Consumer Tested Strategies for Comparing Cheap Novi, MI Auto Insurance

Sick and tired of trying to scrape together enough money to insure your vehicles every month? Your situation is no different than many other Michigan consumers.

There is such a variety of auto insurance companies to buy insurance from, and although it’s a good thing to be able to choose, it makes it harder to compare rates.

Smart consumers take time to do rate comparisons before your policy renews because insurance rates fluctuate regularly. Just because you found the best deal a couple years back you may be paying too much now. You can find a lot of misleading information regarding auto insurance on the web, but we’re going to give you some tested techniques to save money.

Buying the lowest cost protection in Novi is quite easy. In a nutshell, anyone who is required by state law to have auto insurance will more than likely be able to find better rates. But Michigan consumers need to have an understanding of the way companies sell online and apply this information to your search.

How to Compare Auto Insurance Quotes in Novi, Michigan

Effectively comparing auto insurance prices can take hours if you don’t understand the most efficient way. You can spend your afternoon driving to insurance agencies in Novi, or you could save time and use the web to achieve your goal.

The majority of car insurance companies participate in an industry program that enables customers to complete one form, and each company then returns a price quote for coverage. This saves time by eliminating form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. To find out how much you’re overpaying now click here to open in new window.

The single downside to doing it this way is you can’t choose which companies to get quotes from. So if you prefer to choose individual companies to compare rates, we have a page of auto insurance companies in Michigan. View list of Michigan insurance companies.

However you get your quotes, make sure you use identical coverage information on every quote you get. If you are comparing unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be impossible to determine the best price in Novi. Quoting even small variations in limits could mean much higher rates. And when comparison shopping, comparing more company’s prices helps locate lower pricing.

Buyer beware of auto insurance advertising tricks

Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm consistently run ads in print and on television. All the companies make an identical promise that you’ll save big if you change to them. How can each company make almost identical claims?

All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that is profitable for them. A good example of a profitable customer could be between 25 and 40, insures multiple vehicles, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer who fits that profile is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save a lot of money.

Consumers who do not match these standards will have to pay higher prices which leads to business going elsewhere. Company advertisements say “drivers who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save money. That is how insurance companies can make those claims.

Because of the profiling, you should compare many company’s rates. It is impossible to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Discounts can save BIG

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but discounts can save money and there are some available to help bring down the price. Certain discounts will be triggered automatically at the time you complete a quote, but some may not be applied and must be requested specifically before they will apply.

• Defensive Driving Course – Completing a course teaching defensive driving skills could save 5% or more depending on where you live.
• Resident Student – Children who live away from home without a vehicle on campus may be able to be covered for less.
• Drive Safe and Save – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than their less cautious counterparts.
• Theft Prevention System – Vehicles with anti-theft systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you may reduce your total bill.
• Claim Free – Claim-free drivers pay less when compared to bad drivers.
• Seat Belts Save more than Lives – Using a seat belt and requiring all passengers to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
• New Vehicle Savings – Putting insurance coverage on a new car can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut individual premiums such as comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies don’t profit that way. Any amount of discount will cut your overall premium however.

For a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Novi, follow this link.

What about my local Novi agents?

Certain consumers would rather sit down with an agent and that is OK! The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you may find better rates but also keep your business local. Buying from local insurance agencies is definitely important in Novi.

Once you complete this form (opens in new window), your insurance coverage information is sent to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no reason to drive around since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. How’s that for easy! Get lower rates AND an agent nearby.

If you want to view a list of agents in Novi to contact, visit this site.

Deciding on an provider needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
• How many years of experience in personal lines insurance coverages do they have?
• Is assistance available after office hours?
• Which insurance companies are they affiliated with?
• Does the agent have professional designations like CIC, CPCU or AIC?
• Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?

After getting answers to your satisfaction to any questions you have and an acceptable price quote, you’ve probably found a company that can properly service your auto insurance policy.

More information can be read on the website for the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation located here. Visitors are able to view agent and company licensing information, get help finding coverage, find out industry alerts, and learn about specific coverages.

Other informative sites include QuoteClickInsure.com and this link where you can make Novi auto insurance comparisons.

More effort can pay off

We just showed you a lot of information how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from the least-expected company. Some small companies may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates as compared to the big name companies such as Progressive and GEICO.

Cheaper auto insurance can be found online and also from your neighborhood Novi agents, and you should be comparing both so you have a total pricing picture. Some auto insurance companies may not provide the ability to get a quote online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.