Is Your Morgan City Louisiana Auto Insurance Costing Too Much?

Purchasing the lowest cost Morgan City auto insurance online can be difficult for consumers not familiar with buying insurance online. With so many choices of online companies, how can you effectively compare every one to find the best price?

It’s a good habit to take a look at other company’s rates occasionally since rates change regularly. Even if you think you had the best deal six months ago you can probably find a better price now. Forget anything you know (or think you know) about auto insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the tricks you need to know to eliminate unnecessary coverages and save money.

Buying car insurance in Morgan City is not rocket science. If you have car insurance now, you will be able to cut costs considerably using this strategy. Although Louisiana drivers need to learn how big insurance companies price insurance differently because it can help you find the best coverage.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Companies don’t list every discount very well, so we took the time to find both well-publicized and the more hidden discounts you could be receiving.

• Federal Government Employee – Employees or retirees of the government could cut as much as 10% off with certain companies.
• Discount for Life Insurance – Larger companies have lower rates if you buy life insurance from them.
• Multiple Vehicles – Insuring multiple vehicles with the same company may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
• One Accident Forgiven – Certain companies will allow you to have one accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
• Pay Now and Pay Less – If paying your policy premium upfront rather than paying monthly you could save up to 5%.
• Club Memberships – Participating in a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when shopping for auto insurance.
• Homeowners Pay Less – Being a homeowner may trigger a auto insurance policy discount because maintaining a house demonstrates responsibility.

It’s important to understand that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Most only cut the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way.

Decisions you make can impact your rates

It’s important that you understand the factors that come into play when calculating auto insurance rates. Knowing what controls the rates you pay helps enable you to make changes that could result in better auto insurance rates.

The list below includes a few of the “ingredients” that factor into premiums.

• Your location affects your rates – Choosing to live in small towns and rural areas is a positive aspect when talking about auto insurance. Fewer people means fewer accidents and a lower car theft rate. Drivers in populated Louisiana areas have more traffic problems and longer commute times. More time commuting can result in more accidents.
• Low deductibles can be expensive – Physical damage deductibles define the amount you are willing to pay in the event of a claim. Coverage for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are running into the backend of another car, collision with an animal, and windstorm damage. The higher the amount you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
• Little extras can really add up – There are many extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your policy. Things like personal injury protection, accidental death and motor club memberships may be wasting your money. They may seem good when you first buy your policy, but if you don’t need them remove them from your policy.
• The more you drive the more you pay – The more you drive every year the higher your rate. Most insurance companies rate vehicles based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars left parked in the garage can get a lower rate than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Make sure your auto insurance policy is showing the correct driver usage, because it can save money.

Tailor your coverage to you

When buying proper insurance coverage, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s needs are different.

For instance, these questions can aid in determining if you could use an agent’s help.

• Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
• Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
• Is a new car covered when I drive it off the dealer lot?
• Is borrowed equipment or tools covered if stolen or damaged?
• Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
• Do I benefit by insuring my home with the same company?
• When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
• When would I need rental car insurance?
• At what point should I drop full coverage?

If you don’t know the answers to these questions but you know they apply to you, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, fill out this quick form.

Drivers who switch save $422 a year? Really?

Auto insurance companies such as 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing that you can save if you move your coverage to them. But how can every company make the same claim?

Different companies can use profiling for the type of driver they prefer to insure. An example of a profitable customer could possibly be between the ages of 40 and 55, a clean driving record, and has a high credit rating. Any driver who fits that profile will qualify for the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who do not match these standards must pay higher rates and this can result in business not being written. The ad wording is “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can claim big savings. This illustrates why it’s extremely important to quote coverage with many companies. Because you never know the company that will have the lowest rates.

Informative consumer insurance sites

More tips and info about auto insurance can be read at the Louisiana Department of Insurance website. Consumers can find disaster information, read industry bulletins, and read state legal mandates and laws.

Also read more on III.org’s auto insurance page and this list of agents in Morgan City, LA.

Quote more, save more

Drivers change insurance companies for any number of reasons including extreme rates for teen drivers, delays in paying claims, lack of trust in their agent and even not issuing a premium refund. It doesn’t matter why you want to switch switching auto insurance companies can be easier than you think.

We’ve covered a lot of techniques to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. Drivers may discover the most savings is with a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising.

Budget-conscious auto insurance is definitely available both online as well as from independent agents in Morgan City, so you should compare both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some companies don’t offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.