here are some questions to ask:

Do they receive special compensation for putting your coverage with one company over another?
If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?

After getting positive feedback to your questions and a good coverage price, you may have just found an insurance agency that can insure your vehicles.

How do I know if I need professional advice?

When it comes to choosing coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a perfect coverage plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions can help discover if you might need professional guidance.

At what point should I drop full coverage?
Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
Is my custom paint covered by insurance?
When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
Do I need higher deductibles?
Am I covered if I crash into my own garage door?
Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

More information can be read on the website for the Delaware Department of Insurance. Click here for link. Visitors are able to discover disciplinary actions, read consumer alerts, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.

Can switching companies really save?

Companies like Progressive, Allstate and GEICO regularly use ads in print and on television. All the ads have a common claim of big savings if you move your policy. How do they all make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.

Different companies can use profiling for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a profitable customer might be between 30 and 50, insures multiple vehicles, and drives newer vehicles. Any new insured who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save when switching.

Consumers who are not a match for these standards will have to pay higher rates which leads to the customer not buying. The ads state “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. That is how companies can claim big savings.

Because of the profiling, it’s extremely important to get as many quotes as possible. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

And the best car insurance company is…

When you buy insurance online, it’s very important that you do not sacrifice coverage to reduce premiums. There are a lot of situations where someone sacrificed full coverage and learned later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your aim should be to buy enough coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

Cost effective auto insurance can be found from both online companies and also from your neighborhood Delaware City agents, and you need to comparison shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who may not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.