How to Know You’re Throwing Money Away for Car Insurance in Bolingbrook Illinois

Sick and tired of paying out the nose each month for car insurance? You are no different than many other drivers in Illinois.

Popular companies such as State Farm, Farmers Insurance, GEICO and Allstate constantly bombard you with advertising and it can be hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

Free Quotes for Car Insurance in Bolingbrook, Illinois

There are a lot of ways you can shop for car insurance but one way is less labor-intensive and much quicker. You can spend your afternoon talking about coverages with insurance agencies in Bolingbrook, or you could save time and use online quoting to get pricing more quickly.

Most of the best insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace where prospective buyers enter their coverage request one time, and every company returns a rated price based on that information. This system prevents you from having to do quote forms for each company.

To compare rates using this form now click here (opens in new window).

The only downside to comparing rates this way is that consumers can’t choose which insurance companies you want pricing from. So if you prefer to choose specific insurance companies to compare, we put together a list of companies who write car insurance in Illinois. Click here for list of insurance companies in Illinois.

Whichever way you use, be sure to compare apples-to-apples information with every price quote. If you use different deductibles it’s not possible to find the best deal in Bolingbrook. Slightly different insurance coverages may result in a large different in cost. And when comparing car insurance rates, know that having more price comparisons gives you a better chance of getting lower pricing.

Pay less by taking advantage of discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, buy you may qualify for discounts that can drop the cost substantially. A few discounts will automatically apply at quote time, but less common discounts must be specifically requested before they will apply.

• Student in College – Any of your kids living away from home attending college and don’t have a car may be able to be covered for less.
• Accident Waiver – A few companies will allow you to have one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don’t have any claims for a set time period.
• Discount for Swiching Early – Select companies give a discount for switching to them before your current expiration date. The savings is around 10%.
• New Vehicle Savings – Buying coverage on a new vehicle can save up to 30% due to better safety requirements for new cars.
• Theft Prevention Discount – Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
• Student Driver Training – Have your child complete a driver education course in high school.

A little note about advertised discounts, some credits don’t apply to the entire policy premium. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. Just because you may think all the discounts add up to a free policy, it doesn’t quite work that way. But any discount will bring down the amount you have to pay.

Aren’t my neighborhood agents an option?

Certain consumers would rather talk to a local agent and there is nothing wrong with that. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. Buying from local insurance agencies is definitely important in Bolingbrook.

To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this short form, your information is transmitted to local insurance agents in Bolingbrook who will battle for your coverage. You won’t need to even leave your home since price quotes are sent immediately to your email address. It doesn’t get any easier! You can find the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.

Choose the right car insurance agent

When searching for a reputable insurance agent or broker, you need to know there are two types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Agencies in Bolingbrook can either be independent or captive.

Independent Insurance Agents

Independent insurance agents are not employed by any specific company so they can insure your vehicles with any number of different companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. If you are not satisfied with one company, the agent simply finds a different carrier and you don’t have to find a new agent. When shopping rates, you should always contact at a minimum one independent agency for maximum quote selection.

The following are independent insurance agents in Bolingbrook who may be able to give you price quote information.

RCR Assocciates Insurance – 335 Quadrangle Dr – Bolingbrook, IL 60440 – (630) 759-8582
Business Insurance Group – 1412 Canyon Ct – Bolingbrook, IL 60490 – (630) 759-9464

Captive Agents

These agents can only write with one company and examples are Farmers Insurance, American Family, State Farm and Allstate. They are unable to provide prices from multiple companies so they are skilled at selling on more than just price. Captive agencies are well schooled on their company’s products which can be an advantage.

Below is a short list of captive agencies in Bolingbrook that are able to give price quote information.

Farmers Insurance Group – 280 S Schmidt Rd – Bolingbrook, IL 60440 – (630) 759-3344
Allstate Insurance – 172 N Bolingbrook Dr – Bolingbrook, IL 60440 – (630) 739-2200
American Family Insurance – 595 N Pinecrest Rd # D2 – Bolingbrook, IL 60440 – (630) 972-1548
State Farm Insurance – 516 W Boughton Rd – Bolingbrook, IL 60440 – (630) 679-1900

For a full directory of Bolingbrook captive insurance agencies, visit this link.

Deciding on an insurance agent needs to be determined by more than just the bottom line cost. Some important questions to ask are:

• If your car is in the repair shop, do you have coverage for a rental car?
• What insurance companies do they recommend if they are an independent agent?
• Is assistance available after office hours?
• If you are a high risk driver, do they have special markets for your coverage?
• Will their companies depreciate repairs to your car based on the mileage?
• Will your rates increase after a single accident?
• Who are their largest clients?
• What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?

Upon getting answers to your satisfaction to these questions and a good coverage price, chances are good that you have found an auto insurance agent that meets your needs to service your policy.

You are unique and your car insurance should be too

When choosing the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a one size fits all plan. Each situation is unique so your insurance needs to address that. These are some specific questions might help in determining whether or not you may require specific advice.

• What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in Illinois?
• Should I buy only the required Illinois minimum liability coverage?
• How much liability do I need to cover my assets?
• How many claims can I have before being cancelled?
• Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
• Why is insurance for a teen driver so high in Bolingbrook?
• Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
• Do I need rental car coverage?
• When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?

If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, complete this form or you can also visit this page to select a carrier

Many Things Influence your Rates

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that play a part in calculating the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that can help you get better car insurance rates.

Shown below are a few of the “ingredients” companies use to determine your rates.

• Do you have enough liability coverage? – Liability coverage provides coverage if ever a court rules you are at fault for causing damage or personal injury in an accident. Liability provides legal defense which can cost thousands of dollars. This coverage is very inexpensive when compared with rates for comp and collision, so buy as much as you can afford.
• A clean driving record saves money – Drivers with clean records have lower premiums than bad drivers. Just one citation may increase your cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers with serious tickets like hit and run, DWI or reckless driving convictions are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
• Lower rates with optional equipment – Purchasing a vehicle that has an advanced theft prevention system can help lower your rates. Theft prevention features like tamper alarm systems, vehicle immobilizer technology and General Motors OnStar all aid in stopping your car from being stolen.
• With age comes lower rates – Older insureds are more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations. Young drivers have a tendency to be less responsible when behind the wheel therefore car insurance rates are much higher.
• Better credit scores mean better rates – Credit rating is a important factor in your rate calculation. Drivers who have high credit ratings tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have lower credit scores. So if your credit can use some improvement, you could save money insuring your by improving your rating.
• Where you live – Being located in less populated areas can save you money when insuring your vehicles. Fewer people means reduced accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers who live in large Illinois cities regularly have traffic congestion and a longer drive to work. Higher commute times translates into higher accident risk.
• Always keep insurance in force – Driving without insurance is a misdemeanor and as a result your rates will increase for letting your coverage have a gap. And not only will your rates increase, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a steep fine or even jail time.You may have to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Illinois DMV.

Best coverage at the best price

The cheapest car insurance can be purchased on the web and with local Bolingbrook insurance agents, so you should compare both to have the best chance of lowering rates. There are still a few companies who do not offer online price quotes and these smaller companies work with independent agents.

You just learned some good ideas how you can save on car insurance. The key concept to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better your chances of lowering your rates. Drivers may discover the biggest savings come from a small local company. These companies can often insure niche markets at a lower cost than the large multi-state companies such as State Farm or Progressive.

Much more information about car insurance in Illinois can be found on the website for the Illinois Department of Insurance through this link. Illinois consumers can file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, report car insurance fraud, and file complaints about a company.